So the American economy has been brought to its knees. And—by all appearances—it can’t get up without help. We’re a nation of laws, so many laws. Laws that protect us from being stupid, laws that say we have to know what the law is, laws about writing new laws. We love our laws. So, while the mortgage lenders were busy writing worthless loans, hoodwinking people into thinking they could afford a house of their own, then ruining those very people with financial disaster, where were our precious laws? Am I to understand that—as the lenders chipped away at the country’s financial footing—first with a chisel and hammer and then with great blows from a humongous sledgehammer, after the greed had set in for good, that NO ONE knew what was going on? Granted, we have the dimmest president in the history of the civilized world, but it wasn’t his job to oversee these kinds of activities. He gets a pass on this one. His financial advisers, however, shouldn’t have been so insulated from the machinations of the mortgage industry—one of the most high profile and closely watched businesses in the financial world. What exactly were they doing while the lenders were going for broke—writing new laws?
On the plus side, there is an unexpected benefit to bankrupting the country: When I go to the Colosso-Box home improvement center I can walk the aisles unmolested by other customers: The place is empty.
Screen Door Handle
Leftover from the olden days
Elinor Ehle
Longtime customer of the Baltimore Farmer's Market
Rwandan Professor Article
Goucher College suspends French teacher for possible acts of genocide
Martha Washington
Martha Washington as a young woman
Peanuts
Some typical peanuts
Paris
Detail--Pavé de Tolbiac loaves
Paris
Fresh breads: One sign reads "pavé de Tolbiac," a reference to the shape of the paving stones in the Tolbiac neighborhood--where the bakery is located.
Paris Subway Map
Useful subway map. These can help you get around the city without carrying a touristy map in your pocket.
Paris
Fresh breads. A typical bakery will usually sell very good and inexpensive sandwiches.
Paris
Notre Dame cathedral, early evening
Paris
Rental bikes offered by the city. You swipe an electronic card, and the bike is released from its post.
Paris
The imposing east entrance to the massive national library
Paris
Parisians often lock up bent and ruined bike wheels for safe keeping
Paris
Trashed bike along the Boulevard de la Madeleine
Paris
Metro Stop
Café
Café near Pere Lachaise
Paris
Ham sandwich at the hotel
Restaurant
Restaurant on the way to the glacier. Inside, delicious traditional soup awaited.
Velosolex
Vintage Solex moped
La Tour Eiffel
Paris, near the end of November
Glacier Road
The road leading up to the glacier. It ends where the glacier begins.
Glacier
Another view of the glacier. WIthout the truck, the photo would have little interest.
On the Glacier
White open on the glacier
Avenue in Pere Lachaise
A main avenue in the huge cemetery
Blackie
Feral cemetery cat
The tomb
Final resting place for Piaf and Theo Sarapo, songwriter and collaborator--also her husband.
Flowers for Piaf
Une rose jaune pour la chanteuse
Letter from Catherine
A glimpse of life in Baltimore in 1918 through the eyes of a young woman
New window with woodwork and frame
This is one of five new windows with its new frame and molding. The project is complete in this photo.
WIndows after removal
These are the old hinged windows just after removal. They were recycled into a crafts project by someone who picked them up.
Detail of frame removal
Removing the woodwork and frame
Cutting away the old window frame
Old window opening
WIndow already removed from old opening
Fifty Bucks
Patio Beginnings
Under-Deck patio with walls
Chinese Calligraphy
Cat, Lion, Dog, read clockwise
Deck
Current status of deck, with beginnings of the arbor at left. No stairs yet.
Reassembling the bath
New wall studs and plumbing in the bathroom
Bench Vise
Small bench vise
Bag
A small bag
Slab
Example of a typical slab
Mattock de Joie
New mattock leaning against the hedge
Dodge Pickup
Local dirt site with pickup and D6N Cat
Lawnmower
A typical lawnmower
Old Boiler
Cast-iron boiler, face down on the floor
Old Boiler
Separating the different sections of the boiler
Miss Penny
Miss Penny
The store cat on the loading dock
Red Dog 3
Third view of the Red dog, even though this one is first
Red Dog 2
Another view of the red dog
Red Dog
Plastic dog found about a foot underground
2-seater in Ohio
On the way back home, somewhere in Ohio, the 2-seater posed with the beloved junk that is the constant stuff of my thoughts.
Ryobi
Still-Life with Ryobi on the new decking
Cherry Blossoms
This is the tree that the cardinal was perched in.
Deck beginnings
Deck supports in place, awaiting the new deck floor.
Kitchen and Bath Drawings
Preliminary ideas for remodeling the kitchen and bath
Pretty Eddy's
Salvage Trucks at Pretty Eddy's
Saxon
This is my friend Saxon, who sometimes comes over to play with the pipes out back. I caught him by surprise in this photo.
Old Stairs
Old stairs and porch. Note the absence of new porch in the background
New stairs
New stairs out front. Note the new porch in the background.
Charlie Brown in later years
"I'm gonna kick your ass, you punk kids! I was in the fighting Seabees, you scum!
Landing
The landing, reduced to scrap metal. It fetched around $350 at the recycler
Paw print
Even the cats help, putting their mark on the new concrete
bobcat
More Bobcat
Aluminum landing and old patio
Shot of the old landing and patio just before the Bobcat men
Deck Beginnings
First pieces of deck raised on the prepared area out back
Beer Bottles
Antique beer bottles that the Bobcat men dug up in the backyard
Bobcat
Patio rubble and Bobcat
Bobcat
Bobcat waiting for the dump-truck to return
Aluminum landing
This is future scrap metal, erected outside the house as a tiny platform for nincompoops.
Front Walk
Sections of front walk recently poured. Note the new porch in the background.
Site prep
Preparing the site of the new walk out front. Note the new porch in the background.
Houses
Houses
PEACE
Peace Banner
Broken Walk
Sidewalk bechunked and possibly bepissed. Note the new porch in the background.
Reynard the Fox
A print I bought from local artist Laura Jones.
1972 Honda
The beautiful Honda in King Oort's shop, just before firing it up and reassembling it for a first ride.
The Rain-Catcher
Soon to be replaced, this mailbox drinks in great gulps of rain, soaking everything inside. It is a wonder of modern engineering.
DC Souvenirs
A typical offering of DC souvenirs
Lunchtime in DC
Carryout meal from the bakery & sandwich place near the White House. Note the fresh roll.
Bakery
A fresh ciabatta roll is complimentary with every order
Demon Cat
This is a demon cat. Once outside, she'll not allow herself to be caught. Indoors, however, she'll spend the day on your lap if you let her.
Termite Damage
View from above of a cut-away section of kitchen floor. The splintered and flaking wood has been eaten away by termites. It is part of the house's main support beam. The dark area in the background is the basement.
Woodland hulk
One of the woodland hulks from the hike in late fall. The car appears to be an example from the 1950s.
A section of water line
A small section of water-supply line from the basement. It's condition is fairly typical of the plumbing throughout the house.
bathroom floor removed
View into the basement from the bathroom
At the salvage yard
View from the back of the pickup at the offloading area of the metal-recycling facility.
Letter from Catherine, 1918
A personal letter written by a clerk at a firm in downtown Baltimore.
Patio Beginnings
Excavation of new patio with walls partly in place
Chinese Calligraphy
'Cat' 'Lion' and 'Dog' in Chinese
Deck
Deck with the beginnings of an arbor at left. Stairs will be installed where the ladder is.
New Bathroom
Putting the bathroom back together
Bag
A small bag. This one actually has another bag inside that you can't see.
Slab
A typical slab
Mattock
New mattock, or "Pulaski Axe"
Dodge Pickup
$300 meets $275,000
Lawnmower
An example of a typical lawnmower
Boiler
Ancient coal-fired furnace, now converted to oil, now dead on the floor--face down. It weighs approximately 1,000 pounds
Boiler
Old oil-fired furnace, being dismantled for easier removal.
Miss Penny
Miss Penny receiving visitors on the loading dock
Miss Penny
Red Dog 1
Looking at the red dog looking out over the yard
Red Dog 2
Another view of the red dog
Red Dog
Plastic toy found about one foot under the back yard
Convertible
Late summer in Ohio, somewhere along US 40 heading east.
Ryobi
New Ryobi saw on some of the boards just put in place
Cherry Blossoms
Sweet white cherries will take the place of these beautiful blossoms. Then birds will take the place of the cherries. They might even leave me some.
Deck beginnings
Initial deck construction. The area directly underneath will be excavated to proved easier access to the basement, perhaps a patio, too.
Kitchen and Bath
Some ideas for improving the kitchen and bathroom in the remodeling process
Pretty Eddy's
Rows of vehicles waiting to be scavenged for parts.
Saxon
Saxon with the pipes--one of them the mysterious "ghost pipe."
Old Stairs and Porch
Old Stairs and Porch
New Stairs
New Stairs
Charlie Brown as an oldster
"I'm gonna kick your ass, you punk kids! I was in the fighting Seabees, you scum!"
Landing
The landing, ready to be hauled away to the recycler
paw print
One of the cat's steps, memorialized in concrete
Aluminum Landing prior to Bobcat men
Shot of the landing and patio prior to demolition and site prep
Beer Bottles
Antique bottles dug up by the Bobcat men
Deck
Beginning construction on the deck
Vintage Honda
Repairing the bike at King's shop--just prior to firing it up and riding it for the first time.
Souvenir stand--Washington, DC
Three tee-shirts for $9.00. White only.
Lunchtime in DC
Delicious lunch provided by Breadline in DC
Bakery
Unbelievably good bread, just a stone's throw from the corridors of power.
Demon cat
A larger photo of the demon cat. Her colors blend in perfectly with the fall and winter background. Here she is pictured in summer.
Termite Damage
Looking down on a cut away section of the kitchen floor. The bathroom is adjacent, but the floor has been removed completely there. The splintered wood pictured is eaten away by termites from years past. There is no current sign of infestation.
1967 Mercury
Time to be rid of the old truck. I've had it for almost ten years, used it much, let it sit even more. Now rusted and unsafe to drive, it has to go. I'll miss it.
Woodland hulk
a derelict rusting into the ground in the woods. Nearby are the stone ruins of numerous houses.
Water line
Rusted water line with scale. Fairly typical of the plumbing throughout the house
Front porch
A section of the porch floor removed
Front porch
Some new flooring on the front porch
Kitchen wall removed
View from kitchen into the bathroom
Kitchen demolition started
Removal of steel cabinets and old countertop and sink
A "before" photo of the kitchen
1950s era kitchen just prior to demolition
At the salvage yard
View from the back of the pickup at the metal-recycling facility. The cranes in the background grab at the piles of scrap and transfer it to a conveyor, where it is dumped into crushing machines that reduce it to shreds.
No comments:
Post a Comment