Chapter 5 - Trailer Training

Saturday morning's arrival was a few hours later than we wanted due to "trailer training." The cute 4 by 6 foot used trailer we bought DTW* had a spare tire that refused to stay inflated. We stopped at a local tire store to have it repaired but they weren't open for another hour. Weighing our options, we put air in it and cautiously drove up north hoping it wouldn't be needed. Once safely in Sedona we went straight to a tire store to get it fixed. Yep, it was flat. Feeling much safer we finally got to the cottage around 10:00 am.

The Behr Linen White paint (eggshell finish) we purchased DTW* at Home Depot went on with one little hitch. The Green Comet color hung in there. Darn - that project has to be carried to next week. Fortunately the Kilz killed the lingering dog and cigarette smoke odors. Crock pot chili refueled our spent calories and sleeping was much more pleasant than last week.

Oak Creek offered up soothing sights and sounds during our morning coffee. Overhead a crane followed the path of the creek while a Mallard duck floated calmly in the 58 degree water. I will check the water temp every month just for fun. Venturing along its rocky red banks we found the confluence of Munds Creek and Oak Creek, a place we had only seen on a map. Munds Creek draws its name from a pioneer family in the area.

Sunday's demolition jobs went smoothly. We removed homemade bunk beds and carpet/pad from the guest bedroom, icky non-slip appliques from the bath tub and deteriorating bamboo blinds from the side yard that had been turned sideways for privacy. The neighbor across the way explained that the previous resident "worked at a thrift store and brought home practically everything she could. She was likely a horder." Ah - so that explains it!

Placing most of the demolition debris into the cute trailer was fun. The rest of it went into the weekly trash collection container we now have. Yeah - no more "packing it out" every weekend. Driving the trailer home was a breeze and we even stopped to check it at the rest stop! (see Chapter 3 post)

Once home, a little nap rejuvenated us for a visit to our second favorite place, Home Depot. 25 cases of laminate flooring now decorate our garage until they travel where everything seems to go these days - up north.

*DTW means during the week; basically four evenings to prepare for the weekend such as: laundry, groceries, cleaning, "cottage homework" and anything else that pops up. The cottage is like a newborn baby - everything revolves around it!

Guest room bunk beds and carpet - Before

Guest room bunk beds and carpet (gone) - After

Side yard bamboo fence - Before

Side yard bamboo fence (gone) - After

Chapter 4 - The Green Comet Is Gone

John Denver rode along with us this week. Singing his Rocky Mountain High, Sweet Surrender, and The Eagle and the Hawk really stirs up our emotions. In between singing with John and reading Zane Grey, we discussed the need for a trailer which would be very handy.

Weekend 4's mission was to eradicate the Green Comet.  No, not some unknown action hero. This Green Comet is the cleanser colored paint that covered the walls of the reclaimed living room.  Being vulnerable to Kilz (a super powered primer paint) and rollers and brushes, it wasn't long before the world was rid of the Green Comet. My accidental misstep walking on the freshly painted floor didn't affect the mission at all. The six different color paints in our place will all suffer the same fate, hopefully sooner than later.

There are seven casement windows in the room that crank outward. The window screens are mounted to an interior frame. Since no routine maintenance had been done we had to spend hours cleaning them. Many of the screens were broken and covered in, you guessed it, spider webs. The crowning glory was discovering two abandoned mud wasp nests inside the window frames. YUCK!

Taking care of Green Comet and yucky windows were hard work. Sitting down to our first home made meal was a welcome treat. There may be no gas to cook, but the electricity works just fine for a crock pot.  This week - pot roast, next week - chili. However, I am growing tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly toast and peanut butter and jelly anything! Maybe adding peanut butter cups for variety will help.

Falling asleep was difficult due to the Kilz paint fumes and staying asleep was difficult due to the cooler weather. Luckily an extra blanket was nearby to remedy the situation but not before saying hi to the Milky Way again. Yep, it's still there.

This week we have homework: repairing and repainting window screen frames, selecting paint, laminate flooring, and maybe a trailer.

No more Green Comet - See Chapter 3 photo for a comparison

My misstep on the freshly painted floor

Chapter 3 - Rest Stops Are Safer!

The two hour drive to our place is down to a science. Bill drives and I navigate. Zane Grey also rides along with us via his novel, Call of the Canyon, which I read from the iPad.

The living room reclamation project finished up this weekend. When the final 2x4 and carpet tack strip were removed, we did a big happy dance! Now for new paint and flooring.

Utter exhaustion guided us to dreamland until a huge thunderstorm thought we should join its party. Thunderclaps in a canyon are 10 times louder than on flat ground. In fact everything involving nature in the canyon is magnified.

When morning light grew bright enough to awaken us we eagerly looked outside for evidence of the rainstorm.  It was nearly non-existent except for the smell of wet leaves on the ground announcing autumn's imminent arrival.

We crammed three weeks of demolition work onto a truck and utility trailer and cautiously drove home hoping nothing escaped. At one point Bill remarked he was going to pull over on the side of the road to check our load before the final big downhill drive. My suggestion that it would be safer to check it at a rest stop fell on "deaf ears." So I nearly laughed myself to tears when a highway patrolman pulled up behind us on the side of the road to see what Bill was up to! The cop stayed behind us for nearly 15 miles. Good thing it wasn't more because I don't think Bill could have held his breath much longer. Should have checked the load at the much safer rest stop... LOL

 Morning Hike

Reclaimed Living Room

Chapter 2 - Friends Helping Friends

TRAFFIC! Now I remember why I've stayed away for years from traveling up north on holiday weekends. We now vow to stay in Phoenix on holidays or travel during the middle of the night.

After a quick dinner in Sedona, we gradually meandered to our place not realizing we were burning precious daylight. When we left last weekend, we turned off the main electrical breaker attempting to save money. Arriving at dusk Bill tried to flip the main breaker on and it broke. Oh that's why they're called breakers - because they break. Who knew?

Aargh - no electricity. We dashed around madly trying to get everything into the cottage and search furiously for a flashlight. As the last bit of daylight slipped away we remarked that our luxurious vacation life was quickly turning into expensive eloquent camping. Hopefully our friend, Scott, who was coming the next day could rescue us.

Morning light fortunately interrupted my dream, I mean nightmare, of showering in the pretty yucky bathroom. Another project, hopefully sooner than later. Breakfast, Ace Hardware and the realty office (for a wayward mailbox key) followed. I eagerly opened the mailbox only to find junk mail for the current resident. Great - we not only inherited spiders but also junk mail! By the way, a few stubborn spiders have been served a second eviction notice.

The living room reclamation project gave us a good laugh over the packing grade Styrofoam used for insulation! During the project, I thought about how the previous residents were probably just as excited to put the wall up as we were to tear it down.

Scott, a great friend, arrived in the afternoon to save the day and fix the electricity. He also helped Bill perform some routine maintenance on the swamp cooler which should be done annually and hadn't been done in about five years.

We left at 6 am the next morning to arrive home in time to celebrate our grandson's first birthday. Traffic was a breeze! I can't wait to sleep in my own bed, that futon is quickly getting old.

Bill tearing down the wall

Styrofoam insulation