rear gates

the light works!...it all works

Today at Bennett: the kitchen faucet and supply lines were replaced and the wiring for light and GFI was completed and I sealed the new bottom of the sink base with spar varnish. The rear gate was put back on the post/hinges-so now Petra can be out and not wander. Finally, I painted the old cast iron stack in basement with some oil base black.

helper beginning clearing of fish pond-under all the vines

This grape
juice I made the other night-it's from Heaven...or real close.

Fresh from the oven-banana bread w/fresh home grown raspberries added in. The raspberries, the honey and the eggs were all raised/grown within 75' of the oven. The bananas are Aldi's Dumpster Select. I'm using one as a birthday cake, the other is desert- tonight...just for me!

no more garbage disposal, ready for new cabinet bottom

new light and such over the sink

For now it's the "Bennett Ct Projects" blog. I got the kitchen sink drain in and the faucet back together-all is functioning. Next I re-worked the wiring and installed a larger box so there will be room for a light switch and a GFIC duplex receptacle by/behind the kitchen sink. I installed a new light also. Hired help got started on the paint prep by beginning the scraping and taping of the ceiling cracks in the living room. A friend came by for a look-see and discovered what we think is a concrete fish pond topped w/flagstones in the side yard hidden under a growth of vines. It's hard to tell but it seems in good shape. Pics at 10.

living room ceiling-fiberglass tape w/ drywall mud

some grapes about to be pulled off their stems

the food mill with a poor bushing

After working some more on plumbing at Bennett, Petra and I put all the grapes gifted me from someone else's vines, 2 kinds of grapes, into a pot and cooked them a bit so they'd go through the hand mill for juicing. We ended up with several quarts of real grape juice, thick with pulp. It will be a great addition to frozen bananas in blender drinks. The nice stainless food mill I used seems to have been built more for display than real use-buy a good one if you have the chance.

I will keep the small sink base here for now

At the Bennett house, I got the plumbing to where all was on except the tub(no faucet or drain yet) then dismantled the leaky kitchen faucet (needs o-rings and new washerless seals and an aerator). I also removed the garbage disposal I have no use for and tore out the rotted bottom of the sink base. Next, I opened up the wall behind the sink to get ready to install a double box with light switch and GFIC receptacle.

new shut off

97 years and still draining

The Bennett court house is my focus for now. I've been moving supplies and misc over. I started on the plumbing today-adding a new main water shut-off and new boiler valves and hose bibs in the w/d area. I'll clean and paint the last bit of cast iron stack that remains, for the occupancy inspection- maybe replace it after that.

my only furniture, a recent alley find

claw foot tub, no faucet yet, but I've been gifted one

red dog on guard

maybe I'll give it another coat...

The Explorer, w/the leaking roof, got some white roof coating. After putting 3 coats on the roof rack parts that were riveted on, I coated entire roof white.

I found 3 nice bead board kitchen cabinets at Re-Store. They are JUST the thing to fabricate a new kitchen around-maybe at the Bennett ct house. Mix in some custom open shelves and a mosaic counter and a few miss-matched cabinets painted to match and a kitchen is born.

see the nice established poison ivy on side of building

I'm still waiting to hear back on my last counter offer on the Illinois property- that's one that will get a sweet custom built kitchen if I get it.

rear of Illinois house

Illinois yard from rear

The Bennett ct house is under contract and due to close next week. The electric is on, that's unexpected on a bank owned home and a big help as it means no inspection. I also have a contract being negotiated on  a place with a large yard off of Cherokee, on Illinois.

The CX center stand came off with a little persuasion-no more clunky rattle.

A bunch of dumpstered bananas found their way into the freezer for blender drinks.

The Kindle got a new cover, as the old one evaporated- into thin air. This one uses hook/loop instead of elastic to hold the device...as well as to latch cover closed.

small "L" brackets bolted on the cover on the forks

The CX500 twisted cylinder transverse v-twin water cooled Honda got a Bell bicycle bag mounted across the fork tubes today. I created some mounts by bolting some small brackets ("borrowed" from the Zeman basement while she was out) to the cover on the forks. The bag is a place I can put some tools, pens, tire gauge and such. I also installed several new bulbs in the lights, using dielectric grease, after cleaning all the sockets.

bag mounted

I bought new boots finally- haven't bought new shoes of any kind in years. I'm really liking these Lowa's. They are one of the few brands that come narrow(Vasque is the other) and they had my size locally. Don't ask "how much"- I had to sell a house to be able to afford them.

bury me in my boots please...not now, later

This is one of several places I have a contract on: 2725 Bennett Ct-only one bedroom but a good area to be in and I really need a place for a bed and me tools and me active red dog right now...it's got a large yard! I offered 23k, they came back at 29k, I offered 25k they, said 26.5k and I said 26k...and there we have stopped for now.  http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2725-Bennett-Ct-Saint-Louis-MO-63139/2987606_zpid/   We'll see, it's close to Maplewood which has really come around the past 10 years.

the tug going upstream in search of more work

Another old Honda ride to the Mississippi down along Broadway here in the City of St. Lou- after going into and checking out 3 houses for sale.

a large sand bar near the Illinois bank

the 1 on right is the 1 I made

caliper removed and disassembled

The CX500 held still while I rebuilt it's brake caliper today. There was a piece I was not sure about where it went when I was ready to reassemble, so to the web I went -turns out its a"retainer" and there should have been 2...and they are no longer available. I made a pretty close replacement from a piece of metal 2x4 stud.

Here at Terri's hostel for Dave, ducks, chickens cats and dogs, her Quantum accepted the rebuilt injectors.

No posts lately-sorry...but all my fans have begged for more so here we go:

7514 Lynn kitchen

7415 Lynn exterior-stucco and "stone"

Here's a house I looked at (In University City, Mo)for possible purchase/move in. Not much to go on from this pic- but it's on a large lot (100' x 150') and poison ivy is the crop that seems to grows best.

My friend Terri and I went on the World Naked Bike Ride-she wore her prom dress from...several years ago, along with some wings- leaving bits of old fake leather all along the route. Yes, I wore wings also.

Rebuilding injectors for an old VW diesel- of course, yes, on the kitchen table

Took the CX for a ride to view the river--the Mighty MISSISSIPPI