a new halfway

One of the highlights of my week, is meeting up with "the other side of the family".... (ie: Deb and Dave) and catching up on the news of the week. It's a rare Saturday evening that we don't get together somewhere, to chat and enjoy each other's company.... I feel so blessed that we have such a great family!!! there are no "in-laws" jokes or slams when it comes to this family.

Just so no one "gets stuck" with all the traveling we always try to come up with a halfway point to meet... course we do enjoy wonderful cookouts and the like at each other's houses, but when we eat out, we try to find that in between spot. Now, for years, that spot has been between Brentwood and York, but since we are spending more time in Acton (and soon to be EVEN MORE time) we needed to find a "new" halfway..... tonite it was at Wild Willy's in Rochester. There is also a Wild Willy's in York, so we know what to expect, but unlike the York location, we walked right in tonite and got a table. Same wonderful burgers, fries and onion rings, and the same wonderful friends and conversation... just a new halfway..... we will be looking for other halfways in the times ahead, but this is our first one!!!!!

A little hard to see, but just look at these little faces peering in the door tonite!!!! Silly spaniels, they have a nice little yard to run about in.. (all free).. but what do they want.....

to be with us.... one thing about a cocker, if you don't like dog that MUST be with you every moment of your life.... don't get a cocker.... if they are anymore than one foot away from you... it's way too much!!!!! they only can enjoy the "great outdoors" when you are there with them.......

start of the finish

We began this "barn building project" the day after Thanksgiving when the first load of lumber arrived. Now, about 6 months later, we are beginning to put the "finishing touches" on the building. This is very exciting, because the time is really getting close... and it's actually some work that I can do!!!!

Because the ally way runs a real risk of getting wet (barn doors left open during a rain, wet horses shaking of the water) we decided to try Thompson's water seal on the walls. We found one that already has a nice "honey stain" in it, and are very pleased with the outcome. Not only is the wood protected, but it gives the barn a "nice warm feeling".....

It was pretty easy to work with, and really didn't take that much time to get it up.

Ed and Ken got the other stalls framed in this week, and I went to work on staining the outside walls.... makes a big difference seeing these last three stalls in place. Next step will be to finish the inside of the stall (we're using hemlock for the interior wood) and getting the outside stall doors made. The list of "things that need to be done" is getting shorter and shorter....

just in time, house plans should be arriving this week........

you might be from Maine if......

you find yourself... stacking next winter's wood in your pj's!!! (your favorite pj's no less, the ones that Deb made for you!!!!)

And you give your "gator" a bath after using it for transporting wood to the woodpile!!!!!!