Saturday, March 03, 2007

What? It's Only Lunchtime?

I feel like it should be at least 9 pm. Can't even manage a nap, today. Gee, that makes me sound old, doesn't it? Of course I was up at 5:30 am to deliver the Saturday papers. And I went to bed at 11 last night, dead tired, only to wake up at 2:30. Then I couldn't get back to sleep. So got the papers delivered by 8 and came home to put coffee on and bread in the toaster. The phone rang. It was the customer (Bridgeport reed organ) that was supposed to call last night to confirm that he would be coming to pay and take the organ today. He says, "Nine o'clock okay?" Then I scrambled to get breakfast eaten and be ready for his arrival (with his four helpers).

It is always fun, albeit a tad nerveracking, to watch as a bunch of guys manhandle a 300 lb reed organ out of the house and down 4 steps. I have to keep my mouth shut and not make too many suggestions on the best method. Never mind that I have moved hundreds of reed organs and pianos (sometimes alone, often with one other person). There is just too much "guy attitude" to tolerate advice from a 120 lb woman. So, it took five of them to do what two should have been able to do.

Some good news about this reed organ, though. They fully intend on transporting it by boat to Thacher Island come June. Yippppppeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! I will be taking photos of the entire trip, from loading to it's home in the Keeper's House. All going well, I'm hoping for a feature in the local newspaper. Great PR! (and thank you for the idea, Mary)

Once the Bridgeport organ was gone, I had to load up for the dump (transfer station). I had the weeks garbage plus. I've been reorganizing the workshop and there was a lot of old lumber, plexiglas, and bags of assorted debris that needed to get hauled away. It was a big load in my little truck but I managed to clear out half the pile. I'll tackle the rest a bit at a time over the next few weeks. The partially filled paint cans will have to wait for a disposal day. More on the workshop reorg another time.

After the dump I headed for the bank. Phew, my account is now a little happier! I saw our contractor's son while at the bank and asked if his dad had mentioned giving us an estimate on rebuilding our deck. He said he thought it would be Monday. I got home and went "next door" to my parent's to tell them. The doorbell rang. I went to answer it and lo and behold it was the contractor and his other son! Onni Korpi & Sons are fantastic! Anyway, it was just coincidence that I had seen the other son at the bank only minutes before. Onni and Bruce took a look at the job and made a few recommendations. Onni will be calling my mom with an estimate. I've added a little extra to the job by asking that they create a "gate" at one point in the "fence" surrounding the deck. By doing this, pianos and reed organs may be brought in from the right-of-way next to the house, across a removable ramp that I will build, directly on to the deck and in to the house. It will avoid having to haul everything up the garden path and then up the four steps to the deck. If the player piano I'm looking forward to arrives first, I plan on using the same approach. I'll just take that section of "fence" down! Yay! I'll have a "roll in" move.

Well, I'm now off to get a bite to eat. Then take Amanda to Target for a CD she wants. I'll have to stop at Staples for some banner paper (I use it to wrap up keys, in small groups, so the new keytops don't get scratched in shipping) and I want to find some wall mount organizers (for papers) that I can use for keeping my sandpaper neat and organized.

Maybe more later..................................

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Another wonderful recapturing of your day with word pictures that make me feel as though I were right there with you.

In addition to the GDT article on the transport of the reed organ, we'd love to have an "inside story" for the church newspaper when the time comes. Let us know when the sail is to take place! I hope you have kept notes on the saga from the first phone call. I can see a children's book coming out of this also. The story is fascinating. The future awaits the tale in many forms. Exciting!

deb said...

Of course you'll have the scoop! As far as a children's book...considering my available time and (lack of) talent in that area, I may have to turn the idea over to Jayne. Could be interesting, though.