We're not done yet!

Lest anyone think we have finished working on this old house, I thought I would add another before-and-after blog. Initially we had not planned on doing much with the basement. It is, after all, just a basement. However, the torrential downpours of this spring resulted in some water actually "pouring down the walls" so we thought we should attempt to remedy the situation. This is what some of the basement looked like before we went to work on it.

This is another view, just with the door to the food storage room closed.We had to work on the section of the wall at the base of the stairs so we took out part of the wall for the storage area and removed the shelves that were pretty primitively stacked there. Russ spent a considerable number of hours pargeting (now the dictionary doesn't have that form of the word because it's French- to parget means to coat with a layer of masonry, in English we would add 'ing' to the verb so that's what I'm doing) the east and most of the north walls of the basement. A year or two ago he did the south wall because that was bad when we moved in. Following the parget, he painted with Dryloc, waterproofing paint. The original door to the storage area is now screwed shut and there is immediate access to that room at the bottom of the stairs.

This is the view from inside the storage area, showing the new shelves and nicely painted wall and stairs. The basement isn't nearly as spooky as it was when we had 3 poor, frightened granddaughters clean up the spider webs and put shelf paper on the shelves 3 years ago.

Oh, and not shown in the photos is the new drain pipe and gravel we put in at the base of the walls. It still feels damp in the basement. I don't know how we could ever avoid that when it has been raining nearly 6 days out of 7! But there isn't any running or standing water.

I'm sure it will be quite pleasant down there later, in the heat of the summer.

I wish I had a picture!

A few nights ago Russ and I had the privilege of attending a fireside (informal church meeting) in northern Kentucky. Our daughter-in-law, Victoria, had made the arrangements because it was within the boundaries of her stake (LDS church area). The meeting featured an amazing choir that Gladys Knight (of Motown fame) had put together and trained. As the members of the choir energetically walked through the crowd to the front of the chapel, It was startling to see the variety of people- black, Oriental, Polynesian, mostly white. When they started singing it was even more startling. Their accompaniment was in the form of two electric guitars and an electric keyboard- all played by black guys with long braided hair. Their expertise at playing the style of music they presented was not surprising. What was surprising was that the choir sounded like a black gospel choir (picture a movie like Sister Act). They had the inflection, dynamic changes, and pronunciations so perfectly! They sang some LDS familiar songs, but not at all like we usually sing them, but mostly spirituals and similar songs about Jesus. There was a man who spoke briefly to sort of explain the purpose of the fireside, which was to unify cultures, give Gladys Knight an opportunity to bear her testimony, and to teach about the gospel. I'm sure all the missionaries in attendance will remember it as a highlight of their missions. I wish they could perform here in Dayton because I know they would be well received. Sister Knight spoke and was a true show person in that she thrilled the audience. But she was sincere and inspiring. I know there were people there who are not YET LDS but I have no doubt they will be meeting with missionaries after that meeting.
I am truly grateful for the variety of talents with which the Lord has blessed his children. I am even more grateful for those who share and improve their talents rather than hiding them. YouTube has become another remarkable source of great talent-sharing. The Lord is separating the wheat and tares, but we get to choose which we want to be by the way we live.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Modern technology is truly amazing. I can show you this photograph that was taken sometime in the early 1950's. Clayt and Gerri Bowker had been married more than 5 years at this point and are standing in front of the house Clayt built with the help of brothers, his father, and probably others. Gerri had had at least 3 kids at this point, and probably 4. Since I don't have the exact date of the photo, I can't say for sure. They are on Rochester Street in Dryden, NY.

More recently, this picture was taken in the nursing home where my mother is staying in Sun City, Arizona- nearly a large continent away and many years later. The pictures can not completely do justice to all that these two have accomplished in the 64 years they have been married. They have traveled, served their communities and God, loved family and friends, and done lots of wonderful things. It hasn't all been fun or happy. That's about what life is like for everybody, isn't it? Today I want to wish my parents a very happy anniversary. It would be nice if our bodies didn't get old and infirm to limit what we can do. But their spirits are vibrant, loving, and good. I love you, Mom and Dad. Russ does, too- and so do James and Susanne and kids, Scott and Angela and kids, Ammon and Victoria and kids, and Lisa and Keith and kids and a WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE presently living as well as gone on to a better world.