Pumpkin Carving

It was nice to be in town this fall after years of traveling.  We actually got the pumpkins carved early.  Katie & Kyle pretty much did their own this year.  Libby still needs some help.  Maybe we'll send some seeds to Eric!

Bathroom Tear Down

Starting a new project.... Yes, just after moving in we found out that the walk in shower in the master bath was leaking into the kitchen.  Fortunately, there was a separate tub/shower to use so that gave me a great chance to procrastinate.  So I finally started, slowly first, but decided I'd just have 1000+ pounds of tile and scrap in the garage.

So here's what we started with..  

Breaking in to the wall I found this was not your modern tile installation... Of course the house was built in 1978.  

There was almost an inch of tile, etc back to the wire backing.

I took out the floor some time ago and did the entry floor last year, so I wasn't too suprised.  So I took my hammer and started after the walls.

Working around to different areas and after several hours of hauling the scrap down to the garage waiting for a trip to the dump....

I got things to the point below.  The next fun is to finish around the doorway and handle the ceiling - yes that was tiled the same way too.

Water Polo in NC

who knew, there is water polo in NC.  Years ago I played water polo in Oregon traveling up and down the pacific coast for tournaments.  It was even offered through the high schools were I got my start.  Anyway, since leaving I've found its a little more remote of a sport out east.  While its played in some colleges, there definitely is a developmental or high school program around VA, NC or SC where I've lived since moving east.  

I had practiced some time ago with a club group from Wake Forest, the closest I could find to my home, but it was really a college team and they didn't really need an old fart hanging around.  

Now I'm trying to get back into some kind of shape after neglecting myself for the last 20 years and have looked for things to do.  Running really isn't my bag.  I like cycling, but its limited during the winter months.   Swimming around hear is all but non-existent, unless you fork out the dough for a private club or the Y.

For work I travel to Charlotte, or at least try to avoid it, but it would be good to get to the main office on a regular basis.  So I expanded my search and go figure, there's a masters water polo team in Charlotte - the sharks.  Several old hands that have played various places including some at a fairly high level in CA.  They've got several new people learning the sport for the first time, so it looks like a place to try and float around as I get back into shape to try an contribute.

Yesterday was day 1.  I arrived a little early and then saw a slow procession of speedo clad people heading for the deep end waiting for the swim team to finish.  For those who detest speedo's, let me tell you that anything else and it will get ripped off you in a match.  Actually, even the speedos will get ripped, but there's less to grab.   So its better to wear two.

After a few laps to warm up we started throwing the ball to warm up.  My hands felt like cement and my legs just didn't get me where my mind thought it should be.  After about 10 minutes I was getting tired and I knew I was in trouble.

We took a few shots (at the goal) and then split into teams for a scrimmage.  5 on 5 since we were 1 short.  No one grabbed the goal, so I thought I'd play goalie and get to rest while my team was on offense.  That was the plan, good plan cause I got tired any way.  So I stayed in goal through the next three quarters.  

I actually blocked a few shots and my hands started to feel less like cement.  I guess the feeling was moving to my legs.  It became apparent I was on the weaker team for the day and there seemed to be more defense to play than rest on offense.  

The last quarter dragged on and I could tell others were getting tired too cause the number of passes and swimming before a short ground down to the bare minimum.

It was a blast getting back in and I hope to make the excuse to get to Charlotte for work more often to join them on Wednesday nights. 

If your in the area and curious, check them out at http://bellsouthpwp.net/b/5/b5english/

Feeling like an Oregonian

After a couple of days of clouds and rain here in the south, I walked into the kitchen and saw some strange square spots on the kitchen floor.  I walked over to investigate and run my foot over them…. Oh, sunshine J

 

 

If it doesn't plug in it never existsed

yep, that the perspective of kids today. Since our dishwasher broke a while back, we've been doing the dishes by hand lately. So my wife broke down a bought a dish drain. Simple enough. The kids handle the dishes in the evening, but since there were a few around, she did them during the day... in part to demonstrate the new fangled gadget.

Well my gifted child was starting to do the dishes in the evening, so he started putting away what was in the dish drain. When done, he brought the dish drain to us and asked it where it went. Then asked what it was! Mind you this is our gifted child.

Since it didn't plug in it must have no value by itself. We explained what it was and he went back to the dishes. When I went later to check, he had the drain side pointing to the counters edge so the water flowed to the floor - again our gifted child!

I showed him how it worked, and he said, gee what a great idea! Go figure how we ever existed before electricity!