Al-mazing

 "Every act of creation is first an act of destruction" said Pablo Picasso.   

Get a load of this destruction -  (all done in one short afternoon)

There was a kitchen (you already saw that the appliances and the dividing wall came out last week) - 

And then there wasn't. 

There was a built-in buffet in the dining area - 

And then there wasn't.  

Stand back if you see a guy with a cordless drill and a sledge hammer.  

Remember 1976 decorating trends?

This is all that remains.

(Never know when you might need a fly swatter.)

Laborious Day

 This is what the old man did today in Gert's house.  We're calling it Gert's house to avoid the confusion of which house is which.  He lived there for many years and entertained me almost every day with his Danish humor and watched over us since we moved here in 2013.  

This morning there was a bathroom.  It had a wall, with the washer and dryer on the other side.  Had.

There was a vanity.

Then there wasn't. 

There was a wall with  a bedroom closet on the other side.  Gone. 

All in one afternoon.  Did I say that he is amazing? 

One old man and a truck

Obviously he doesn't know that he is 81 and a half.  And a month, he likes to add.

$70 77 at the dump.  I wonder how many more trips there will be.

Water heater is next on the list.  Why is it so often referred to as a hot water heater?  If the water is hot why does it need to be heated?

 

Slow progress

Never know when you might need an oven on the porch.

This is where the oven and cooktop used to be.

This will be the Patch - someday.

This will be the Patch annex.  Someday. 

 Al ripped out the wall that formed the kitchen, the range top, the oven, then the carpets, the curtains, and the furnace.  All gone.  We still don't know when the house mover can get to us, so this is one day at a time.  But isn't everything?  Who ever managed to do two or more days at a time, even if it sometimes feels like time is speeding past us.  Did I mention that Al is amazing?

More moving news

 Maybe I didn't explain enough in the wacky poem.  When the house mover is finally able to get to us he will move this house back toward the alley.   It will be decommissioned as a dwelling (remove plumbing and cooking ability) and remodeled to be partly Patch, partly storage , partly Al's workshop.

Then they will do all the set up to install this house - 

We're really hoping they put it back together.

Then this house (52) will be sold, hopefully to tolerant and kind people because they will have to live next door to us.  

We don't know how long this will take because of the availibity of the experts with their fancy equipment and the permit process, but you know I'll be posting silly updates as it happens.

Yesterday Al started the demolition - isn't he an amazing 81 and-a-half-year old?  And a month, he always adds.

The moving news

 In case you missed it - apparently it didn't always go through. 

It's not a Christmas letter, December or July, 

But other big news from the guy who loves 𝜋.

One fine spring day Al straggled in from the yard -

“Fighting these weeds sure makes a fella tar’d. 

I don’t mind the clipping, the pruning and mowing, 

But those darn dandelions just won’t stop growing.

And so, my Dear Darling, it’s time to downsize, 

(Can you imagine how I bugged out my eyes?)

      Don't worry, don’t fret, don’t faint to the floor,   

We're not going far, just only next door. 

The funky old house will be the Patch and the shed,

For hammers and saws and thread that is red.

A brand spankin’ new house will come down the road, 

On two trucks clearly marked “Caution - Wide Load”

They will plop it in place and batten each hatch,

Tighten each joint, fasten each latch.

Big screws and huge bolts, done lickety-split.

The process is amazing, all the pieces will fit.

It's  not big and fancy, just a small home, 

A place to return to if ever we roam. 

So put down your knitting, start packing the books, 

We’ll find places to put them in crannies and nooks.

Pack up the dishes, the sheets and the socks,

Chocolate and  thumbtacks - fill every box.

Pack up the Cardbordeaux, the pots and the pans,

The sheets and the lightbulbs, tuna in cans.

Box up your needles, your scissors and tools, 

Fabric and yarn and ribbons on spools.” 

In a month or two, please update your widget, 

Change the five to a six, just one little digit..

Soon we’ll be settled, that’s what we’re hopin’.

Stop by and see us - the door will be open.

We’re just one driveway East,  me and my hubby. 

He is kind of skinny, I’m soft and chubby.

 52 62 Libby St

Sequim WA  98382

alpetri314@gmail.com     415 559-9608

patpetri@gmail.com          415 981-4229

Check the blog once in a while for updates.

www.alandpatpetri.com

House for sale - 52 Libby

(it will include having us for neighbors, good or bad?)

Raining!

In August.  With temps in the 50s.  I kind of like it and we need the rain, but it's very unusual.  Here is a little bit of update about the summer. 

A new belt designed by and for Nicky, stitched by Guess Who, leathered by the guy across the street who has a big leatherwork shop.  We all done good.

Did you ever see yuccas bloom like this?  Wow!

There are several productive artichokes in the back garden so we had good eating for a couple of weeks.  Do earwigs count as protein?

An afternoon in Seattle gave us the extreme pleasure of Cecily, Jillian, and Gigi.  Teri and Will, too, but they missed the photo op.  

We enjoyed time with Bob and Laurel.  Isn't it a perfect Old Fart shot with pain killers next to the cocktail? 

Not very exciting, is it?  Maybe there will be more news coming 'round the bend.

 

June, June, June

 We're already 1/3 into it - how does that happen?  Not much to report, mostly just all the flowers keeping us entertained and keeping Al deep in the weeds. 

 Wanna see?

The house looks so little from the end of the driveway.

My favorite "float" in the Irrigation Parade.

The ferry to Seattle on a gorgeous day.

 Maybe I'll remember to show you the progress as the yuccas put on their show.  It's been 2-3 years since Al planted them and this is the first year to bloom.  

How I love calla lilies.  

I told you there wasn't much to tell. 

Spring in Sequim

What more can be said?

This was the strangest thing not snow, not hail, but little snow pellets.  Snail?

Now I'll brag about the latest needlepoint belt.  Al designed it himself with the word for Hello in every language he has tried to study since high school, including math.   He wore it on our big trip and was heartbroken that nobody asked about it, even after he reported that he sashayed around the dining room, hoping for attention.  Don't you wish you had been there?