August 12, 2007: The Mathis-Nabors Birthday Bash
	July 25 - August 1, 2007: A Trip to Fort Lauderdale
	Return to Index for 2007

Just back from Florida, I had a free week so took a trip down to San Antonio to visit Ron and Prudence. As I usually do, I flew down just after lunch on Monday, and flew home Wednesday night (so as not to miss gym sessions on Monday and Thursday mornings).

Prudence is off her butt now; she has a walking cast for her foot and can get around pretty well. So this was a good opportunity to head down there. I also wanted to see the progress on their new garage apartment, and that is what all of the pictures on this album page will be about.

Other than that, I spent some time helping Carolyn Shofner select and buy a new laptop, I took a day trip with Ron on Tuesday afternoon, and just bummed around the rest of the time with Ron and Prudence.

The New Garage and Apartment

You've already seen some pictures of the progress of their new garage, I think. If you haven't visited that album page, then I should simply say that they razed their old garage and are building a new one with an apartment for themselves on top of it. There will be three parking spots in the garage and will still be a utility room, but now there will be a second floor with their new living quarters. At left you can see what the new building looks like at the moment. The actual entrance to the apartment will be via an outside stairway on the north end (right side in the picture) of the building. Here is the door to the apartment; there is no stairway yet.

Around in back of the building (which they could not take right to the property line because of an easement that exists), there is going to be a long, narrow dog run for Max and Cassie. Here is what this area looks like now.

Ron and I climbed up the scaffolding on the outside of the building to get up to the balcony and from there into the apartment through the French door. If you'll imagine us standing just inside those doors, facing in the same direction that the picture of the new building was taken, then I can orient you better to the pictures I took:

Looking to the right past the living room and kitchen to the actual door to the apartment on the north end of the building. The stairs to the loft are just to the left of the hallway, and there is a laundry/utility room back near the door off to the left.

Looking to the left (and diagonally across the living room) towards the master bedroom and the master bath behind it. There is a bathroom door to the living room as well to allow it to be used as a powder room.

Looking to the right across the living room to the kitchen, which will have its own door back to the utility room and stairway to the loft. You can see the utility room beyond Ron; the loft is just above him and above the kitchen.

This view looks across the living room to the right and up above the kitchen to show you the loft. It is not big enough to be a guest room; there will simply be a railing where the loft is open to the living room, allowing it to be used as a sitting area or reading nook.

This view looks to the left down the wall of French doors towards the master bedroom.

Doors from the master bedroom, the living room and the hall will all open onto a balcony that runs the length of the building. There are to be nice railings and planters, allowing it to be used as another living area.

This view looks across the parking area to the back of the main house. At the same time as the garage construction is going on, the Ruckmans are adding balconies off both the French Room and the Luxembourg Room. This will give occupants of those rooms access to the outside (and will make the Luxembourg Room seem larger). In the picture, the kitchen will be below this new balcony; additional supports are being added to hold it up.

Now that you've seen some still pictures of the new building, you might want to wander around in the inside, beginning in the loft area, so let's take a tour by using the player at right.

That is pretty much it for my visit with Ron and Prudence. Next up is the birthday party for Fred and Ron this coming weekend.

You can use the links below to continue to another photo album page.

	August 12, 2007: The Mathis-Nabors Birthday Bash
	July 25 - August 1, 2007: A Trip to Fort Lauderdale
	Return to Index for 2007