Just a quick update to let you know the deck dude showed up today - at NOON, after I phoned the company "politely complaining" at 9:30 - and finished the balcony railing. The job is now (mostly) complete and we can safely venture onto the guest room deck without risking sudden death.
Finished
Though the entire process was a fiasco and took seven days instead of "two or three", we are both very pleased with the results and can't get over the difference the metal railings make in the appearance of our "outdoor living room". I never realized how enclosed the old deck appeared. In a few weeks, we will have the deck and railings sealed/naturally stained.
We are happy our projects have come to an end (except for hanging the art... this weekend???) and we are very pleased with all results. DT seems to like the "boring beige" family room now that he has a 52" LCD television to distract him for the washed-out walls. Look at that thin Sony Bravia!
I think this concludes the remodeling/redecorating portion of this website for a while. My wallet needs a break.
The Big News comes from Israel. As you may recall, our good friend, Dustin Emrani, won a silver medal in the 400m in the Maccabiah Games yesterday. Today he won the gold medal in the 800m and later anchored the US 4x400 relay team - barely nipping the Israeli team at the finish line - for another gold medal. Dustin phoned us this afternoon from Israel. He was a very happy man tonight. Congratulations, Dear Dustin!
Here is a photo of Dustin at the Olympic Trials last summer
Was it was only yesterday the furnace fired up in the morning? Now it seems we are having a heat wave. It was 90 degrees today! Perfect day for a no-cook meal... so I quickly made the totally yummy Tonno y Fagioli (Tuna and Beans). This recipe is so delicious, requires no cooking, and can be (mostly) made with items from the pantry. (A great RV recipe, too.) I added quite a few tomatoes and a few sliced cucumbers in the mix tonight... and luckily had a tin of the fabumarvelous line-caught tuna from Fishermen Direct on the Oregon Coast. I filed the Tonno y Fagioli recipe in the appetizer recipe section of this website, but it works just as well as a salad - or (obviously) a main course. Tonno y Fagioli is also great to take in a cooler on a picnic. Try it at your house the next time it is too hot too cook.
Tonno y Fagioli
Until my next update, I remain, your happy and proud correspondent.