Hi,
The New York Times quote “All the News That’s Fit to Print” first appeared today in 1897, I think it’s the start of the Iditarod (remind me to tell you a funny story about that one day) and it’s today, in 1763, the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War in America.
In the mornings I listen to NPR radio while making breakfast. They had an interview with Thaddeus Mosley, he is an artist that works with logs of cherry and walnut, his studio is right over in Manchester. He uses what he calls the Weight and Space Concept, where much of the “weight” (bulk of the sculpture) is in “space” (above the base/floor). This evolved from his interest in African art from when he was a Junior at Pitt in 1948. You can get a copy of his interview and a couple of pictures by clicking on the NPR link above, clicking on the DUQ Latest News Stories and scrolling down. Also if you scroll down a bit more, you will come across an interview they had with Rick Bach a few days ago. Rick’s a friend of mine that has a residence/studio over in The Brew House in the Southside (an artist community). Rick does all the metal sculpture for the Mad Mex restaurant chain, a part of The Big Burrito Restaurant Group. He also did the Aztec sun calendar sculpture on my Courtyard wall. 
I love finding people that amaze me. When I bought my first Inn in South Florida, I met a guy that became one of my best friends ever, Dino. One of the first things about Dino I noticed was that no matter what we started talking about, he always knew all about it. I went on a mission trying to trick him up and he ALWAYS won. As time went by, I learned not to doubt him. Dino was one of those people that had a mind of a trap, he never forgot a detail. (My mind on the other hand remembers NOTHING).
Well, I’ve found another person that’s amazing me. I first became aware of Ed a year or so ago. I was having a “yard sale” in the Ballroom in the winter. One of the things I was selling was a fireplace mantel mirror frame. It was probably about five foot tall with a number carvings on it. Some of them were missing. I overheard him ask his girlfriend to put the piece in his pile and she said “But some of the carvings are missing”. He looked at it again and said “Don’t worry, I’ll just carve new ones”. He was so nonplussed, just matter of fact. So he’s worked here several times since. I had some fairly significant termite damage under the first floor powder room, main staircase and under the piano in the Parlor. In particular, he made quarter sawn oak to match the original flooring, he even made the walnut trim and intricate box pattern corner under the piano. And he’s creative/flexible. There is a door at the end of the front hallway across from the main entrance that goes out to the Courtyard. From the day I bought this Inn, I had noticed the the trim on the left side of the door was missing. I guarantee no one but me noticed it. I asked him to fix it and he asked me if I wanted him to do it with walnut to match the original for about $800 or he could do it in pine and faux the finish to match for about around $200. He’s amazing, none of the “stock” pieces of walnut or pine matched what was needed, he made “stock” pieces to match what was there. A guest recently banged his head on one of Chenille’s stained glass window seat windows. I asked Ed about removing that window (it’s built in) so I can take it for repair. He does stained and leaded glass as well as everything else he does.
I think what it is is I have no interest in accounting or auto repair. I’m sure if I was and ran into a CPA or auto mechanic, they could dazzle me as well.
Someone asked me to post a picture of the closets I’m turning into bookcases in bougainvillea, I never got a picture before I took the doors off, but here’s the “closets” as they stand today.
Finally, a while back I was complaining about having trouble finding an architect. The guy I used since buying this Inn is in semi retirement in New England, I tried “shopping local” and tried to get an architect right down the street, after missing a tour of the spaces to be address and a voice mail not returned, I turned to a plumber that seems well connected. He said he had someone and several weeks later, having not heard from them, I turned to pursue an architect my original had recommended. I had called David’s office many times before and never got him and the voice mail box was full. I initially gave up on him. Well I went to his office last Thursday, liked him a lot, e-mailed him the blue prints I want changed and he’s ready to go. Him and his draftsman will be over this week to physically view the project and I should have prints in a week or so. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!
It’s 2 degrees right now, keep warm,
ed
