More Projects Completed

Irene had a tree at our house that she picked out at a nursery last year.  It's a Golden Monterrey Cypress, a plant that is used in planters in these parts. She has pampered it and trimmed it.  She named it Tree-y. It spent the winter in the greenhouse.

This year I thought it would be the perfect centerpiece for a pot for the front porch of their new house. Irene wasn't so sure it should move, but last Friday I got her involved in planting it into a bigger pot, with some companions.

Yesterday, while Jill and the kids were ending their trip to Disneyland, we took it over and placed it on the porch.

 The day before we were over preparing the porch.  See those stone squares under the pot?  That was a planting hole in the concrete which was just an eyesore and not good for planting in.  Tom filled it with gravel, topped with sand, and then placed the stone that had been recycled for someone else project. 

Also for Jill and family was the table project.  She had an old oak table that had served several members and generations of the family over the years.  It was decided to make a coffee table out of it. To try it out, the top was removed from the base and was sitting on cardboard packing boxes since early November.  I said it was time to get that project done!

Tom cut down the base and I decided I could handle refinishing the top. I stripped it with a soy based stripper, then stained/dyed it.

Then over several days I applied a layer of shellac and three coats of Varathane, and finally a layer of paste wax.  Tom is the expert on this stuff, so I just followed directions.

I refreshed the finish on the rim and the base, and then yesterday  morning it was ready to go.

Oh, oh.  Hundred year old bolts don't match up with new nuts.

 Several trips to the hardware store later, the project was finally complete.

 There were a dish of Easter M&Ms and a few tulips from our garden to welcome the travelers home.

We picked them up from the airport about 8:00 and delivered them to their home.  All of the new additions were approved and admired.

And the travelers?  Well, they had just the most wonderful time!