It is warm and very summer, but I have stayed pretty close to home and did not really enjoy the spring like I should. Not good..

shorter

The days are getting shorter.

Not a whole lot, but a few minutes a day. Mostly in the morning, I think.

Soon the days will get shorter very quickly and that horrible time change kicks in and it is dark about 5 in the afternoon. And it is cold at night.

I am not a great winter lover. The point of the shorter days the last of July is a reminder that colder times are ahead and get ready.

That is a micro car. Should be able to drive it on the sidewalk!

neighbor ring tail cat

The neighbor’s cat went missing the other day. It is not a particularly pretty cat, but it was loved by it’s owner.

The owner came to our house to inquire of any sightings we might have had. I had seen the cat exactly twice before and remembered that it’s back legs looked a bit too long and it had a ring tail.

Then the owner came back, and as I was listening my expression was a “smurk” as she would tell the animal control officer (who was called). The suspicion was that I “hated” cats (I don’t remember saying that), and that I had killed it.

So the Animal Control Officer came to talk to me. I eagerly said that the cat was not a problem to me and that I surely had done nothing to the cat in question. In fact, I did not even get very close to it!
Shar and I felt bad to be accused of harming the neighbor’s pet.

Then the next day the cat showed up. All was forgiven and apologies were offered (and accepted).

Here in Idaho it is legal to trap cats. The county Animal Control Officer said so!  That would include the neighbor’s beloved pet, if I choose! But it has to be done  “humanely” and the same word is used if you kill the animal. It has to be “humane.” Not sure what those words mean in this county.

Unless a cat is really being a problem, they can all live in peace at my place.

Birthday girl and her new purple bicycle. Taken with my iPhone 5.
When I was in San Francisco in May I saw beautiful pictures on billboards that would have the simple caption: "Taken with an Iphone".
Apple headquarters was near, but the quality is amazing. 

Party

We went to a birthday party this week.

The honoree was a sweet little 9 year old girl. A great granddaughter of Shars. It was a bit more complex, but explainable. The step father is a grandson of Shar’s. His wife’s daughter was the 9 year old. So, no blood relationship, but that does not matter much.

We arrived a few minutes late. Invitations had gone out to the family, grandparents, uncles aunts and such.

But the sad thing is that we were the only ones there. No one, not grandparents, not sisters or brothers even offered reasons why they would not or could not attend.

It made us sad, but ever so glad we were there.

not so ready

Move in ready, we were told.

The floors were new carpet and newer cheap laminate flooring. Both were hiding something I feared.

We took the laminate out and discovered lots of repair. The plumbing (notorious for leaks for this vintage) had leaked for years and massive hunks of floor had been replaced. But around the edges was evidence of water damage.

My plans were to put ceramic tile down in the kitchen and the bathrooms. But if I was ever going to change the piping it had to be before the tile.

So I began cutting  holes in the floor, lots of them.

By now the pipes are all in. I set up the system so I can turn off a bathroom or the laundry without affecting the rest of the plumbing. So, now we have a fully functioning kitchen: sink and prep sink; dishwasher and even the ice maker is working.

We have water to two bathrooms and the laundry room.

The main bath and the utility room have new tile floors.

We are living in a mess, but we are living!

I set the tile in the entry yesterday. It is 12 by 24 tile set in a herringbone pattern, and all in diagonal. Not fast to do, since nearly all the tile had to be cut, but it is in and looks good.

Tomorrow I begin the kitchen. It is the same sized tile and pattern, but this time without the diagonal trick.

Late next week the carpet is going in the living/dining/hall. Then the furniture can come in and be arranged by the lady.

It will really begin to look like a home then!

Our "old" house from the garden side.
I sold the acre (garden and shop) to my neighbor who had all the trees taken out. It looks very different and not nearly as inviting now.
But time goes on.

I had hoped to be moved in early enough to get the garden going.

The hope and plan was to move in and work on the house gradually.

But then we noticed some things. The water rain only hot in one spot and only cold in another. Hmm.

The Master shower dripped and the valve would not turn it off.

And it was early June when we finally moved in.

My house rented without putting out any advertisement. Her house sold in less than a week, so we were down to one house and it was time to move. Though we have been married for 2/3 of a year we have not really moved in together. I had a suitcase of clothes at her house and she had the same at mine.

But now we are combining of two houses. She owned a restaurant or two for a long time and there are more than a few containers full of silverware. My guess is that we could come up with a good sized box full. If you add in the kitchen goodies. . .

The new knife drawer has dozens of dull cheap knives and my expensive chef knife is lost among all the stuff.

Dishes: I have a set or two, she has a set or three.

Pots and pans? Hers are nice with glass lids. Mine are old, well used Revere models.

And it goes on and on.

I  have a granddaughter who could use a bunch of stuff as she sets up her kitchen. There will not be a shortage.