Picture Page

A new bisque picture page replaces the venerable avocado refrigerator. A small but significant part of a huge house renovation.

Pressure Sprayed

The biggest project this summer was to clean the roof and treat it with a preservative. After the re-roof in 1995 the goal quickly became to never have to do this again. While that goal is unlikely, extending the lifetime significantly with a preservative that blocks UV damage and protects against mold and wood rot is practical. This begins with a pressure spray to clean off the years of moss and oxidation.

Heat Pump Install

What got all of this home improvement stuff started was our Heat Pump, after 28 years of service, failed. Go figure. With interest rates low and equity loans available, one thing led to another. An air conditioning company was hired and I poured a new concrete slab for the larger unit. The installer however, because he didn't want to trim the ductwork, set the Heat Pump 7" off the new pad and considered that a good enough.

Re-Installed

So I ended up trimming the ductwork myself and with some additional haggling got the A/C company to return and set the unit properly and reseal the ductwork. The Heat Pump is a new Rheem model with a super efficient scroll compressor. Built to last another 28 years. Big isn't it?

Group Shot

This impromptu picture was taken when Liviu and Desiree Amariei come over to preview the Powerpoint show Carol put together to help inform people about their ministry among orphan children in Romania. Carol is taking a summer school class and Lori (girl on the end) came by to study.

Built-in Ironing Board

The upstairs bathroom is to be remodeled: damaged flooring replaced, a new door, and possibly a bathtub to replace the shower. But as it got too hot outside I decided that now was the time to install a built-in ironing board. The standard ironing board had broken and since it was a nuisance setting it up and putting it away we discovered this handy prefab and had just the spot for it. We even added a mirror to the door to replace a cheap wall mirror. Hey, we might even iron stuff now and then.

Cleaning Station

This is what it takes to reach all of the roof with the pressure washer. The scaffold covers the extension walls well enough. The articulated ladder is hung by rope from the cap and provides access to the lower part of the dome. Repelling from a rope with a safety harness covers the middle to the top of our continuously sloping roof.

Applying Preservative

After the roof is cleaned the preservative is applied by pressure sprayer and paint pad. The difficulty comes from the fact that once the preservative is applied the surface becomes slick and movement precarious. The entryway roof here is almost finished. (The little patch above the ladder is newly shingled to replace an area with wood rot.)

Dome Cap

We spend a lot of time up here enjoying the view. Come join us.

Mosquito Net

Moving the scaffold around the house means disturbing any number of critters. This spider's web is memorialized here only. It was not even noted when the original departed. But then, by now it's probably back.

40 Years @PC

June 29th: Sunday was the celebration of GL & Jackie Johnson's forty years of ministry at Peoples Church. Jackie, GL, Cindy and her husband are seated in the front row while the other pastors handled the service. The sermon was presented by long-time friend David Wang, excutive director of Asian Outreach.

Senator Pochigian

State Senator Pochigian and Alan Autry, mayor of Fresno presented awards for service to the community.

Serving Tables

After the service was the outdoor picnic with watermellon, ice cream, kettle corn, hot dogs, and cold drinks. Tables out in the gymnasium were set up for serving the food.

Outdoor Picnic

Areas under small outdoor tents and trees were set in the courtyard for eating. It was hoped that the day would be mild, in the 80's. Instead it was at least 103 degrees, which is why most of the people in this picture are under cover somewhere or are inside one of the buildings.

The Climbing Rock

For the kids there were bounce houses, face painting booths, balloon artists and, the favorite of all, the climbing rock.

Petting Zoo

The petting zoo was the huge favorite with the younger set. Among the burros, sheep and goats was a pot-bellied pig that had a passion for the slurpie cups left behind by the children.

Pardners

The celebrities take their position at the greeting station. (Then they moved quickly on since it was really hot there.)

Cool in the Lake

July 4th: Carol spent Independence Day at home with cousin Adrie staying cool. Shown here with Emilie (the reluctant boatmate) out in the lake.

Lighting Up the 4th

Carol and her cousin Adrie assembled the evening's pyrotechnic display.The usual collection of 10 second fireworks and sparklers was presented in the driveway to an awestruck audience of Mom, Dad and Grandma.

Micro Celebration

Actually, some of the firework fountains had unusual displays of variation and color. Our favorite was a fountain (labeled "Purple Rain") spewing deep blue tracers followed by brite explosive bursts. Way better than average. (Carol and Adrie are standing at the ready in the background)

Annie Cat

Annie is 14 years old (98 in cat years) and is acting every bit of it. She has no tolerance of that young upstart cat, and the dog... well forget it. She insists on being on your lap, forgets to retract her claws and begins drooling the moment she arrives. Where she finds that much liquid we don't know. For many years now she has wandered the roof of our house removing unwanted woodpeckers and bluejays but lately she has been grounded by arthritis. The surly look here is normal.

Is it Art?

Just a fanciful moment at the dinner table.

Services in the Gym

July 6th: This Sunday marks the evacuation of the main auditorium at Peoples Church to their temporary quarters in the Fresno Christian School Gym. To add to the confusion of a new location are new times for the services. As good as the planning was people were still a bit disoriented. The renovation of the auditorium will take place over the next 9 months.

PC Shuttles

Five or six shuttles of different makes and descriptions ran between the various parking lots and the gym at the back of the church property. Guides were assigned over the grounds to intercept or dislodge people from the locked front doors and direct them to the building in the back.

1st Service

The first service began promptly at 8:00 AM, one half hour earlier than before, with the seating filled. Full lighting and sound had been removed from the auditorium and set up in the new venue. It was still a gym though.

PC Choir

The choir during services are packed tighter than ever. Each week they will have a new place to rehearse Wednesday night because of the demands on room availability. This nomadic destiny will probably make an interesting sociological study.

Evacuation

In the meantime the sanctuary is being cleared for remodeling. The pews and all stage materials are being removed to allow the reconstruction of the stage, ceiling, floor and balcony. This will result in more seating, better sight lines and better acoustics.

Pile-O-Pew

The pews, built and installed in 1976 by Robert and William Stoeckel, are being packed and prepared for shipment to their new home at the Word of Life Church in Magadan, Siberia.