Between a rock and a hard… ceiling.

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In case you’ve been wondering how our stone veneer is installed…

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Each piece has a metal flange with holes for screws attached to the top. You stagger the seams and there’s a little cutaway groove in each so they fit snuggly. Which is great…

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Until you reach the top and can’t fit an entire piece.

The flange and a portion of the stone has to be cut away, so how do you attach it?

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Serious thinking and strategizing was required because like most men, my spouse refused to follow the manufacturer’s directions… which called for industrial adhesive.

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I suggested masonry screws and was shot down.

See that piece on the top left?

It’s just wedged in there tightly. No screws, no adhesive. Just a hope and a prayer it doesn’t come loose and whack me on the head.

Wish us luck.

🥴

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News you can’t use.

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Because you need more useless crap in your life.

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I’ve been to some bad weddings, but they never started with the invitation.

Ouch!

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Hope the kids don’t find those on daddy’s nightstand and start nibbling.

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A little clarity here, she calls her padded bra gel inserts chicken cutlets. Which is disturbing in itself…

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Sure.

What could go wrong there?

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Because the other fish are making fun of how ugly it is?

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Snap, crackle… rock.

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The stone veneer installation is coming along nicely…

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Rising up the wall and around the windows.

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But at this point I need to take a moment and complain about the namby pamby fortitude of this product.

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It cracks easily.

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It chips even easier.

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For something that weighs a ton and costs a fortune?

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I expected better resiliency.

Cutting the “easy to install” stone is a nightmare all its own and everything is covered in dust.

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So much so it has to be brushed off every piece before and after installation.

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Thankfully you can’t see the cracks and chips unless you’re right on top of them.

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And I think it’s going to make a huge difference to our home’s curbside appeal when (if!) it’s completed.

😊

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Rockin’ and rollin’.

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Remember the large, oh so heavy batch of stone my husband piled on the barn porch?

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The one I told him was too heavy to put in one place and might damage the frame?

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Yeah.

Serious sagging that had to be propped up.

Why do men never listen? Why…

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Work continues… and the more stone that’s affixed to the house, the less weight and possibility of caving in the barn porch.

I call that a win.

Progress is slow but steady.

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Question… what do we think of the color combination of stone and composite decking?

When this remodel started, I chose decking that would blend with the vinyl siding. It looks very grey in photos but is actually striated with beige-y clay.

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It had already been delivered by the time the husband decided to replace the siding with stone. Special order, no return…. so I’m talking myself into it blending.

What say you?

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Color coordinated or not, it’s what we’ve got.

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And standing on the lawn I’m beginning to get an idea of what it will look like when complete.

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While choking on masonry dust that is.

😉

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Well, hello there…

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I spied someone on the deck railing recently, and as you can see… the royal feline was clueless.

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The someone was a juvenile Coopers Hawk.

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There’s good hunting under our bird feeders and this beauty was seriously interested.

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After ten minutes of me taking pictures and saying hey, there’s a big bird outside…

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His Lordship caught on.

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Hullo gawgeous!

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Raptors are fascinating creatures.

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And seeing one this close is a special experience.

❤️

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Stone cold

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The stone work continues and it’s been …

Challenging.

Yes. Let’s go with that.

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Cutting around the dryer vent was extremely unpleasant since rounded cuts had to be made.

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A new tool was purchased.

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And my husband now owns a grinder with a masonry blade.

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I doubt it will surprise you to learn an entire day was spent making adjustments.

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I snuck a few pictures but played it safe and stayed in the house during the majority of the cursing work.

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Aggravating? Yes.

But it turned out well in the end and we’re beginning to get an idea what the finished product will look like.

😊

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News you can’t use.

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Because the news you can use is too depressing.

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Proof positive it’s always the last place you look.

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Yet another reason I won’t be hiking Everest.

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Admit it, you’re more than a little envious.

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I’m guessing that’s not what’s supposed to happen.. but with Tesla it’s hard to know.

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I didn’t read the article, but something tells me it won’t be good.

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