busy busy week, hope the next one is better.
The painter came yesterday. I thought the estimate was high, but he came HIGHLY recommended AND he does cabinet renewing also. He is going to test the product he uses to brighten up and refresh cabinets, to see how it will do on our cabinets. If it works well, then we'll just have him do that also. It will be good to NOT have to connect with another contractor. He also has a general handyman business and we like that too, since we need a handy man now and then. Another plus is that English is his native language. Much of our construction work here is Texas is accomplished by non-native speakers. I am so thankful that we have such excellent craftsmen and handymen/women from Mexico to do such a wonderful job in so many way. But for a non-Spanish speaker like me, it is sometimes very difficult to convey your wants/needs/desires regarding a project. The painter/handyman guy is very personable and easy to speak with and has been in this business for a long time. We need someone to hang the cabinets (in the garage) that we removed from the kitchen and he will be able to do this also. I expect that price will be higher than I want to pay - but oh well, it will be nice to just get it done.
I think I have told you that Gary and I are going to Colorado the 3rd or 4th week in September so he can go elk hunting. No, he shouldn't be up there in that altitude and yes, it will be very hard on him, but this is a bucket list thing, and he said if he dies up there, that's where he'd want to be anyway. He won't die up there, but it will be very stressful for him and me. We will drive because we have to take all his portable oxygen bottles that can't be taken on a plane. He'll have to wear his oxygen 24/7, and that is OK, except he won't want to.
It will take us a day and a half to drive it and then he has 5 days to hunt. This hunt is for persons with disabilities, so the outfitters will take him out and move him around as needed. All he has to do is sit and watch for elk. They will clean the elk and pack it for transport (if he shoots one - which he BETTER!). He has 5 days to get one and if he gets one on the first day (keep your fingers crossed), we can come home on day 2. Anyway, this is all to say that we have a dog sitter coming this morning. She sits for friends of mine and I hope we like her becasue it will save me an hour and a half trip taking the boys to meet Brooke half way between Austin and Houston and then doing it again when we get back.
The weekend after Labor Day, I think I will go to Houston to see Abi play v-ball. She has a game that Friday night and then a tournament on Saturday so I'll get to see several games. The following weekend is when I am taking my mom to Oklahoma to her school class reunion. That will be a quick trip up on a Friday and back on Sunday. It's ONLY an 8 hour drive
Then a couple of days later we will leave for Colorado - although there is a possibility we will wait till the next week to go, if the elk are not moving around well that first week. I'll be glad to get all this traveling over, although I really like all the places that I will be traveling!