Update on Mort

[Milton B]

I spoke to Mort late last night. He wanted me to thank all of you for keeping them in your thoughts and prayers. They should be back in this part of the country sometime late Monday, or early Tuesday. Things are going as well as can be expected in Montana. Mort has been staying busy doing things around the house for his mother in law. The church ladies have been keeping them well fed. Mort thinks he's put on a few pounds. Great, that's all he needs!

Milt

[bub]

Good to hear that he is doing as well or better than expected...
Is that part of MT like Iowa, when a church lady says she will bring a salad she brings Jello with fruit in it?... The only salad I will eat.
BUB

[Milton B]

Mort's father in law, Frank, passed away early Tuesday evening. The arrangements are made and the services are Saturday I think. I know my wife arranged to have flowers sent. Can you believe what they get for those things? I was shocked. But things are going as well as can be expected. Frank's youngest showed up demanding this and demanding that and was the big reason Mort and Ruth went as quickly as they could. Ruth figured she might have to beat his butt but he calmed back down pretty quick. I guess he fancies himself a hunting guide but from what I hear he's mostly hunting for the next hand out. Frank had made a hobby of restoring old cars and selling some keeping others. Supposedly he has a Model A Ford that the boy claims was promised to him. Nobody else was aware of any promise and he has no place to keep it. Everybody figures he will sell it and they don't want him to have it. I think it will still be a fight. Mort put dibs in on a '66 Ford Fairlane that was Ruth's first car. The old man had lovingly restored it and kept it all these years.

I don't know about the salad question, Bub. I can't say for Montana, but that is pretty accurate for around these parts. Either Jello salad, or a cottage cheese salad with peas and stuff in it. Mort talked like they were bringing in full meals to them. Frank was one of the elders in the church, had been for many years. I guess the family is well-liked. They sure seemed to be nice folks, to me. I hadn't seen Frank in a few years because of his health and they had not been out here for at least two years. He was always nice and usually had a joke for you.

Time to get busy. We are drywalling a basement today. We firred it out and wired it earlier this week. Now comes the fun stuff.

Milt

[BrewBum]

Deaths in the family can bring out the worst in people, sad really. Our condolences to Mort and the family.

I love the small communities and a reason I moved back to one. When something tragic happens to a family the whole community will rally around them and left them up and get them through. It is truly amazing. I never saw it in larger communities to the extent it happens in small towns.

[bub]

Milt... Not to change the subject but how are you firring that basement... I am doing the same thing and it's kina a pain in the ass. I'm thinking I will just stud it out at this point. Or you could just come over and do it for me ... I'll pay you with homebrew.
BUB

[Brancid]

Bub, have you ever done anything like that before?

I'm a framer myself so PM me if you have any questions...it's a piece of cake. I'd love to help.

[Pizzmeister]

Man, I'd like to pick some brains myself. We're just about to drywall a new room, and it'd be great to talk to someone who has done it. The walls probably won't be too difficult. It's the ceiling that'll be the challenge (recessed lights, ceiling fan boxes, skylights, etc.).

[Milton B]

A lot depends on the situation. I would normally use firring strips if there was to be no wiring in the wall. For this job I ripped 2x4's because we were wiring the place. If there is plumbing to be hidden, I will frame the wall with 2x6's. Ceilings are not bad once you've done them a few times. You need to make cripples to hold the sheet in place until you get it screwed. Even then, it's best with two people.

Milt