Remodeling Update

(*Updated 5/9 with dormer and insulation pictures. Click the picture to the left to see the slideshow.)

I spent a lot of the fall and winter of '07 vetting plumbing, electric, and insulation contractors for our upstairs remodel, but still managed to get little accomplished. One of the benefits of our particular project is that all of the work is confined to the second floor, which we weren't using anyway. Therefore, our daily lives have not been overly affected, but we are also able to shut the door on it, literally, for days at a time, which can slow the process. Finally, after finishing up the walls and hemming and hawing over the various details of a tub versus a custom shower, we picked our guys and got the ball rolling again. The old iron plumbing was cut out and removed, exposing pipes almost totally blocked with gunk. The new stuff was installed and passed inspection. The electrical is mostly done, but is currently paused while we make a few carpentry changes. All of the plumbing and electrical on the second floor is now brand new.

With the old floor removed, I used the opportunity to install an exhaust fan in the first-floor bathroom. I also got a hold of some old doors from a house around the block, and even found a few sets of door knobs and plates that are the same as those used elsewhere in the house. When complete, the upstairs should be a stylistic match to the downstairs. One very exciting change to the design is the addition of a dormer in the master bedroom, which will let in more light and also increase the usable square footage. In the next month we hope to have that completed, as well as the electric and the insulation.

Turns Out the Country is Pretty Big

In October I returned from my quickly-planned trip to the western states. Read all about it and see the pictures in the Travel section.

Also, I posted a slideshow from our Italy/Croatia trip, and I also updated my South Africa movies so they load much faster.

Nice Lady Takes Pity on Editor (Says "Yes")

When you're a young man, you imagine that when you meet the girl you want to grow old with (or at least the one that will put up with you), you will take her out to dinner at a really fancy restaurant. You know, someplace with cloth napkins. You'll drink some wine, and sometime between the dinner course and dessert, you signal the band, who starts playing some romantic old tune, drop down on one knee, and open a very small box that barely contains a very big ring. All the ladies in the house gasp and get all teary-eyed, and the men raise their glasses high and say, "Well done, young man. We salute you!" The band breaks into Sea of Love and you engage in a warm embrace while the crowd applauds, and then you sheepishly return to your seats in time for the tiramisu.

It turns out that we're just not that corny. After climbing Mt. Washington on September 2nd, and clawing our way past the many tourists there, I took the ring out of my pocket and said, "Surprise." All in all the day worked out rather well, but if anyone out there wants to copy this idea you might want to reconsider...after hiking all day, one's fingers tend to swell up considerably. We had to wait a couple of hours to actually put the ring on.

Editor Goes to, Sees, and Conquers Mt. Washington

At 6288 feet tall, Mt. Washington is the tallest mountain in the northeast. As such, it is also one of the most visited mountains, a feat made possible by the cog railway, and by the road that snakes its way up to the top. Yours truly and contributing editor Heidi Hanson traveled there over Labor Day weekend, but we brought our hiking boots.

The first half of the four mile Tuckerman's Ravine trail is fairly easy, but after the halfway point it starts to get much steeper, and once you leave the tree line behind you are mostly stepping up on large rocks. Once you reach the top of the ravine you have only .8 miles to the summit, but it's all one large slope of big rocks that you must scramble over nonstop. There's no real trail at this point, just a big group of people spread out over the rock field, hopping and jumping from one rock to the next, or just catching their breath before starting up again. After what seems like a good 45-minutes of this you get your first hint of the actual summit...cars. There's parking space for over 200 cars at the top, and it's pretty surreal after hiking five hours in the woods to see the hind end of an SUV sticking over the edge of the mountain as you approach it. Rounding the top is almost a disappointment, as you're confronted with hordes of gawking tourists snapping pictures, talking on cell phones, and saying what is quite possibly the dumbest sentence in the world: "Wow, the view really makes the drive up here worth it." These yahoos step out of their cars and saunter over to the summit sign to get their picture taken, while those of us that just hoofed it stand just out of frame, eyeing the fakers like we're sizing them up for a coffin. Needless to say, we totally hate those people.

But, you can't blame them too much; the view is amazing, after all. On the day that we went the "home of the worst weather in the world" was probably having it's best weather day ever. We came prepared with all kinds of cold weather gear, but almost didn't need our fleeces, and the place where they recorded the highest wind speed ever (231 mph) was barely breezy. We could see Mt. Marcy in the distance, about 130 miles away.

Let the Renovations Begin - UPDATED

(Updated 8/3 - New pictures in the slideshow)

When making an appointment to view what was to be our house, Heidi had a phone conversation with the seller's realtor in which we were informed that the upstairs needed "rethinking." That night we found out what she meant: Fake wood paneling, cardboard drop ceiling, inadequate ventilating, and poor use of space. The bathroom was divided into two separate rooms, and the shower was fit only for a contortionist. The whole level gave the impression of having been finished in the 70's, by a fifth-grader...with dyslexia. It was a testament to the beauty of the rest of the house that we decided to buy it anyway, and we almost considered it an added bonus that we'd be able to redo the second floor in a way that would suit our taste and allow us to exercise our own inner Tom Silva. So, we moved in and worked on the rest of the house, getting a feel for our space and what we wanted to do with it.

I don't think we really planned to get the project started just yet. Maybe just get some ideas and come up with a master plan. But shortly after meeting with our draftsperson I took down a few ceiling tiles to see what was underneath. Then I removed a section of paneling. The next thing I knew I had the crowbar in my hand and, well, I guess that's how many great undertakings get underway (I know mine do).

It's been a few weeks now and the demolition is coming along nicely. Check out the slideshow to see how it looked before and peek at the progress so far.

Editor Gets Funny Card, Wants to Share it with You

Having recently turned 32, Crater Ranch editor-in-chief Keith Ferguson recently received a very funny birthday card that he wanted to share with the you. The Shoebox brand card (a tiny division of Hallmark) features cartoon kitties in a bar, and anthropomorphizes them in a way that makes this appear to be a run of the mill bar room scene. A particularly fiesty cat stands in the door and claims he can lick (as in fight) anyone there, himself included.

While the play on words is funny, what makes the card particularly amusing to the editor is the similarity between the cartoon cat and real-life feline Brutus. In fact, everytime the moody tabby comes into a room Mr. Ferguson now imagines him saying the same thing as the cartoon cat on the card, and gets a good laugh out of it. At the time of this report, the joke was still found to be funny.

Cat Hates Dogs

Watching another dog leave yet another steaming pile of doo on the front lawn, Crater Ranch mascot and feline issues reporter, Brutus, decided that enough was enough. Jumping down from the front porch window, the domestic tabby short-hair quickly learned to write human letters, constructed a crude sign, and planted it where it was sure to be noticed by the neighborhood canines.

"I haven't gotten this riled up since The Food Giver (Crater Ranch editor-in-chief Keith Ferguson) doused me with the water bottle after I scratched the couch," said the feline, who is regarded in some circles as the cutest cat who ever lived. He continued, "I mean, come on, that's my favorite patch of eatin' grass. Right there, by the rock where I caught that moth that one time. It's bad enough that The Food Giver and The Red One (Crater Ranch contributing editor Heidi Hanson) only let me out once in a blue moon, but to bolt out the front door and have my nose assaulted by dog crap is just too much. Meow."

When asked about his pet, Keith Ferguson showed little surprise at the animal's retaliatory actions. "Sure, he looks cute and harmless, but he's got a frisky side, and has no qualms about taking a swipe at people if they rub him the wrong way. Quite frankly, I'm surprised he didn't poison the dogs and give their owner's leg a good scratching." Mr. Ferguson displayed his arms, which bore the signs of several scratches from prior playtime wrestling matches.

When approached for further comment, Brutus starred wide-eyed at nothing, licked himself, and pounced on a nearby leaf.

One Year at Our Home

This April Heidi and I hit the one-year milestone at our first house in Dedham, Massachusetts, and we enjoy it as much today as we did the day we first saw it. When we took possession of the four bedroom bungalow-cape, we also took possession of a dilapidated garage, an upstairs lined with 1970's paneling, and a backyard just begging for a nice, cleansing brush fire. Twelve months later, we still have those things! But, we've done a lot of work on the old girl, and although there's still plenty more we want to accomplish, we're very happy with what we've done so far. Take a look at the slideshow to see what things used to look like, and what they look like now after all our hard work.

The Editor Returns from South Africa

In March I returned from my trip to South Africa, the main purpose of which was to compete in the Cape Argus Pick n' Pay Cycle Tour. The race itself was outstanding, but every part of this trip was just as memorable. I stayed three amazing days at a bush camp in the heart of the Madikwe Game Reserve, where I saw scores of wild beasts. I saw amazing vistas around Cape Town, and down at Cape Point where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. Plus, I met a lot of good people along the way...and also some penguins.

For a full account of the trip, and lots of pictures, please visit the Travel section.

Heidi Celebrates Birthday, Murders Me for Posting this Article

Facing dire consequences, Crater Ranch chief editor and boyfriend to Heidi Hanson, Keith Ferguson, is announcing that his longtime girlfriend is turning thirty-something this month. The editor, who will no doubt suffer unspeakable horrors for this announcement, wishes it to be known that Heidi is as gorgeous today as the day they met almost three years ago when he answered her advert for a new roommate. The two began dating shortly after a weekend trip to Maine with then roommate "UK" Ben Hallman, and have been together ever since.

In addition to being the editor's main squeeze, Heidi Hanson is a very talented instructional designer at Liberty Mutual's Property division. When not at work, she enjoys planning her next travel adventure, improving our yard and gardens, and generally tries to experience all that life has to offer. Her self-proclaimed true calling is to inspire others to travel the world and grow as individuals.

When asked if she's had such an impact on himself, the editor replied, "Oh yeah, she's always saying 'Ferguson, where are we going next? We've got nothing planned!' Still, I've seen some really cool things since I met her, and been to some really far-out places. I mean, who the hell goes to Croatia, anyway?" Elaborating further, the editor said, "But seriously, if not for Heidi I don't think I'd be quite the person I am today. She really does inspire me to do more with my life. If not for her, I don't know if I would ever have gone to Africa, built my website, or tried brussel sprouts."

Miss Hanson was not available for comment as she was busy researching a pilgrimage to Spain, or some crazy thing like that.

The editor's MINI Cooper.

New Rocketship Purchased

Citing the need for a newer, safer, and cooler vehicle, Crater Ranch editor-in-chief Keith Ferguson recently purchased a new MINI Cooper to serve as his personal transportation. The chili red super rocket was designed by BMW, built in Oxford, England, and drives like a UFO from another galaxy. Even though it is the smallest car sold in the United States, the unique design of the MINI Cooper offers a relatively roomy interior, even for those passengers unfortunate enough to ride in the back seat. Indeed, contributing editor Heidi Hanson commented on the spacious rear compartment during the inaugural launch of the freakin' awesome space craft. Wrap-around windows and a hatch-back design contribute to the bigger-on-the-inside feel of the car.

The totally cool MINI replaces the editor's venerable 1999 Nissan Sentra which, although paid for and still running, was beginning to show it's age in the form of rusting wheel wells and a pockmarked front bumper, and generally gave the impression of a car not long for this world. The cool-as-heck Coop also gets better gas mileage, and scores better on the EPA emissions scale, yet is also way-fun to drive with it's 5-speed stick-shift and super sticky handling attributes. Additionally, the Mini is a safer vehicle, with anti-lock brakes, six airbags, and electronic brake assist.

When asked to comment on his new conveyance, editor Keith Ferguson said it allowed him to cover on the scene reporting issues from different locations far and wide, and also "…provides a means to get from point-A to point-B in the coolest manner possible."

The Editor Travels to South Africa

As many readers are no doubt aware, the editor embarks on his voyage to South Africa this coming Friday, the main purpose of which is to compete in the Cape Argus Pick n' Pay Cycle Tour. Although an avid cyclist and spandex devotee, I am not a professional racer by any stretch of the imagination, but neither are many of the other 35,000 riders, so I have enough confidence to predict that I will not be last place. Training has continued all through the winter, mostly in the basement, and travel plans and preparations are all in place.

Although the race is the main draw for this trip, I will be in country long enough to see some sights, including the natural wonders of the spectacular Cape peninsula. I will also be staying three days at a bush camp in the Madikwe Game Reserve, where I'll go on a few game drives and nature walks. If the pictures I've seen are any indication, it should be a great experience.

I return on March 14th, and hope to update the Travel section of this website with a report of my findings, and many detailed photos.

Official Launch of CraterRanch.com

Welcome to CraterRanch.com, the personal website of Keith Ferguson. This website serves as a place where I can post information about myself, updates on my various projects, interesting pictures, travelogues, and my miscellaneous thoughts, ramblings, and musings.

As the editor, I hope to keep this space updated with the various happenings in my life, and maybe provide a little entertainment for you.