Category Archives: ShowStoppers

Slow re-entry

Steven is back from Barcelona and ShowStoppers @ Mobile World Congress.

Mark Rehberg from Ranserve and Steven spoke by phone, email and text several times today. Mark is bringing in Odell to serve as site supervisor while Ron takes medical leave.

At Mark’s request, Steven began assembling a punch list of pending items to help bring Odell up to speed. Steven compiled items from memory, then walked the house to compile line-item details for Mark and Odell.

Mark reports we are working toward a final inspection for next week.

Above, the ceiling of the garage is now drywalled, as required by the inspector.

Steven is also coordinating the installation of whole-house surge suppressors by the electricians, and coordinating installation of TV, phone and Internet services by Time Warner.

While Steven was traveling, Peter and Shane worked with Jacquela to shift the Schlage electronic lock and deadbolt to the side door off the kitchen -- the most-heavily used exterior door to the house.
While Steven was traveling, Peter and Shane worked with Jacquela to shift the Schlage electronic lock and deadbolt to the side door off the kitchen — the most-heavily used exterior door to the house.

Jewelry for front door

Steven is traveling — Barcelona for ShowStoppers @ Mobile World Congress.

Jacquela takes over the remodel. She met Saturday morning at Emerald Hill with Shane and Peter, the carpenters. Together, they reconfigured the deadbolt on the kitchen side door and the front door — picking up an idea proposed during the week by Steven: Shifting the keypad/deadbolt to the kitchen-side door, taking it off the front door; shifting the deadbolt from the kitchen-side door, instead to the front door. This cleans up the front door; Jacquela thought the keypad unit would be too big and overwhelming and ugly for the front door.

Shane shows the approximate mounting locations for the front-door deadbolt and extended vertical pull.
Shane shows the approximate mounting locations for the front-door deadbolt and extended vertical pull.

“Goodness,” says Jadin

Steven turned over Emerald Hill to Ron Dahlke from Ranserve while traveling all week to Vegas for ShowStoppers @ CES. Jadin and Jacquela visited the house today. Jacquela said “wow.” She and Steven plan an early visit Saturday to catch Steven up on a whole week of progress without Steven sticking his foot and hand into everything. Can’t wait.

In the interim, Jadin took these photos.

Dad to Jadin via text: “What do you think?”

Jadin via text: “Goodness.”

It looks like the exhaust hood is installed over the cooktop. Is the cooktop installed under the protective styrofoam? And look at that killer red backsplash.
It looks like the exhaust hood is installed over the cooktop. Is the cooktop installed under the protective styrofoam? And look at that killer red backsplash.
That's the oven to the left and the microwave in the middle. Where's the storage drawer that is supposed to go under the microwave?
That’s the oven to the left and the microwave in the middle. Where’s the storage drawer that is supposed to go under the microwave?
The balusters and handrailing are installed! This is the plan that Steven imagined and architect Brett drew before we started demo -- made real!
The balusters and handrailing are installed! This is the plan that Steven imagined and architect Brett drew before we started demo — made real!

Flying history

United 1014 Austin to Houston. Upgraded to seat 5A. Thank you.

On the way to NYC for CE Week Breakfast powered by ShowStoppers.

But, more important, I got to fly aboard this amazing retro-painted 737.

Here’s a link to an online discussion about this plane.

This post filed from United Club at Houston, grounded by Air Traffic Control delays. Flight to LGA was scheduled to depart 10:17 am. It’s now 12:35 pm and United is “estimating” 2 pm departure. And that is the second announced delay.

It’s going to be an epic day. No matter how cool the paint job.

And, for the record, I do miss Continental.

Update

United canceled 689 HOU to LGA after four announced delays that pushed wheels up as late as 315 pm for a scheduled 1015 am departure. I would have arrived in NY about 3 pm per the originally scheduled arrival.

Between the 1K desk and the crew in the United Club, I was protected to UA 414. The original wheels up was 12:22 pm. Flight finally boarded about 4 pm and departed HOU I think it was 445. Arrived EWR about 9 pm. Got to hotel about 945 pm.

It’s been an EPIC travel day.

I finished reading one book and started a second.

In Houston, I got a chance to show that plane livery photo to the 689 pilot and meet Sonja on the Global Services Team while waiting for ATC to drop the knife. Yes, the Global Services Team does exist <g>.

This chapter is nothing close to the 9-hour trip to Barcelona that evolved into the 36-hour adventure that made me a loyal Continental flyer. Thank you, as always, Willa.

So … if you think flying for business is glamorous and exciting and fun … let days like this disabuse you of that idea.

And let me editorialize … the United people I meet on what I joke is my continuing quest for yet another 100,000 miles … they are outstanding. It’s the execs in the corporate offices who are hellbent on making a joke of the frequent flyer program. I invite every one of those execs to sit next to a toilet in the economy seats at the back of the airplane on a 15-hour flight to anywhere.