If It Isn't One thing It's Another

 This spring, we decided to replace our basement ceiling with tile. It was discolored under the kitchen because of previous leaks and just about then we had a major leak under the kitchen sink. We heard dripping in the middle of the night, like 3:00 am, and found leaking water. Jim tore down the ceiling to let the water out and then we mopped and used the shop vac and went back to bed.  

Then we went shopping. After the stores opened, of course. 

Jim had already torn down part of the ceiling to run internet cables when we changed servers.  That is another story for another day. 

Jim decided to start on the smaller area near the patio, which is where my sewing area is, so we moved all that stuff into the nearest bedroom and made an enormous mess in there, but I can get to the sewing machine, at least. Then, Jim tore off the popcorn ceiling and the paneled wall.

Next, he planted the garden and summer things happened, and there was nothing done in the basement until December, when a more serious problem reared it's ugly head as previously noted in the

December 10th blog post.

We knew several years ago when we had a problem with a blocked pipe that someday we would have to replace the cast iron sewer pipes under our basement concrete floor. Since there is already rending and tearing going on outside and in the other part of the basement, we decided that the time was now. 

Jim has both projects going on at once, because they somewhat overlap. Today we had the concrete people saw out the concrete under our stairs and in the laundry room, as the first part of the pipe project, because Jim isn't just going to replace what is there now, he's revamping the whole thing. 

One of the things we are finding out as we tear things apart is that the guy that built this place didn't do as good of a job as he should have. The load bearing wall in the living room has no support in the basement, so it is sagging a bit. Jim had to tear out some sheetrock he didn't want to do add support.

I don't understand it all, but there are 2x4s where there should be bigger boards. Some of the floor joists have been cut to "fit the space".

First on the agenda was to cut out the stair landing where the concrete needs to come out.

Jim wants insulation in the outer walls, so he tore off the sheet rock and is firring the wall out with 2x4s for more room, since it wasn't that way before. 

Outside walls plus mess on the floor.

Extra support here.

Jim forgot he wanted to change out the switch before he put the new piece of sheetrock on.

Concrete out in front of the stairs.

 In the laundry room.

Digging out pipe.

It's a good thing I was caught up on laundry on Saturday. 

 

Boston 2024

Last year, we met Bonita and Dorothy in the Boston area to spend some time together. This year when we got together near Boston, we stayed in the top two floors of a tall house with 

a very yellow door in Dorchester.

We were in a neighborhood that looks like it is all apartment buildings. Ours was about 100 years old, so it's no modern neighborhood. This is our street. It was a two way street with parking on both sides. There was no room for two cars to pass, someone had to wait. 

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Our first full day we planned to go to the aquarium, but there was some mistake with the tickets so we went instead to the USS Constitution and museum.  To get to the aquarium we had to find a parking lot close to the train. We found one near the trolley station at Butler, which took us to the Red Line train, then we changed to the Orange Line for one stop, then the Blue Line for one stop and walked to the aquarium. From there we rode the ferry to the Constitution site. 

I don't understand if we took the subway or the train, because sometimes on the same one, we were both above and under ground.

There doesn't seem to be any limit on capacity in these cars. At the end of the day, as we took the same way back, people are pushing to get out and pushing to get on. People are standing, holding on to posts or straps and away we go. The nice thing about being gray-haired is that always some nice young man stands up to give me his seat. 

These  buildings are built on piers over the water. 

The USS Constitution, which has been restored several times over the years is moored in the Charlestown Navy Yard.

I couldn't get a photograph of the ship itself because there were too many other things in they way. I was interested to see these fancy posts around the masts.  It seems odd on a ship. On the very lowest deck were the sailors slept the pillars that hold up the deck above it are also carved like

fancy stair posts. 

Bonita didn't come with us on the ship because when we went through the government check point, he had his pocket knife. He was ready to give it up, because things like that are not returned, but Bonita sacrificed the time and kept it for him.  

I took a photo of Jim by the cannon to show the size, and Jim thought we should have a photo, too. 

This is a LEGO model of the USS Constitution in the museum.

This is a scale replica.  We noticed there are strings hanging from the sails. Not having seen anything like that before, I googled it and they have to do with making sure the sails are true to the wind. I was looking it up just now and can't find anything about it. 

On day two, we went to the Museum of Science, taking the trip, sans ferry. About the only thing I learned there was not to go during Christmas vacation. Not only was it overflowing with parents, children and stroller, the kids ran around pushing all the buttons whether anyone was watching or not. I was going to keep that sentiment to myself, except another day we had company for supper and they were there the same day and the young man said exactly the same thing!

There was a special miniature train exhibit there. 

At "home" the others puzzled and I either watched or knitted. I'm not a good puzzler. 

I put in less than 10 pieces.

This is one.

Another day we drove up to Plymouth to see the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock. On the way we saw these house with "original" cedar shake shingles. These might really be original, we were in an older part. No getting aboard the Mayflower in December. 

In all our views of the harbor I've seen this little white things, some with ships moored and some without. I understand the need for ships to be attached to things, but how do the people get from ship to shore? While we were at Plymouth I saw some boats coming in, so I watched.  One had a little boat with them and another had someone from the wharf come and get them. 

\Center left is a little blue boat heading in. 

This house has shake shingle siding. 

Here's another street lined with three story apartment house. 

One of my favorite book series are the "Betsy-Tacy" books. In the book "Betsy's Wedding", they live in an apartment house with bay windows bulging out in Minneapolis. This is the closest I found in Dorchester. 

This house has huge mirrors in every room!

And then, we flew home, Boston to St. Louis, St. Louise to Omaha, the same way we came.