G&M Restaurant

Grandmother and Pa Pa Neal (Brent's parents) spent the last week with us in Maryland.  During their visit, they treated us on Brent's 50th birthday to crabcakes at the G&M Restaurant outside of Baltimore.  It was recommended by a co-worker and without a doubt, the best crabcakes we have ever eaten.  It will be hard to top them, but we will begin our quest.

We will not return to work on Zelda until after the Easter break.  We have decided to stay the Easter weekend in Maryland to celebrate.  No word yet from our flooring contractor refinishing the upstair floors but will update when notified.  Have a great Easter.

Today is Grandmother and Pa Pa Neal's 57th wedding anniversary.

The birthday boy with his crab cake.

The newlyweds celebrating their 57th anniversary.

Surprised

We decided to drive down to Zelda to work even though it was a short weekend.  As we arrived around 12:30 am Saturday morning, we were surprised, as the Workman family had completed the deck to the back entrance.  It looks great and what a surprise as we had no idea that they would work on it during the week.  Lynn was able to change plans and apply a sealant on the deck Saturday and we are glad, because the rain came to Kings Mountain on Sunday.  Brent installed the toilet and the pedestal sink in the upstairs hall bathroom and Lynn also stained the edge around the living hearth to match the mantel.

The new deck on the back of Zelda.

Lynn ready to apply the sealer.

We really like the large opening.

The supports are on concrete footings.

Prior to the installation of the Honey colored sealant.

The back steps to Zelda.

The floor of the deck.

Another view of the deck.

And another view of the deck.

Lynn is applying the sealant.

The sealant does tint the wood to a honey color.

The finished product.

Lynn finished just in time as the rain arrived Sunday morning.

Cookie resting at the top of the stairs.  We have a contractor scheduled to refinish the upstair floors in the coming weeks.  We can not wait to see the original hear pine floors refinished.

Lynn staining the edge of the hearth to match the mantel we purchased.

The finished product.  Looks like a match.

The new toilet and sink installed in the upstairs hall bath room.

The pedestal sink.

The toilet and a shelf that Brent bought for $5.00 at Lowes several years ago.

View of the bathroom from the stairs.

View of the bathroom from the hallway.

Another Long Trip Down to Zelda

The girls arrived in Maryland on March 4th and spent their spring break at the town house.  We did take a trip to Annapolis and to Washington DC for two (2) fun days.  We loaded up the truck and headed down to Zelda on Thursday March 11th (Kathy's Birthday).  After getting stuck in traffic outside of DC we arrived about 2:30 am at Zelda.  We were able to get alot of inside trim paint work (cut-in to crown molding) upstairs, grout and calk the upstairs hall bath, install the plumbing fixtures on the bathtub, caulk nail holes and finish installing the marble around the dining room fireplace mantle.  Brent also met with and walked through with a floor finish contractor the scope of work required upstairs to finish the original wood floors.  That work will be performed in the next couple of weeks.  Below are some pictures taken this weekend  at Zelda and last week in Washington DC.

Brent used a board over the stairway in order to reach the crown molding.

Jennifer and Jessica painting a door from the bottom up.

The upstairs hallway bath tub after Lynn grouted and caulked.

Brent installed the plumbing hardware.

Still need to caulk around the soap holder.

Brent intalled the marble around the firebox in the dining room fireplace.

Near Washington Monument looking down the mall at the Capital Building.

In front of the Washington Monument.

Jennifer and Jessica in front of Lincoln Memorial.

Two (2) out of the three (3) look happy. 

In front of the Vietnam Wall.

A closer look at the name of a fallen hero.