Coop d'Etat (Part 2)

Greetings once again. When we last left our heroes they were hub deep in mud trying to master the backhoe in one week.

By the time that John did arrive, the foundation excavation and regrading along the entrance side of the house had been accomplished even though Chris was now channeling Noah. Not too much damage – Chris was rudely educated about the articulation abilities of the backhoe when he swung it in a direction that he thought would be away from the house. That crunching sound was so disappointing. The framing around one of the windows of the front apartment bore the scars until just a couple of years ago.

Chris decided to spread the energy and the anguish by having his basketball team (did you know he coached the jayvee for two years and the varsity for two years?) carry cinder blocks and mortar under John’s direction.

It began to take shape:




Bob Huber also came to the rescue with his earthmoving equipment to help backfill and finish grading.

At this point John was back in his element and the framing, walls and roof rose quickly. Chris managed to save some face by doing the plumbing and helping with the electricity and speaker system. And then it arrived:



Steps would have been nice, huh? Well, later with that.

We could not deny that the only description for this whole escapade was decadence. The chickens would be so jealous! (There was and always be concerns about poultrygeist)

This tub was warranted for only ten years with a life expectancy of maybe fifteen. Somehow we have been using it for over twenty years. It has been brought back from death’s door at least twice and has a slow leak to remind us of its age. But boy does it feel good after a tough day and the weather is frightful. Gini always tried to convince various soakers to run out into the snow afterwards. Chip and Claire fell for it – ah youth! Gini, herself, did make the chilling plunge once also – you go girl!

There was much rejoicing when we finished.

From the front of the house:



But the best view of the barn has always been from the back:





But as you have seen, for the first several years of the barn’s domicility there were no steps to go from the parking area down to the house. This became even more dramatic when we regraded the area for the hot tub room construction. My poor mother when she visited! Everyone’s poor mother!

Now I never thought too much about this but we were always convincing Von D’Luccis that helping with these projects was tantamount to exhilaration and godliness. There is something to be said that our role model was Tom Sawyer and his fence painting – or should I say the coordination of the fence painting.

This time Charlie, Gini’s dad, definitely was in tune with the vision. Mike Foley spent a rapturous afternoon in the window of the front apartment designing the steps and Geoff (our brother-in-law) fell into laborer status. But Charlie was inspired by the steps. Despite his initial retreat when suggesting living in town when we were renovating the barn, he always was in love with the project. Now it was his turn to shine – and shine he did. His energy was boundless.



Geoff and I were along for one heck of a ride. It all culminated in Charlie demanding a ‘tamper’ to make sure that the fill in the steps would be firm. He built one from a six by six and long threaded bolts for handles. (seen behind me in the picture)

These steps will survive nuclear attack and ‘…will outlast us all!’.

Charlie left us about a decade ago. Though there are many ways in which he is remembered this is my favorite. I have to disagree with Shakepeare, for the good this man did does live after him and is not interred. Merci beaucoup Charles.


**********************************************************************

The barn has been a Von D’Lucci vortex for quite a while now. Gini and I counted one hundred different people that had spent the night here during the course of one year. Dining, drinking, dancing and divertissement have been the themes.

The quintessential event may have been when we were host to Katy’s Cookin’ Cabaret. Katy Richard and Chris Hinchliffe provided Alexandria, Bridgewater and the surrounding community for several years with fine food (Cajun theme) and equally fine music.

With the barn as the venue for this memorable evening, Katy gave a cooking class:



There were almost thirty people seated for the extravaganza:



We did have to make room for the music:




Everyone should have a friend like Katy:



But we actually do. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Katy and Molly (her sister) are now Taco Sisters in Lafayette Louisiana and are wowin’ ‘em there too. (See February 2009 blog)

***********************************************************************

The barn does continue to expand and just in time for Chip’s high school graduation a two-car garage, family room and three-season porch were added. Gini says this marked our true emergence as ‘grownups’.




So in the famous words of Fred Ebb:

Come taste the wine,
Come hear the band.
Come blow your horn,
Start celebrating;
Right this way,
Your table's waiting



And as for me… and as for me,
I made my mind up back in Chelsea,
When I go, I'm goin’ like Elsie.