Sadly, I forgot to take my camera to Alyssa's and Bill's place Saturday when the clan gathered to enjoy three of Paul's delicious pizzas, each having two pieces specially made in accordance with his healthy diet. The rest of us gayly added potato chips to our plates. Dessert consisted of lots of juicy watermelon, an entire flat of raspberries and I forget what else. I always enjoy those informal family gatherings at their place, seeing Yuri somehow being lured upstairs for his bath/book/bed routine at about 6:30.
With Stephen's mother's visit in several weeks, there was a special urgency to get the main floor in shape. The guest room was nicely furnished with a new bed and adjoining bathroom. The plumber will soon install the shower fixtures, but the toilet and sink were operational. Stephen and Vivian installed the remaining kitchen cupboards, primarily the ones which hang on the wall, and then did the electrical work on the dishwasher, kitchen disposal, and electric stove. The fridge was already in place and operational.
On Sunday, Kara joined us at Vivian's and Stephen's house for an afternoon of work. She and Janice cleaned/mopped/washed the dining and living rooms which had just been cleared of doors, boards, boxes, tool chests and the like for the first time in memory. Kara also used the power sander on one of the trim boards and then, with Vivian's guidance, operated the power nailer. Janice and I also washed the leaded windows inside and out, something I had wanted to do ever since I first saw them. Since some windows could be reached only by using an extension ladder, it was surely the first time they had been cleaned in decades. By about 6:00, the five of us closed shop, put all the tools in their places, and trotted off for a delicious meal at a local Ethiopian Mom-n-Pop restaurant. When we learned that it was cash only, four of us had to empty our pockets while Janice smugly sat and watched . . . she had fortuitously left her purse back at the house and consequently got a free meal!
