Close to the Homestretch

Rumor has it that "tsuyu" is almost over. In some areas of Japan, there are worries of drought. The lack of consistent rain has led to some very warm/ hot days. Although  it’s muggy and uncomfortable, we have managed to make significant progress on the deck. The rails and gate are completed. Two out of the three benches are ready to install. All that’s left to complete is the corner bench, sink area, and top rail. I’ll plane the bench seat boards and the top rails. This will make those surfaces easier to touch without the worry of splinters. The top rail will have its edges rounded off with a router. I have a couple of surprises for the sink area. The plumbing fixtures/ fittings have been purchased, but they will require considerable modifications. Please read on…

The worker in the plumbing department at Handsman  was very helpful. Everything I asked for him to find, he did without reservation. He was puzzled as to what I wanted to accomplish with my odd assortment of fittings. He often repeated as he handed me my fittings, “I’ve never done anything like this. I’m not sure if it’s going to work.” Those were words of encouragement to my ears. He made sure that I had plenty of plumbers tape…just in case.

If the weather holds out for this long holiday weekend, I should be able to get enough done to make it to the homestretch. So what’s the big hurry? We are expecting a whole bunch of guests in early August. More on that later as the details are sorted out. I’ll just say that it’s the most people that we have ever had gathered together at our home, at one time, ever. This might not seem like a big deal, but for us, the people who don’t like parties, it’s a huge event. It should be a lot of fun, too. Stay tuned…

George