I survived.

I survived the trip to the stadium, but because it was unplanned and unprepared for, I'm now sunburned on the right side of my face and neck and I have a sun-induced migraine.

Gods, what an assault on the senses that was. This is not to say the experience didn't have its moments - lunch was pretty good, and I didn't have to pay for it - but everything that happened was at an ear-splitting volume and the noise was relentless. Me + crowds + unending noise...I did not leave the stadium, I fled. My ears are still ringing; the right ear actually hurts some.

And just to prove I was paying attention: the Royals lost 5-4 with three easily catchable pop-flies in the bottom of the 9th and the Indians on their second relief pitcher.

And I'm now six hours further behind than I was when my day started.

I survived.

I survived the trip to the stadium, but because it was unplanned and unprepared for, I'm now sunburned on the right side of my face and neck and I have a sun-induced migraine.

Gods, what an assault on the senses that was. This is not to say the experience didn't have its moments - lunch was pretty good, and I didn't have to pay for it - but everything that happened was at an ear-splitting volume and the noise was relentless. Me + crowds + unending noise...I did not leave the stadium, I fled. My ears are still ringing; the right ear actually hurts some.

And just to prove I was paying attention: the Royals lost 5-4 with three easily catchable pop-flies in the bottom of the 9th and the Indians on their second relief pitcher.

And I'm now six hours further behind than I was when my day started.

I've improved a lot over the years.

The Big Project for this spring is to rebuild the front porch. No, that's not quite accurate: the Big Project is to destroy the concrete porch and build a wooden one in its place. It's about 5' x 6', and I plan to add another 8' x 8' piece to it on the North. Basically, the goal is to have a porch large enough to put a couple chairs on. I haven't drawn the plans or talked to the city or called 1-800-DIG-RITE yet¹.

Before that job can begin I want to finish the front of the house (exterior, done last weekend) and the side porch entryway, so we have a door we can use to get in and out. I started on the side porch entryway several years ago - I think before Jami was born, and because we don't regularly use it for anything but storage I was never highly motivated to finish it.

I have gotten much better at drywall taping and mudding since I first started that project. I own better tools now, for starters, and I can lay in layers of mud so fine that I have to sand very little (sometimes, not at all) to get a finish. I used to think the process was to put on the mud heavy and sand it back: I know now that you're supposed to put it on in thin layers and build up. All the difference, that.

The only reason we have a side porch entryway is because my Uncle Vance was an accountant who worked out of the house, and that was the customer entrance. At one time we had a door there that opened into what is now the family room. Coupla winters ago I walled that door in because we rarely used it and it leaked air and was impossible to seal. I still have the door and will use it for the dining room, eventually.

I am right on track to finish the side porch entry this weekend: prime, paint, and trim. If we had the money - we don't, thanks to tax time - I'd go ahead and replace the window, the one window left that I haven't touched. The one that's there is a jalousie window, non-functioning and leaky. They must've been cheap when Uncle Vance built the addition back in '56, because that's all he used and They Suck.

Once the entryway is done, I'll grab my large camp hatchet with built-in sledge and begin the long, tedious process of destroying the front porch concrete slab. It will be done in small pieces, working backward from the gas meter. I don't believe there's rebar or mesh inside the slab: I think U.V. embedded 1/2" galvanized pipe. The slab is cracked all the way through in a couple of places, and I've already determined that a few well placed hammer blows will knock good sized pieces off.

¹ Although I don't really have to. I know where the gas, phone, electrical, and water lines are because I was present when they were laid.

I've improved a lot over the years.

The Big Project for this spring is to rebuild the front porch. No, that's not quite accurate: the Big Project is to destroy the concrete porch and build a wooden one in its place. It's about 5' x 6', and I plan to add another 8' x 8' piece to it on the North. Basically, the goal is to have a porch large enough to put a couple chairs on. I haven't drawn the plans or talked to the city or called 1-800-DIG-RITE yet¹.

Before that job can begin I want to finish the front of the house (exterior, done last weekend) and the side porch entryway, so we have a door we can use to get in and out. I started on the side porch entryway several years ago - I think before Jami was born, and because we don't regularly use it for anything but storage I was never highly motivated to finish it.

I have gotten much better at drywall taping and mudding since I first started that project. I own better tools now, for starters, and I can lay in layers of mud so fine that I have to sand very little (sometimes, not at all) to get a finish. I used to think the process was to put on the mud heavy and sand it back: I know now that you're supposed to put it on in thin layers and build up. All the difference, that.

The only reason we have a side porch entryway is because my Uncle Vance was an accountant who worked out of the house, and that was the customer entrance. At one time we had a door there that opened into what is now the family room. Coupla winters ago I walled that door in because we rarely used it and it leaked air and was impossible to seal. I still have the door and will use it for the dining room, eventually.

I am right on track to finish the side porch entry this weekend: prime, paint, and trim. If we had the money - we don't, thanks to tax time - I'd go ahead and replace the window, the one window left that I haven't touched. The one that's there is a jalousie window, non-functioning and leaky. They must've been cheap when Uncle Vance built the addition back in '56, because that's all he used and They Suck.

Once the entryway is done, I'll grab my large camp hatchet with built-in sledge and begin the long, tedious process of destroying the front porch concrete slab. It will be done in small pieces, working backward from the gas meter. I don't believe there's rebar or mesh inside the slab: I think U.V. embedded 1/2" galvanized pipe. The slab is cracked all the way through in a couple of places, and I've already determined that a few well placed hammer blows will knock good sized pieces off.

¹ Although I don't really have to. I know where the gas, phone, electrical, and water lines are because I was present when they were laid.