Out Like a Lamb

The weather has turned fabulously Spring like. That has nothing to do with anything so I don't know why I'm reporting it.

There is no progress on the bathroom project at this time because we are busy decorating sky walks downtown. We have eight to do and we have completed two. Well, it's a little more than that; let's call it two and a half.

Susan is working hockey games last night and tonight. So I'm taking advantage of the time off to go down and at least get a couple of sky walks lined out. We are using stencils on this round of decorating because all we are putting up is text.

The promotion is "Celebrate Spring in Spokane". That goes on one side of the sky walk in big letters and reads to the outside of the sky walk. In other words, you can read it when you drive under the sky walk.

On the other side and reading to those walking through the sky walk, we are putting up the name and dates of various upcoming events like Bloomsday, Hoopfest, the big skating competition and the Gay Pride Parade. 

I'm not very thrilled about putting up the Pride Parade because it is a freak show. I don't think the LGBT community represents itself very well in that parade because every bizarre fetish is displayed in some form or other. I'm pleased you're proud but keep it in your bedroom. 

For that reason, I have discerned to split the sky walks with the Pride Parade and Bike to Work Week. 

Nightdark Losing Time

We lost an hour overnight as the genius of phase shifting the clock kicks in for another season. I wish they would just leave it alone. We took advantage of the lost hour by losing it last week and then not getting up this morning.

We are going to celebrate by skiing. The weather has been questionable and rain was forecast for today.The rain has not materialized and so we are heading to Mt. Spokane and not getting a shut out for the season.

6:50 PM, PDT: You cannot imagine the scope of the conspiracy that took place on our ski trip today. It is the giant weather conspiracy that exists to prevent us from skiing this season. 

For the record, we have not been shut out. We skied. The speed with which the weather turned from a nice day to shit was in direct proportion to our placement in relationship to the ski area.

While we slept in to compensate for the lost hour, the skiing was excellent. There was just a hint of fog kissing the crest of the mountain when we left the house.

When we arrived, the fog was a bit lower but conditions still looked good. On our first trip up the lift, the snow started to gently fall. The first run was fine but the wind had come up so it was a little chilly.

Our second and last run down the hill was enveloped in fog, the wind was blowing and the snow had turned into little darts that burned your face. 

We left $71 dollars up there and got in two and half runs. 

That was an expensive day.

We got home around 4 and unloaded the car under bright warm sunshine.

Saturday Around the Estate

It is just after ten o'clock on a rainy Saturday morning. I am happy to declare that the dry walling in the bathroom is finished! We started it last August when we had Phil put in the bulk of the dry wall and we officially finish se7en months later. That may be a speed record for us. 

Now it's up to Susan to get in there and mud.

I should get into the stair case there and clean out all this crap. And I just might. And I just might not.

We are hoping to go skiing tomorrow but it does not look promising. I have never been shut out of a ski season in my 51 years of being an amateur ski enthusiast. I do not intend to let it happen this season. I may have to take a day off from work in order to get up on the hill for a decent day of enthusiasm.

Since I am finished for the day in the bathroom, I'm going to see if I can make some sort of order out of the Carriage House. It's a mess.

Here's what it started out as.

Here it is after my extensive reorganization.

Not much difference.

Let's see what Susan accomplished in the bathroom.

She's almost done mudding. Next is some sanding and then more mudding, followed by additional sanding and then a little bit more mudding and then some sanding...followed by a divorce, reconciliation, a fabulous second wedding at the Coeur d'Amore and then some more sanding.

Two Steps Forward

I came home tonight to find Susan working in the bathroom. She was mudding the drywall. That's her thing. My thing is...well...we haven't quite figured out my thing yet. I know it involves destruction.

I spent some time in there yesterday. I'm trying to finish up the dry walling so the mudder can get back in there and finish. The mudder can't finish until I finish. So when I finish, then Susan can finish. Is this making sense?

Well, it is taking up space, allowing me to write a post that really contains no information at all.

Ski or Bust

As far as skiing goes, our big ski weekend has been a bust. We woke up today to a light but steady drizzle. Again, not a condition conducive to skiing.

We are not considering the weekend a loss. Just the skiing part. We have had a wonderful time here in the Silver Valley.

So, it's back to town and reality for us. But first, a little breakfast at the Red Light Garage. Then we will have a nice drive home and be back in time to do some things around the house.

Or not!

Ski Weekend Day One

We have settled in to our home away from home here at the Hercules Inn, Unit Number 1. All is well except for the continued rolling up of businesses in Wallace. 

We drove into to town last night and after getting unpacked in Unit One, we promptly set out for dinner.

Our plan was to go to the 1313 Club for dinner and watch the opening round of the WCC tournament, featuring Gonzaga. The 1313 Club was closed...at 7:30 on a Friday. It turns out they are closed for some remodeling. The Smoke House was closed. The Fainting Goat was out of business.

Fortunately, the City Limits Bar and Grill was open and accommodating, except for the part where they closed at Nine. 

After dinner we returned to the Hercules to watch the basketball but I was unable to find the game on the telly. So, we dissolved ourselves into the Downton Abbey Marathon and I promptly fell asleep.

I have since learned that Gonzaga plays tonight instead of last night. I'm not sure how I misread that but it is not the first time.

We awoke this morning to a steady rainfall. It was decided to drive up to Lookout and check things out but we were doubtful that we would be skiing.

And we were right.

So we continued our drive to the east and drove to the Fifty Thousand Silver Dollar Bar. It's a gaudy tourist trap on the side of the highway that we enjoy visiting to see aisles and aisles of crap.

One could hardly imagine passing up gems such as these.

After we were done rambling the aisles, we returned to the west and drove to Kellogg. We checked out an Antique Shop and then found a bar, Dirty Ernie's, to have a couple of beers at.

We returned to the Herc for nap time and then out to dinner at the Moose Creek Grill. It's a new place for us and we liked it.

Now we have returned to our little suite and are crashing in front of more Downton Abbey.

Day of Toil

I have the day off today so it's not a good day for scoundrels to come prowling around the house. I'm going to be all over the place today and accomplicating many things and items.

Already this morning I have made the coffee, cooked the breakfast for me and mine Spouse, showered and cleaned the shower, at least partially, and it's only 8:30. 

I shall now continue my efforts to be something of a productive member of society. But first another of the 156 Flag pictures I took yesterday.

Several hours have elapsed and I have been quite productive. I am not going to get too high on myself  yet as that seems to be an invitation to disaster. I'll come across something I've done that requires unnecessary re-working.

I already talked about my shower but one can safely assume that I was naked. I have completed my project in the bathroom (not naked) of a drop down wall above the cabinet area. Including the dry walling. I shall let my photo genius pictograms tell the story. 

I have run to the BIG BOX STORE and returned some cement board that I purchased months ago...like August. I got a nice store credit and turned around and bought a new saw blade and some wood to fir up a wall prior to more dry walling.

I have dropped by the horrible Gubmint office to renew my License Tabs. That took 20 minutes of waiting and four minutes to complete the transaction with the gal at the desk.

I had the same sort of fun on Wednesday when I renewed my Driver's License.

Friday is Garbage Day. Every Friday I have to haul the garbage and recycling cans out to the alley. I have now returned the cans from the alley and loaded my final two bags of last seasons' leaves in the container. I might have gotten a bit too greedy trying to fit two bags in but I wanted to be rid of them. I have been putting one bag a week in the can for the last several weeks. With only two remaining, I got antsy. 

I have done a serviceable job of vacuuming out the car and putting the ski racks on. I also cleaned out the vacuum and then did some much needed vacuuming in the Carriage House.

It is now just after two and I'm hoping Susan will be home soon so we can take off on our Big Ski Weekend.

I feel comfortable writing something about it here because I will not be publishing this until after the weekend is over. 

So SUCK IT, Thieving House Prowling Blog Surfing Scumbags!