Beach Day
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New Windows on Life
We are buying new windows. Back in 2023 we replaced four and, in this iteration, we are getting eight replacement windows. A few years before the unit cost was just over $500. Now it exceeds $1000. Such inflation is the downside for our phased window replacement strategy. To make matters worse the Biden era tax credit that we enjoyed last time and was scheduled to run for ten years has mysteriously disappeared. Thanks to that “Big Beautiful Bill.” Who knew that windows could be DEI? The of the windows that we bought before are pictured below. This batch will be the same make and model, Simonton 6500.
While our windows will not be as decorative or fancy as any of the others pictured in this post, the three in the living room do include stain glass. This detail like many others is part of this house’s charm and gives it its gingerbread architectural style. We plan on saving those sashes, taking the stain glass out of the frame and then hanging the glass as a decorative window treatment.
Ordering the new windows is one thing but actually getting them is a whole different story. Like before, we are getting our replacement windows from Home Depot, and their process doesn’t trust the salesmen’s measurements. In a week the subcontractor will come by to do the actual measurements. Then in 8-12 weeks the installation will actually occur. That puts us into June. I envision multiple trips to the cabin this summer.
Artichoke Agave
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The Redcoats are Coming
Anne is seen here standing at the center of a circle of cypress trees, in the middle of Minuteman National Park, while wearing a red coat. Poor color choice? Possibly. Certainly 250 years ago, but times have changed and so does fashion. I must admit that she does look rather marshal, standing thin and straight. I guess that I am still feeling a little juiced from yesterday’s demonstration. The news reports that 9 million Americans participated nationwide, making it our nation’s largest ever demonstration. Seems almost hard to believe, except when you consider what the old fat wants to be king has done, all in little over a year. For sure, he has riled people up and he knows it. Cornered, he’ll be like a wounded animal. Dangerous, capable of lashing out, but ultimately defeated.
Redbud
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No Kings
Today, we chose the smaller and closer to home protest site, the Tamm Avenue highway overpass. This site offered the opportunity to cheer on most of the other protesters who were headed to the main event downtown. It was a beautiful day to exercise one’s civil rights. Walking through Forest Park on our way to the protest site, I remarked that we had not been in the park on a Saturday morning, since at least Valentine’s Day. I used to always go to the park on a Saturday. This was the third No Kings Day, but it was the first one that we participated in. On one of the preceding No Kings Days we were driving back to Monterey after visiting Mendicino. We encountered several rallies, some on overpasses too.
Arriving at the overpass, we found a carnival like atmosphere. It was more like a party than any political action. Everyone was friendly and all were in a good mood. Most people had made their own protest signs. Many of them were quite creative. I especially liked the one Anne had made. Earlier I was having a bout of cold feet, but when I came into the computer room and saw Anne PowerPoint engineering her sign, I knew that we would be going. I’m glad we went. It was fun and also for a good cause. Afterwards, we walked across Oakland Ave. to Pat Connolly’s for lunch. Tonight, we’ll look for ourselves on TV.
