Category: lakehouse

Wed. July 8, 2026 – over the top, under the bottom

Hot and wet. Not the good kind. The Houston kind. Got to 100F yesterday, and the air was saturated. Then it rained. And then it got hot again. And then it rained. We did get some blue sky so that was nice. More of the same today is my guess.

Did some things in the morning. Then did some things in the afternoon. Not enough things. Not super productive things. Just things.

Now today I have structure. I have a couple of pickups to do so I have to meet another person’s schedule. I’m not winning. And I really should be making a list of stuff to take up with me for my projects at the BOL… so I can buy that stuff and raid the stacks for the other stuff…

But I am not motivated.

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming…

And stack, if you feel like it.
n

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Tues. July 7, 2026 – lots of stuff, lots to do

And I’ll be doing it in heat and humidity. Yesterday did cool off after the downpour but it was plenty hot before then. And it’ll be hot today.

I spent the day doing computer stuff, auction stuff, and non-prepping hobby stuff. Had to order the tchotchke item for our registration bags. Took a while but I found a seller who could get me over 200 at a price we could afford. It won’t be inscribed or imprinted, but we can add a label easily enough, or maybe I can use one of my laser engravers to add the org name and event. Stickers will be easier…

Today I’ll get out of the house if only to go to Lowes. W ordered more of the flooring we’re using at the BOL before it goes out of stock, and the last bit came in. I also need ant poison and something else that slips my mind at the moment, so I’ll combine trips.

I will also have to go to Habitat for Humanity’s reStore to see if they have any suitable windows in stock. The next big project at the BOL won’t be stabilizing the hill, fixing the retaining walls, or repairs to the dock, it’ll be removing a fireplace and installing a window in its place. Of course that’s a fractal task, with ceiling and roof involved, as well as wall, brick, siding, etc. The kitchen and living room repairs/remodel/improvement can’t proceed until that fireplace is gone so it got bumped up my list by an executive authority…

Or possibly there could be a shed build. The current shed for the mower is pretty dilapidated. It would be nice to have more room and to have some bulk water storage and treatment where the shed currently is. Not on the boss’s radar though.

I guess we’ll see what happens.

Always be working on improving your situation. And stacks. Build them up.

nick

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Sun. July 5, 2026 – still got stuff to do

Hot and humid again. It will probably top 100F today with humidity about the same, although yesterday my weather station said it was only 49%RH. It was cool with a breeze in the shade, if you were soaking wet with sweat, and the portacool felt cool… Still, hot and humid, and in the sun it’s broiling.

Spent the morning doing small stuff. After I finished the LED tape lighting for the deck, I did some tree trimming and pruning. Did some other minor stuff too, and eventually spent an hour floating in the lake with a drink in hand. The lake is very warm, but does have cooler currents moving through it. Relaxing felt good.

Then it was a monster fireworks show, and time reading under the stars.

A good day all in all.

Today I’ll be taking the decorations down and doing “leaving the BOL” stuff. I’ll be back before too long when W takes the kids to spend time with her parents. I’ll have a big project to do the week they’re gone. Not sure yet which it will be, but I’m sure it will be a lot of work.

Always be working, amiright? I think so. and stacking.

nick

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Sat. July 4, 2026 – Happy Independence Day

It’ll be hot and humid with some brain roasting sun, if we’re lucky. There is a small chance of rain, but hopefully it will hold off until after midnight. It was certainly hot and humid yesterday, although in the shade, with a breeze is was comfortable if you were just sitting there.

Of course I was not. I was in the sun on the dock putting up bunting and additional flags. And installing cleats, bumpers, and LED tape lighting to outline the boat lift parts of the dock. LOTS of bunting… LOTS of flags.

I did some on the front of the house on the road side too. It looks very nice and patriotic. I would have thought there would be more stuff planned for the 250th anniversary, but I’m not totally surprised there isn’t. Patriotism is out of style. F that. I love this country.

Today we’ll do some more small jobs, maybe take the boat out, cook hamburgers, and then we are supposed to have the neighborhood fireworks show. That is always a good time and unlike big public shows, I don’t have to be nervous and watching the crowd. I can relax and enjoy the spectacle.

I hope everyone has a chance to celebrate at least a little. There’s more to love than hate, and it’s good to remember that.

Happy Independence Day everyone.

nick

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Fri. July 3, 2026 – time to do some decorating

Hot again, certainly as hot as Houston, although it takes a while longer to get there, and really only in the sun. In the sun it was over 105F yesterday, but real temp was probably high 90sF. Today is supposed to be similar.

Slept late but did eventually get to work. Spent hours mowing and edging and then blowing the debris. By then I was pretty done with being in the heat. I used a duster brush thing to get the spider webs off of the outside of the house, the eves and the fascia and then I called it quits. Family arrived while I was laying on the floor cooling down.

Had dinner and played a game, then suddenly it was midnight.

Today I’ll do more cleanup and I’ve got a bunch of red white and blue decorations to put on the dock. Our local fireworks show is right over the lake in front of our lot so we have people join us on the dock to watch. I might have to do some minor repairs to deck boards as well as the decorating…

W will want to get the boat in the water, I’m sure. It will be a full day.

I’m calling it a prep, as we are deepening our ties to the community, and making good memories for the kids. If things go crazy that will help them.

Stacking is easy, joining an existing group is hard. Do both.

nick

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Thur. July 2, 2026 – always more to do

Hot and humid in Houston and at the BOL. I’m sure we’ll get to 100F here today. Forecast has us on the edge of the “t-storms and rain possible” zone, but the lake has its own little microclimate. Summer in Texas.

I did computer stuff and office stuff in the morning yesterday, then loaded the truck and ran errands before heading to the BOL. W and D2 will follow today, I think. D1 will be working and staying with her best friend, and then going to their lakehouse for the holiday. Got here and mowed the grass. It was knee high in most places. I’ll have to mow again in a couple of days to get all the blades that just bent over.

Today, I’ll see what the heat is like and what I can do besides finishing the grass cutting and decorating for the holiday. It would be nice to get a couple of things off the list, but we’ll see how motivated I am and how hot it is. I should be able to find stuff to do to keep moving.

Always be working, right? And stacking. Time to pull out the canned tomato products and rotate them before the cans rupture….

nick

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Wed. July 1, 2026 – finally, something different

Not the weather silly, my task list. The weather will probably be the same, hot and humid, although the national forecast has us in the “could be t-storms and rain” zone. It certainly got above 100F yesterday afternoon. I’m hoping there won’t be rain today or tomorrow, but I’d rather get it out of the way before the weekend if we have to get some.

I spent the morning doing auction stuff. There was one item I really wanted, but I came to my senses and tapped out. It ended up going for one bid past my high bid. If it wasn’t north of Austin, and didn’t have to be picked up today, I might have gone a bit higher, but the pickup was obnoxious given my plans. I’m also pretty sure that I noticed an issue that can’t be fixed at any cost, that would have ruled out spending a bunch of money on restoration. Even restored it would have been on borrowed time.

Then I went to work getting the rest of the stuff out of my storage unit. That took a trip at 1pm, followed by a bunch of organizing at the shop to make room for the 5pm trip, and I went back at 8pm for the last scraps. They’re still in the truck, but I’m out of that unit, and only 6 months later than I should have been.

Today I’ll deal with the stuff in the truck, load up for the BOL, hit a dumpster, two pickups, and then head to the lake. If it’s not raining, I’ll probably jump on the mower and do what I can before losing the light. I want it mowed before any rain we might get.

Then I’ll do my decorating for Independence Day, and start working on the list…

Always be working to improve your situation, whether it’s your fitness, health, finances, or physical surrounding.

And of course, stacking is the easiest part.

nick

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Sat. June 20, 2026 – work work work

Cool and damp, changing to warm and damp, and later hot and damp. Yea Houston! Swamp life rules. We did get a tiny bit of relief for a short time as the fronts moved past us in the early evening. A little cooler air mixed with our hot stagnant air… but it didn’t last.

Did my pickups yesterday. Chatted with one of my long time auctioneers. He and his wife are still plugging away at it. We were talking about changes in the reselling landscape and he thinks the big money has already started to move into the space. I thought they hadn’t moved quite yet, but he sees a couple of other auctions at a higher level than I do. One is massive and conveniently right next to an Amazon warehouse…

Cha- cha- cha- changes….

It’s like when house flipping went hedge-y.

Anyway, today I’ve got a service call at my client’s house, and then I’ll do a pickup on my way to the BOL, unless rain happens. Then I’ll just do my service call and pickup.

Money is a prep.

Stack it up if you can.

nick

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Mon. Jun. 1, 2026 – yea! June! Oh.

Hot and humid. Chance of rain later, I hope. I’ve got too much to do to deal with rain. It was two gorgeous days at the BOL, and now home for a day. Sure would be nice to get a cool breeze, but not if it’s because the storm front is blowing in…

Did some stuff yesterday at the BOL. Mowed the park. That’s me finding a place in the community, and it doesn’t take long. Before that I did a little bit of mower maintenance. Then I did the typical ‘leaving the BOL’ stuff. The drive home was full of jerks going too fast. I kept thinking it was some sort of holiday weekend, but nope, just jerks.

Today I’ve got to pickup the last two of the lappy carts I’ve been harvesting, and the 86″ tv. I really hope it’s not raining.

Then I have to pack for a trip I don’t really want to take, but I’m going anyway and I won’t drag everyone else down. I’m not sure how good my connectivity will be so I’ll line up some placeholder posts later today that should drop automatically even if I don’t have service.

And I’ll count that as prepping.

Stack something, even if it’s just knowledge.
n

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Sun. May 31, 2026 – time, ask me for anything but time…

Sunny, clear, and hot. Humid too. Beautiful day at the BOL. I hope. Yesterday was. Today should be too. Could be just a tad less humid.

Yesterday I got out of the house and did my pickup in Sugar Land, then loaded the truck and headed to the BOL. Grabbed another pickup on the way, which was good because some of the stuff was for here anyway. Got here and had just enough daylight to mow, and even got to throw a line in the water. Tried three baits but nothing was biting.

Some kids came down to the neighborhood dock and went swimming while I was fishing at dusk. Kinda the perfect country life moment. Wish it was my kids.

Today I’ve got to trim and clean up, then head home. I don’t want to be home late as I’ve got a ton of stuff to do Monday as well, so I can’t sleep in. We’ll see how the plan works out.

And I have to say, a freezer full of Hungry Man ™ dinners is a pretty good prep. They are inexpensive, conveniently packaged, and will keep a long time. There are tons of alternatives, but they are super easy if you are at your BOL alone, just doing some work or a quick ‘check up’ visit. They’d be good in a weather emergency too.

Anyway, stack something, and always be working.

nick

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