What is up
Well it's been a bit of a hectic couple of days, but long story short... back in the
Balkans.
The majority of the past few months have been spent keeping it real (really real), a two week vacation in Cuba/ Toronto, congratulating Matt on his bar call, not seeing Hinchey as much as I'd like, buying a motorcycle, watching the shitty weather, and catching a couple sweet shows (HR!, Handsome Furs. P.s. we got to hang out with Boeckner for a bit... it was rad). Work has called me over so it looks like I'll be spending the majority of 2010 over here, with the exception of a few two week breaks scattered here and there.
As for hardwood floors, new bikes, trips home, and gnomes; more information please! Luke, are you laying the hardwood yourself Luke? If so you're the man! If not, maybe you should consider the option. What kind of wheels did you get? Lets see some pics. Riding around St. John's last summer was awesome. Are you coming home for a break? Tom & Jill, when are you guys headin home, and for how long? Will this be your only trip home this year? I demand to hear this gnome story.
In other news, I just got word this morning that Nadia and Adam purchased a house! So hopefully there'll be some sweet garden parties this summer.
P.S. Props to Luke for this year's YIR. It was a hot one.
Balkans.
The majority of the past few months have been spent keeping it real (really real), a two week vacation in Cuba/ Toronto, congratulating Matt on his bar call, not seeing Hinchey as much as I'd like, buying a motorcycle, watching the shitty weather, and catching a couple sweet shows (HR!, Handsome Furs. P.s. we got to hang out with Boeckner for a bit... it was rad). Work has called me over so it looks like I'll be spending the majority of 2010 over here, with the exception of a few two week breaks scattered here and there.
As for hardwood floors, new bikes, trips home, and gnomes; more information please! Luke, are you laying the hardwood yourself Luke? If so you're the man! If not, maybe you should consider the option. What kind of wheels did you get? Lets see some pics. Riding around St. John's last summer was awesome. Are you coming home for a break? Tom & Jill, when are you guys headin home, and for how long? Will this be your only trip home this year? I demand to hear this gnome story.
In other news, I just got word this morning that Nadia and Adam purchased a house! So hopefully there'll be some sweet garden parties this summer.
P.S. Props to Luke for this year's YIR. It was a hot one.
posted by Jaboc at 7:51 PM
10 Comments:
I guess nobody really does check this anymore.
Yeah, let us hear more about this hardwood story, as Sue and I might be doing the same later in the summer. Pitfalls? Excitement?
Yeah, it's a little depressing at 3.5 of us.
BUT---none of the things in your post were depressing at all!!! So I will use exclamation points to demonstrate my excitement!!!
Jacob, nice job on keeping it real...I guess the HFurs show was really awesome...we missed them at SXSW, unfortunately. The majority of 2010 sounds both thrilling and frightening. I've just finished an article about the Pink Panthers, a group of criminals originally from the war-torn balkans. Watch out for greasy-looking rich guys in small towns. They did mention Albania in passing. I'll scan it, if you want a copy (or I can give you my subscription password online).
Man, as for hardwoods and new bikes... so sweet. Though, Phil, we're aware of a few potential pitfalls. Many things are going our way: we bought it on Craigslist, from an out-of-work architect who couldn't afford to lay it all in her cottage. It was re-milled, really nice, wide-board (8 inch) pine (PHil, did the Middle-Cove house have this, I think?).
The key to our happiness in this case is keepnig it all rustic. We are not expecting the floors to be perfect, but luckily we have a rectangular bedroom with no other complications, so it's, in theory, very doable.
We're going to borrow/rent some key tools (like an angle-nailer), and what I'm more curious about is getting the right finish. I'd like to go eco and avoid Urethane, so we're looking into shellac, maybe with beeswax on top(?) Apparently these things exist. Shellac, for those not aware, is the secretion of a strange Asian bug! Was used forever.
As for bikes, I'll be a little sad to see some of the nice newer parts go on my old bike (a smaller chainring for hills, STI shifters, and really nice derailleurs), but I'm pretty freaking happy to have a steel bike again, and to be able to trade the old bike for a new saddle,fenders,toe clips, and so on.
Also, Nina is strongly considering coming up for a trip, and, naturally, I am too. Maybe June? I'm applying for magazine and radio internships now, some of which start in July, so . . .we'll see. I'm also interested in some St. JOhn's internships, if there are any out there.
And as for the YIR, I thank you sir. That is, actually, the very first comment I have received on it. Any favs? I dig your Edward Sharpe quote, and hope that was new to ya!
Bringing back the long-form comment.
-I.S.
Hi Everyone,
This will be my first post. Jacob- best of luck in the Balkans. When you come home again there will be good times had by all. I hope to see everyone home this year. I was reflecting on times gone by and thinking how great it would be to have the original crew back again!!
Stephen and I are very excited this evening, as we have just gotten the license plate number of the skeets who have been cutting posts and up to no good in behind our house!! We are hoping to get them in trouble with the cops (Donald would be proud of us!!)Miss you all and hope to see you soon.
Middle Cove did indeed have a number of rooms with wide plank pine, most notably the largest room which housed the TV on the main floor, and a few of the bedrooms upstairs. They WILL get damaged very easily (pine being basically a soft wood, no matter what people say), but that adds to the charm, I says.
Do you have any kind of closet area that will be tricky?
We're also wondering about trips home, though completely unsure of when. I'm going to Colorado in mid-July, so any trips home for me would be after that.
Dawn, good to see you! So, do they drive behind the house, I guess? What sort of posts are they into?
Phil, yeah, we wanted to match pine we've got in the front room, it's definitely quite soft, but i think looks beautiful even with a few dents.
There is a closet, but it's just two rectangles, so, no geometric proofs required.
I'm more skeptical about the finish. Shellac would be so sweet, though.
Welcome Dawn! And congrats on your first post! Why has it been so long?
More details on the events that have since transpired with these no-gooders.
Phil, Luke AND Nina home for the summer? It must be come home year! Can we expect to see Susan this summer as well? Everyone should keep the rest informed as to dates so that we can attempt to be home at the same time... attempt being the key word.
I'm hoping for a mid-June break home, but as always, I have no real idea as to dates, etc. I'm also hoping for a break in August. Hopefully I'll get some overlap with all of you.
How about the Jom unit? No sign of Tom or Jill yet. You guys are coming home this month for a little while aren't youse? What's the deets?
I was helping NIck and his woman lay down hardwood flooring the other day. Very tricky but it looks quite nice (it's maple).
Phil, the pitfalls involve not starting right. You need to make sure the tongue is out and the groove is facing in to the wall. People will tell you that you can do it either way; but you can't.
You need to accept some gaps in the first few rows to make sure that the lines are square. The main thing is to get a base of very tight 180 degree angles. Then the rest comes relatively easily. Although the problem you guys will face is renting all of the equipment. You will need a flooring nail gun with rubber hammer; a brad nailer; an air-compressor; and a table saw or something to cut the odd lengths.
Does that about tally with your experiences Luke?
You'll also want to make sure you have a sharp chisel, for fine-tuning and/or decorative purposes. I'd recommend a japanese water stone, as they're a lot cleaner than an oil stone.
The main thing is to get the "micro-bevel" on each side. Once you have both sides sharp with a 400 or 800 grit stone, use an 8000 one to get a micro bevel of about 1/16th of an inch from the edge for the best results. Some people say 4000 is better, but it's really subjective.
Make sure to use the entire surface of the stone when sharpening, otherwise it won't stay flat, causing more work for yourself.
i just want to say you are all impressing me with this hardwood flooring talk, who knew you were all so handy!
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