Water Wheel Project Part 1

A number of years ago Laurie and I talked about wanting to have a water wheel in our front yard not for generating electricity but simply as a water feature to enjoy. Yes there's something pleasant about the gentle sound of running water. Rather than building the wheel first and then trying to figure out where to put it we decided instead to create its final resting place then deal with the construction of the wheel. Annalie served as my cement mixer. You will also notice that in subsequent photos she is considerably older. That shows how long this project has been going on!
I threw a quick form together out of some 2x12 cedar I had laying around, dumped in a little sand and re bar, then used at least ten bags of cement. Fortunately for me I was able to access the form from the back side with a wheelbarrow which was much easier than using a five gallon bucket. We were also able to drain the pond some and pull back the liner in order to provide with a bit more room to work. I can't remember if I got my feet wet or not but I do seem to remember dropping a few tools and having to fish them out.
A friend came over and helped me build a very sturdy mount similar to a saw horse to support the axle shaft and bearings which was then bolted to our existing building. Next a small addition was framed to contain everything and to match the existing siding and metal roof. I should also mention that there are doors on both sides that will facilitate the final installation, plumbing and any ongoing maintenance that may be required.
Here's a couple of pictures showing the finished product which we will have a very good view of from our front window. Also Jason will also enjoy a front row seat from his bedroom window where he likes to sit and look out.

I took this picture just this morning on my way out the door to work. Hopefully the next time you see this it will have a water wheel on the side as well. Incidentally the water wheel is all together now and hopefully will get installed in a week or so. Stay tuned!

A Rare Opportunity!

Recently Laurie and I had a rare opportunity to get away for 24 hours. It had been almost 2 years since the last one. Since a lot of logistics are required for us to go anywhere we usually find it easier just to stay at home. I still believe that everyone needs a break once in awhile though!
When it looked like we were indeed going to pull this thing off Laurie began doing some research online. She had decided and I agreed that it would be foolish to see how far we could drive when we only had 24 hours and at least 8 of those would be spent sleeping. Anyway she discovered a neat getaway in Port Orford of all places that seemed to be just what we were looking for. The name is Wildspring Guest Habitat www.wildspring.com. They have private cottages in a beautiful wooded setting, a guest lodge, and lots of peace and quiet. They also provided a nice breakfast the next morning.

It was entertaining for me just to roam around the grounds and look at all the garden art that was placed thoughtfully throughout the property. There was also a beautiful handmade outdoor spa with an ocean view which we enjoyed on Saturday evening even though it was during one of our coastal storms.


The cottage was very nice and was built within the last 10 years. There were no phones but there was a small TV and stereo. Also no TV service is provided but the guest lodge has a nice selection of DVDs that would appeal to anyones tastes. Each cottage has a massage table and Laurie opted to have a therapist come and work on her for 90 minutes. Meanwhile I had the luxury of reading a book which is something I rarely get to do.

Now for a bit of trivia! The next morning we were walking up to the guest lodge for breakfast. Another guest was just ahead of us also on her way there. Once inside we visited with her and found out she was from Seattle. As Laurie and I were eating suddenly Laurie said that she thought this lady looked familiar. I didn't think much of it at that point. A few minutes later Laurie spoke up again and said "I've seen her wearing a red coat standing out in the snow." A short time later Laurie finished her breakfast and was outside talking with the owner. I quickly glanced over at this person's table and now I was beginning to think that somehow she looked familiar as well. As I was finishing my breakfast I couldn't help overhearing her mention "Santa Claus". Immediately a light went on inside me and I smiled to myself since now I knew who she was. Her name is "Elizabeth Mitchell" who co starred with Tim Allen as Mrs Claus in "The Santa Clause" movies produced by Walt Disney Studios. We actually own these movies and are pretty familiar with the characters. I hurried outside to tell Laurie but she had already figured it out for herself and was talking to the owner about it. He had recognized her as well. Although she was friendly toward us probably the best part of this story is that she didn't know that we knew her identity. After all why would anyone be vacationing in Port Orford unless they were wanting to keep a low profile?
The bottom line is: Would we go back? We sure would and would highly recommend this place to anyone that needs some quiet time like us and Elizabeth Mitchell!

New Floors

Last fall we began the arduous task of redoing our flooring while still living at our house. It always seems to take longer than originally planned but eventually we got them done. This picture shows the chaos that we added to our already busy lives.
The good news was that the state was willing to underwrite some of the expense of the hardwood flooring due to the fact that Jason often would pull out carpet fibers and eat them......not good and not healthy. We decided to go ahead and also do some tile work in the kitchen, bathroom, closets, entry ways, and pellet stove pad. We funded this part of the project ourselves.


I also wanted to take on the job of converting our carpeted stairs to hardwood in order to further cut costs. I had never done anything like this before but thanks to the good ol' internet I was able to do the necessary research. Doing so allowed me to feel confident that I could tackle the project and I must say that I enjoyed the challenge. Laying hardwood on stairs requires a lot more attention to detail than a carpeted stairway does. Everything should be as plumb and level as possible. Carpeting I discovered hides many imperfections.
This is part of the finished project which shows the new tile which I also enjoy doing as well as the mitered T-molding that covers the transition between the flooring and tile. I feel the wood gives a very warm look to the inside of our house which I like.
A couple of pictures show the finished product!

CHP Road Trip

Back in November I took a cold call at my desk. It turned out to be someone from Sacramento CA who was in charge of purchasing for the California Highway Patrol. He was looking for a supplier of OEM parts for some of their Dodge vehicles. Why he called me I'll never know. He asked me to supply a bid for a list of part numbers he provided which I did. I really didn't expect to ever hear back since the parts were to be supplied to offices down in Arcata and Garberville. This seemed strange to me since there is already a Dodge dealer down in that area. Amazingly enough eventually all the forms and necessary paperwork was completed and I was given the go ahead to fill the entire order request which totalled over $4000.
When the parts all arrived I loaded up a big GMC SUV and headed south. I invited Annalie to go with me that day since I knew the trip would take all day and she and I don't get to do many things together. First stop was the Arcata location where I was able to unload half of our cargo.

The last stop was outside of Garberville which was over an hours drive south of Eureka and a place I had never visited before. It was a lot of driving that day but Annalie brought along an audio version of "The Chronicles of Narnia" which kept us both entertained. On the way home we stopped at Ferndale for a quick bite. Ferndale is a quaint victorian style town which is always fun to stroll through. We returned back in Brookings about 5:45pm just in time to head for home. A good day to be sure!!

Christmas Smiles

Yes, I'm gently tugging on Jason's ear trying to get him to look towards the camera. Instead he's looking up to see who's pulling his hear!! Ha Ha.

I thought you might like to see a glimpse of our Christmas Eve. Normally we would have waited till evening but since Laurie's work schedule required her to report for duty at 2:00pm that day we decided to get started in the morning. Laurie was happy to receive a book and dvd set on one of her favorite subjects.

Even "Jack" the dog got to be part of the festivities. It's hard to see if he's smiling although Annalie was glad to just in case he didn't! By the way he received one of his favorite doggy treats.


Next was Jason and myself receiving some gifts from his grandpa and Jonnie. I believe I saw this nice old framed photograph in the Colby blog as well. Jason received an interactive book of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" I believe he's also working on opening another Mr Potato Head for his ever growing collection. He's much better at opening presents than he used to be but still seems fasinated with the wrapping paper and packaging. Don't miss the purple bow on his head either!

Lastly Annalie was all smiles as she opened her "Go Go Dog" she had been hoping for and talking so much about. On this day her wish finally came true! I must say that although our Christmas Eve party was probably modest by some standards it was enjoyable none the less. It's funny to me that as I get older receiving gifts takes a back seat to the joy of giving them. I can honestly say for me that "It is more blessed to give than to receive" Acts 20:35. My hope is that our kids will figure this out even earlier than I did as we provide oportunities for them share with others. Happy New Year!

Bartlett Family Recent Picture

It is very difficult to get a good picture of all of us. Jason usually isn't able to look at the camera long enough for the shot. Our associate pastor managed to get a good shot of all of us for the church directory.

Visiting with Santa

Today Santa actually gave the children little presents of chocolate candy out of his bag. Jason gave him the customary kiss (Jason's trademark). I had to do some fast work in the store as nothing in the bag was appropriate for Jason. Thankfully we got it all worked out and a smiling Jason went home with a gift too--a c.d. which included the song "Jesus Christ the Apple Tree" on it. Many people know that "Apple Tree" is one of the few things Jason says ALOT. Notice Jason has his "comfort" wood spoons that he takes with him everywhere and very often leaves at the stores. We have wondered what employees think finding all of these wood spoons around Gold Beach and Brookings...people ask about them when they see Jason holding them. One man said, "Wooden spoons a COMFORT? They were no comfort to ME growing up!