Father's Day?

Travis had asked what he might give Monte for Father's Day and I said he'd probably say "he doesn't need anything other than having you visit or write a poem/song". Since Travis couldn't come our way, we decided to visit them Monday, so Heather, Will, Monte and me drove up early morning, and Dawson with Splarah came a bit later. I brought sourdough starter and made us our second breakfast before starting to work.

Travis's goal for the day was to mud their bathroom. My goal for the day was to replant a lot of their garden that got ruined by hail. Monte's goal for the day was to build them shelves in their pumpkin colored loft room.

By the way ... Travis and Sarah are pregnant. Sarah miscarried several months ago, but this time she's over the initial hump ... before telling people. So there's definite goals of things to be done before the baby comes in January.

They had bought a foreclosure several years ago and it's almost done. It was gross! - chain smokers and animal smells, so everything was removed and we went thru gallons of Kills paint! Yucky cabinets and linoleum removed. Travis did hardwood flooring for most of it. He's slowly been redoing the stair railings - there's three levels. Their bathroom is the last big thing to be done, and it was gross too! First off, a terrible design. They've removed walls, moving the door, covering closed an unnecessary doorway into their bedroom, so it's now a big open room with lots of potential. They need to tile the floor, get a new toilet and cabinet with sinks (the old cabinet, sink, and toilet can go to making a bathroom in the basement).

This is the third summer we've helped them put in their veggie garden. Last year we made the board beds so their little dog knows her boundaries. I still had 'extras' in my greenhouse I've been doling out to friends, so Sarah and me replanted tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and okra. I brought seeds I still have and we replanted pole beans, lettuce and spinach, basil and dill, and chard. It'll be an experiment: let's see how a 6/22 planting works. The thyme in the walkways shows NO hail damage! and luckily their cherry tomatoes and grapevine next to the house got no damage.

Heather helped a bit with the weeding and planting too, tho mostly caring for Will and resting. Splarah helped Travis with the drywall mudding. Dawson and Monte working together were able to finish the shelves in one day.

A Father/Family fun day together, ending with Dairy Queen blizzards as it was starting to rain, and then we drove home.