Sunday, August 24, 2014

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

August 24. 2014

Today is a departure from the normal look back at my travel journal. I want to let everyone know that I'm still alive and well. I hope to resume the journal soon.

I knew that I would be taking a break for at least a month while our son Des was visiting from France. We had such a wonderful, busy time. A mini vacation in Texas was fun, though very hot! We enjoyed showing Desmond around in Fort Worth. The highlight was a Segway tour in the beautiful Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. Back in Kansas, Des had many people to catch up with.  We managed to find a bit of time to relax out on the deck when the weather was cool enough to allow it. A trip to the Sedgwick County Zoo was a day well spent.


Here we are, just beginning our Segway tour.

It was a treat to have lots of one-on-one with Desmond. We did some shopping, hitting some of his favorite shops. We didn't neglect the favorite restaurants, either! There were many friends and relatives to catch up with, and sometimes schedules or illness got in the way.  But all-in-all, I think he had a great visit.

I have since been occupied with some major renovations on our little brick house. Everything seemed to happen at once! Craig and I had made the decision to have a new roof installed, along with siding on the gables, and some new guttering. After we had signed the contract and were ready for work to begin, we discovered a leak in the old cast iron pipe in the basement. Fortunately, the leak was small, and it was situated just above the sump pit, but we had to schedule repair right away.

The plumbing repair was less extensive than we had thought it would be, but we chose to have a small half-bath installed as well. It was something we had always wanted, and it seemed like a good time to do it. The plumbing work was completed in one day, though we still have a wall to build and some electrical work to complete. The siding will be finished soon, and I already love the new roof!

Craig and I have been planning these renovations for some time. There will be more to come. We want to have the house in tip-top shape before he retires in a few years. And as every homeowner knows, the work never ends. At least, we will have all the major stuff out of the way.