Seeing America with Ken and Shirley: March 2015

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

A sad good bye to Buddy Kay....

Buddy Kay

5/31/99 - 3/29/15

Forever in our hearts!

Buddy in his bed relaxing...

My very favorite pic of Buddy and Aaron...see the love!

and more love....

Got some sad news from Russell yesterday before we left for Winnemucca...Their sweet Beagle, Buddy had passed away the night before..When we saw Russell last week he said Buddy wasn't doing well and on the 29th he gave it up. Russell and Lori were with him (the boys were at friends houses)..So sad...he had a wonderful life, as he was definitely family. Russell and Lori got him almost 16 years ago and he was the cutest little puppy..Russell was in the Marines at the time, so when he deployed little Buddy kept Lori company. I always say if we ever get a dog I want a Buddy..

This morning we're waking up at the Days Inn in Winnemucca getting ready for the Dr's appointments. After lunch we'll head back home and then on Wednesday i'll pick up Jacob and Aaron. After the warm weather we've been having looks like it will be in the 60's while the kids are here..

Picked up our taxes yesterday and guess it could have been worse, but could have been a lot better too haha...we owe but we expected that, as Ken doesn't have SS hold out anything..but at least we can pay it...

Monday, March 30, 2015

Today's project...Television moved

Ken has always liked the view of the mountains out our kitchen window...from where he usually sits on the couch the television blocked the view...and lots of times as the sun sets it really lights up the mountains...so we decided to move the television ...up...We used some of the boards that were left from the ceiling in the hallway. The only problem we didn't want them so light and looking like "new wood". Google search and got info on how to age wood quickly!

Very simple actually, steel wool in a jar of vinegar...let it sit for 12 hours or more and brewed tea...amazing huh?! So Sunday Ken made the shelf and I aged it..

The shelf before...

In progress..

After! Love it but found that even after it dries
it tends to darken more..

Where the tv sat before..

kinda glary but that's barbed wire we are using
to hold the shelf

The television is now up...and u can see through
the glass panels and through the kitchen to see
the mountains...

Mission Accomplished!

Today we head to Winnemucca, spend the night and have our dr appointments tomorrow...Pick up taxes...and lunch tomorrow at Las Margaritas and then head home. Wednesday, i'll do a one day turnaround, going to Antelope to pick up 2 of the grandsons till Sunday!

Sunday, March 29, 2015

The hallway is done! Time to get pictures on the wall!

A nice day at home yesterday (except for a quick trip to Scolari's)...Ken worked on finishing the floor and the rest of the trim in the hallway. It's done and we absolutely love it!

Our first view of the hallway 2 years ago!

A close up of the floor!

Our first pic on the tin...the motto....Live Simply...love it!

We have a small project in the living room that Ken wants to tackle...We have these beautiful desert mountains outside the kitchen window...Well, when you're on the couch the television blocks the view so he's making a shelf and we will move the television upwards...got on the internet last night to see about aging wood quickly and barbed wire...so stay tuned!

Kids will be here for the next 10 days or so...so probably much won't get done...but only the really ugly bathroom is left and the house will be done! Yipppeee....other than that job is really going to suck! After that probably a few covers outside for the Jayco and whatever else...but i'm hoping the bathroom project gets done 1st...A beautiful Sunday here in Yerington!

Sunday, March 22, 2015

We're back home!

My mom made the hat for Bryan about 42 years ago (Bryan will
be 42 April 26th)...found it and the blanket. She took a baby blanket
rimmed it in blue and then stitched his name down the center..
you can see the B in the 2nd pic..So left this on the table for Bryan

In that pic that's my Dad holding Bryan wrapped in the blanket and
wearing the hat...Bryan was about 5months old in the pic.

Well, just goes to show that when we spend a few days at Bryan and Cheryl's just not enough time to update! hahah..Not really, but it seems the days just flew!

We left here Sunday morning and headed over the hill to Georgetown. Got there in time to see Bryan and Cheryl before they headed over. Great to see the kids..Ken went down the hill and visited with his mom a bit and then spent a few hours visiting with Eric and kids.

Monday, after the kids got off to school, I went to MarVals for a few things and came back and made some potato salad for Tues. Ken bar b qued awesome burgers for him and the kids! That was Adam's request!

Tuesday, we headed down the hill to see Russell and his buddies at work and brought them lunch! Had a wonderful time seeing them and then had to get back to pick up kids. Tuesday evening I took Mia to her guitar lesson and then back to the house to call it a night! Crockpot roast that day and it was good!

Wednesday, got the kids off to school and gathered our things and headed back home. Stopped in Minden and had some Mexican food for lunch and then home! Basically, I did nothing when we got home!

Thursday, when we get going here, we'll head to Reno to pick up the trailer, surprising Margo from Sierra RV called on Tuesday and said it was ready for pickup. The reviews were horrible about their service department..but from what I can see nothing to complain about here!

Tuesday, we'll head for Winnemucca for a one day turnaround and our Dr's appointment. Taxes are done too! So we'll see what the damage is there...

Anyway, life is good!

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Nice day here at home...and a great quad ride!

We got up and were at the DMV in Yerington at 0800..I didn't even have time to read two pages of my kindle and Ken was back with the registration! Love this small town! So off we went to the Pioneer Casino for a delicious breakfast..$7.46 out the door..could have been 10% cheaper if Ken would have asked for the "senior discount" but we felt like we had a great deal anyway!

Home, I worked on cleaning, and Ken almost finished the hallway. We are eight tiles short, so he put up the rest of the wall covering, finished the trim and it looks awesome!

The 1985 faux wood door...going!

Gone! Love the white so much better

The wall cover on the right Ken got up today..He had to put
screws in because there was no wood to nail to..but I love the
Look!

Trim around the horribly ugly bathroom door...next project
uhhhhhhh....

Another view of todays work..love it

So a little after 1500 we decided to play hooky and headed off on our quads to BLM land and had a great ride, Ken got to shoot some of his guns and it was just nice in general! We were gone about an hour and half, back home and getting ready for dinner. Oven baked zuchini fries and tuna melts..yumm..

Our quads at the top of the mountain...about a 15min drive
from our house..

Looking at another road we'll take one day

A little box canyon people use for target practice

Ken looking at where he shot..

Just a view from the box canyon..our house is there somewhere

Quads at the shooting area

Tomorrow Direct TV is coming out to check out the bedroom tv so we'll see..Friday we head for Reno for the warranty work and then Sunday we'll head for Bryan's house and they'll come here...

Got some more done on the floor and Ken spent two hours on the phone w Direct tv...geezzz

Got up yesterday and Ken headed quickly to the dump and dmv..dmv got a pass when he walked in and saw about 6 people ahead of him. Nothing like California, but for Yerington that's alot of people.

I started painting the door to the gkids room and the trim around it. It seems that's the area where the best light is for cutting the floor so I figured while Ken was gone that's what'd I work on.

He got home and started on the floor which is looking awesome! Getting ready to have lunch about 1230 and the back tv went out (again)...so he got on the phone with Direct TV and ended up being on the phone with them for almost 2 hours...then they were going to transfer it to a "specialist" team to figure the problem. The other night when there was a problem they had me disconnect the antenna, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in and hit the red button..she never had Ken do that so when he got off the phone he did it and wham....it worked!

Of course this morning we're watching the news and after about 40 mins..same thing...so repeat the steps and we're watching tv again...uhhhhhhh...and only the bedroom tv not the livingroom...oh well.

We're headed to DMV this am and then breakfast at the Pioneer Casino. We're about 8 tiles short for the hallway floor, but we're headed to Reno on Friday to drop off the Jayco for warranty work so we'll pickup the rest then. I'm hoping we have it done for Sunday when Bryan and Cheryl are here.

Adam called last night and he has permit test at DMV on April 1st...so study, study, study....Hard to believe our first grandchild could be driving as soon as the 1st...ahhhh....

Monday, March 16, 2015

Happy Monday Morning!

Can't believe it's Monday already! Had a productive weekend on the hallway! *pics later today*...Tin is done! Yay and love the way it looks! We have two rocking chairs on the back porch that I bought when we moved to Colfax (so they're about 20 years old now)...I sanded and put linseed oil on them, as these Nevada summers are hard on them..they look so much better now! I went ahead and put a coat on our swing that gets tons of sun too!

Yesterday, we treated ourselves and went out to breakfast in town at Dini's Casino. We used to go quite a bit when we first moved here but not so much anymore. It was delicious and inexpensive! I had two eggs, potatoes, bacon and toast...of course I don't eat the bacon so we brought it home and Ken can have a BLT for lunch today. Mine was only $4.95 and Ken had sausage patties (which were huge) and then eggs, toast and potatoes, his was $5.95. During the week they have a special for $2.99. We were impressed!

Since we were out and about early, we thought why don't we go ahead and head for Lowe's to get baseboard, more flooring and see if the light we liked was in yet. Got it all done!

Came home and Ken worked on getting the light hooked up and I started painting the trim and door frames. I'm really loving this hallway!

Yesterday afternoon Ken was feeling sick to his stomach (I'm wondering if his tummy isn't used to so much sausage, we don't eat it at home anymore)...so he actually laid down for a bit...

A delicious dinner of tuna melt, we saw on one of the blogs we follow. I had a bite and was surprised how good it tasted.

Tuna melt...made with carrots, spinach, onions, yummy!

Today we'll hopefully get some more flooring laid and we can bring in the dresser.

Grandson Mason in the Arkansas jacket I had
sent to him..It was only a kids large..but he'll grow into it..

Ken got alot done today on the hallway..some baseboard up along with some floor put in..it's looking awesome!

The hallway before...

Before with the ugly panelling

Ken working on the tin...

The beginning of the hallway "after"

The new floor vs the old...

Looking toward the 2nd bedroom..

The tin in place

We have a real light!

After...The tin and new floor and the dresser..

Friday, March 13, 2015

2 Years ago we spent our first night in our "ugly house"! I can't call it that anymore!

It's amazing how time flies! We've been here two years ago today! Hard to believe and when I look at the differences from when we bought our little "ugly house" to now it's unbelievable!

It's definitely been a labor of love...but love it we do! A major reason we chose Yerington is because it's only 3 to 3 1/2 hours to the grandkids! Easy turnaround and doable in one day. We loved Winnemucca but just too far from those grandchildren. Even though we haven't seen much of them in the last few months spring vacation is coming! Then on to summer vacation!

Then.....