Lenkowitz.com

End of Week Six...

2009-11-13T13:02:00.008-06:00

The painters are doing touch up work and the new kitchen is starting to come together.

I'm very pleased with what I've seen so far, for the most part the work is very high quality.

I think I have enough experience with this sort of thing not to expect perfection on the first pass, so I stay engaged and constantly point out the little things that glare "I'm not real concerned with the quality of my work". It's a sad comment on many labours working today.

I don't believe that the project will be finished by Thanksgiving, but it will be close to being done.

Next week it's counter tops and back splash tile and then on to installation of fixtures and appliances.

I'm ready to be back in a working kitchen and preparing a real meal. Camping in the living room is getting old.

Fumes, Fumes, Fumes...

2009-11-08T15:02:00.007-06:00

Breathing lacquer fumes is not my favorite way to spend Sunday afternoon.

I have to make concessions to move this job along, the contractor wants to finish by Thanksgiving and I'll be thankful for that. Today the painting sub was here to prime the woodwork. Didn't take that much time but the FUMES will be with us for a while.

I'm not complaining, just stating fact.

Interesting side bar, Friday I got a call from an old friend who is an architect. He made the point that whenever he is hired to do a remodel he tells the client, "You don't want to do this.". The client argues and insists that they do want to do it. I now know what he means.

We're well into the home stretch now and it will be a big improvement to the house when it's all done. Tomorrow we do insulation, as in blown in the atic and the painter sands. MORE DUST!!!

The counter tops are being fabricated and will be here in 10 to 14 days.

The Trip to the End of the Road...

2009-11-07T09:47:00.003-06:00

It's a picture of the road I grew up next to. It's US-24 and it runs North and South across the country. It's the road you take when you turn off I-94 to go to Jane and Dick's house in Dearborn.

I had taken Jane to the beauty shop where she likes to get her hair done. While I waited, I noticed the small yellow tree against the background of the others. It was November 3rd. and I had gone to Michigan to help Gail and Cindy tell Jane that she could no longer drive the car. Unfortunately, it was Jane's 86th. birthday and not a nice thing to do to your Mother on her birthday. The issue had to be confronted and Gail and Cindy really needed my support and participation.

So lately I've been thinking a lot about getting old. It's not as they say just a state of mind. There are real physical changes that you have no power to control. I like to think that I have a small ability to influence the changes but there is nothing that can be done to change the aging process.

I'm sure that I will deal more and more with this subject as I continue to age but for now

it's enough comfort to know that Jane is in a safe place and will be cared for as it needed.

The End of Week Four...

2009-11-06T10:25:00.008-06:00

Being "out of town" while the work is being done is good and bad.

It's good because I have no idea what's being done and it's bad because I have no idea what's being done.

A great deal of progress has been made and the big picture is starting to take shape.

Cathy and I are very pleased with what we're seeing and our thinking runs to "this is going to be a beautiful improvement to the house.

It's a different world...

2009-11-02T15:17:00.002-06:00

I'm at the Henry Ford Village in Dearborn Michigan.
My Mother lives here and has for almost 6 years. It's been a good place for her.
After she woke up on the basement floor in a pool of blood she decided that the old homestead might be the best place for her to grow old. Here she has round the clock services if she needs them and a fully functioning community of people her own age.
This property is an Errickson Community, at least it was until Errickson ran into financial problems and has to restructure their debt.
I don't know if that's going to have any affect on Jane's stay here, so far nothing new.
We're dealing with a couple of age related issues this trip. We have to update the will and make sure that the "durable power of attorney for health care" is in order and then there's the issue of the car.
It seems clear to me that Jane really shouldn't continue to drive, at least by herself but making that sale is no simple matter.
I guess we all see the car as a symbol of our freedom and lossing that is almost more than we can bear.
I'll head back to Houston on Thursday morning and I'm anxious to see what's happened with the Kitchen Job.
More later...

The end of week three...

2009-10-30T07:49:00.005-06:00

There has been a lot of work done this week.

We have passed several inspections and as you can see the sheetrock is in place. The gas leak in the line from the meter to the house has been repaired and the plumbing and electrical rough in are complete.

By Monday, I'm told that the taping and floating will be done and the cabinets are supposed to be here Wednesday.

Unfortunately, I'll be at Mom's house so I won't be here for the actual installation but I'll put up more pictures a week from today.

I will tell you now that the people at Kurtin Fine Homes have been very easy to work with and I'm pleased with the way they have kept this job moving along. We might actually make our tentative finish date of December 1.

Then we start on the den and the living room and dining room.

I can hardly wait, I've learned to love DUST!

The end of Week Two...

2009-10-26T07:20:00.002-06:00

There was a far amount of work done this past week along with several inspections.

All inspections passed although they where "rough", the first in a series.

From my point of view the good news is that darkroom is back on line. The water had been off for the past two weeks. I've got work to do and it would be good for me to get after it.

I've found myself "waiting" for things to happen around here and that's lead to a great deal of frustration on my part. The best thing for me to do is get on with my work and let Darby worry about the others. After all that's what we're paying him for.

It's the end of the first week...

2009-10-18T13:31:00.006-05:00

I think we're making progress, but I really have no way to know.

This is the first project of this type that Cathy and I have undertaken. We have no way to tell if things are on track.

The only other thing I've done is build my own darkroom and there was no deadline or need to finish quickly.

The Kitchen is different, we need it back on line as soon as we can get it there. I'm not enjoying cooking in the foyer very much. The lack of running water, hot or cold. The only cooking device is a microwave oven. These may be little impediments to some, but to me they are a big deal.

I guess I'm just a sissy.

Another day and more dust and Money...

2009-10-16T13:13:00.005-05:00

The dust is everywhere, the Money is out the door.

I really shouldn't complain because the money is being spent on Cathy and me in a space we'll use for a lot of years to come, if the gods are willing.

Side note: How do we know that the polytheists where wrong? Maybe it's the monotheists that have it all screwed up? The monotheists certainly have built a bureaucracy that would lead you to believe that they aren't very interested in the spiritual.

In any event the kitchen gods are going to be pleased, I hope. If he likes the tile we finally pick out. This weekend we need to come to a decision on a sink and tile for the "back splash" and behind the stove. It takes some real talent to convince a mathematician that your artistic sense is a good one and sometimes it is.

Saying good bye to an old friend...

2009-10-15T09:11:00.007-05:00

It hardly seems like the right thing to do, maybe I'm just over reacting because I had to have one of the family put to sleep on Tuesday. Any way, the old and still very serviceable kitchen now takes it's place with the rest of the "used up" building materials, in the dumpster.

Yes those long boards at the top of the picture frame are rafters. The only thing between us and the REAL World is the roof.

By the way, Phoebe has already figured out how to crawl through the hole in the plastic sheeting and get into the kitchen. She is the only FEARLESS cat we have.

Day two and a lot has happened...

2009-10-14T10:51:00.011-05:00

These pictures don't really convey the feeling of having your kitchen torn out by the roots.

I'm not sure how to photograph what that feels like. Suffice it to say, I'm not enjoying the process.
The people who are doing this job for us do inspire confidence so I'm not concerned about the outcome, I'm just ready for it to be done.

Here's the contractor's website. http://www.kurtinfinehomes.com/

So far, I'm impressed and would recommend them. Ask me again when the project is complete.

Monday it begins...

2009-10-08T07:27:00.001-05:00

We begin the MAJOR project of remodeling the kitchen.
I'm confident that I will survive, but I'm not excited by the thought of the mess.
More later...

He hasn't changed much since Saturday...

2009-10-06T13:28:00.002-05:00

But wait until next Saturday, he will have changed by then.

Now that I'm no longer employed...

2009-10-05T14:59:00.004-05:00

I have time to satisfy my daugther's request for pictures for the boy's room.

Brazos Bend State Park...

2009-10-03T07:19:00.002-05:00

The first of what I hope are many early morning visits to Brazos Bend.

Just another day on the "farm"...

2009-09-29T09:47:00.002-05:00

Pogo is now safely "at Home" in the Audubon wildlife refuge. Far enough from the house that he won't be back any time soon for more of the free handouts.
I really don't mind the wildlife being around, this one however, had taken to rooting around in the garage and making a mess of it in the process.
http://opossum.craton.net/ofacts.htm

Meduca Rustica...

2009-09-19T13:36:00.002-05:00

This guy showed up at supper time on Thursday afternoon. He didn't eat much or hang around very long.

It was an okay trip...

2009-09-14T08:40:00.005-05:00

The big drive North around Lake Superior was interesting and it would have been better if I had gone about it a little more slowly.

Two days from Sault Ste. Marie to Duluth is just not enough time to really see what there.

Lesson learned, the next one will go at a much different pace.

It's a Great Life...

2009-09-13T19:26:00.001-05:00

...If you don't weaken!
Compliments of Doyle

A few from the North country...

2009-08-31T14:43:00.009-05:00

The North shore of Lake Superior

2009-08-29T19:30:00.002-05:00

The forest north of Lake Superior is as dense as any I have ever seen and the country side is covered by rivers and lakes. There appears to be a thin layer of topsoil over a granite base. Granite outcrops are every where.

Lake Superior is an amazing body of water and it's easy to understand why the Ojibwe called the lake Gargantua, Gi Chi Gumayii.

Heading North to Lake Superior...

2009-08-12T09:03:00.005-05:00

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=lake+superior+&sll=46.288122,-84.59198&sspn=1.586713,2.469177&g=Sault+Ste.+Marie&ie=UTF8&ll=47.989922,-87.879639&spn=6.147557,9.876709&z=7&iwloc=A

This might make for an interesting road trip, a drive around the North shore of Lake Superior.
I'm heading to Dearborn Michigan to visit with family for a couple of days and then I'll head to Sault Saint Marie and drive around the lake.
I'll be back when I get back and I'll check in when I get back to Houston.

Find the man in the tree...

2009-08-05T21:19:00.003-05:00

The neighbor had to remove a pine beetle infested tree and I watched in amazement as one brave man made his way to near the top of this tree. Maybe 50 or 60 feet off the ground.

Next week I'm off to Michigan and a visit with family and further journey North with my cousin to his home on the South shore of Lake Superior.

I'm thinking about driving around the North shore of the lake.

Might be interesting.

Attention Photo Curators....

2009-07-29T18:33:00.002-05:00

Rules concerning visits to my studio

Arrangements must be in writing in advance or your proposed visit, no "drop-ins" will be allowed. Written notice will be provided to confirm your visit. Please allow three weeks for processing. Email is acceptable.
All visits will be strictly limited to 30 minutes. No exceptions!
Questions concerning my work must be submitted in writing at the time of your original request.
Questions will be answered at my sole discretion. No other questions or comments about the work will be allowed during the visit if they have not been submitted at the time of the the original request. Further discussion of the work will be at my sole discretion.
No one other than those named in the initial request will be admitted.
Proper identification must be presented upon admission.
No photographs/digital/video pictures will be permitted during the visit.
Proper respect must be paid to my wife at all times during the visit.
Please wipe your feet upon entry.
Impolite or uncivilized behavior will not be tolerated and you will be asked to leave.

Len Kowitz

Houston, Texas

July 2009

The trip to Santa Fe, July 2009

2009-07-27T16:18:00.003-05:00

This was the first stop on the way to Santa Fe after a night in Fort Stockton.

West Texas has some amazing places to visit.