Mt Keogan Pump House Blues: Thursday, September 3rd!

Form follows function. -Louis Sullivan, architect (3 Sep 1856-1924) 

The rightness of a thing isn't determined by the amount of courage it takes. -Mary Renault, novelist (4 Sep 1905-1983) 

Hello Fellow Hikers! Thanks to everyone for such a wonderful outing! Not quite sure how everything in Picasa works but the "mug" shots seem to be part of the package. Also, order is, more or less, reverse chronological. I'll try to sort this out by next posting. As well, if anyone is not interested in receiving these links please let me know. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Click on the link and you can follow the hike! Stats for hike:

 https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/887149768#.Vek1Gdi_01s.email


Fantastic shots, really! Thank you. Cheers, Amigo Aarturo Patrizzio, thank you so much for the great pics! Hugs, Olly
 

Photo: Martin Cauchon

Hi Al and Val! Just had a message from Spumoni and apparently Grog won't be out to BC anytime in the near future so please send along the garage kit by bus. Thanks very much. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Patrick, Picasa now defaults to your latest entry, the big hike.  Great photos. Lots of smiles in your hiking group and great scenery.  All look much slimmer than me! How can I get back to the harvest album? Jugos

Hello Jugos St Laurent! Glad you both enjoyed the "ephemeral" snaps! Thanks for alerting me to this particular feature of Picasa. Wasn't aware of this fact as I'm still learning how to use the system. At any rate, I've re-posted harvest album so think you should be able to view it.

Had a call from Jim last night and he and Jocelyn will come for dinner tomorrow evening. Looking forward to catching up with them.
 

Tomorrow morning I'm off to Rona for more lag bolts and washers!  Cora Lee took a run to Kelowna while I was scaling the craggy heights of Mt Keogan, to pick up supplies at Costco. As well, she was looking for a cabinets for both bathrooms, for towel storage, etc. With great difficulty, (without your expertise, Have Cordless Drill, Will Travel, for stud location, leveling and fastening ability, JDP), we managed, balancing cabinet on a very dodgy, makeshift platform, [empty drawer, small footstool], atop the toilet cistern, to affix one in guest bathroom. Looks pretty good, I must say. Lady Mary's discerning eye for colour even matched unit to tint on bathroom walls so only a few touch-ups on cabinet, itself, as there are a few nicks/scratches, (Not of our doing, I must add!), that need a bit of sanding, dab of paint.

Will also pick up some different, simpler, "cleaner" hardware for drawers to match chrome fixtures on medicine cabinets. Unit to go in master bathroom needs, according Interior Decorator Cora Lee, to be painted white. Frida will start on this project while I'm off to cycle until five minutes before guests arrive! With any luck, on my part, you will probably be back from Vancouver by the time it is ready to be mounted on the wall! Anyway, place is slowly taking shape, coming together. Hello and fond regards to Anne. Hope drive into Vancouver and visit there goes well. Cheers, Mountain Goat/Carefree Cyclist/Cabinet Installer/Grape Picker Patrizzio! 

We have had to cancel our holiday in Penticton due to several problems and untimely visits. It would have been fun to get together but it will now have to be later rather than sooner Our grandson celebrates his first birthday on Saturday so we look forward to it all. We baby sit twice a week while Dana goes back to work It is exhilarating but it takes us the whole next day to revive. Hope all continues well with you Brenda

Hi Brenda Louise! Very sorry to hear that we won't be seeing you, Wally, Dana and your almost one year old grandson! I'm sure you have had plenty to keep you occupied, as you mention. Hope we can manage another visit, in the not too, too distant future. Busy lives for both of us, perhaps for different reasons, but busy nonetheless!

Trying to get ready for next spate of visitors ourselves. In between bookings and DIY household changes I've been hiking and cycling so can't complain. Have joined a local hiking group and cannot say how much I enjoy the outings and the wonderful array of simply fascinating individuals, everyone so welcoming, friendly and helpful to the "new kid on the slope", so to speak! Have even been picking grapes, this past Wednesday, for close friends in Naramata! Hello and fond regards to everyone. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello, Patrick. Sorry to take so long to get back to you about this, as I saw Bruce the same day that you and I talked on the phone.  (We went to see a bad movie, American Ultra -- very disappointing).  If I had any promising, concrete leads as a result, I would certainly have gotten back to you promptly.   I did ask him, and they have a rental suite in their house, but there are well-established tenants  (who have a small child of their own, and help with babysitting etc.)

Bruce  didn't have any particularly useful practical advice beyond the usual (Craigslist).  He thought that a real estate company might be able to help.  If I understood correctly,  they sometimes help clients (home buyers) find tenants.  There might be a fee involved, but I am not really sure, as it was the first I had heard of such a thing. So . . . not much help, I'm afraid. 

Things are going well here -- busy as always.  My mother is back from a trip to Ontario to see Sandy and her family.  While there, she had a mishap -- got her finger caught in a closing electric car door window, then fainted,  and came to being cradled by a brawny, tattooed biker bystander who rushed to her rescue.  She is fine now, apart from a purplish finger. Well, some of us have to work, so I'll be dashing off now!  Your trip to India is coming up soon.  Hope to see you before you leave -- maybe we can sort something out for the Monday when you are here for the the Writers' Festival. Best wishes, Janet  

Hi Janet! Very sorry to hear that you are still working!!!! Don't worry about accommodation in NY. My fault entirely as I should have sent along a note sooner as it turned out that Ellen found a place shortly after we chatted! Anyway, thank you, and Bruce, for taking the time you both did. Sorry to hear about your Mom's finger! Ouch indeed!

With respect to India, when you have a moment could you please send along name of driver you suggested. Seems to have been lost in the shuffle! We are currently working on our visas. Not an easy task if efforts to date are any indication! As well, let's chat about getting together, as you mention, when we are in town for VWF. Still not quite sure when we plan to drive to Vancouver. Chloë's Trivia fundraiser for Aunt Leah's is on either Friday, 16th, or Saturday, 17th so we hope to attend. Interested in joining our table? We need your vast knowledge!!! Hello and fond regards from Mme Coriandre. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Patriçio! First of all, availability! I would like to be in Vancouver for the September 19th soccer game (Whitecaps vs Seattle Sounders - always a rabble rouser!). So I could come before that, with the intention of returning on the 18th at the latest, or come after the 19th. In any case, I am confident we can accomplish phase one - work bench and house wall shelving. I am more than happy to make another trip at a later date to do/start on phase 2.

The work bench is no problemo. I have a great design for a 6’ x 2’ work bench built out of 2 x 6 planks which is solid, steady and durable. I have done a few of these. I could even purchase the lumber here, have it precut and we could slam it together in 30 minutes. Or, I would arrive early-mid afternoon, we do a quick trip to the lumber yard and do the bench the same day.

As for the shelves, I am distressed by your penance for 2x4’s and plywood. 2x4’s are serious overkill for the project at hand. Unless of course, you wish to build shelves that will be left standing after a 9.9 earthquake when the rest of the Okanagan is rubble. Seriously, 2x2 is more than amble.

Plywood, is not great shelving material. It is incredibly strong in lateral torque, but when you prop up the ends, it bends. You would have to go to 3/4” which is expensive. Also, you can’t screw/nail into the edge. Really, the “basic” design I sent really does work. If done on 2’ centers, you can later (efficiently) build 1/4” plywood doors, with some 1x2 trim, when painted, or covered with sheet metal for fridge magnet purposes, will meet the aesthetic requirements of the sisterhood.

Don’t buy cordless power tools until you talk to me. I have everything necessary in that regard for he project at hand. AND, please stand with your back to the the garage door and take a pic of the entire "house" wall. While you are at it, do the same for the side walls as well. Gives me something to ponder over.

IMPORTANT Do you have a roof rack for bringing materials home? I would love to drive there in my race car, but for the cause, I am sure I could borrow a pick up. I will get into gear right after the Labour Day weekend, and if the stars align, I could come over on the 12th/13th weekend. A stay of 3-4 clear days (not counting arrival and departure) would really make a dent in your garage ambitions - especially if you listen to me!!!! cheers//bjp 

Hi Ragin'! Just a quick note to thank you for all advice, etc. However, before I answer your questions, please consider being here by Saturday, the 12th, as we'd like to invite you to the Naramata Bench Wineries Tailgate Party, starting at 6:30 pm. We can start work on Sunday, with hangovers, all the better to lop off fingers and smash thumbs!

Thanks for offer of pre-cut bench but I don't want you to go to even more effort, especially if you are driving up in your race car! Our Equinox has a roof rack and quite a bit of room inside, with seats down, so picking up lumber shouldn't be an issue. Need to be careful of radio aerial, however. We can argue about shelving material once you are here and I explain concept , in situ! Some compromise, on both sides, is probably in order. 

Don't worry, I won't buy any power tools, just more malt! Have a skill saw, two non-cordless drills but no jigsaw. Have a mitre frame that can be used for any corner cuts, using a regular saw. Don't imagine we'll be making all that many of those particular cuts anyway. Let me know if this answers most of your questions. Hello and fond regards from Mme Coriandre. Cheers, Il Conduttore!