And The Verdict is....

I'm staying in the Panhandle! The MIC in Lubbock just notified me that they chose someone from within the office and he is a great choice. There sort of is a mix of emotions going on right now in me; I spent a month planning for the possibility of a move, dreaming of a nice 4 bedroom house that all my friends could come and stay in, and reconnecting with my friends in Lubbock. Yes, I am disappointed that I didn't get the position but in some ways I am relieved to know.

I really wanted (and still want) to be in the place where God wants me to be. It appears that the "top of Texas" is that place. This means I will continue to be a part of God working through our church to change this city and the world, I'll continue to be a part of iForty (our college/young adult ministry) and seeing how God unfolds His plans for that, and still be around the many close friends I have in and around town. Oh, I'll still be able work in an office that is on the cutting edge of science and technology, at least if I have anything to say about it!

Well, time to go get cleaned up, cook a celebratory lunch, and get ready for work.

In the Texas Panhandle.

In the place where God wants me to be.

The Master Bath Series, Part V (continued)

My apologies for the lack of updates recently; I've been busy with a Java programming course as well as some other projects at work I'm trying to get out of the way. I have also been having to deal with the recent stretch of cold weather we have had here in the top of Texas. It seems that the walls that face the outside (which also happens to be the direction the wind has been blowing for what seems like the last 3 weeks) are not warming up enough to let me paint so I have been in a holding pattern in getting the primer coat put on.

HOWEVER, work has still been going on! The walls are now smooth and there have been a couple of minor patching details squared away. I initially thought I was going to paint the trim and wood in the bathroom but that has been changed to do some touch-up work on the stain. That means I am having to clean off my sloppy work at applying texturing and paint as well as taping off all that trim and wood. It is slow going...who knew Killz2 would be so hard to remove when it dries!

So the progress is slow. Granted, I have lost a lot of motivation to work on this project since I STILL do not know about the position in Lubbock and have been spending lunch time this week with friends getting caught up on life. Hopefully I'll hear something this week and that will put a burr under my saddle...

The Master Bath Series, Part V

I know, I know...I haven't updated this in a while. Cut me some slack here folks; I was working graveyard shifts so my schedule consisted of get home in the morning and go to sleep, get up late afternoon, work for 5 to 6 hours or so on this project, clean up, eat something, head off to work, and repeat the process. For three days. On the fourth day, I worked for 6 hours, cleaned up, and then proceeded to pass out on my couch having been up for 27 hours straight and the 6 hours consisted of VERY physical labor (I consider standing on a ladder hand sanding a ceiling pretty darn physical. Just ask how sore my shoulders are!). It wasn't until I rolled off my couch sometime after midnight did I finally crawl into bed...but I digress.

There has been some pretty impressive progress in this endeavor however. I was finally able to lay down a first coat of primer on the walls and not run into any problems! When that first coat went on and dried, well, there was much singing and rejoicing (although in reality all I could muster in my tiredness was a Napoleonic Dynamitic "Yeeesssssssss"). For the most part. There are still some imperfections in the texture that need to be filled, sanded, and repainted but I can finally see the end WAAAAAAAAY on the horizon. And it doesn't look half bad either!

So what is left? Still need to finish painting the ceiling and put down second coats of primer on the aforementioned ceiling and walls, decide what to do for/about trim, get the vanity top out, new vanity top in, fixtures, loo, and lighting. The last four in this list seem pretty easy...famous last words. Oh, and those pictures I promised...I'm having to walk a fine line right here because I want to get some middle-of-the-process pics but my digital camera likely won't do well in the fine drywall joint compound dust environment state my bathroom is currently in. We'll see what I might be able to do.

With the way things have been going and my lack of sleep, I took tonight and will take Saturday off to spend with friends just to let them know that I am still alive and that my so-called "small project" hasn't totally devoured me...

The Master Bath Series, Part IV

Smooth walls. All I want are smooth walls. I spent the last two days applying drywall joint compound, let it dry, sand it down, reapply compound, let it dry, sand it down, and repeat until my arms are sore and my back hurts from being hunched over. Things looked smooth, felt smooth to the touch. And yet I still don't have smooth walls.

I took a chance today and primed one wall I thought was ready. Nope. Plenty of bubbles magically appeared as the moisture from the Killz2 was pulled into the wall. I had some issues when the compound first went on the wall but thought I could sand it out. I guess not.

So what now? Looks like more drywall compound. More sanding. More soreness. Yes, I could be cheap like the previous owners and put wallpaper over the whole thing and not worry about it. Right now it just feels like I lost 3 days of work because of some cheap builder not using quality goods. Now I've got to use enough compound to keep the bubbles from forming. Can it be done? Yes, I tried it on a patch near the ceiling. It feels like this project will never end.

The Master Bath Series, Part III

Well, the loo is out, the walls have been stripped of wallpaper, lighting fixtures, the mirror, and the odd nail so now it is time to start laying down the texture and getting the walls prepped for paint. It was a late night last night but then aren't they all when you are doing a home improvement project. And of course, there is one big problem that has come up.

For some unknown (cheap) reason, whomever built the house (lazy contractor) decided that in order to save a buck or two would use beaver board as opposed to drywall in my master bath. The previous owners also must have done some other work by replacing some of the original wallpaper with their hideous green floral print (picture forthcoming) because there are all kinds of rips where they must have pulled off old paper and attempted to re-seal the board using white spray paint. That is why I'm using texture...I'm hoping to get some kind of smooth surface to paint on. Where does the problem come in I hear you asking?

When applying a layer of texture to sand and make the wall smooth, the moisture in the drywall compound ends up causing the minute tears in the top fabric of the beaver board to bubble like a simmering pot of chili. So now, I've got pockets where the texture looks as if someone sneezed or threw up texture compound as it is so uneven. At least it was in a test area and I can hopefully work around it. Google here I come.

So this is what my Friday will consist of. Drywall texture compound.

And lots of it.

The Master Bath Series, Parts I & II

In preparation for the possibility of getting a promotion and having to move (the application was forwarded to the selecting official in Lubbock), I decided it was a good idea to undertake renovating my master bath. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures before I started but the select few who have seen the master bath can attest to the VERY 80's look it had (wood paneling, a primarily green floral print wallpaper, and popcorn ceiling texture). Initially the plan was to pull the paneling and wallpaper, scrape and re-texture the ceiling flat, paint, replace the vanity top, fixtures, and toilet. But alas...even the best laid plans can be thrown asunder.

Part I (Demolition) went well initially; the popcorn ceiling came off without any problems and I had help in learning how to texture the ceiling. It looks good and will need a light sanding to make it totally flat. It wasn't until the wood paneling came off that Part I fell apart. For some unknown reason, the builders put the wood paneling, vanity, baseboards, and door frames in first and then stained them. After that they installed the tile. WELLLLL, when you install baseboards first and then the tile...that means that you have got about 1/2 of an inch of baseboards nearly permanently sealed in grout. I had to get a wedge in between the baseboards and paneling to pry them out of the grout. Crap. Now that means I've got to fill in grout where the baseboards once were. Oh, and did I mention that I managed to destroy a small piece of drywall while pulling that paneling off. Grrrrrrrr.

Part II (still Demolition) came today when I had to pull the wallpaper. I decided to try some nifty new spray that I saw on one of those home make-over shows to see how well it really worked. Besides a steamer would take too long and this spray made the wallpaper come off in sheets. So, I got the necessary materials , scored the wallpaper as instructed and gave it a shot fully expecting to pull sheets of the aged wallpaper off.

Nothing happened.

Well, in the fine print ONLY available on the manufacturers webpage, certain wallpapers must have the top layer peeled off in order to allow the solution to soak into the backing and glue. Did they decide to put that on the container? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. You had to go to their webpage (and I quote; "If you experience difficulties with this product, please refer to your local hardware store or visit our website at toocheaptoprinttheinstructionsonthebottle.com"). Upon realizing that I must have the aforementioned "special" wallpaper and spending an hour getting as much of the top layer off, I was finally able to give it a second go round. This went much better as the detritus of backing and glue littered my bathroom floor. Oh but the surprises that were in store...

As sheets of 25+ year old wallpaper fell away, a new and exciting (NOT!) discovery was revealed. The wallpaper hid all kinds of lovely scratches, dings, dents, and rips in the drywall. So much for painting the walls once the paper came off. Now I've got to texture the walls in order to have some resemblance of a flat surface as opposed to the surface of the moon I discovered. The second discovery: they decided to wallpaper first and THEN install the light fixture AND 4 foot x 4 foot mirror meaning they both have to come off before I can complete getting all the wallpaper off and start texturing.

So tomorrow will chronicle removing the mirror, light fixture, toilet, and vanity top as well as getting the last of the wallpaper off and hopefully getting the first layer of texture down. All I want is one day without any surprises....

Adventures of adult ADHD

I have had WAAAAAAAAY to much going on recently. It recently started with the decision to update the ceiling fans and electrical outlets in my upstairs bedrooms in preparation for family visiting over Christmas. That progressed into "Hmmm...while I'm at it, I'll tear down the popcorn ceiling in my master bath." While staring at the ceiling and squirting it with water (a neat trick for easily removing a popcorn textured ceiling), I noticed the wallpaper was staring to peel away from the walls near the ceiling, so that turned into "Hmmmm...should I rip off the wood paneling at the same time and just paint this sucker?" And then we can't forget the bathroom vanity that is now cracked and needs replacing also. And I cannot leave out needing to fix some tiles in the master shower, repainting the wooden porch beams, and somewhere in there cleaning house for family...

Oh no, we're not done yet! I'm still waiting for a return phone call from a couple of places for estimates on replacing the drafty odd-sized french doors that open into my backyard, I forgot to call the plumber AGAIN to fix the busted valve in the upstairs bathroom, and I once again forgot half a dozen things when I went to Lowe's (such as pricing the aforementioned master bathroom vanity, paint, and who knows what else). Now I'm sitting in a house that smells like ETHYLENE GLYCOL, PHTHALATE ESTERS, N-BUTYL ACETATE, FORMALDEHYDE, CRYSTALLINE SILICA & TITANIUM DIOXIDE (hey, it's straight from the bottle) because I decided to strip and recaulk the upstairs bath and I can't light a Circle E candle out of fear of having the roof blow off the house like a scene out of Mythbusters. Oh, I also still have two three Christmas presents to get still.

So what is the cause of me becoming a one-man Extreme Makeover; Home Edition (minus all the important people - the designers and builders) over the past two weeks? Well, I sent in an application for a potential promotion back down to Lubbock. The job "closed" on the 13th, so it will likely be a month or two (thanks to Christmas and New Years) before I hear anything and I decided to play it safe and start getting the house ready in case I am going to need to sell it. By no means is this job a done deal; there are quite a few folks already in Lubbock who would be more than capable filling that Senior Forecaster spot.

So there it is. Potential Job Move, family coming to town (in 4 days I might add), my normal work rotation, and did I mention taking pictures of the annual Amarillo South Church Christmas play? I think that would cause anyone to come down with a temporary case of ADHD.

And crud. I've got to run to the post office to mail all my Christmas letters...

I've Been Tagged...

I've been tagged by Whitlow (and apologies to those wanting an "in-depth" reply, I don't like too much of my personal info floating around on the net) . . .

1. Name: The Weatherman
2. Birthday: A somewhat long time ago...
3. Birthplace: Unfortunately not in Texas, but I got here as soon as I could!
4. Eye Color: Hazel
5. Hair Color: Brown with more and more Gray and less of it overall
6. Height: Tall Enough
7. Ethnicity: Why do people ask this question? Does it make a difference?
8. Weakness: Chocolate Chip cookies, Dublin Dr Pepper, pie
9. Most missed memory: research trip to Kwajalein and Hawaii - the white coral sand beaches, a month and a half of no school, beautiful sunsets, and good friends...
10. Thoughts first waking up: How much longer can I sleep in?
11. Last time you cried: It's been a while but I remember it was at a movie
12. Song title that currently says how you feel: Busy Child - The Crystal Method (I've got a LOT going on right now!!!)
13. What is the perfect day for you: Taking the Jeep up a trail into the mountains, making it to 12,000 feet or higher, spending the rest of the afternoon sitting by an alpine lake enjoying the crisp mountain air.
14. Ever been asked for an autograph? Yes, for some reason people automatically think I am on T.V. and want autographs!
15. How do you vent anger? I stew for a bit then either start walking or get in the car and drive.
16. Who do you talk to most on the phone? Here recently it has been my parents as we try to figure out plans for the holidays.
17. As a kid, were you a lego builder? Y E S! And I still pull them out every once in a while.
18. Do you chew on your straws? Only if I'm trying to get something out of my teeth.
19. Do you sing in the shower? Not Much.
20. Who's the last person you stayed up late talking to on the phone to? My friend Laura.
21. The last place you went to in a plane? Kansas City, MO
22. Do you cry at weddings? If it is a good friend, sometimes.
23. Are you afraid of the dark? Most of the time, no. However there are times I do hear something go bump in the night and wake up all disoriented. The curse of a light sleeper...
24. What are you addicted to? Chocolate Chip Cookies, Dr Pepper
25. Crunchy or creamy peanut butter? Creamy
26. Who do you fight with the most? Technically I don't "fight". but I do get into heated arguments at times with a couple of people at work.
27. Who can you tell anything to? My best friends (and that will leave you guessing!)
28. Do you recycle? Definitely, but the town I live in won't recycle certain things...sad.
29. Who makes you laugh the most? The Clark's always manage to have some story that cracks me up...
30. What is the worst feeling ever? Having to say goodbye to a loved one dying from Cancer...three of them.
31. How many pillows do you sleep with? Two.
32. How many rings before you answer your phone? I don't know...my phone doesn't ring anymore, it plays music so I usually pick up after the first couple of notes.
33. How many times do you press the "snooze" button? None usually...it goes straight off.
34. How do you sleep? In a bed, under some covers, with an electric blanket in winter.
35. Last time you laughed: Earlier this morning
36. Ever looked at someone ugly and said "EWWW"? No, but I do sometimes go "DANG!" in my mind...
37. What is your favorite color? Forest Green, no doubt!
38. What is your favorite state? Texas, always. Then Colorado. And I'd even have to say Wyoming is in there as well...

Now I get to tag...Emily, Leslie, and Brian! YOUR TURN!

Sometimes I think this is the way to go.

Thanks to my friends, the Clarks, for showing me this webpage...I'm hooked now! Anyway, I'm tired of hearing "The statistics show..." when in reality the SCIENCE might not be so convincing. Anyway...

from xkcd.com.

The Thanksgiving Chronicles (long)

Well, I had intended on a post a day while home in the Hill Country but issues with my CrackBerry internet connection to my Laptop AND the land of "No-up" (in other words, the only internet was at my parent's office which is a 5-10 minute drive) meant that was not possible. So, I'll do my best to try and put together my adventures on this past week of Thanksgiving...

Day 1 - The Trip
It never fails that one forgets something when leaving on a trip for a week. I managed to leave two important items at my house and realized this while getting gas in Canyon. SO, I had to turn around and get the aforementioned important items which put me an additional 30 minutes behind. This normally wouldn't be a big deal but it did put me in the heart of deer country after dark. If you haven't traveled through the heart of deer country in the fall, you need to drive a tank as the sheer number of deer along the side of the road grows exponentially after sunset thus increasing the risk of having tenderized venison as well as a damaged vehicle. Fortunately there weren't too many numbers on the road and I made it safely home. Oh, I also found out that all the extra weight on my Jeep results in a 13 MPG average AND that each quarter tank yields 50 miles.

Day 2 - So Much for Sleeping In
It was announced that we were going to work cattle the first morning I was home. At 8 AM. Giving me 6 hours of sleep. While I'm on vacation. Oh well, small price to pay when spending time with Dad but giving young steers vaccinations after eating fresh hay and protein supplements...well, you get the idea. The rest of the morning was spent installing Mom's XM radio and making sure it worked. After lunch, it was our first day to hunt and although there were a few cull bucks and does around (we have a wildlife management permit) nothing caught our fancy. There was the funny incident with the buck that got something up his nose and sneezed quite a few times...

Day 3 - The Fear Factor Incident
Such a benign start to the day after finally being able to sleep in. I was needed at my parent's office to install their new all-in-one HP printer/fax/scanner/copier machine as well as solve a few other computer issues. Walking out of the office, the cold front had just pushed through so it wasn't too cold but it had started to dry out a bit. It was perfect weather while I installed my XM radio adapter for the Jeep (didn't have it on the way down...had to order it to the Hill Country so I wouldn't miss it on the way back to the Top o' Texas). Dad and I hunted a blind no one had been at in a while and although there were a few deer, cattle had wandered over into our vicinity which spooked the deer. Arriving home, I was a bit chilled and wanted something hot to drink. This started the "Fear Factor Incident" which I will tell you about in person the next time we run into each other in deference to my Mom. It is an interesting story...

Day 4 - Thanksgiving
No big plans, just spending that evening at my Aunt and Uncle's house with quite a few family members around. I did spend part of the day working on projects that my grandfather used to do, all of which were heightened by the smells involved. Hoppe's No. 9 oil, brass casings, a bit of cedar, and scent masks in my grandfather's room at his house all brought back so many things I used to do with him. After a very light lunch and an afternoon siesta, it was time to partake in the family thanksgiving dinner. This was the first Thanksgiving without my grandparents and it was hard not having them there. However, I am very thankful for the knowledge and memories I have from them. And for many of y'all who read this blog, my friends; I am thankful for the time we spend together, laugh together, cry together, and live life. Thankful for Jesus, for him finding me and walking along side with me. And no, I didn't gorge myself...I only had half helpings of the pecan and pumpkin pies. It was the first time I didn't leave feeling overly full!

Day 5 - Lazy Day of Cold and Football
No big plans...watched football all morning (which started at 10 am thanks to sleeping in), had a BIG lunch that mom cooked, and then got ready to head out and wrap up a project from the previous day. The cold weather had set in but it wasn't raining yet so Dad and I headed out for another afternoon of hunting. Picture this - sitting in a small blind wrapped up in two layers of clothes, a blanket, and a heavy coat, cold and damp wind blowing, supposedly waiting for the deer to arrive. Sort of a "classic" view of hunting for those who choose to participate, right? Well, I also had my CrackBerry working somewhat and was looking through the binoculars for deer, updated the score on the game, blow my nose, look through the binoculars for deer, etc. With overcast skies, things turned dark early and Dad was anxious to get in the warmth of the pickup. Nothing like riding back to the house and being able to listen to the Aggies pull of a win/upset in classic fashion. Made for a Great day!

Day 6 - Friends and Family
The rain came in the middle of the night and apparently something knocked the power out. Fortunately I had set a different alarm and was still able to get up and make the trip to Fredericksburg. I had gotten back in touch, thanks to Facebook, with some long out-of-touch friends who live down south and we decided to get together and reconnect over lunch. There were also a few friends who needed be to bootleg, import, bring back some Circle E Candles for them. If you are ever in Fredericksburg and want to get the best candles in the world (IMNSHO), head over to Circle E. I walked in and once again was knocked back thanks to the overpowering wall of 30+ odd fragrances wafting through the air. So I perused the usual selection when something caught my eye. Something I never thought I'd come to find. They now make a candle that smells EXACTLY like:

L E A T H E R !

Ahhhhhhhh...my house now smells like the tack and saddle shops of old. I LOVE IT!

After obtaining the goods from Circle E, I met up with my friends from the Wesley Foundation at Texas Tech and we spent 4 hours getting caught up, reminiscing, and making plans to get our group of friends from the Wesley together soon. To my South Texas Friends; thank you for driving in the rain and cold to reconnect after over 4 years. I had a blast. A quick change of clothes after getting back home, the family gathered once again to celebrate my uncle's 60th birthday with steak and shrimp.

Day 7 - The Trip, Part Deux
After seeing my sisters off for their trip home, I headed into town to double check the weather and road conditions. There was snow between the Hill Country and Lubbock but all roads were reported to be open. I loaded up the Jeep, gassed 'er up in town, and hit the road. All was well up until Eden when the snow really started to fall and the road conditions went south. It wouldn't have been too bad except that all the Texas Tech students were heading home and by golly, they were going to drive 70 regardless of what road conditions were like. There was one young punk in his poorly lifted GMC pickup that decided to ride my tail. Well, I know what my Jeep can do and let's see if you know what your pickup can do. Slowly reach down to the 4WD lever, select 4-Hi, and "drift" out of the ruts into the accumulated snow, gravel, and slush. A wave of that stuff then flings up in the air promptly coating the Tech student's pickup. And then the young punk backed off, headlights swerved to avoid him, and he decided to back off. Once the roads cleared near Snyder, he passed me and gave me the one-fingered salute. Then there was the one that swerved off the road into the ditch because he was going too fast. These students (yes, they were students because 75% of the vehicles had TTU greek organizations, TTU emblems or Tech stickers of some sort, and were relatively young) need to learn to take the time to slow down, enjoy the view, and relax! I say that only because I was one of them a while ago...

So here I am, back in the Top o' the Panhandle. Doing Laundry. Checking E-mail. Writing a Blog. Reminds me of something else I said at home. There were a couple of cows sitting under a tree when it was cold and drizzly. You remember the Budweiser commercials with the guys sitting in their living room? The "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaazzzzuuuuuuuuuuuuupppppppp" guys? After the "Whazzzup" craze ended, they went into the "True" series. One guy calls up another and says "What you doin'?" to which the reply was "Nothin. Watching the game. Drinkin' a Bud." which the answer was "True" and then the question is repeated again. Anyway, back to the cows -Dad mentioned they looked pretty content even though it was cold. So I cracked the joke "Yeah. They are sittin' the the cold. Chewin' their Cud." to which Dad (oblivious to the commercial) said "True." Priceless...