Harry's Accomplishments

Harry always works on projects while he is visiting us. We do not make this a condition, but we are grateful for what he does. This visit, he has worked on several projects. One was that he installed a lamp over the dining table. Last year when he visited, he tried to fix the chandelier over the dining table. It was working, but only partially. He wanted to get it back to its original condition, but was unable to get the parts he needed. In the process, he took it apart and was not able to put it back together. So Ellen advised that he just throw it out. She was not that fond of it anyway. Since then we have been without a light over the dining table. Harry noticed a lamp downstairs. It was one of two lamps we had bought years ago - and I mean years! Maybe like fifteen years! We had bought them to install over the kitchen counter, but for some reason, never did. So all this time they have been sitting in the workroom. He saw them and asked if he could put one of them over the dining table. We thought, "Why not?" So he did. It looks good, and provides a lot of light! Another project was to move the wood that we didn't use last season and stack it next to the door where it will be the first wood we use this fall. It's good and seasoned. Part of it was stacked at the opposite end of the deck, and part of it was still in a pile that never got stacked last fall. So now that is all next to the door. Another project was cleaning up around the stone wall. It was getting overgrown with vines and other weeds, and also covered over by the rhododendron bushes that are above it. So he pulled out stuff and pruned the rhododendron. Now you can see the wall! Another project was cutting up old boards for kindling - he did that last time too, and we still have some of that kindling left to use this year. And now we have more. And i think the pile of old lumber is gone - one less thing Ellen will have to deal with when I'm gone! Another project was the screen door on the sliding doors leading out to the deck. The sliding screen door wouldn't close properly. You had to fiddle with it to get it close completely. He fixed that. It took quite a bit of work to do it - something was interfering with the slide, and he burnished some things, ground something down - I don't know what all. But it works nicely now! And at the moment, he is working on the hood over the range. The light in the hood hasn't worked for a couple of years, and we have used a utility light temporarily in its place. Meanwhile, we bought a new hood, but never got it installed. So Harry is installing it. Wow, that is a lot!

The new light over the dining table.

The wood stacked by the door.

The stone wall cleaned up. The round concrete pillars were supposed to be carted away last year, but Zach never got around to it. Maybe this fall!

Newly cut kindling.

The screen door that now slides smoothly

A work in progress - a new range hood getting installed (you can see the old one (brown) and the new one (white) in the foreground.

Harry - the master problem-solver himself.************************************* LATER

The completed range hood - light off.

Light on.*********************************************** LATER STILL It is now Thursday afternoon. Harry left to return to Philadelphia about an hour ago. Ellen has made a trip to the landfill and we will be heading up to Marlboro pretty soon. It is still pretty nice temperature-wise here at the house but it will be in the 90's by later afternoon. But we'll be in an air-conditioned hall!