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Robin did it for Pat’s 50th, 60’th and again for her 70’th all surprise gatherings and Pat was clueless every time including this one.  This surprise started at Detroit Axe for what else but axe throwing and it was a hoot watching those who decided to participate.  Here is Pat practicing before they starting to keep score.

Not everyone invited could attend but was still a good sized crowd.

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So I’m downstate for work and still have a week to go when during my morning breakfast I get a notice from one of my cameras at the home. Needless to say that the last thing you want is one of your video cameras capturing this:

I got ahold of my neighbor next door who was nice enough to head on over to see what he could find.  A return call indicated that he could see something was inside but could not find anything so he set a live trap.  I threw a few things together and started my four hour trip to see what was happening myself.  Six hours after the first notice I’m heading into the house and disappointed that the live trap is empty.  I’m hoping that he found his way back out.  Nothing more for the rest of the day so I went to bed sleeping with one eye open.  Next morning still nothing so I make breakfast.  The little critter must have been hungry cause as I’m eating at the island movement catches my eye and there he is looking up at me like I’m supposed to give him some of my food.  Had he been any bigger I would most likely been standing on the island instead of chasing him around the island.  Long story short I was able to get him go out the front door, that I had opened. Just a tiny baby squirrel that was no longer in the house!

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I wasn’t able to finish my work downstate so it’s back down sometime in mid-November but I’ll be back in time for Thanksgiving and the traditional Christmas decorations.

Well I’m happy to inform that the removal happened today and I couldn’t  be happier.  To say that just one individual could complete the task took me by surprise would be an understatement!  But there he was equipped with a blow torch and a grinder and in no time he had that fixture laying on the ground in to pieces quickly loaded on his trailer.  All I can say that is that I couldn’t be more impressed.  Great job dude!

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Now all we have to do is remove the existing plantings and add a few pine trees.  We did keep the electrical, which will be updated so that we can add Christmas lights to the new pines during the holiday season.

I had the opportunity to meet with two of the association members to discuss the unused flag pole in the cul-de-sac.  Apparently the property of the cul-de-sac is actually Rick and Sue (next door neighbors and me) along with a small portion that is the right of way for the local road commission.  I suggested that we remove the flag pole and update the landscape to something that required less maintenance (like a few pine trees). It all was readily accepted and I started contacting local companies that might be able to remove the pole.

So there was a ceiling fan in the three season room that did function as a fan but the light fixture no longer worked.  So I found one at Costco that I really like the look of and of course the price was right.  Ordered it and it arrived a week later.  I took down the old fixture and started the install of the new one from Costco.  What was I thinking… this was way (and I mean way too) modern for the home.  No I didn’t take a photo (it was that bad). Quick trip to Lowes and a new fan/light fixture is now installed and working quite well in the space.

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So I contacted the local closet installers and found that I could not only increase the number of drawers in my closet but I could also change the color to something other than white. This not only doubled my drawer space but it transformed the whole room (after painting) into something a bit more intimate.  And for those seeing the white hangers on the back wall, rest assured that they have already been painted the same color as the wall.