The summer has been full of excitement, anticipation, and rewards. Our gardens, though once again out of control by this time of year, have provided us plenty of tasty treats. Our bumper crops this year were peaches, grapes, strawberries, eggplant, squashes of all varieties, cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Other crops that made a decent, though not overwhelming, showing were bell peppers, potatoes, plums, figs, blackberries, raspberries, and cherries. I have frozen plenty, canned some, and we have eaten a LOT. My current delight is the grape jelly made from our concord grapes. I think Joe and I are eating a whole loaf of fresh baked bread every day these days... and the grape jelly finds its way onto several slices a day.
A Typical Day of Picking
Delicious Watermelon
More Picking (Eggplant)
Butternut Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Figs
Busy Bee on SunFlower
We embarked on the addition to the farmhouse this summer, even though we are not yet finished with the final touches of the remodel of the original part of the house. Our decision to move forward with the addition ahead of completion of the remodel was, in part, driven by a desire to have the whole place at least "dried in" before the cold weather made it hard to work outside. As of yesterday, the addition is pretty well dried in. The windows and a temporary door are installed, the exterior is wrapped with Typar and the roof is shingled. Next week, the electric rough-in is scheduled. We are seeing excellent progress on this phase of the building!
View from Garage Apartment
Back of Addition with Temporary Door
Left Side of House with Fire Escape
Inside Addition
Inside Addition 2
Part of the shifting of schedules on the building project had to do with the anticipated visit of Joe's mother and sister, who planned their summer vacation to include a trip all the way from California to visit us in Virginia. This anticipated visit presented some interesting challenges, given that we were in the throes of the remodel with drywall mud and dust everywhere and no bathroom ready for "prime time." We, of course, have a bathroom up in the garage apartment where we have been living for the past 2 1/2 years, but the long, steep flight of stairs to reach it would have been too much for Joe's mom, who turned 86 this month.
Additionally, my father and stepmother decided to come visit all of the "Virginia contingent" a couple of days before our CA visitors were to arrive. Dad and Lynne did not stay with us, but got the grand tour here. We enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant and then they spent the night at a local B&B. Things being what they are, "local" can be a little too rural for those used to the modern conveniences such as cell phone, Internet, and even TV.... apparently the local B&B left them disconnected from the world, and they decided to check out in the morning before heading an hour south to spend the day visiting/sightseeing with my son and daughter-in-law. They were able to see Steve and Kristen's house for the first time, and then we all met for dinner at a restaurant local to their house. The following day, Dad and Lynne made the two and a half hour drive west to visit my daughter and son-in-law in Rochelle, VA. From all accounts they had a lovely time there. And so, they accomplished what they'd set out to do, visiting all of us, for the first time in our current homes in Virginia. Next time they visit, hopefully, our construction will be complete and we can have a little more time to relax and visit. As it was, we were pressing hard to be ready for the CA guests.
Dad and Lynne taking the grand tour of the old farmhouse
Judy - Tour Guide
Dinner at a local restaurant
By the time they arrived on August 11, we had laminate flooring in place throughout the downstairs, the bathroom fully functional, and the kitchen fully functional. All of the downstairs was painted, and all of the trim-out electric completed. All that is really lacking is the trim work around windows, doors and floors. Joe and I then set the living room up as a "motel room" for mom and sis. We finished getting the place ready for them with just enough time to wash up and head to the airport.
Living Room as Makeshift Hotel Room
Living Room as Makeshift Hotel Room 2
Kitchen
Bathroom
Dinner on the way home from the airport
Joe and Sis at the Debtor's Prison
Judy and Sis Sightseeing
Sis with Pocahontas
They visited with us for a week and it was both relaxing and enjoyable. We went out to eat three times. We had cook-outs two nights. My daughter and granddaughter were able to join us for the first cook-out and my son and our neighbors were able to join us for the second. We played music and sang on both of the cook-out occasions and had a really nice time. On the other nights Joe, mom, sis and I found our way to the kitchen table in the old farmhouse where we played games late into the night, occasionally taking a break for dessert. It was a good week and we all agreed they need to return next year when, hopefully, all construction will be complete.
Jenn, Judy and Eloise at Pool
Gammi and Eloise
Eloise showing off her first teeth
Cookout with Family and Friends
Making a Little Music
Playing Games
And here it is, the end of August already. We traveled to Pennsylvania last weekend to share a celebration of my sister-in-law's 50th birthday. It was a fun time, and they tolerated our music playing... my sister-in-law even did a stand up solo of, "Jeremiah was a Bullfrog." Everything else that happened at the party, stays at the party! Oddly, we drove through torrential downpours to get to the party, which was a big bonfire theme.....the rain stopped just south of Lancaster, and we were able to enjoy the party as planned. Then, the following morning, as we made our way back home, we had to, once again, drive through torrential rain!
Happy 50th Michelle! Looking Great!
Other than these fun visits, the gardens, the construction and, of course, regular work, I have been making trips up to Maryland to help my mother who is remodeling her house.... The remodel, which includes the painting of all her main level walls, and the refinishing of her main level floors, also includes combining two tiny bathrooms into one, and installing a walk-in tub in that bathroom. The preparation for this project was a little overwhelming, as my mother is somewhat of a book hoarder..... EVERY wall of her house is lined with books on bookshelves. Every door has an over-the-door book rack, in which she puts paperbacks. She is also, obviously, a "collage" kind of person, as EVERY square inch of wall that is not covered by a bookshelf is covered by a picture of some sort...large small, old new, you name it, it's up there.
A typical Room in Mom's Book-lined House
Mom and Judy
Now, since I am in Virginia and she is in Maryland, a good three hours drive in light traffic, I prefer to get as much done as possible every weekend I go up there. So, I packed boxes like a crazed person as she sat in her chair, helping sort the books, and pictures, and telling me stories about EVERYTHING we packed! It took me three two-day stints, but we got everything packed and either stacked in the basement, or put into her storage units... and then the movers came to move the furniture out for the duration..... Her remodel is scheduled to be completed next Wednesday and Friday I head back up to help her move everything BACK into its new place. This time I will spend four days up there, and hopefully, will have it completed before I leave. I know she is going to really love the new place. I KNOW she will be happy to ride her elevator chair up out of her basement, where she has been living for the past month, and actually ENJOY her fresh new main level.
Workers' tools Ready for Work
New Walk-in tub in new Bathroom
We haven't actually taken a vacation ourselves, in almost two years now. Hopefully we will be able to get out to CA this year, but at this point I'm not sure when we can fit it in. Still, we are going to just spend this weekend relaxing, swimming in the pool and cooking out on the grill....if the weather cooperates!
I'm used to bureaucracy. I'm used to the slow moving wheels of robotic, undertalented staff on all levels. I'm used to getting those "little surprises" in the mail every so often from the government agencies and companies with whom I do business...you know the ones.... the ones that tell you they have suddenly discovered something. In my case, the first of these little surprises (well the first for this series) came from the Gloucester County Virginia Building Permit Office....
It seems that, in late 2011 they suddenly discovered they had no record of a final inspection on a pier I'd had built on my lake property in 2007. Hmmm.... there was only one inspection and it occurred on the day the pier was built, but for reasons unknown to me, they did not manage to record it. In 2011, they issued a notice to me that challenged me to get it inspected and to cease and desist construction on it... my building permit was canceled. OK, whatever. I contacted the appropriate office, using the number provided, assured them it HAD been inspected in 2007 and welcomed them back to reinspect, if that made them happy. A week later they performed the inspection and it passed.... YEAH ME!
A month or so later, the Gloucester County Property Tax folks dropped me a little surprise indicating that my property was now appraised at $2,000 more than they'd had on the books in 2010, due to this unappraised pier. I was, therefore, to pay an additional $11.60 in property taxes for the 2010 tax year...no late fees would be charged and I should make this payment by February 2012.... which I did. I actually went IN PERSON to pay the "supplemental" tax bill. While there, I asked whether I should expect another, similar one for 2011, since it made sense to me that I would owe if for 2011, if I owed it for 2010. They looked at their records and assured me I had paid all taxes they had on their books for me.
A month later, I received another little surprise from the Gloucester County Property Tax folks, this time for the same amount, but for the 2011 tax year.... well, I DID expect that one, even IF I was told differently from the fine folks at the tax office. The new notice indicated I should pay this $11.60 by 7/1/12.
On 6/26/12, I made my way to the tax office to pay the requested amount. Once there, I was informed that I did not actually owe anything... all taxes were up to date. They explained the notice I carried in my hand as, "probably crossed in the mail...." UH HUH.... OK, I left without paying any more and headed home.
On July 11, I received my monthly statement from my mortgager... CAPITAL ONE. Oh, I've heard horror stories about these folks, but I have always imagined that at least PART of the problem was on the consumer's side. Maybe it is. But in my case, Capital One's little surprise was reflected on my mortgage statement. It seems that on 6/13/12 they made a property tax payment to Gloucester County, VA in the amount of $1193.40. OK, fine, we get billed twice a year for property tax and that amount is exactly what I was expecting. However, on 6/19/12, Capital One made a SECOND payment to Gloucester County, VA from my escrow account, in the amount of $1205.00. WHAT? WHY? Now my escrow account showed a negative balance and I KNEW Capitol One would not let me slide with a negative escrow balance.
I immediately called to inquire. I got the famous phone-tree-answering-waste-of-time-press-this-number-if-you-want-to know-something-and-that-number -if-you-want-to-know-something-else.... I played along and was treated to a young man who identified himself as "Collins." Collins, though very polite, was sadly, unable to help me. Rather, he provided me with inaccurate information. According to Collins, the two bills were paid, 6 days apart, because the county website indicated they were both due. He recommended I call the county tax office and assured me they would clear it up. If they'd billed the mortgagor in error, they'd refund the monies overpaid.
Now, I KNEW Collins was wrong, because I get notified on every bill sent to my mortgagor to be paid from my escrow. And I already suspected what had happened. My call to the county tax office confirmed my suspicions.... Capital One had paid the "regular" tax bill, of $1193.40, and then paid the "regular" tax bill, along with the "supplemental" tax bill ($1193.40 + $11.60) six days later. No, the county would not refund the money. Instead, they had simply applied it to the taxes for which I WOULD have been billed in December 2012. Hmmmm... OK.... County Tax folks ASSURED me that neither I, nor my mortgager will receive a tax bill in December. I am paid up until June 2013, when my tax bill will be $1205.00.
Again I called back to Capital One, this time getting a woman who identified herself as Andrea. I explained the situation. I explained my early contact with Collins. I explained my subsequent contact with the county tax office. I expressed my concern over my suspicion that Capital One would reanalyze my escrow account and jack up my payment. Andrea spent a good deal of time working with me on the phone and contacting her supervisor to ensure that the matter would be reanalyzed with the CORRECT information...ie, that there would be NO tax bill due in December, and the June 2013 tax bill would be $1205. Not to worry....I should hear from them in 3-5 business days to assure me the matter was resolved.
Did I hear? Well, no. Not until today, July 30, 2012. I received the next "little surprise" from Capital One. My escrow analysis....AND.... a $200.00 per month payment hike to cover the escrow shortage and the anticipated escrow shortage..... UGH. When I reviewed their analysis, I could see that they got PART of it right. Andrea DID manage to convey to them that there will be no December tax bill. However, they used the total they paid THIS JUNE as the projected payment for the JUNE 2013 tax bill. They analyzed my escrow using $2398.40 as my June 2013 tax payment.
Again I called Capital One. This time the young man identified himself as Joseph. I explained my situation. I asked that he review the notes taken by the customer service folks in my previous calls. I impressed upon him that I need Capital One to fix THEIR error and to get it right BEFORE my next payment is due. I am NOT interested in paying $200 per month more for their error. Yes, I realize that NEXT year, when they do their analysis, they would determine I was way OVER paying and refund me and drop my payment, but that's a year away and I'm not inclined to trust them with any more of my funds than I NEED to. So, after Joseph took all his notes he said he'd send it to the escrow department for reanalysis....ARGHHH.... how about you put me through to someone who can look at this thing right now? Or at least let me speak with a supervisor who could give me SOME assurance that I am not working with "just the latest college intern" on the phone. I mean, these folks are very polite and pleasant and all, but don't they understand that this is THEIR error? Don't they understand THEY should be jumping through hoops to correct it? Don't they understand I AM the customer and they are costing me both TIME and MONEY (not to mention aggravation!)?
So the robotic Joseph asked me, per his script, if there was anything else he could help me with today, and I replied, yes, I needed him to let me speak with his supervisor.....he responded with, "my supervisor is not on the floor (thank goodness! Someone, please help Joseph's supervisor up off the floor!) and that he could give me her voice mail.... well, OK, but how about giving me her CONTACT number so I don't need to go through this very enjoyable (NOT) but time consuming process yet another time (this will make four times calling on this matter.)
Armed with the contact number, I dialed again...but the voice on the recording did not match the name Joseph provided me as his supervisor's....no big deal....the recorded voice assured me that she (not Joseph's supervisor) was on maternity leave and would be able to answer neither calls nor emails.... however, the recorded voice provided yet ANOTHER contact name and number for customer service. So, I gave that a try....SURPRISE, SURPRISE...another voice mail, for another manager. UGH. I left my message and THEN decided to try ONCE more to contact the person who'd at least managed to help me partially -- Andrea.
I dialed the customer service number for the fifth time and, after supplying again ALL of my credentialing information, spoke to yet another representative....I have already forgotten her name...I asked that she put me through to Andrea.... after a few minutes wait, I was informed that Andrea is out of the office today... Oh well.... MAYBE the manager for whom I left voice mail WILL actually call me back in 24-48 hours. Am I holding my breath? Are you kidding? Not a chance.
The "funny" thing is that I'll bet you a dollar, that if I DON'T send the extra $200 in my next mortgage payment, they will be contacting me DAILY!!
Let's just say that Capital One is giving me a CAPITAL HEADACHE!
August of 1998, my daughter wanted a dog. She wanted a pedigreed dog...like her Grampa's. But I've never been a pedigreed dog kinda person, and hoped she'd be happy with a pound puppy. As it turned out, she helped pick out the dog. The folks at the animal shelter had dubbed her, "Rosie." Rosie? Are you kidding me? When I saw this dog she did not strike me as a Rosie in any way shape or form. She was a funny looking schnauzer mix....the mix? Well, not sure about that, but whatever it was, she was one stinky dog! (Perhaps, "Rosie" was a joke about how odoriferous she was.)
At any rate, the folks at the animal shelter indicated she'd been picked up as a stray, running with a dalmatian male and nursing a single puppy (the product of the two running mates.) I never saw the puppy, but they assured me the puppy was so ugly it was cute.... it would have been an odd combination - a small, 20 lb dog bred with a big Dalmatian. The good folks at the animal shelter aged this Rosie at 2 1/2 years old.
Once home with our new friend, we had to give her a "good" name. I selected, "Killian." My daughter was not pleased with that name and called her all sorts of names, but nothing stuck....Killian it was and Killian it stayed.
Over the years our little stinky dog lived life to its fullest. With acres of woods to patrol, snakes, turtles, raccoons, skunks, deer, and of course opossum at which to bark and to chase on a regular basis, she was always a happy dog. Over the years she never, ever was sick. Her only visits to the vet were routine preventative care and one injury, sustained when running through the woods. Even when she was bitten by a copperhead, she went down for three hours, and then recovered.
In the last couple of years, after we moved to the old farmhouse, she began to slow down. Eventually she lost both her hearing and her sight. She no longer barked to alert us to tires crunching gravel on the driveway. Like it or not, my sweet, stinky Killian was getting old.
This afternoon, at the ripe old approximate age of 17, that is 119 in dog years, Killian passed away. She was a good pound puppy and I'll always remember her, tongue hanging out, completely happy as she "captained" the rowboat on our fishing escapades. Rest in Peace, Killian. You were a good friend for the past 14 years!
The trees are laden with fruit...too much fruit. This is the first year they are bearing fruit and we neglected to prune them this past winter. Nor did we exercise the recommended removal of fruits so that no two fruits were closer than 2 inches. Nor were we proactively diligent about treating the trees to ensure no pests would attack their leaves and fruit....and yet, despite all of this, we have plenty of fruit. Today I picked 36 peaches and 24 plums. There are MANY more yet to pick. Now, if the chickens will quit pecking at the fruit on the branches that are so heavily laden they are literally lying on the ground, I will be most appreciative! Oh, and the bloomin' Japanese beetles can take a hike too! Little worms? Well, I guess you can have your share, but leave plenty for me, please! Next winter we WILL prune on time, we WILL be more diligent with the protecting the trees from the pests...(well, I THINK we will anyway...)
Gathering first peaches of 2012
Early afternoon Japanese beetle capture
Chickens enjoy Japanese beetle snacks
The strawberries keep on giving. I have frozen plenty for the rest of the year, and I am now making 6-8 half pints of freezer jam a week with the fresh strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and cherries. This stuff tastes better than any I have ever consumed from the grocery store shelves! Of course, particularly with the blackberries and the cherries, I have to compete with the birds to get my share! As I am diligently performing my morning fruit picking, I hear the birds, impatiently awaiting my departure, so they can return to feast on my almost ripe crops. Yesterday we watched a cardinal slip through the 2X4 fencing to eat the cherries off the cherry bushes! So much for fencing the berry patch.
Bee pollinating strawberries
The grape vines are heavy with bunches of grapes. Of course, the good old Japanese beetles and the deer would very much like to eat the vines before the fruits ripen...and I have sneaking suspicion the birds are just biding their time before they move from the cherries to the grapes....
Grapes, grapes, grapes
Peaches, peaches, peaches
I was late getting my vegetables into their beds this year. Nevertheless, I did pick my first three (cherry) tomatoes today. I have several types of squash on the vines and the potatoes are flowering. The bell peppers are getting big and the melon vines are, well, running everywhere, determined to fill every open space... how about some melons, please? Patience, patience.... I planted sweet potatoes this year for the first time, and I honestly have no idea how/when to harvest...I'll need to do some reading on that... the vines are abundant and healthy, so, if nothing else, I will be able to console myself that I grow great sweet potato vines. I think the asparagus have about run their course for the season and I am letting them do their ferny thing. We sure enjoyed daily helpings of asparagus for the past couple of months.
Gardens
More gardens
Well, what about the old farmhouse? What's with that? Any progress, already? Actually, yes, we have made some progress. Almost all of the drywall has been hung and only the finishing touches are needed before we are able to prime the walls. The downstairs bathroom has been almost completely overhauled (after originally thinking it was the ONE room that could be left "un-rehabbed", in the end, we decided it needed an overhaul too.) The "service deck" is underway. Once the service deck is completed, a window from the master bedroom will be replaced with a door to access it. And yesterday we started hanging kitchen cabinets...yes, it really IS going to happen.. we WILL be in the house one day...hopefully, this year!
Service deck underway
Bathroom floor revamp
Bathroom drywall - first mudding
Judy helps hang cabinets
Carpenter? Ballerina?
Other than that....well, we've mowed the lawn about a bazillion times and the grass just keeps growing like there is no tomorrow. We've "bush-hogged" undergrowth of the woods (again -- that stuff seems DETERMINED to grow back!) and we've weeded a million feet of gardens...no, really, we HAVE weeded... no matter HOW it appears!
From the woods...undergrowth cleared for the moment
We had a visitor in the chicken coop a couple of times. The first time we spied him we let him go...the second time...well, Mr. BIG Black Snake....you've outworn your welcome! He was six feet long and he had a belly full of eggs when we terminated his reign. Love the black snakes, but don't want them eating the eggs!
Mr. BIG
Er...what WAS Mr. BIG
All in all, I guess it would be safe to say, we have been working hard, and being rewarded for our efforts. This place is really getting closer and closer to the way we dreamed it would be....little by little, but closer every day. Unfortunately, since the summer solstice has passed, we are losing minutes of valuable daylight every day now...never enough time to get everything done!
