#100 Done: Tour a winery

Finished with Niner, Sixbridgeswinery, and our friend’s winery, Dilecta.

#88 in Progress: Celebrate Brittany’s 25th

First day and night in Paso Robles. Toured Jada and Opolo winery, followed by a Korean BBQ dinner at out ARBNB.

#4: Read 4 Pulitzer winning/finalist Fiction Novels

If there was ever a book that deserved the Pulitzer, it’s Middlesex. Loved it.

It took a pandemic, but I needed a space to write.

Step One: Cleared out the room and removed the base boards

Step two: I wanted a dark and luxurious library, so I settled on this blue paint color. It took several coats.

Step three: Put together the bookcases that would eventually become built-ins.

Step four: Secured the bookcases to a frame that I bolted to the studs. They’re going nowhere.

Step five: Brought the frame up to the ceiling so that I could add lights.

Step six: Added voice commanded lights and covered the frame with MDF and plywood. Watched a lot of YouTube instructional videos on how to wire electricity.

Step seven: Bought a nail gun and added trim between the bookcases and on the ceiling. Next, I added the baseboards to compete the built-in look. I must have cut each corner of the baseboards a dozen times before I got the angles right. I also caulked every hole, crack and blemish.

Step eight: Sanded and painted everything. After using a paint roller on the first shelf, I bought an electric paint sprayer and banged it out in a day.

Step nine: Hung the chandelier and began the difficult process of tiling the ceiling. The old adage, measure twice, cut once, didn’t seem to work for me. I would measure twice, cut once, scream, then try again.

Step ten: Somehow I managed to tile the entire room and it looks great.

Step eleven: Books, furniture and artwork. Still need to add some furnishing and artwork, but I couldn’t be happier with how it all came out. Now I can put the tools away and write.

My only regret is reading so many books on Kindle.

15 boxes of donations later.

Finally organized my tools in my Father’s Day gift to myself.

Wait, what?

First night out in months. Burger and fries were outstanding.

#21: Read an additional 20 books

As I make my way through the Pulitzer Prize winning, Middlesex, quarantine has provided lots of time to read. Here’s six more I’ve knocked out. Station Eleven was great, but her most recent novel, The Glass House was a mediocre story. Sea Wife, 28 Summers, Missing You and Pretty Things were all highly enjoyable.

IMG_5184 from henry james on Vimeo.

Going stir crazy, we built our own mini restaurant.

We’re now selling Covid 19 tests. Strange. Brit had a horrible respiratory virus in January, but she just negative for short and long term anti bodies.

In anticipation of pigging out over Father’s Day Weekend, I submit today’s weigh in. A ten year low.

My gramps is looking down on Hemingway.

American Express Spending Chart

April 1st thru May 31st 2019

April 1st thru May 31st 2020

Last year we spent $10,411 at restaurants in April and May.  For the same period this year we spent $809. Silver linings.

Our supper club hosted a virtual wine tasting with Three Sticks winery in Sonoma and a paella dinner.

Although it may not be the best year to graduate high school, I have never met anyone who looks back fondly on those three hours in the sun waiting for their name to be called. Silver linings dude.

Middle school graduation in the age of Corona. Congrats guys.

The gift that keeps on giving.

#21: Read 20 additional books

If you’re a writer or a lover, you’ll like it.

My neighborhood right now.

Hemingway gets more massages than anyone.

#21: Read 20 additional books

The Lithuanian in me enjoyed this book.

This sucks. We really enjoyed the h Club.

That was an exhausting weekend.

Invited some Brazilians for their meat. Wasn’t disappointed.

Much more handsy than my other barber.

#9: Complete 10 nagging home repairs.

The last repair on the list was installing vibration pads underneath the HVAC so that the house didn’t sound like it was taking off every time it turned on.

#18: New Pool Equipment Fence

Once again, it took a pandemic, but I finally finished the new fence enclosure.

#21: Read 20 additional books

Have yet to be disappointed by one of his books.

#18: Pool equipment fence

Bribed the crew with some Korean BBQ to help dig the last three holes and set the first post. 

Got some back up. One hole excavated, four more to go.

#21: Read 20 additional books

Good vs Evil and a hell of a dog.

#18: Pool Equipment Fence

Thought I broke up and removed all of the concrete from the old posts only to find another two feet of it. Going to have to upgrade the tools.

#21 Read 20 additional books

A fast enjoyable read.

Our club gave us a nice Cinco de Mayo margarita and chip kit.

Took a test today. Hope I pass.

#21: Read 20 additional books.

Hell of a first year in office for Churchill.

Figured out what to do with the Korean BBQ leftovers.

Marinated rib eye and spicy pork with cartelized onions, jalapeños, minced garlic, cilantro and red soy bean paste on toasted French bread.