TheCapeBlog

The Corolla is in the driveway. It’s a good car with lots of features.

The salesman set up the Toyota application that connects my phone to the car. It has, among other things, remote starting.

Yesterday, Ryan and Erin installed new windows in the second floor. What a difference!

I was late getting back from Bennington, so we missed the pizza lunch at the Williams College theater. I picked up mac and cheese at the senior center but that was a mistake, hadn’t signed up. Hope no one else was looking for it.

Got a pizza at Cozy Corner. Crazy, busy place, hardly room to park.

Struggling with decisions about the guest bedroom. I think we need it, but getting rid of it would make it possible to improve the hallway and stairway. Emailed the brain trust this morning asking if making it shorter would accomplish the same thing.

The windows arrived and more roofing got done but little else.

A structural engineer met with our construction supervisor. They came up with two possible scenarios: eliminating the guestroom or reinforce with a beam. Estimates to come.

I cooked a chickpea, rice and stir fry vegetable stew with components from a HelloFresh package, then homemade vanilla pudding. Both were good.

A driver from DelMolino took away the pile of boards and carpet from the attempted guest room renovation.

Ron gave me a huge boost yesterday by calling the Bennington dealership to remove the truck from my leasing deal.

The salesman was great, fully cooperative. The sales manager pushed back, hard, claiming that it would be illegal for me to drive a vehicle with a welded frame.

A GEICO representative assured me that this is not the case.

I had the truck towed to a fabrication shop. They told me the frame is repairable.

I added the truck back to the policy, taking Ron’s name off drivers for the Corolla. This resulted in a substantial decrease in the premium.

The salesman from the dealership brought new paperwork for me to sign.

I’d cancelled the registration so need to get to an RMV office to reinstate it.

Meanwhile, another construction supervisor confirmed Ryan’s thoughts on reinforcing the upstairs bedrooms.

Temporarily carless, we were lucky enough to get our lunches delivered from the senior center. The van driver was headed to Henderson on a scheduled trip and since we were on the way, dropped off our meals.

The credit union deposited the funds from my Green HELOC to savings and wired the check to our branch.

I joined the Trustees of Reservations and signed us up for a walk this Sunday at Field Farm.

I don’t know how all this will end, but by the end of the day, I was feeling more optimistic than I have in some time.

Libertarian: Chase Oliver

Progressive: Rep. Delia Ramirez

Republican: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders

The truck started rough yesterday and I had it towed to a AAA approved Toyota dealership in Bennington.

It needs a new coil and spark plugs, not too bad, but the big problem is rust on the frame.

I just sent a copy of these photos to a repair shop in Bennington. Also sent a request to the dealership for info on leasing.

Meanwhile, the beat goes on with the second floor project. I’ve asked for a couple more opinions on the best way to finish it.

My left eyelid is unhappy again. Filters for the showerheads?

Weather was quite pleasant. I was out with just a sweater.

Bought four boxes of Girl Scout cookies; Ron devoured most of two of them.

I made soup from one of the last Hello Fresh kits. Tasty but too much sodium.

Took a spin to Field Farm, Oblong Road and Sheep Hill trails to get some Greylock photos.

Ron made a delicious ravioli with sweet red pepper cream sauce from a kit.

We stuffed insulation between the bulkhead door and the frame.

It’s about 4^°F outside. Warming up.

I’m bingeing “Silk” on Hulu.

The good news is that the assessor agreed to reduce the value of the house by $50k, effective next tax year.

The bad news is that the Building Department is still on a tear about permits and construction personnel.

The assessor listened to me rant on the phone. He was sympathetic.

Ryan spent some time here yesterday to check out the bedroom and basement work. He said the basement is fine, doesn’t need braces, but the floor project needs to be redone. He’s concerned about the low ceiling and how high the floor can reasonably be built.

I think replacing the existing light and fan with a lower profile model would be a good idea. Ryan is correct, the room is less than seven feet high now.

Postponed delivery of the carpet.

I filled out two permits, one for electric and one for the cellar door. Joe was here. Cement block is in place for the door.

We found the recycling center, just down the street on Mass Ave. They have a machine that counts big loads: a feature we haven’t seen before.

Took route 2 to 8 on impulse from North Adams; found Hairpin Turn. Enjoyed the ride to and from Pittsfield through Adams and Cheshire. Ron was suitably enthused about the views, perhaps because we were on the hunt for Grand Macnish.

After getting advice on possible retail locations from a distributor in Downing Industrial Park, we ended up at a good-sized liquor store on Dalton Ave. They didn’t have Macnish so we bought a different brand of Scotch; hope we like it.

We were “done” after getting back.