A Matter of Time

It's hard to adjust to the daily paper cutting back to weekly publication -- I think we went through that in Beloit, Kansas. Yes, this is my way of acknowledging that I haven't posted anything since last Tuesday.

The kitchen work is progressing. The last of the base cabinets were installed in time for the templates of the countertops to be drawn up on Friday. That was an interesting process. A low tech, cardboard template was created, which will now be digitized so that the stone can be laser cut. What a melding of technologies!

On Saturday Sally and I cut two holes in our roof for the range vent and SolaTube. I was really anxious about it, but things went OK. By the end of the day we had a functioning stove hood and a lovely tubular skylight. In addition, Ron came from across the street and helped us install our Pex tubing for underfloor heat in the kitchen. We recharged the waterlines, vented air from the pipes, and fired up the boiler. Sally finished insulating the floor area beneath the Pex on Sunday, so we are now ready for cold weather.

Now that we have a vent, the stove is back in commission. I have cooked oatmeal and made coffee the last three mornings in our kitchen! In the process I have learned that our new kitchen is still small. Or, as neighbor Ron says, "The wall stretchers just didn't work." We will need to turn over a new leaf when it comes to having "stuff" out on the counters. Can we alter our ways? As the Possum Lodge guys say on The New Red Green show: "I'm a man - but I can change - if I have to - I guess."

Our other Sunday accomplishment was mounting the floor-to-ceiling pantry. I can tell you from experience that it weighs a gadzillion pounds. From what experience, you ask? From dragging it up the steps while on my knees, having it dropped on my head and rolled onto my reclined body, and later, from having it torn from my bleeding fingers as it crashed to the floor. Gosh, I wish we had film. It looks great now in repose. Stately really.

Next we will turn our attention to the wall cabinets. I plan to stay out from under them.

I am also turning my attention to some professional activity this week. I have been asked to facilitate an all-church retreat for Community Congregational UCC in Pullman, and then will be doing stewardship presentations at events in Idaho and Oregon. Along the way I am in conversation with the UU Church of Spokane about providing consulting ministerial services. They are a good bunch of folks that have been unlucky in love.

So, lots going on. The late summer weather has been lovely, and we've spent enough time on our bikes to enjoy it, if only riding down the hill to Sally's office and back. As I write this morning, I'm wondering about those of you who may read my ramblings, and am thinking how nice it would be to spend some time catching up, face to face, rather than deepening our virtual relationship. I trust that, in time, we'll get that opportunity.