Saturday, June 26, 2010
Have a seat!
Joe C. and Joe K. cleared the ground, put down some nice red cedar mulch and set up our new garden attraction. We relocated a couple of hostas so nobody has to jump over a plant to get a seat, and all the residents inaugurated the new seating with a couple of bottles of champagne. Since then, a few inquisitive souls passed by, read the welcoming message and have tested it out. Mothers and their children, people with a newspaper and cup of coffee and even a toy doll have been observed enjoying the peaceful garden views from our table. It's a real treat to have a nice spot to sit in the shade on a warm summer's day, and this little table and chairs makes it more fun than ever to enjoy our garden.
So far, it's a hit! The table and chairs are foldable and easily stored so they can go inside in the fall. Stop by anytime and relax in comfort! Our house is happy to provide some comfortable seating in our little 'bay' for all Elm Court residents to enjoy. Summer doesn't get any better than this!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Apartment for sale in a LOVELY area!
Like it was in 1989, Jackson heights is still an 'up and coming' community with an increasingly diverse group of residents and the wealth of shops and restaurants that offer up beautiful items and tasty treats from around the world. New people who used to consider only Manhattan or perhaps Park Slope are learning the real estate in the community is high quality, with prices that are much better than what you'd get in other communities.
We've also got wildlife, with doves that love to nest on your window sill, hawks flying overhead, and an occasional racoon rummaging through the trash bins.
It's a historic district, meaning the residents got together and petitioned the city to put into place regulations that will keep the housing stock in good condition, and prevent people from paving over the front lawn for parking, or painting the house pink. Here's a pic from when our apartment windows were replaced a couple of years ago, it took longer to get the permits than to complete the job, but for that one day when the windows were out, the view was really, really cool!Here's a copy of the video, along with some nice neighborhood photos. If you want to live in a place where people know and care for each other, and live in wonderfully historic pre-war homes, Jackson Heights is the place to be!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
January Plumbing News
Today's jobs included a new "lead bend" which connects the nasty end of the toilet to the main waste riser, and some steam vent repairs on the lobby radiator. He also inquired about the pump, and I will say that it seems hot water arrives more quickly in my bathroom than it did before, let me know if you disagree.
In the middle of steam heat season, there are some knocks and bangs from our radiators and steam pipes. This was discussed with Mr. Simpson, he noted a few things. First, steam vent valves may fail over time. They can be easily unscrewed and replaced and as they are available in all local hardware stores, it's a simple task to do. If your valve hisses or "spits", or you have a radiator that takes too long to heat up, consider a new vent valve.
For banging and clanking noises, make sure your radiator valves are fully open. Steam is an "all or nothing" system, and if the valve is not all the way open, condensation will collect and cause the rattling and banging noises during the steam cycle. Sometimes, the oldest valves will have some loose or broken parts, and will make lots of noise when the steam goes on and off.
He also advised me to make sure the radiators are properly pitched. The valve end needs to be lower than the vent end, to let the condensate run out and back down to the boiler. Over the years, the constant movement can push the radiator's feet into the wood, and the radiator will be out of alignment. You can cure this by placing a small flat piece of wood under the radiator's feet farthest away from the control valve, and this should restore the pitch.
After all of this, he did say that steam is not a 'silent' system and he's never seen one that is completely quiet. By following some of his advice, you can make your radiators quieter and more efficient. There's a website http://www.heatinghelp.com/ that has lots of interesting steam heat information, if you really want to know more!
Friday, January 15, 2010
is it hot yet?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Do we really need a computerized bookkeeping system?
Anybody else have any thoughts?