Inspiration 10

This is a clean BMW build.
http://www.bikeexif.com/bmw-r100rt-custom


This bike has a beautiful seat that converts from a one to two-seater.
http://www.bikeexif.com/triumph-tr6r










This is another nice BMW.  I like the crash bars.
http://www.bikeexif.com/bmw-r90-cafe-racer


This is a cool bike.  The levers are really neat.
http://www.bikeexif.com/bimota-db3


I like this seat.  It's substantial, but not bulky.  Something like it could work well on the BMW.
http://www.bikeexif.com/yamaha-xjr400



Another clean BMW.  Minimal hand controls and nice color scheme.  I had the same idea for the rear license plate.  Hides awkward axle.
http://www.pipeburn.com/home/2013/12/4/1974-bmw-r906.html


This is a cool bike.  Inspired by...a wood stove?
http://www.bikeexif.com/thrive-yamaha-xs650


I like the seat on this bike.
http://www.bikeexif.com/honda-cbs125


Nice clean bike.  Cool satin tank.
http://www.bikeexif.com/xv750


Super clean and cool bike.  Hand controls are nice.
http://www.bikeexif.com/revival-cycles


Nice bike.
http://www.bikeexif.com/kedo-sr500-cafe-racer


Really like this bike.  Cool tank and nicely detailed seat.
http://www.bikeexif.com/laverda-750


Nicely done BMW.  Clean details and rear shock.
http://www.bikeexif.com/bmw-r100-untitled

Cranky Concrete

Our neighbor's trees are doing a number on our concrete, and it finally got to the point where we needed to take action.
That point actually occurred a few weeks ago, when I hacked a section of root out of the ground near the front of the garage that was lifting the walkway under the gate..
This time, we were going after the roots ruining the driveway itself and the walkway midway down the house.

I started by uncovering the root as best I could.

Then hacking at it with a hatchet for a while.

I eventually tired and decided I needed a power tool.  Luckily Grandma has a chainsaw.

The raised sidewalk required us to move a bunch of the rocks we laid down and dig along side it.

It was nice that we had buried a bunch of chunks of concrete there.  It made digging fun; NOT.  Interestingly, we didn't find any roots, so I have no idea what raised the concrete.  At this point we made the decision that since we were already in there, we might as well try to get the concrete to come down by digging under it a little.  Unfortunately, it ended up being a lot more work than I anticipated.

Eventually, I gave up on actually digging and started hydro mining, but that proved to be pretty messy.

It got to the point where I had to just strip down and get muddy.

I had to jump on it and beat it with the dead blow hammer, but it eventually dropped down to the level of the surrounding sidewalk.

It was quite a struggle, but the end result is amazingly satisfying.

Happy Hallway

Before

At the same time we painted the bedroom, we also slapped a fresh coat on the hallway.  We went with the path of least resistance and used the same color.

After (ooh...new light switch)

As you can see, we also removed the pointless chair rail.  Under it we found some lovely wallpaper:

Scraping it off was fun.

We also revamped the doorbell housing with a little spray paint.

Before

After

There was even a section of wall between the linen cupboard and bathroom door jamb that had never been painted.

We also gave the rusty heater intake vent a shot of spray paint.

Before

After

Overall, we are very pleased with the result.  It feels fresh and clean.

Chrissy has big plans for that big blank wall, but it could be a little while.

Drooping Drawers

The drawers in the master bathroom were not performing well, so I inspected the sliding hardware and discovered the most half-assed workmanship I've seen in a while.  All the hardware was mounted with small staples and maybe tacks.

Before:

I replaced the pitiful staples with stainless (my trademark) screws.  The drawers now slide much more smoothly.  I often fling them out now because I'm so used to having to really pull to get them open.

After:

Bring on the Romance

I don't make a habit out of inviting strangers into my room but I will make an exception this once. Our bedroom was originally stark white with vertical blinds and zero personality. Most importantly it was one of the least romantic rooms in our house. Not acceptable.
We decided the room needed to feel warmer and more inviting. We opted to tone down the glare of the white with a soft beige (kilim beige). Next we (I) stenciled an accent wall to add some interest. Last, the vertical blinds had to take a dirt nap.
So, without further adieu here is the before and after.

Before (with furniture rearranged for painting):

Beige up and stenciling started:

My onesie had to make yet another appearance:

It was so tempting to stop here. Nice right?

Curtains up!

 Finished!

Final notes:
We are adding crown molding and hanging artwork soon.
Stenciling sucks.

Water Damage Debacle

Before

We had a little paint bubbling as a result of the water leak.  We finally scraped the paint, added some Spackle and texture and repainted.  Almost looks like nothing ever happened.

After

Cable Cleanup Follow-Up

As you may recall, I removed a great deal of cabling from the exterior of our house some time ago.

I finally followed up and patched the holes that were left.

Before

After