Three Kitty Konstruction

Editor's Note: Our move to Point Arena consisted of several stages. Stage one was at the end of June (Day 483) when about half of our possessions (about 16,000 U.S. pounds) were packed into two moving vans and moved into the Barn at the new house. Stage two was early in the third week of July (Day 508) when we rented a small truck and moved our houseplants, our orchid collection and our aquarium fish. The plants and orchids went into a clearing in the woods and the fish went into a small aquarium that we had previously set up in the basement of the new house. Stage three was the end of that week (Day 512) when our furniture and the rest of our possessions (total weight, another 16,000 U.S. pounds) were moved into the new house. Stage four was five days (Day 517) later when the three kitties moved north.

 Despite all assurances (even as late as April), the new house was not complete when the Three Kitty Kompany set up its new corporate headquarters in Point Arena. The biggest challenge was the bath facilities. The shower and tub were finished in the bathroom on the second floor. The toilet and sink were on the first floor. As the following weeks progressed, this situation changed with final completion of all bathrooms 10 weeks later, early in October.

Along with the incomplete bathrooms, the kitchen and front hall floors had only the sub-floor for a surface. Consequently, the baseboards in those areas also were not installed. The cabinets in the kitchen, laundry, dining room and butler's pantry were not complete. The bookshelves in the library and the cabinetry in the living room were completely absent. There were no sidewalks, no screens in the screen porch and the patio, front porch, sunroom were far from finished.

On October 24, Day 603, the construction project was completed and the only remaining items were those on the "punch list" - the list of items to be repainted, repaired, reinstalled or replaced.

In order to maintain correspondence with family and friends, many of whom have similar construction stories to tell, the Three Kitty Kompany gave birth to a new subsidiary, Three Kitty (war) Korrespondents. As part of the Korrespondents group, the kitties reported periodically from various battle fields of the construction war. Below are a few excerpts from their reports.

Day 543 - Part 5

FLASH!! DATELINE: POINT ARENA, CA; 25 AUGUST, 2:54PM
It is difficult to judge progress today in the on-going conflict between the Allied Forces of the Three Kitty Kompany and the forces of evil, chaos, confusion and dust. The warm weather is taking its toll on the brave soldiers of both sides. But the Allied Forces seem to suffer more from the blazing sun and the temperatures between 75 and 80.

The Pitiful Plumbing Platoon returned this morning to announce that one of the most dependable tools of battle, the garbage disposal, does not fit under the extra-large sink in the laundry room. A smaller version of this most trusted tool must be ordered. In the interim, the forces of chaos have taken over the laundry room with cabinet doors removed and plumbing parts covering the battle field floor. In the garage, a similar fate met the Feline Forces and only partial installation was accomplished of the utility sink. Once again, plumbing parts have been found in a several foot radius around the battle site.

Now the battle rages in the guest suite where the forces of evil have forced our Plumbing Platoon to work on the new carpet, a full 10 steps closer than the concrete floor of the garage. It is too early to tell if the Plumbing Platoon will survive this latest incursion of evil and lapse of sanity. More later ...

The Cheerless, Cruel, Cretinous Cabinetry Cavalry are about to be declared MIA. We can only hope that they will appear on a list of POW's and can be exchanged at some point in the future for a good dirt smudge or a coating of dust (who are now prisoners of the Allied Forces - undergoing questioning in the 3 Kitty Korporate Headquarters) before the victorious vacuum cleaner returns to service.

Alas, the Tentative, Talented Tilesetter Tank Corps is also MIA. The Allied Forces' Own General Contractor is investigating their disappearance and, hopefully, will have good news later this week. Meanwhile, the supply lines to the Allied Forces are being reestablished. The undaunted UPS and the ferocious FedEx drivers have both found the current location of the 3 Kitty Headquarters and have successfully negotiated the 800 foot long driveway. Also, the phenomenal pharmer's market was phound on Saturday. It is located in neutral territory, in Gualala. Various vegetables of very good value were procured for use in the officer's mess.

Until tomorrow, your Three Kitty (war) Korrespondents, Blackie, Yoda and Wookie.

Day 566 - Part 16

FLASH!! DATELINE: POINT ARENA, CA; 17 SEPTEMBER, 5:46PM
This week, things are moving right along at the M.A.S.H. unit. The forces of evil, chaos and confusion recorded a big loss as the somewhat strange but strategic selections were finally settled and the terrible tactics tied up for the Peripatetic, Pitiful Plumbing Platoon to return to install the big and bulky bathtub in the meticulous and magnificently messy master bath. While the Pitiful Platoon and our Carpentry Heros (assisted by our Own General Contractor) muscled the ten ton tub into its proper parking place, the Talented Tilesetter Tank Corps were working on both the spacious and sunny shower (grouting the walls and preparing the floor) and the curiously complicated countertop in the gorgeous guest bath on the second floor.

The subject structures of the Staff Sergeant of Screens arrived yesterday and were immediately installed to allow the fastidious Feline Forces to linger and loiter lazily al fresco day or night.

We had expected the Chimerical, Causeless, Cheerless, Cruel, Cretinous Cabinetry Cavalry to appear today with their latest weapons for the battles against chaos, dust and disorganization. Alas, they must have been delayed at their special secret camp site. We anxiously await their next visit with cabinetry for the living room, pantry and some of the remaining kitchen items.

We are sorry to report that a new battle front has opened up, here at the M.A.S.H. unit. For the past few days, the riotous rodent raiders have been causing much mousey mayhem in both the barn and the crawlspaces below the house. Our Own General Contractor visited the crawlspace sites and devised a plan of attack. Serious screening has been placed in several devilish drains and the situation is being monitored daily (or nightly as the case may be). The marauding mayhem mousies and the riotous rodent raiderss are being captured unharmed, and, after a good meal of peanut butter, they are sent to a relocation camp deep in the woods. Your Three Kitty (war) Korrespondent, Blackie, has, on several occasions travelled directly to the front (in the crawl spaces) where she spends the entire day gathering information, evidence for any war crimes trials and generally hiding from all. Stay tuned for more on this battle.

While all this is happening, unpacking is still in progress. The boxes and other packing materials are being recycled (with the help of our realtor) to other war locations for other armies where packing and/or moving are in progress. Even as careful as we are, periodically the persistent peanut patrol has to patiently and purposefully pick up prodigious piles of profusely puffed plastic packing peanuts purported to be pervasively placed on platforms and pedestals. (In other words, we spill the styrofoam peanuts and are then picking them up for hours.)

Until tomorrow, your Three Kitty (war) Korrespondents, Blackie, Yoda and Wookie.

Day 586 - Part 26

FLASH!! DATELINE: POINT ARENA, CA; 07 OCTOBER, 9:42PM
Your Three Kitty (war) Korrespondents were in the thick of the battle action this morning before dawn as Yoda sniffed out a tiny scout that had been sent behind the piano by the riotous rodent raiders and the marauding mayhem mousies. Only his tail was visible as the evil rodent raiders launched a major second offensive. The kitties assisted the Three Kitty Kaptors as they detained the tiny scout and, after proper interrogation, released it into the brushpile where several of his confederates are known to frequent.

Our Carpentry Heros were here at the M.A.S.H. unit this afternoon installing doorstops, towel bars and paper holders in the bathrooms. On one occasion, one of our Carpentry Heros and our Own General Contractor were found standing on the kitchen countertop installing the stainless steel sheath on the cooktop rangehood. It was glued and taped and we'll know in the morning if this effort to defeat the ugly, unfinished unit were successful.

We said adieu to our Talented Tilesetter Tank Corps today as the last of the tile was sealed and the last of the grout lines were cleaned. We shall miss our long conversations about the local air corps (He's a birdwatcher.)

Until next time, your Three Kitty (war) Korrespondents, Blackie, Yoda and Wookie.

Day 596 - Part 29

FLASH!! DATELINE: POINT ARENA, CA; 17 OCTOBER, 12:20PM
If you are getting tired of reading these epics, think of us; we're writing them. The good news is that both the Elegant Electrician's Epaulets and the Pitiful Plumbing Platoon have finished their insane, integral installations. Only "punch list" items remain for them.

The better news is that the riotous rodent raiders and marauding mayhem mousies haven't had any of their tiny troops taken prisoner in the past 2 days. Only time (and a renewed supply of peanut butter on the Havahart trap) will tell if victory can be declared. The need for victory is strengthened by the fact that the use of peanut butter for the war effort is beginning to seriously impact the provisioning of the mess hall with PB & J sandwiches - not to mention peanut butter cookies for our Carpentry Heros.
 
The bad news is that once again our Own General Contractor has delayed completion of the range hood in the kitchen. The stainless steel shroud is installed and staying stuck spiffily. However, the edges have to be secured and sealed. This is scheduled in several solar cycles.

Our Own General Contractor did come today to finish sealing the sunroom and the screened porch. During this visit, he became aware that the forces of dirt, disruption and their ultimate weapon, insanity, had infected some unnamed member of his Feline Forces. The evidence left at the scene of the crime (the guest suite) was the wallboard bits and wallboard dust that had been dumped into a previously clean toilet. This was the second such surprise "toilet attack" that had been perpetrated upon the Three Kitty Kingdom. The Fearless Feline Forces will have to be more vigilant in the future. Our own General Contractor has agreed to assist with guard duty to help prevent future attacks.

The magnificent (but not messy) master bath, the scene of many pitched battles over the past 2+ months has finally been declared secured and safe for habitation by tidy towels, silly soapdishes and tactical toothbrushes. After special scrubbing, the bright, but bulging, bathtub was also declared firmly in Feline paws and served for a sumptuous, sultry soak last soir. The stupendous shower is awefully awesome with space to spread human appendages, sun to see by and fishy friends (on the walls) to keep humans kompany.

We look forward on Monday to the removal of the mobile monstrosity that has been moored and mired at the Feline mainland for most of 24 months. (Read that the trailer that has been used as a construction office is scheduled to depart on Monday.) The landscape will look little-known without it.

Until we meet again, from the Three Kitty Kompany Korporate Headquarters, your Three Kitty (war) Korrespondents, Blackie, Yoda and Wookie.

If you want to comment on our Website, please feel free to contact Wookie at 3kitty.org.  

Planning Phase: July, 2000 - Feb., 2002

Building Phase: Mar., 2002 - July, 2003

Finishing Up: July, 2003 - October, 2003

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