We have a stand alone garage (with an attached annex). While we could use it for storing cars, most of the year, we just stash stuff that doesn’t really have a home elsewhere. In the annex, we store all of the pellets we use as our primary source of heat during the winter.

Two weeks ago, I got this incredibly dumb idea that it was finally time to start prepping and painting the garage. The paint was falling off in large chunks and the wood often full of woodpecker holes. We actually purchased the paint almost 3 years ago but never took on the task of using it until now.

The first side to be started was the one closest to the house. This involved manually scraping the wood and figuring out how to deal with the pockets of paint that were under the edge of practically every piece of siding. To say it was painful is a significant understatement. But once it was done, it was ready for paint and replacement of the end boards. It was only after that side was mostly completed that the idea of using the power washer was suggested to me. It worked well on the remaining sides – it just takes a few days to dry afterwards or the paint won’t adhere well and will bubble after just a few years.

So the garage is now ready to be painted (after it drys) and I can replace a ton of the accent (& corner) boards!

15. July 2018 · Write a comment · Categories: Insta · Tags: ,

IMG_2322

10. April 2018 · Write a comment · Categories: travel · Tags:

New Instagram Photo: http://bit.ly/2ka7izm

New Instagram Photo: http://bit.ly/1WmZI3G

For the past three years, I have helped with the TEDxSpringfield event held at my company’s headquarters in Springfield, MA. While my involvement is very minimal other than the day before and day of the event, I get to attend and interact with the speakers. These two days are my favorite of the year as far as work is concerned. The speakers are fantastic and the topics, for the most part, are very energetic and/or moving. Yesterday was no exception.

The day started off with Sylena Echevarria who works for my company. Sylena’s description of packing her clothes into a plastic bag as she and her mother escaped from her alcoholic and abusive father. They left as soon as his abuse spread from her mother to her. Her mother then proceeded to eventually take care of her father, along with her new husband, until he died. It was a true story of forgiveness.

John “Ringo” Longo then spoke about music and how he has woven music into his life. Next, Bill Miller brought many tears to the audience with his talk about homelessness and how when he started, he was told that sometimes you just have to walk over some homeless to help others. The day continued with many speakers including Nick Cummings who discussed getting “unsad” as he dealt with medical woes as he grew up. The day ended with Angela Lessier who discussed crawling into bed for a month and living off credit cards while she figured out how to create, then start her new business. Each speaker was motivating and had a wonderful story to bring to the audience.

One of the best things about attending this conference each year is getting to have one-on-one conversations with attendees and presenters. It was an exceptional day.

TEDxSpringfield 2015 Angela LussierTEDxSpringfield2015 Nick Cummings TEDxSpringfield2015 - Sylena

New Instagram Photo: http://bit.ly/1xlNw7D

New Instagram Photo: http://bit.ly/1s617Mj
Short hike with both of my children yesterday – enjoying the same trail used for a few of my latest runs.
12. July 2014 · Comments Off on My newest little sisters · Categories: divorce, moving

Over the past 6 weeks. I have been colocated at work with 4 individuals plus my new manager. Those four are, in my opinion, four of the most awesome employees of the company. Out of the four, one is a guy that is a unique individual who has stepped out of his high level finance role to join our team to change his career focus. He helps keep me focused, and knows a part of the information technology organization for which I have almost no experience. He is funny, grounded, and easily accepts that he has much to learn in this new role. Another one is a gal that has been a “change agent” for several cycles now, but has not actually been with the company as an individual contributor for all that long. She is awesome in her own right, and has helped the team so far in many ways, including directing the other four of us down the right path over and over.

This post is about the other two. J & A have also helped the team in many ways, helping to coordinate the materials for our thirteen value stream mapping exercises, and help drive the logistics around those meetings (lunch, coffee, extra chairs, room) and have helped by asking questions that no one else asks.

The one thing that these two have done is to help me personally in ways that they don’t yet understand. They have been both my friends and my little sisters at the same time. As I go through this divorce and I relocate from a family house to an apartment, they have been there day in and day out. They don’t know how much support they provide by just asking me how an appointment went, or what I thought of the apartment I saw last evening, or how my kid is doing because I left to take her to the doctor. I no longer have that wife at home asking those things, so they have become the friends that I really need right now. They have become a support system that makes coming into work pretty bearable during some tough personal times.

Tomorrow, I am heading to see an actual model of the apartment I’m probably going to rent for the next year or two. It’s a one bedroom apartment, but plenty large enough for one of my kids to visit. My daughter is looking at the place with me as a sanity check, even though my moving out will be a sad day for her as the reality of the divorce sets in.

I’m positive that J & A will ask me about it on Monday, and I will be happy to share the news, knowing that they are really interested and concerned for me. And, for that, I am truly blessed.