Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Hiking Cascade

It had been many years since I had been back to Plattsburgh. One of the things I miss most about that part of the country is the Adirondack Mountains. It is beautiful and the hiking is great. Lexey and I got a few people together to go hike Cascade Mountain. Of course, we followed up the hike with a swim in Cascade Lake.

More photos here.

360 view at the false peak: http://360.io/5L9hXh

At the top:


Shaun, Stacy, Lexey, Tracie, Bryan, and Lenny:


Lexey and Bryan starting down:


Swimming:

Montreal

When Lexey and I were in Plattsburgh for the weekend, we went up to Montreal. Only a quick 45 minute drive, so we got up early and went there for breakfast at a little cafe.

More photos here.

We found a great place with stuffed waffles:


We rode bikes:


Found nice shops:


Went up Mont Royal:

Monday, July 23, 2012

Kitchen Remodel - Day 3

After a break for the weekend the work is progressing again. Today the tile floor was removed and the remaining plaster on the walls was removed. The guys doing the work do an excellent job keeping the place tidy. That really makes it easy to come home every day. It would not be as fun to come home to plaster all over the place or busted up tiles everywhere.

Ryan did find an old building material... shortening. Lexey says that it is good to know that the kitchen was held together by chicken wire and shortening:








Sunday, July 22, 2012

4th of July at Blue Lake in Indian Peaks

This was the second year in a row that Lexey and I decided to hike to Blue Lake on the 4th of July. Last year we did not quite make it because there was so much snow and we lost the trail.

This year was great. There is so little snow (not good) that we were able to make it up there easily (good).

More photos here.

Moose a few feet off the trail:


Koura at Blue Lake:


Lexey enjoying the lunch with a view:


Lenny and Koura, the drowned rat:


The water flowing from Blue Lake to Brainard Lake:

Mount Bierstadt

A few weeks ago Koura and I climbed Mount Bierstadt from Guanella Pass. It is one of the shortest 14ers to do, but very steep. The wind was punishing and we almost turned back because of it. We made it though.

About 1/2 way up:


Koura and I at the top, 14062 ft (4286 m):

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Independence Pass with Ben & Mel

Ben and Melanie came to visit from NZ in May. It was great to see them and it was the first time Melanie had been to Denver to visit. We did a big mission one day - Frisco, lunch in Leadville, Independence Pass (the day it opened for the year), coffee in Aspen, Vapor Caves in Glenwood Springs, and dinner in Vail with Jeff and Mel.

Photos from Independence Pass are here.

Lunch with Sean in Leadville:


Koura chased down some sticks:


Lexey, Koura, Lenny, Melanie, and Ben at the top of the Independence Pass on the Continental Divide:


Dinner with Jeff and Mel in Vail:

St. Mary's Glacier - back in March

Finally getting around to posting some old photos. Here are more from March. Lexey and I hiked up St. Mary's Glacier with our snowshoes again this year. Last year we went with a guided trip and that was a mistake. The trip was extremely poorly run and the weather was bad, so we never even made it to the glacier. This year was different.

The lake at the base of the glacier:


The snow was a bit sparse in Colorado this year. This was the top of the ice field:


Koura, in her super-dog pose:


Lexey sliding down the glacier. Much faster than walking:


Lexey did eventually reach the bottom:


My beautiful dog loved the trip:

Friday, July 20, 2012

Kitchen Remodel - Day 2

Current music: Japandroids - Celebration Rock

When I got home tonight the house looked much different. The wall and closet between the kitchen and dining room have been removed. It really has opened up the house and it looks great. There is still some more demolition work to do, but the bulk has been completed now.

Tomorrow I need to pick out granite and purchase my base cabinets.

Current state of the kitchen:




Tucson with Grandma

This past March Lexey and I went to Tucson to watch my dad's softball team's spring traning. My 90 year old grandma came too!

We went out to Gates Pass one day to explore parts of the Saguaro National Park.

Grandma and Mom walking around the desert:


Grandma and a Saguaro:


Uncle Bob and Grandma:


Mom, Uncle Bob, and Grandma:


Grandma and Mom near the top of Gates Pass:

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Kitchen Remodel - Day 1

The kitchen is significantly torn up. There is no going back now. Everything has been scraped and the door to the back entry area has been widened. Cool too because it shows that the house exterior was yellow before the addition was put on. I grew up in a yellow house.

Back entry door into the kitchen:


Kitchen from the back:


Kitchen from the dining room entrance:


Appliances in the backyard until Habitat for Humanity can come pick them up:

The kitchen remodel has started.

I have wanted to remodel my kitchen since I bought this house a little over 6 years ago. I love it for its colors, but I hate everything else about it. The lack of counter space, the poor layout, the large unused spaces, the cupboards stretching to the 10 ft ceilings, etc...

So, the savings account finally agreed with my desire to remodel it. My friend Jaime's boyfriend, Ryan, is doing the work and it is going well so far.

Here are some photos pre-start:

From the living room into the kitchen:


The kitchen from the back entry:


The kitchen from the dining room entry: