This last few days we have been deluged with rain, as a HUGE front marches across the nation. At least we didn’t get any bad storms like they did in Arkansas, but we were under a tornado watch last night. Today it is a little rainy but warm and I have my front porch door thrown wide open. Got our house decked out for Fall and Chicago Bears season…
Our Tiger Eye Sumac (on the right) is always so pretty in the Fall!
I may have mentioned (Dementia Donna occasionally takes over), that we are in the process of converting our wood burning fireplace to gas. “Why?”, you ask…After 40 years of burning wood, I am tired of: 1.Hauling it in from the garage 2.Cleaning up the wood chips and sawdust from my carpet 3. Seeing a soot spot on our ceiling over the fireplace every few years, and 4. I’m just plain tired..and maybe a bit lazy (YA THINK?). We still have our outdoor firepit on our deck that we burn almost every evening…But it sure is nice to come inside, open the damper turn on the gas and…WALLA!! AN INSTANT FIRE!!. It was pretty neat how MacGyver followed the directions on how to create this masterpiece..(He almost never follows the directions).
First you lay a screen thingy over something that looks like a large dustpan…then you poor on some sandy lookin’ stuff..(he was torturously meticulous at this…and yes, I’m pretty sure there is no word “torturously”, but you get my drift.
Next, you get out your bag of ..well…something that resembles large lint with vermiculite mixed in…Here is where your artistic ability is challenged. I was sooo hoping MacGyver would defer to “moi” for this artsy fartsy part, but no…he suddenly became Michelangelo, tapping, pushing, molding and creating something of an artistic ash pile. My services were not needed.
Lastly, came the “ceramic” logs. This particular gas log kit we got online. It was called the “Charred Oak” logs. I really liked that look of them being partially burned…I was told by Michelangelo Dennis that they are made of ceramic so they will heat up and create heat in the room. I actually never knew that about a gas log…and let me tell you these suckers are HEAVY!
Still following the directions (SAY WHAAAAT?), the artist in charge laid, lay, placed the logs in the exact spots on the diagram. Keep in mind we had not even done a test flame to see if the gas was even hooked up right. Now all we had to do was turn on the gas key and light away…!! Get out the ceramic marshmallows!!!
The “master” surveys his work…It passes the “persnickity” test..and I LOVE IT!!!!
I was pleasantly surprised when I walked out past our Hiker to the garden…I found a bounty just ready to pick and “dig”…I knew the potatoes were there, but didn’t expect anymore tomatoes!
WOOT! WOOT!
So, this Friday I drive to Zionsville,IN to attend our grandson’s 6th birthday party.
MacGyver will HOPEFULLY be in the combine if it stops raining!! This trip has a duel purpose. Of course I cannot wait to celebrate with the kids for Aiden’s birthday party…(hopefully there will be NO bouncy house this year…that is NOT a good thing after a glass of wine!)..I am also going to see a new Doc at Indiana University Hospital about my parathyroid debacle. I don’t expect anything will be done until Spring, but I want to get this “show on the road” and start the process so the new Doc can study my case…and me..Ya know that could be a real scary thing for anyone, even a guy who “saw it all” in medical school..I’ve been told I am a “one of a kind” and not in a good way..
Our daughter, Christie, is going with me Tuesday morning for the appointment. She works for a vascular surgeon in that huge complex, and I probably would get lost if she didn’t lead me around! Actually it was the Doc she works for, Dr. Michael Dalsing, that recommended I go to Dr. Michael Moore..NO! NOT THE FILM MAKER..SHEESH! Rest assured there will be photos aplenty after this trip!!!!
P.S. I just did spell check..and there actually IS a word “torturously”…SCORE!!!
Love those new gas logs!! It makes for a very pretty fire and soooo much cleaner!! We have them as well. We have a new fire pit on the list for our patio and we will have the "real" fire there.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your visit with the doctor!!! Hope all goes well :-)
Gas logs is the way to go at your age, it's hard to carry wood and not spill your drink.. Have fun
ReplyDeleteHave fun during your visit to Indiana and good luck with the Doc appointment. Oh, and not a bad job on the fireplace. Remodeling the RV would be a piece of cake for Michelangelo and his 'supervisor'.
ReplyDeleteyour posts always make me smile!! have fun with the Wolf cubs this weekend!
ReplyDeleteI have been remiss in thanking you for the absolutely scrumptious tomatoes that you sent me via John and Bridget. They far surpassed even Mr. Smith's! Some nights I dream of them. ;)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful looking fireplace! We switched to a gas fireplace in our family room about 10 yrs. ago and have never regretted it - even have a remote to turn on the fire!
ReplyDeleteHave fun this weekend but that goes without saying.
We too have a gas fireplace/stove in our Bayfield sunroom. Just turn the fire on with a switch. What would our ancestors have ever thought about that.
ReplyDeleteLovin' the gas logs...hmmm, maybe we'll go gas, too! McGyver did well, again. Donna, my thoughts and best wishes follow you to your Dr visit while in Indiana, girl! Hey, look outside this AM...WHAT IS THAT??? Is Illinois actually seeing some sunshine?!
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