Construction photos

I'm continuing to add photos. Here's the link.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=108672810249922705602&target=ALBUM&id=5684992171631402449&locked=true&authkey=Gv1sRgCKHTxOKGqMmeQA&feat=email

Have a pleasing journey on the way to age 85...

There was an interview in the paper with Nortin Hadler who writes books on the overuse of medical treatments.

How to have a pleasing journey on the way to age 85—that isn't the title of his book, though it it made me wonder how often do we think about our future and the life we want to live.

We have a lot of information about the efficacy of medical treatments: what it makes sense to do and what  it doesn’t.

Questions to ask your doctor: how certain are you that this procedure or treatment or medicine will provide meaningful benefits? What about possible harm? How many people are helped by this intervention? What is the likelihood of the same outcome without treatment? What’s the anticipated effectiveness of treatment given my age, frailty, and other illnesses I am dealing with? To what extent will it prolong life? If it gives me an additional year, how will I be feeling during that time? What will my quality of life be like?

Doctors should help you to cope with discomfort and minimize suffering. Surgery may not be the best way to accomplish this.

Do we want to call gray hair, wrinkles, and the slowing down a disease or reframe as an essential time of life—generativity? Many of the physical changes of aging are normal. For example, is puberty a normal stage of life or is it a disease (some parents may claim it’s a mental illness, but that’s another issue). Should we view aging in the same way?

Interesting that my autocorrect changed my misspelling of aging to gaining? Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to think about getting older.

BPW BLOG list

This has nothing to do with the house work, except these are essays that I've been writing for work and I want to keep track of them in one place.  Not all were written to the background noise of jackhammers and compressors, though there have been times when I couldn't hear myself think.

You could say that Rachel is my muse because two articles feature her. Thinking of the world I want Rachel to experience and inherit helps me focus where I direct my attention and energy--including the renovation.

Everyone Can Lend a Hand Through Mentoring http://wp.me/pnD4O-2mP

Joining Forces - Women Veterans Speak Out: The Trenches, Remembered

http://youngwomenmisbehavin.com/2012/01/31/joining-forces-women-veterans-speak-out-the-trenches-remembered/

http://youngwomenmisbehavin.com/2011/11/23/stand-by-your-brand/

Same essay, two venues: Sexual harassment starts in school
http://www.hervotes.us/2011/11/15/sorry-rachel-there-is-still-sexual-harassment/

http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/11/15/so-sorry-rachel-there-is-still-sexual-harassment/

Washington Post letter: Can we slay the car monster?  http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/commuting/can-we-slay-the-car-monster/2011/09/23/gIQActNKrK_story.html 

Rachel helps me work

Written for BPW CEO's byline: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-frett/veterans-day-women-military-female_b_1082346.html

Week 6: We've been framed!

The framing and sheathing work continue, so the rear area is starting to look like a structure, though not quite a house yet.

We've been lucky with weather this winter, although you have to wonder what's going on. We had a false alarm about snow yesterday, although it did snow in Winchester.

The soil samples from under the oil tank were clean of petroleum. That means we don't need bio-hazard remediation. It's also good for the water supply that we consume and that drains into the Potomac.

The wall check survey is within the setback, so we've cleared that hurdle.

The compost bin is like the cask of Amontillado. So many bricks are blocking that it will be inaccessible for months.

Week 5: status report

Status as of 31 January:

·         We passed backfill inspection this morning
·         Sump crock and drain pipe have been set
·         Backfill is being done today and finished up tomorrow
·         Pressure treated sill plates and termite shield have been installed
·         Floor framing lumber delivery is scheduled for tomorrow morning
·         Mason will layup the block pier in crawl space
·         Floor beams have been installed in crawl space
·         Dumpster has been delivered and is on site
·         Cut center will be established tomorrow
·         Floor framing will continue tomorrow
·         First floor walls should begin Thursday.
·         Wall check survey was done today--ensuring that the foundation is set the correct distance from the property lines