To Door or Not to Door

That was my morning facebook update….  Well, actually it was a little more than than.. 

I received several replies indicating that indeed, I SHOULD indeed “door”, and do so to The Doors. 
     So I did “door”, only not to The Doors.  
            I “doored” to the Ron & Fez show.

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Last April the Mother of Five and I noticed that one of our local “big box” home improvement centers was having a pretty significant sales on doors.  Having wanted to upgrade the “entry level” front door on our house for quite some time, we went out and bought a customized replacement door for the front of our home.   

Over the rest of the summer we continued “hording” the rest of the materials needed to complete the entire project as they went on sale and as our funds allowed.  So we have been storing a customized new door, new door hardware, a new storm door, and new storm door hardware in storage in our basement waiting for a time when I had two consecutive days off with nothing planned, and the weather cooperated. 

Armed with the good weather, all the needed materials, a bit of Facebook motivation, and the Ron & Fez show, I decided that today was going to be that day!I

Actually, I decided the day before, and with only 12 hours notice, I called my dad and asked him if he was interested in joining me.  See, with neither of us having ever replaced an exterior door before, I figured we could either both walk away triumphantly, or bask in crushing defeat together. 

Well, to tell you the truth - the plan was that if something went horribly wrong, I could tell everyone it was his fault, and not my own.  Blame the ol’ man!!  I figured it would work like a charm!!

Since I had worked until 4am the morning before, it was a later start than I would have really liked.  By the time I got up, got dressed, had a little late breakfast / early lunch, called my dad to come over, and his drive time – we did not start the job in earnest until noon.

While waiting for my dad to arrive, I took a few photos of the existing entryway, door and storm – for the blog nostalgic purposes.

      

    

Then I began the demo, starting with the interior trim, and pulling the insulation out from around the door.  My dad arrived just just in time to start ripping the old door out in earnest.  The plan was to save the old door and storm door, then sell them on craigslist to recoup a few bucks towards the new door and storm. 

 

 

 

Things started out ok.  I got the storm off with little or no trouble.

 

 

 

 

 

The old door jamb (on the other hand) must not have gotten the memo. 

By the time I had a clear door frame “rough in”, I also had a pile of debris that “used to be” my front door jamb piled up on the front lawn.  I was able to save the actual door slab itself.…. 

(What am I going to do with that thing?  Anyone need an insulated steel, windowless door slab?)

      

 

 

Former front door jamb.

Current pile of debris on my front lawn.

Future “fire bowl” or chimena fuel.

 

 

 

 

Once we had the new door prepared we caulked the rough in and around the brickmould and starting tipping the new door into it’s permanent new home. 

Throughout the process my dad STRUGGLED with keeping his fingers out of the new caulk. I found that we had to stop over, and OVER, and OVER as we waited for him to clean his hands so he would not spread caulk all over the outside of our new door. 

Then, the inevitable happened.  As I reminded my dad (again) to not get his fingers into the caulk, I stepped into the bed of caulk on the floor where the new door was going to rest….   (sigh….)

The door tipped into place pretty easily, but aligning the door (plumb and level) proved to be a daunting task. 

Tweak, and shim.  Pry and shim.  Push and shim.  Shim and unshim.   We spent the remainder of the day trying to get the door lined up, plumb and level. 

Once we finally had the door plum, level, and permanently attached, I started noticing how late it was getting.  One of my downfalls is being impatient, especially when I am pressured for time.  I start hurrying, I loose focus, I become less careful. 

I had been drinking a “tall cool one” throughout the afternoon.  (just one, and I had not finished it, so I had a half full open beer bottle lying around throughout the afternoon.  As afternoon became evening and evening became dinnertime, I really started loosing my focus. 

The kids (including a friend who was spending the night) were getting hungry, the Mother of five was not home this evening, the phone was continually ringing, my cel phone kept recieving text messges, the kids continually needed my attention for one thing or another, and it was starting to get cold out…  I needed to get to a good stopping point.  I was really feeling pressured.  That’s when it started happening…  

I bumped into (and spilled) the open, and half full beer bottle all over the entryway.  All over the new lockset.  All over the shoes in the entryway.  This happened not once, but TWO SEPERATE TIMES. 

I LOST IT

I took the trim (that I had knocked into the beer) and THREW it (javelin style) out the open door.  This was when I knew I had to call it quits.  Once I finished the task I was working on (installing the new lockset), my dad offered to clean up our mess so I could make dinner for the kids.

This proved to be quite helpful!  I was able to walk away from my stress, shift my attention to “family matters”, feed the kids (and myself) – and not have to worry about the clean up.  (Thanks dad!)

We left the door in a “functionally unfinished” state, dad cleaned up and headed home, I fed the kids and then cleaned up the kitchen.  The Mother of Five returned home.  The kids got involved settled in for the night.

#2 of 5 over at a neighbors for the night, #3 of 5 watching “Pranked” on TV, #4 of 5 and overnight friend watching Toy Story on a laptop from the top bunk, and #5 of 5 curling up in “mom and dad’s bed”.

That’s when I was able to take a deep breath and really see the work we got done (despite the “turbulence” at the end of the day).  The job is not finished yet.  I have a bit of the “detail” work to finish – exterior caulking, insulating, replacing the trim, and final painting of the interior and exterior of the door – not to mention the instillation of the storm door, but I am happy to report that today will go down into the record books as a “success”!  

        

After taking the two photos above I sat down to start this blog post…  It was not long after getting started that I just ran out of gas.  I had nothing left to give.  I saved the work I had started, popped over to Facebook, and ended my day with one last update… 

I'm Back

But not by choice... More on that later.

Tomahawk 2008 (at least for the two days I was there) was a complete success! We left Saturday morning, and (as with most scout activities) we left a "bit late"... Hey.. Just try and organize a group of eighteen "tweenaged" boys amped up on sugar, and the excitement to start a week-long camping adventure...

It was not all that bad actually - we left just over 30 minutes late...

After a three and a half hour drive (with one "sugar / bathroom stop" and a lunch at Perkins), we arrived at Tomahawk Scout Reservation. We ended up waiting in a line of cars to be checked in.

Upon arrival, the kids were all anxious to get to the campsite and set up base-camp. The leaders loaded everything they could in, on, and around the trailer, and off we went.

Roughly a quarter mile down from the lot, we arrived at our assigned campsite - Oak. It was the same campsite we were at last year. The "2nd year" and older kids settled in easily.

I grabbed a tent that I thought was unoccupied (later to find out that a scout had laid claim to that one just prior to my arrival, but had not stayed with the tent). I went to find another tent, and quickly discovered that I had the last available tent!

I got to work helping the "first year" boys setting up their cots, mosquito netting, etc (#3 of 5 included). It went pretty easy - the first year scouts this year are a pretty good group of boys!

About the time I finished helping all the "1st years", I went back to set up my tent, and ran into another chaperone who drove up on her own. Yup... "HER own"..

She was not the only mom up there, and I have NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER with moms up there. But when this mom arrived - it meant that one of the male chaperones would have to give up their tent and bunk together so that she could have a private tent... (The other mom up there was part of a Mother/Father team...) So, being the gentleman that I am - I offered her my tent, and moved in with the Scoutmaster (who, by the way, is a great guy - but snores!)

So, after a little shuffling, and setting up my bunk, we got to setting up the campsite. Tomahawk is in "bear country", and so anything that is considered "smellable" (snacks, toothpaste, cool-aid packets, bug spray, cameras, film, batteries, etc) needs to be placed in something known as a "BEAR BOX". (see photo to your left) Each of the kids put their "smellables" in a plastic container, and all the containers go into a large metal box in the middle of the campsite.

No, it is not a refrigerator. It's actually an old MnDot electrical control box. It is very sturdy, and has a locking handle - just right to keep the bears out!

Frankly, I am not sure why all these little rugrats scouts are not kept in the Bear box... After just a couple of days with them I would place them in the "Smellable" category!

After setting up camp, and a health check-in with the staff, the 2nd year and older kids were given free time, while the "1st year" scouts along with any parents who had never been to camp before, were given a tour of camp.

Last year the "scout built playground" called "Scoutcraft" (ropes, boards, swinging ropes, tires, nets, etc...) was aptly nick-named "slip-n-bleed" after one of our scouts sprained his wrist, and a scout from another troop broke BOTH of his arms while playing amongst it's tempting snarls...

After #3 of 5 and I returned from the tour, we arrived back at the campsite. True to form, #2 of 5 came running up to me, proudly shouting (so that he could be heard across the lake) that Scoutcraft is going to again be called "Slip-n-bleed" as he was the first kid this year with an injury, and it happened at Scoutcraft. He proudly showed off his bandaged shin, and described how he fell and took major amounts of skin off the front of his leg.

That night, the temperature got pretty cold.. Cold enough that my uber-cold-rated sleeping bag, and my "built in insulation" did not keep me warm-enough. I was FREEZING... We later found out from another troop (that had a thermometer with them), that it dropped to 47 degrees overnight... By breakfast, it had risen to a whopping 54 degrees!! Perfect for shorts and a tee-shirt (thanks to my bad planning - and a missplaced faith that in August the air temps would not drop below the 60's....)

Remember folks... The scouting motto: Be Prepared.

We had breakfast, and the kids went right into the merit badge classes...

#2 of 5 has Climbing, First-aid, Nature Science, and _______________.

#3 of 5 has BrownSea, Woodworking, and Leathercraft.

Since I had spent four days with #2 of 5 last year, and I was going to be limited to only two days this year (is my resentment showing through yet?) I spent the whole day shadowing #3 of 5 in his classes (the same classes that #2 of 5 took last year).

After classes, #3 of 5 spent quite a while at the Slip-n-bleed (see above photos) - I am glad to report that he was able to escape without injuries!

On our way back to camp, #3 of 5 noticed that the "t\Trading Post" was open, and took a couple of minutes for a "sugary recharge" (Blue Raspberry Laffy-Taffy - blech!)

Just as we exited the trading post, we ran into several kids from our troop headed to a "troop event" at the rifle range...

Talk about keeping these guys busy!

We joined in, and spent the next hour acclimating the boys to the art of shooting a .22 caliber rifle! #2 of 5 had a blast doing this last year (and again this year), and #3 of 5 was eagerly anticipating it.

Overall, for being the first time he shot a .22 - he did not do too bad. His first round, only 3 of the 10 shots hit the paper target.

The target from his second round had all 10 shots on it, and in a significantly smaller pattern that the 3 shots from the first round!

Looks like it may be time for some Dad /#3 of 5 squirrel hunting!

(Hey... Don't knock it unless you have tried it... Squirrel is pretty good!)

After a hard afternoon at the rifle range, almost all the scouts headed down to the beach for a little "cooling off"... It was just what the doctor ordered... Since getting them in the showers is as difficult as an "act of congress", the next best thing is tricking them into getting them swimming.

The beach closed in time to get everyone back to camp, cleaned, dressed, and into their "Class A's" so we could head up to the dining shelter.

Before eating, the scouts perform a flag lowering ceremony (VERY official) and "grace" before the STAMPEED to the dining hall.

This point, is where I started getting all nostalgic, and frustrated. I had to be home in time to get some sleep, because in the middle of my days off (not vacation mind you.. my DAYS OFF) my empl0yer canceled one of my days off, and required me to be at work for a training session for an upcoming assignment...

After dinner, as we walked back to the campsite, I had an opportunity to visit a little bit with my boys. I told them how proud I was of the way they were behaving, and how they are becoming a shining example of what a good Scout, and what a good man was all about.

I was feeling pretty bad about having to leave.... probably worse than they felt... after all, they were going to be kept busy all week! They would hardly miss me at all...

Just before we arrived at camp, we stopped at the troop trailer for a quick photo... It turned out pretty good - I get a bit misty eyed when I look at at, thinking that I should still be up there with them... My boys are growing up so too fast.

I said my goodbye's to everyone as they prepared to head out for the opening ceremony and bonfire. I watched as they all left for the the bonfire together, leaving me alone at the campsite.

I packed up my belonging, and started off on one of the loneliest hikes I have ever made.

That walk back to my car was the longest, and most depressing walks I have had in a long time. I have never resented my employer (no one person specifically, just my "employer" in general) more than I did for that walk, and as I drove out of the campgrounds two days before I should have had to.

On the way home, I was stuck in stopped (not just slowed, but stopped) in traffic just as I was going to cross back over into Minnesota. It seems a tanker truck carrying Hazardous Materials rolled over about 30 minutes before I got to the bridge. I sat in traffic for over 45 minutes - and at many times in the jam - cars were all shut off, and people got out of their cars to wait. (Thank goodness for XM Radio and the replay of the Ron & Fez show!! Thanks Buddays, you are the greatest!)

I had intended to arrive home around 10pm. By the time I left (late) I would have arrived home between 10:30 and 10:45. With the accident, I did not arrive home until after midnight... Then also had to be up at 5am for a mandatory time-with-my-boys-at-scout-camp-killing training session. (Is my bitterness coming through YET?)

Overall, the two days were great (albeit a little cold during the night), and for the time I was there, a great time was had by all!

Thanks for putting up with such a long post!

The Third Stall - Updated 11pm

I have a three car garage. When we moved in - There were a few items I did not want the builder installing. I did so because those items would then be forever (or at least for the next thirty years) financed through my mortgage. For example - Appliances, central air conditioner, and garage door openers (among a couple of other things...) I purchased my appliances outright, had my air conditioner installed after we moved in, and installed a garage door opener on the double door (the stall where we park our cars). This way I am not paying for these items over thirty years (with interest) through my mortgage Well, it has been just under eight years now, and (while always intending to), I never got a garage door opener on the third (single overhead door) stall. I had been "half-heatedly" watching craigslist for an opener (as I half-heatedly watch craigslist for a bunch of items... (fish house, ice house, patio set, cartop carrier, bicycles, bench grinder, welder, etc..) just waiting for the right combination of need, and extra money...) Well, due to a recent upgrade to his garage, Ed offered me up a barter I could not refuse! Ed was going to give me his old garage door opener (underpowered for his new "Mega Garage Door"). I told him I could not just "take" it, and we worked out a deal that involved a garage door opener for some cigars and Jagermeister... (I have yet to deliver on my end of the barter - so Ed, if you are reading this, I have not forgotten!) When I was up at his house helping him roof, he sent me home with the opener. It has been sitting in the garage all disassembled and boxed up since then. Today (my last day off before having to return to work) my goal is to have a working garage door opener on that third stall. If nothing else, it will be a good excuse to spend the day in the garage, smoke a cigar (or two), have a beer (or three), and listen to Ron & Fez on XM! It is now 0900 hours. Wish me luck. (And watch for an update.) David. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - It is now 2235 hours (10:35 pm). In the usual "Father-of-five" fashion, things went "less than ideal". I did log off at 0900 this morning, and headed upstairs to get started. I found the aftermath of Hurricane "My Children" in the kitchen, and so - by the time FEMA and I were finished cleaning up, it was pushing 1000. I went out into the garage, and since the third stall is where the kids keep their toys, I also had get involved in another "disaster recovery" site. I did get the (disassembled) opener assembled. I was able to attached the non-motorized end up against the garage header, and I started find where the best places for my angle iron, and straps - when I heard the distinct sound of one of my children crying. By the time I was able to degrease my hands (remember.. it is a used garage door opener), and comfort Melissa, I had to use my CSI skills to decipher what the other hoodlums children where up to in the house while I was outside in the garage. I had them clean this mess themselves, and realized it was time to get them lunch before our 1 pm appointment. Between 9 am and 3pm (by the time I came home from my appointment) I had a total of 1 hour and 5 minutes of actual work done. Thankfully, by now, my wife was home and could care for the children - so I started right in. From 3pm - 5pm - Everything that could go wrong did. Little things, like dropped tools, lost hardware, and raging heat - to big things - like a misaliged chain (that crammed the slider into the motor, and required some disassembly (of what I assembled this morning), to a misfeed and then completely detached garage door cable. By 5pm my wife had dinner ready, and I had all that I could have for the day. I lowered the door, latched it shut and called it a day. After dinner (and cooling off a bit) I decided to investigate the problems. A couple of quick adjustments to the spring and the cable drum, and the door was realigned and back on track! Building on that success, I decided to actually try to realign the cable/chain/shuttle, and on the first try - everything lined up with about a 95% success rate. I did have to make a few last minute "tweaks" but even that went well! Although the day started out badly, it ended up on a good note. The opener is installed and operating perfectly. I have a few small things to finish (routing the sensor wires, installing the sensors, and routing the main button wire), but these are (for the most part) cosmetic in nature, and should pose no problems what so ever. Back to work tomorrow afternoon, and I will (again) be training a new staff. Wish me luck. David.

What is it like being a father?

I was not planning a new post until I finished up the (half completed) Family Wedding entry, but today I heard something I had to discuss...

I have never kept it a secret that one of the few indulgences in my life is XM Radio. I pay about twelve bucks a month to subscribe. The variety and the options XM provides are phenomenal. My wife and I frequently play "name that tune" on the 80's station. (The nice thing about playing this game while listening to XM is that the answer is readily available on the "Pad Data" (or "display screen" for you non-XM people out there.))

I have also talked (many times) about what I consider the best damn radio show on all of AM, FM, or XM - The Ron & Fez Show on XM's Channel 202 - The Virus. I'd pay my XM subscription just to listen to Ron & Fez - everything else on XM is a Bonus!

While making the kids lunches, and cleaning the kitchen this afternoon, I (as I do almost every day) was listening to the buddays. This afternoon my radio buddays literally hit one out of the park! They were discussing the virtues (along with the trials and tribulations) of fatherhood. Today's shows was OUTSTANDING. I think today's show should be a "must hear" for all current, former, and soon-to-be fathers!



Not only was today's show a must hear for fathers, but I think all women who have one or more "baby's daddy" in their life should also hear today's program. I know (despite my wife's dislike of the show) - I am going to have her listen to this segment (maybe some evening on the deck after the kids go to bed and over a couple of "adult beverages".) I am sure (despite her dislike of their show) she will get a chuckle, and some incite from portions of the segment... I will also have my daughters (someday) listen to it (although many, many years in the future... )
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Today's show provided one of the best descriptions of fatherhood I have heard in a very, very long time. It was funny, serious and sarcastic all at the same time. It truly hit the nail on the head. (Note to self: Enough of the clichés).

I will try and find a source to download a copy of today's show (for those that are interested...) and get the link put here. Ron & Fez also replay each day's show at 11pm (Central time) on XM 202 (The Virus) - if you are already an XM subscriber.
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Good Job buddays - you really did hit one out of the park today! You guys ROCK!

Affairs of the heart.

Yes, folks... It's true. In the past few days I have experienced troubles with "affairs of the heart". Now, before you all start jumping to conclusions - let me explain. It all started last week while listening to the Ron & Fez radio show. Fezzie had been having some "chest pains" while on the air. Since he suffered a previous heart attack in 2005, Ron, East Side Dave and Black Earl took it pretty serious, and convinced him into going to the hospital - all live and on the air. It was very emotional. It was later discovered that he needed a 2nd stint put into one of his arteries. Yeah, I know it's a radio show, but I love my "radio buddays" and feel like I know them personally. Hang in there Fezzie! I have been sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to hear back on how Fez is doing. I'll find out today (Monday) between 11am - 2pm (Central) on XM Radio's channel 202 "The Virus". Then, two days later, priorities hit hard when Ed called me up and said that his Dad was in the hospital - His heart was acting up again. (Ed's parents were my "second parents" growing up. They are still very near and dear to me...) Without going into a lot of details, Ed called and explained the situation. I asked to be kept abreast of what was happening, and kept their family in my constant thoughts and prayers. Not long after the first call, Ed called again and told me he was packing his family up and they were on their way to the hospital where his Dad was staying (2 hours away). From what I understand, it was pretty "touch and go" and Ed's Dad's heart was quickly loosing it's capabilities. Again, asking Ed to call me with any updates (at any time of the day or night) I was expecting "the call" in the middle of the night. When no call came in that night, I called Ed the next morning, and discovered that his Dad was rallying back a bit, and that the fluids that were building up in his body (and reducing the effectiveness of his heart) had drained, and that things were looking up a bit. Out of respect for the family I wont go into a lot of details here, but suffice it to say that while the news is not "great", it certainly could have been much worse, and as of the last contact I had with Ed, after a surgery on Sunday (yesterday) things should have stabilized for his Dad last night and into this morning. - - - - - - - - - - - - I am still trying to adjust to my new schedule. It is a very different type of work that happens from 3pm - 11pm. 

A brief tour of ebay over the past couple of weeks has neted me (at a damn good price) the remainder of the parts needed to alarm everything I want alarmed in the house. Originally my house was only to have 4 sensors. I was not comfortable with that number, and after installing the four, I have been watching for more at a good price. Last week I was able to pick up the remaining seven sensors, and the remote access keepad that I have been watching for. These parts should all arrive sometime this week, and I hope by next week to have the alarm system 100% complete and functional.

Happy Birthday Fezzie

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Happy Birthday to Fez Marie Whatley!
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Fez is one half of the Ron & Fez Show - Fez is one of the best (if not the best) radio personality on all satellite or terrestrial radio! Fez works with Ron Bennington (a quick witted, crass, vulgar, comic genius!) Together with their producers "Black" Earl Douglas and East Side Dave (the loveable bumbling idiot - but a HILARIOUS loveable bumbling idiot - the show would not be the same without him!). Together they make a team that makes the Ron & Fez show #1!
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Happy Birthday Fez!! Thank you for the hours of entertainment and laughter you give!
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Your friend in Minnesota
David the "Father-of-Five"!
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A couple of quick updates

#1 - Snow Caves -
Wow... Not much left of 'em

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#2 -
Replacement Vehicle...

Originally I found the Kia Rio intresting.
But I found another option in the Hyundai Accent.

Compare them against each other HERE



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#3 - Boombox

Oh, one other thing.. I bought myself a little "treat" the other day. My little MP3 CD boombox bit the dust a few months back. It was great because I would record my favorite XM Radio program - The Ron and Fez Show (Love that East Side Dave!), and burn them on CD-RW's. Then play them while I was at work... Alas... the boombox bit the dust, so I started using a MP3 CD walkman with a small FM Transmitter. But the CD-RW's starting failing (you can only use them so many times) and the batteries I went thru seemed pretty wasteful.

I started researching other options, and found the Coby CD-475. It did all that the last boombox did, but this one has a USB port on the front! I only need to upload my radio shows (173mb woth) on to a thumb drive, and then I can play them right thru the Boombox! I cant wait!!!

I have a very busy week comming up, and more overtime than I have seen in a very long time. You may not here much from me in the next week or so - wish me luck!
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Vacation Part II

Well, now that I have dealt with the CONSTRUCTIVE things I have done on my vacation, I I'll blog a bit about the non-constructive things I did.

First of all... The first several nights, I sat out on my new deck, drinking wine coolers, and listening to XM Radio - Here are a few of my favorites...

202 High Voltage - Opie & Anthony, and my new favorites - Ron & Fez.
150 XM Comedy - Stand up comedy
008 80's - 80's Music
009 90's - 90's Music
042 XMLM - Hardcore, Death, and Grindcore Metal

We also rented several movies....
8 Below
The Libertine
Failure to Launch
Just Friends
Pirates of the Caribbean (#1)

We got together with the neighbors for the 4th of July (They had a party with many friends) and then did our own fireworks display (both on the 3rd and the 4th).

We went on a couple of walks with the family.

I went to several of the boy's Baseball games.

I played a mean 2-day game of RISK (that is still going - set up on the dining room table to finish later) with the boys, and I played Monopoly Jr. with the girls.

And, on a positive final note, I got on a scale for the first time since February. Now, keep in mind that for lent this year, I gave up soda pop. I went 40 days without it. When I started up again, I have given myself a limit of 2 cans a day. (I used to drink about 5) and have made a conscious effort to eat a little bit "better" and a little bit "less". I also have been taking my break at work, and walking... It's about a mile. I knew I had been losing some weight. My "just fitting" pants are now a little big, and the next size down (which I could not button), I now can. Anyway, I got on the scale at my Brother-in-laws house, and discovered the number on the screen was about 15 lbs less then the number I had seen on the last scale I was on! WHOO-HOOO!! I lost about 15 lbs since February!!! Now I need to keep this up! I even feel better!