Girls' Weekend

Just wrapping up the 3rd Annual Girls' Weekend. This year I met my sister, Carol, and 2 cousins, Beth and Catherine, in upstate New York. We attended the YMCA Camp Gorham Women Adventure Weekend. We shared a cabin with 8 other women; most of them were friends from Carol's work. Other than the mattress on a bunk-bed plywood, it was great.

It was fun to experience different activities...archery, mountain biking, self-defense, jumping pad, and kayak to name a few. I found I really enjoyed archery and I'm pretty good at it!!

The first morning the sunrise kayak looked like so much fun that I wanted to do it the 2nd day. On Sunday morning there was fog on the lake and everyone thought that it would burn off shortly (no so!). So I'm off kayaking the first time in my life and I couldn't really see where I was going!

The lake was beautiful, especially when one could see the reflection of the trees/mountains in the lake.

Looking forward to our 4th year...

While on vacation also visited Fort Stanwix National Monument. 

Wrapped up the week at Mirabeau Inn & Spa.  Had a massage, which felt great after the adventure weekend, got pampered, and a lovely lunch.

If you are ever in the Syracuse area, you should visit Cope Shrine, located at the base of St. Joseph's Hospital. St. Marianne Cope, a Sister of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, was canonized Oct. 21, 2012. She is the first Franciscan woman from North American to be canonized, and only the 11th American saint. A woman of great valor, this beloved mother of outcasts, spent her early years in central New York where she served as a leader in the field of health care, education and of her own congregation. Responding to a call to care for the poor sick on the then Sandwich Islands, she devoted 35 years to caring for those afflicted with Hansen’s disease on Kalaupapa, Molokai, Hawaii.

Counter tops installed

The counter tops were installed today.

Close-up of the kitchen counter.

There is a cutting board made of the small material as the counter top.

The laundry room

Cabinets are in

The cabinets are all in. Now just waiting for the counter top.

The blank spot is for the dishwasher

The oven and refrigerator wall

The laundry/pantry room. This room has a different, but complimentary, cabinet style.

It's looking like a kitchen!

The installation of the kitchen cabinets began yesterday. They anticipate them being done by Wednesday. That means when I come back from MS, my kitchen will look much more complete!

This is the sink wall...don't worry, there are more cabinets.

Oven/refrigerator wall

Small built-in pantry in kitchen

The installation of the laundry/pantry room cabinets will occur next week.

The electrical outside is almost complete. 

There is now power at the bar.

 

This is 1 of 3 ceiling fans on the patio

After almost 20 years with an extension cord running from the house to the pond...now there is power right at the pond (it's hidden behind the rock).

Where's the orange extension cord that hung from the tree?

Day 6 Construction

Amazing what a difference from just a few days ago. Late in the week we had holes in almost every wall and ceiling. Now the drywall and patching has occurred and the kitchen and laundry room (aka pantry) are looking like rooms again!

This is the wall for the sink

Wall of the oven and refrigerator

Looking into the laundry room/pantry from the kitchen door

Day 3 Construction

I learned to cook dinner using an electric skillet and microwave only with just a few utensils. It is a challenge and comical at the same time. Let's see how I feel in a month!

The re-plumbing and electrical work began in the kitchen. The challenge in an older style home made with construction blocks...pipes had to be jackhammered out!

Kitchen wall -- my sink should be under the window

Close up of the kitchen sink pipes 

Making "lines" for the electrical and water supply to the refrigerator

 Out with the old pipes...

Day 1 Work

The re-plumbing and kitchen remodel has begun.

Before

 After

They sure had a job removing the old floor!