Memorial Day Week-end, 2014

On Sunday we attended a Memorial Day ceremony at the Requin submarine.

The submariner veterans read out the names of submarines that had casualties over the years. Such a long list! Had no idea so many submariners had perished over the years.

We were given petals which we tossed into the river. 

The geese checked them out. I guess it's okay if they ate them? Pass, dunno.

On the Monday we were back in the suburbs at a Memorial Day parade in a small town close by. 

So many bagpipers! This is just one group of pipers that were in the parade. The bagpipe is ubiquitous around here. 

There were greyhounds in the parade. Once they stop winning races they get put to sleep, so lots of people adopt them. Hmm. I'm thinking that not enough people adopt them. If you'd like a lovely doggy, then maybe consider adopting a greyhound? They seem very gentle dogs.

One of several marching bands. 

It was really very festive. Lots of patriotic music being played that just made you want to sing along!

The Shriners were in the parade, singing away!

I don't know who the little girl is. But, I like the expression on her face as she watches the parade.

At the end of the parade there was this speaker. I'm sorry to say that I don't remember his name! I think it's Rock something or other. Anyhow, when I was told he was going to be speaking I hadn't a clue who he was. Turns out he was a famous football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ha ha. Oh, and I think he was in the Vietnam War. That's probably why he was a speaker. 

Wee Patio - No Farmer's Wife Here

This is our patio in our new house and this is our first Spring in the new house.

It's small, compared to the huge back yard we had at our old house.

We have a new George Foreman electric grill. The old barbecue grill that we had for years and that used propane gas we dumped. It was all rusty and falling to bits.

The fence doesn't go all the way around the wee patio. Apparently it's because of all those odd things sticking out from the ground. I really don't know what half these things are, but everybody has them. Could be for electricity? Dunno. Our patio backs on to the road, which is odd, I know. We had so much privacy in the old house, and here we have very little! But, c'est la vie.

All those tools that I used in the old house.  The famous de-thatcher!  I used that every spring. Yikes! I yanked on it pulling it and pushing it to get up dead grass. Won't be using that anymore!  Ha ha. Part of the deal here is that we pay a homeowners' association fee which covers outside maintenance.

The equally famous edger. That was hard to use, so it never really did see the sunshine that much at all.

The rake! I used that a lot to gather up the leaves as well as any grass clippings that somehow got loose whilst cutting the grass.

This is just part of our back yard at the old house. There's a section to the left that you don't see but which goes downhill on a steep slope. There was also a substantial front lawn that I took care of too. Many times I felt like a farmer's wife when I spent hours working away outside.

Do I miss the big yard?   Absolutely not!!  I'm more than happy with my wee patio.

The Saga of New Construction Woes

Wondering why I have posted this photo?  Hmm.  Guess!  

Our beautiful brand new hardwood flooring has been coming unstuck since the month of January! Sooo glad we're still under the warranty.  The installers came out in January and again in March to re-stick the sections that were loose.

Okay, so far so good. Until, guess what?

Even more flooring came loose. It was non-stop. The level shows that the floor wasn't flat. Apparently 3/16th of an inch over a ten foot section is permitted. On some sections of the floor is like walking up a slope!

The blue tape is where the floor either had a hollow sound, or was actually loose.

In the end, the powers that be announced that the concrete subfloor wasn't flat. Ha ha. Didn't you know it wasn't flat BEFORE installing the floor?

We ended up in a hotel for three nights whilst large sections of the floor was dug up. A large crack was found in the concrete, which just added more spice to the mixture.

The crack continued from the hall into the master closet.

Here's hoping that the saga of new construction woes is over. Surely the floor will no longer come unstuck?!   They put down a levelling agent to try to make the concrete flat. That should help. I really do hope so.  The section which is like a slope?  Well, they said that since the wood is not moving there that they don't have to fix it. Oh dear.