05/09/2025 – Finally Friday

Mom’s working on some changes here at Colehaus, as if she didn’t already have enough home projects (“And that’s just the way I like it,” she says). She’s wrapping up the big garden project outside (Project #1) by laying down old paver base mats in certain areas onto which the gravel will permanently reside, instead of sinking into the dirt and mud over the years. Photos coming.

Yesterday, after work, Mom pry-barred the 2 giant rocks out from around the broken metal bird feeder pole (Project #2) and dug down until she could loosen and lift the metal remains out. We’re still not sure what method we’ll go with to replace it. Mom admits to briefly thinking about giving up feeding the birds – is the expense worth it even if we get so much enjoyment out of watching them?

Mom thinks she should somehow get an 8 foot 4 by 4 wooden post home and a bag of cement and figure out 1) how to stabilize and level the post while the cement dries for three days, 2) how to mount hooks or something that 2 feeders will hang from that squirrels/ambitious raccoons won’t break off, and 3) how to convince Dad that this would be more stable than another metal pole he’s just as likely to bend or pull down the next time he loses his balance while putting food out there.

Dad believes every creature that can climb would easily climb a 4 by 4 wooden post and take off with those 2 feeders faster than you can say, “And . . . it’s gone.” Mom said she can climb but couldn’t climb a 4 by 4 wooden post. We’re not going to say what Dad said back.

Either way, be it post or pole, it’ll need to be cemented in. What’s a little more work when you’re already doing all the work, right? Do it right the first time is a good motto, even if you’re redoing something a second time.

Back inside to think about options and to get out of the pollen, Mom started the next project that has been several months in coming. Some of you know Dad suffers from MS – Multiple Sclerosis, and is entering his 25 year with the incurable disease. He was officially diagnosed 9 months after he had our 2-story house built and now, is starting to have real problems getting up and down the stairs.

The Moving Dad Permanently Downstairs project has begun. This will be a long, slow project, mostly due to cost, and lastly, figuring out how to get some kind of operational shower set up where there isn’t one or the room and money to put one in the very, very small toilet/sink only bathroom downstairs. Creativity and thinking outside of the box may or may not play a role. No, it probably won’t entail use of a kiddie wading pool and a hose.

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. First step requires LOTS of vacuuming. Viola wasn’t too keen on that. She doesn’t run away from the vacuum; she just must know where Mom and the vacuum are at all times. She’s a good supervisor that way.

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A Colehaus Cats flashback:

2024 – No post
2023 – No post
2022 – Hey Lady!
2021 – No post
2020 – No post
2019 – No post
2018 – Wordy Wednesday
2017 – No post
2016 – Many Ginger Cat Monday
2015 – No post
2014 – Tessa Toes
2013 – No post
2012 – No post