What about Dave?

I know what you're thinking...Deb went off and played in NYC for 5 days but what has Dave been doing? Well, Dave's been hanging drywall, planing uneven studs to get the walls level, tying up loose ends like installing a vent stack, replacing a nicked electrical wire, and installing outlets under the stairs for utility lights, he spent a week in North Carolina for work, came home and hung more drywall and has now started plastering the walls - when he has "spare" time and isn't working. It's not very sexy to write about or photograph but there you have it.

He figures he should be able to finish mudding by the end of the weekend, providing his pager doesn't go off too many times and his wife keeps out of his hair.  
ETA Correction: Dave's prediction was to have the first coat of mud done by the end of the weekend.

Muddy Buddy

I need to take the guy away on a nice vacation. Even a semi-crappy vacation would be a welcome change!

The Big Apple

Last weekend I had the opportunity to join one of my sisters-in-law for a weekend trip to New York City. She took her 11-year-old granddaughter for her first visit to the City. We traveled by train and stayed with two of my SIL's daughters who live in NY.

It was also my first time in NYC as well as first time traveling by train, I loved both.

We had an intimate weekend, 5 adults and 3 children in a two bedroom apartment. Just us and a city of 8 million people. We had a blast!

Day 1:
Groceries, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, World Trade Center Memorial, a respite to chill out for a half hour at O'Hara's Pub after a pretty powerful afternoon, and finally an after dark stop in Times Square on the way home for the night.

A couple blocks from the local grocery store.

 

 Manhattan from Liberty Island

Muppets in Times Square will charge you a buck each to have your picture taken with them, worth the price to put a big smile on an 11-year-old's face.

Day 2:

Chinatown, Little Italy, Soho, Lunch (I think we were on 7th Avenue but not really sure), NY Public Library, St. Patrick's Cathedral, 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, Trump Tower walk-by, Tiffany's (SIL made me go in to have a look, I'm glad she did!), FAO Schwarz, walk along Plaza Hotel & high rent district on our way to subway station.

Mulberry Street, Little Italy

Coffee stop in Little Italy

NY Public Library

FAO Schwarz - Captain Jack Sparrow

He's all Legos and quite detailed.

FAO Schwarz

Never mind how bizarre this is, check out that price tag!

Day 3:
Columbia University campus, Riverside Church, Grant's Tomb, early lunch at a bagel/coffee shop, couple hours in Central Park, passed through a residential neighborhood of brownstones on our way to subway station. We finished the weekend with a relaxing evening at home enjoying take-out NY style pizza (the biggest slices I have ever seen!) and a couple bottles of red wine.

  No, I did not go in and ask for a big salad.

Central Park

Needless to say, it was a fantastic weekend!

I bought a light.

For my new office.

We both liked it so much we hung it downstairs almost as soon as it came out of the box!

Somehow Dave had me convinced that I needed to buy lights right away for the second floor. So I scoured the internet and ordered a couple.

I didn't need to hurry, there's still plenty of work to be done.

It'll be a while before any lights are hung in there.