This Cold House

Old houses have their charms. They can also chill to the bone. In our first home we had a wood-burning stove from Vermont.  It kept us cozy even in a winter so frigid the back stoop light bulb shattered. It had the kind of storm windows they slapped on the outside with a few screws, no caulk and called it a day. As I noted previously, the builders used newspapers (1910) for mock insulation. The first winter in our current house, we had drafts which meteorologists would classify as "gales". The original windows were tall,  very thin and played optical tricks with sunlight. As if on cue, at our first multi-generational Thanksgiving, the furnace died. The individual who was supposed to repair it made a series of clanging noises in the basement and then informed the clan that a locking seal had been placed on it. This "yakster" then conjured up the bill, said they would fix it in a few days (!) and vanished like an apparition. Please note this was a very cold November. So, we had a Donner party type vote to choose: death by freezing or gas inhalation? We elected to break the seal, crack a window at the top of the back staircase and say small, ecumenical prayers prior to slumber. In the morning, I literally pinched myself before rising.

We can Rebuild it

A similar line was used in the Bionic Man and Woman series in the 70's and I always wanted an excuse to repeat it. In a previous post, my readers saw a photo of the asian themed portion of our garden.  Several acquaintances have requested I call it a "Zen Garden". I have been to zen gardens in Japan and their predecessors in China. Frankly, it pales in comparison. However, we do enjoy it and when a storm snapped the dwarf red maple in half and ruined the reed fencing, I said "We can rebuild it". I had fun the first time around using bamboo posts, but this time it needed to be bionic!  Lethal wolmanized posts in concrete, taller bamboo panels, a cement lantern and stainless steel screws! Nature may bat last, but I was aiming to get a few more years out of my blood, sweat and tears this time around. Actually, I think it lasted about 20 years, but you know how time "speeds up" as we age! Take a gander at the new model below.

Bionic Asian Garden

Glass Panes are a Pain

Glass is beautiful and allows light to enter homes. It is also fragile. The replacement of a glass pane requires both care and dexterity. I am highly skilled with a sledge hammer. Our current home had eleven (11) cracked window panes when we took possession. We decided to spend the cash to have a friend do them all, to prevent a million dollar heating bill that winter. Luckily, since then I have had to replace only a few. Once a garage door pane fell out and shattered. I bought glass, got home and snapped it taking it out of the kraft paper. So, when I returned to the hardware store, I bought two. Now I have an extra, but don't recall where I put it!  My worst experience occurred when we owned our house, but the renters still had 6 months on their lease. One day the mom of the family called to say her youngest daughter forgot her key and broke in the basement door. She requested I instruct the teen on how to replace the pane, to "teach her a lesson". I almost told her that I barely knew how myself!  In the photo below the offending culprit is the one closest to the doorknob.

Pretty panes cause pain