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I don't remember. There are lots of US companies, but I'm most fond of a pair of hand-knitted ones that I got at a local art/craft coop. They are loose & baggy! Me & tight socks don't get along.
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I fight carpenter bees too. Folksy wisdom sez that they only go after natural/stained wood. So if you PAINT the deck boards (or fascia trim, etc) instead they'll look elsewhere to drill holes. Deck boards are easy to replace; but unless the supports/beams are excessively damaged they should be fine.

My brain hasn't been able to focus on my deck re-do and I don't have any contractor lined up yet. Kinda wanting a couple of screened areas... and (sigh) that's more work, more lumber, more time to completion.
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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: facing the world
« Last post by lighter on January 17, 2026, 07:15:13 PM »
To answer your question..... I guess my dad wasn't a large man before his stroke. I didn't see him standing, more than a few times, the last 20 years.  He shrank, due to zero activity......and always looking down at him made him appear smaller than maybe he was? 

Unclear, but it's obvious your father was a man to look up to....and that makes me glad. 
Safe, and sane, men aren't that common in my world.  How lucky you are to have that.

Lighter
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What company do you order from?
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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: The Lake House
« Last post by lighter on January 17, 2026, 06:59:39 PM »
Big fire going in the living room fireplace.  Contractor left about 4:30pm....the time flew.....felt like 20 minutes only.

Roof leaking in one bedroom....found the problems. Roof vent needs replacing from outside.

Deck has carpenter bee problem....maybe unsafe.  Maybe need to replace outer base ards only.  Will see.

He wants to put in a retaining wall, with boulders from the property, to place wedding arch, tbd.

He can put in electric and plumbing for upstairs and downstairs washer dryer units.  Attic ladder needs repair or replaced.

Outbuilding needs gutter repairs.....water line repairs.....lots of things in that area, frankly.

That's the short list.

Expecting rain.....have to cover a bed and place bucket, just in case.

It's so blustery cold.





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Alpaca socks, Lighter!
You'll never buy anything else.
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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: The Lake House
« Last post by sKePTiKal on January 17, 2026, 06:37:03 PM »
Ummm.... Lighter.... much as we appreciate those things, we don't live in castles.

(I know, I have the same problem!)
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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: facing the world
« Last post by Hopalong on January 17, 2026, 04:50:01 PM »
I still think scotch tape is a miracle.
"Happiness is small pleasures." --Beaudelaire

Your dad had a little head? That's so interesting.
My dad was Casper Milquetoast, not a macho cell in his body.
But, the brain...respected by many.

I remember very snooty people my parents knew were at a
cocktail party in London and met J. Paul Getty. When asked
where they were from and they named this town, Getty said
enthusiastically, "Oh that's where [Hops' father] lives!" After
the snooty people got home they kept sucking up, but the
contrast was too obvious. Ick. I was proud of my folks for
their disinterest.

It was hilarious to me since my dad was always self-effacing
and we lived so modestly. [He got no money from wealthy
parents until after their deaths. Principled and not spoiled.]
I only understood many years later that him making maps
of the South China Sea had something to do with Getty oil.

Sigh. He was a dutiful man. No aggression or naked ambition,
but ... oil? Near Viet Nam? Made me sad to learn that but
didn't change my feelings about him. The safe, good parent.

hugs
Hops
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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: The Lake House
« Last post by lighter on January 17, 2026, 11:46:39 AM »
Arrived yesterday evening.....a 4 car wreck had North bound lane at a crawl.  I wasn't sure how to handle the stillness, realized I was leaning forward, anticipating future tasks, and switched to praying no one too badly injured.....wondered who/what caused it.....thought about destructive Ns creating damage every day if their lives.....stopped thinking about it.  I might not t wish my ad things for them....but I only pray for them to stop being toxic forces in the world.

The house was fresh and clean clean clean when I got here.  I can see where the matriarch spirits required younger family members ...think young 20s parents of small children .... the step up.  It's a clear demarcation between responsible adult who's identity depends on the job they do, and a young person tossing not so clean things into upper cabinets, bc figuring out where they go is too much for them. I'm impressed the matriarchs have the patience to ride here like that, bc it's easier to just do it, and know it's done right.

And so.....this interests me.
:: dopamine squirt::.
I'm separating downstairs things from upstairs cupboards....finding and matching lids.....on a step stool....no vertigo. 
::more dopamine::.
I'm noticing how the shelves sit on their pegs.....holy guacamole, almost at edge....on several!  I shift shelves till I feel safe again....noticing a little dizziness, but mostly life's pretty normal again. 

The contractor is "running late."
His wife is "spinning out."

He mentioned they were maybe arguing, a bit, over money and getting their basement apartment rented.....his helper was going to move in, but got drunk, name called, just blew it which is sad, bc the money sorely needed ABD there was a plan for him to help with everything, as a younger man.  Contractor maybe 74yo?  I think. Wife has back problems and immune disorder......pigs, goats, dogs, 6 new cats....lots of mouths to feed.  They would have willed the entire place to the helper, had he held it together.  Very sad, but it didn't, could never, work out.  It made sense, bc he's certainly special needs....has a special needs DD.....very child like.  It would have been a good situation, if only it could.

Back to the job at hand .....I found, measured and took pics of antique Teak and Rosewood architectural pieces, newly arrived, at a place specializing in specialty woods and importing every crazy thing you can think of.

There's carved posts......SO heavy, old doorframes, hinged 20' screens and elaborately carved headboard looking ....pieces.  Tables.....my brain's burning....puzzling ideas....how to transport ...install.  And so contractor needs to see the site, then we go back to warehouse or select regular wood.... we're in the thumbnail phase.

Here's where I'm at .....if it costs close to the same..... I'd prefer 200 yo Teak or Rosewood, bc it'll last, and we're working with wonderful pieces .....not designing, distressing  and fabricating.

On another note....I saw a 10' w island with copper countertop and 3K hammered copper sink at ReStore....asking 2K.  It would make a ln amazing flower arranging counter....in a dang castle. 



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It's funny.....I have Carhartt work coats in tan, black, with hoods, without hoods, heavy, and light.....one for every occasion!

But regular clothes?  Nope.

I think it's to do with interests......maybe?

I ordered socks....
So
Many
Socks.

Apparently we live in Torrid Halloween socks, almost exclusively.  I buy them on sale, in bulk, every so often, bc they're roomy, soft and stay up. I'll take all the old mismatched pairs, pitch the singles, and feel so much better about the overtly full sock drawer, built under the stairs.  It's made of barn wood, 3' deep and 18"w......a drawer to be reckoned with, lol. Very convenient, bc shoes are on shelf at front door....keeps same with same, mostly.

For a while we had boots under the entrance landing......if you can picture it, we took out 2x4 railing at top of 2 step landing, then put in antique 10' frosted glass door with mail slot, for privacy, and bc it's was a great place to sit, when open.....to put on shoes.  A long tray, for shoes and boots used to collect dust there....it pulled out.  Now it houses a single mattress for behind the sofa guests..... there's a rolling trundle frame in the garage.

I wish every stair had a pullout drawer for shoes!!!!  The dang thing was solidly built into the house, so settled for new distressed oak treads. 
::shaking head::
Not everyone appreciates distressed wood.

Lighter

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