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Samui – Top 10 Attractions And Activities
By Andy Burrows
A 2-hour ferry ride from the coast of Sarat Thani will land you on the banks of Samui, one of Thailand's most popular resort islands which has grown increasingly popular in the past few years. Well-known for its wild parties as well as for its luxurious resorts, stunning coral reef environments and natural landscape, has rightfully earned its place as one of Thailand's most-loved destinations.

Beaches
Chaweng Beach is probably the most popular beach to visit on Samui. Its clear waters and white sand make it very inviting, and the exciting night life and Muay Thai boxing matches are an added bonus. Choeng Mon is more secluded and offers five-star accommodation, while the bay of Ao Tong Takian is named after the silver hue of its sand. Lamai Beach is packed with water sports ranging from jet-skis and banana boats to activities like parasailing.

Temple of the Big Buddha
The Temple of the Big Buddha, or Wat Phra Yai, was built in 1972 and is one of Samui’s top attractions. In the past few decades, it has become a beacon of prosperity for the island, a sentiment embodied in the 12 metre Buddha statue that sits in the grounds. There is also a meditation centre on-site that's open to visitors.

Full Moon Party
Full Moon parties have become synonymous with the hedonistic side of this region. These high-octane celebrations take place once a month on the nearby Koh Pha Ngan. Thousands of foreign tourists flock to the island for what compares to an outdoor, coastal rave. Music blares, prices soar and controlled substances abound. As the popularity of these parties has risen, savvy locals have added an interim Half Moon Party to add an extra weekend of debauchery and partying.

Eating out
Eating out is one of the simplest pleasures in Samui, with fresh seafood served up in every fashion according to international and local recipes. Visitors will find authentic street vendors selling delicious treats at phenomenal prices, along with more upscale establishments that sell gourmet Thai dishes as well as international cuisine. One way to treat yourself is to take your dinner on the beach in the comfortable surroundings of a beachside restaurant.

Partying and nightlife
Big Buddha Beach is a good place to spend an evening for families or perhaps for the faint of heart. Many establishments here are laid-back and lack the pulsing music of the more heated parties found elsewhere on the island. Lamai Beach has a thriving red light district and plenty of go-go bars, while Chaweng Beach hosts a variety of live bands that play a mix of Thai and western covers.

Daytrip down south
For those seeking the less touristy side of Samui, you may consider heading to the south side of the island. There has been less development here, and a daytrip provides insight into what once looked like, as well as offering a glimpse of day to day life for the locals who don't work directly with tourists. You'll

Installing a Cork Floor
<p>Sometimes tile just doesn't seem right for a kitchen. Maybe the previous owner laid down really ugly tile would look appropriate only at a Mardi Gras party, and you would like to break from the past with a different flooring solution. Maybe new hardwood wouldn't look right when matched up against the old hardwood present throughout the rest of the house. Maybe it is time to investigate the possibility of a cork floor. Kate and I just put a cork floor in our kitchen, and this article will walk through our decision and the installation process.</p> <p>Cork is a natural and renewable flooring resource that grows on trees. It is durable, yet soft and warm under foot. It is available in a number of patterns and colors, and new tile and plank designs literally make installation a snap. We chose cork because it looks great and adds a unique touch to our living space. I am fairly certain that we are the only people we know with a cork floor, and that either means we're cool and unique or just a couple of weirdos with bad taste. I am crossing my fingers in hope that my sister doesn't decide to comment on this post, because she'd probably lean toward calling me a "weirdo".</p> <p>Specifically, we chose the Santiago pattern from the APC Natural Earth series of cork floor products. This particular product floats over the subfloor and snaps together with the aid of a tapping block and rubber mallet. The planks are approximately 36" by 12" and come six to a box. We didn't choose this pattern blindly: we received samples from <a href="http://fastfloors.com">FastFloors.com</a>, and our sales guy, Thomas Zoellner, was very speedy in getting us squared away. We highly recommend getting the samples, as the colors vary quite a bit between the screen and the real product.</p> <h3>Shopping List</h3> <table> <tr> <th>Product</th> <th>Quantity</th> <th>Link/Photo</th> </tr> <tr> <td>1/4 inch plywood sheets</td> <td>4 Sheets</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>APC 5mm Cork Underlayment</td> <td>1 Roll</td> <td>(Click the cork below, choose "Accessories" and then "Underlayment")</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Natural Cork Earth Series Santiago Planks</td> <td>6 Boxes</td> <td><a href="http://www.fastfloors.com/catalog/productline.asp?productlineid=10411&productid=3497"><img src="http://renovatekc.com/images/P092M_Santiago_Matte.jpg" border="0"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Natural Cork Tapping Block</td> <td>1 (but we wish we had two)</td> <td>(Click the cork above, choose "Accessories" and then "Tools"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rubber Mallet</td> <td>1</td> <td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KKQXV0?ie=UTF8&tag=ren-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000KKQXV0"><img border="0" src="http://renovatekc.com/images/11aLAAHd1vL._SL160_.jpg"></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ren-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000KKQXV0" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Pull Bar</td> <td>1</td> <td><a href="http://www.tools4flooring.com/crain-561-pull-bar-p-335.html"><img src="http://renovatekc.com/images/puller_bar.jpg" border="0"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Pergo Spacer Blocks</td> <td>1 Package</td> <td><a href="http://www.1aflooring.com/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=PRGSPACERS">These little blue things</a>, also available at Home Depot</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2x4</td> <td>2</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Circular Saw</td> <td>1</td> <td></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Preliminary activities</h3> <p> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/2384677800/" title="Cork at Rest by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3253/2384677800_e8b9e52afd_t.jpg" width="100" height="75" alt="Cork at Rest" style="float: left;"/></a> The absolute first thing that must be done: rest. Specifically, unwrap the cork planks and let them acclimate to the home for at least three days before proceeding. We don't know what will happen if you skip the wait, but it surely includes doom and madness. Since cork is a natural product, it has a tendency to shrink and swell with changes in temperature and humidity, so this acclimation period gives the product a chance to ready itself for life in your particular home and helps to prevent buckling or gaps in the floor at a later date.</p> <p> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/2395000686/" title="Tacking the Underlay by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2059/2395000686_59cde31128_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Tacking the Underlay" style="float: right;"/></a> While the cork planks rest, the 1/4 inch plywood can cover the floor boards of the entire room, and the cork underlayment should be tacked down in any place that will be covered by the cork planks in the finished room. We did not extend the underlayment to each wall in our kitchen, because we thought it would be a bit extravagant to lay the cork underneath the cabinets. The cabinets will rest on a much more economical and durable 5/8 inch piece of plywood. That extra 5/8 inch allows the cabinets to rest at the same level as the finished cork floor, which allows us to do neat things like add and remove a dishwasher as we please.</p> <p>The installation guide suggests starting with the longest run of flooring as the first row. From there, installation is like reading a book: left to right, top to bottom. The guide suggests using spacers to leave a half inch gap between the cork plank and the wall, but our longest run was parallel with our not yet installed cabinets. That left us with nothing to brace the spacers against, so we temporarily tacked a 2x4 in place where the cabinets would go.</p> <h3>Now to install some cork</h3> <p> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/2394168351/" title="The First Cork Plank by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2186/2394168351_307623e03f_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="The First Cork Plank" style="float: left;" /></a> These planks require no glue, no nails, no fastener of any kind. The very first plank goes in like butter. Remember to orient the plank so that the long edge is parallel to longest edge of your room. Set it on the floor in the correct location, and walk away. You're done, you have successfully installed the first piece. Congratulations.</p> <p>The second plank butts up against the first along the narrow edge. The tongue and groove mechanism should partially engage, leaving a gap of about one eighth to one quarter of an inch between the surfaces of the two planks. Now is the time to grab the tapping block and rubber mallet: place the tapping block at the edge of the second piece, and tap the piece into place. The two pieces should be snug when you are done tapping. Make sure to orient the tapping block correctly, and always use a rubber mallet to avoid destroying the tapping block. I was too lazy to get a mallet when we started, and I cracked the plastic binding on the back of the block. We also found that by improperly orienting the block on the plank, the edge of the plank can be damaged. Get two blocks, you'll be glad you did.</p> <table> <tr> <td>Bad Tapping Block Position</td><td><img src="http://renovatekc.com/images/improper_tapping_block.jpg"></td> <tr> <tr> <td>Good Tapping Block Position</td><td><img src="http://renovatekc.com/images/proper_tapping_block.jpg"></td> <tr> </table> <p>When installing the second and subsequent rows, you will be tapping a plank in to two neighboring planks. I recommend tapping the short side in first, and then tapping in the long side. I have no scientific research supporting this method, but it sure seemed to work for us.</p> <p>Planks can be cut with a circular saw or a table saw. We had a half plank left over at the end of the first row, and that provided a great start to the second row that allowed us to offset the joints as we continued the installation. Small pieces were cut using a drywall keyhole saw. Not the most appropriate tool, indeed, but when your only handheld saw is a keyhole saw, everything starts to look like drywall.</p> <h3>Wrapping up</h3> <p> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/2394172743/" title="Cork is Done! by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3051/2394172743_19e2930895_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Cork is Done!" style="float: right;"/></a> The floor went in without any trouble, and it seems to clean up fairly easily with a dust mop. We haven't yet sealed the floor, but we would like to do so since the kitchen is a high traffic area prone to spills. Large quantities of water or other liquid will cause the planks to swell, so we will need to clean up spills quickly. Now if you will excuse us, we're off to deal with a cork of the bottle stopping variety.</p>
Rapture Came and We Were Left Behind
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/2375892511/" title="Splotchy Red by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2009/2375892511_b10c8dbbc0_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Splotchy Red" style="float: left;" /></a>Kate and I are no strangers to colorful tastes in home decor. Shortly after we met, we spent a weekend painting her apartment bedroom electric blue while I pinky swore that regardless of what happened to the relationship, I'd help her to paint it back in a year when the lease was up. She didn't need to enforce the pinky swear. I gladly helped her to paint the apartment back, but it was a little sad painting a room for bright blue to blah beige just so someone else could move in.</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/2394163411/" title="Trim Painting Pro by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3020/2394163411_4240b7749a_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Trim Painting Pro" style="float: right;" /></a> While choosing colors for the bungalow, we had the idea to use warm colors in the public areas, and cool colors in the private areas of the home. The way things worked out, we were supposed to have a red kitchen. Rapture was the exact color name. We tried, we really did, but it just wasn't working out. The rapture came and went, and we were left behind with a splotchy red paint job. After four coats of paint, I would have bet we were in for another four before we would reach anything resembling decent results, so we primed it and repainted. The color we ended up with isn't warm as we originally planned, but, given the infuriating time had with the color red, we were in the mood for something cool and refreshing.</p> <p>One worthwhile note: we did not use tinted primer before the red went on the wall. It was covering a bright white coat of Bullseye 123, and that was probably our biggest mistake. The guy at the paint desk was kind enough to suggest that, but only <b>after</b> we were picking up our second gallon. We did tint the primer for our second color, and that went up without any problems. One coat of primer, two coats of paint. Just like it should be.</p> <p>Lessons learned? Tinted primer rules, and red paint is meant for people with a special brand of dedication that we lack.</p>
A Lesson on Drill Safety
<h3>Or a Recommendation for Milwaukee Drills</h3> <p>Long before we ever seriously considered renovating a house, I needed a drill. I didn't want just any drill. I knew that one day I may just jump into home renovation, and I wanted a drill with the umph to tackle most any drill worth task. Anything from holes in the wall through mixing drywall mud and grout. Oh, and it needed a 1/2" chuck. Of course.<p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007FPIN?ie=UTF8&tag=ren-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00007FPIN"><img style="float:right;" border="0" src="http://renovatekc.com/images/118K9TFEQEL._AA_SL160_.jpg"></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ren-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00007FPIN" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> After digging around on Amazon for a while, I went out "just to look" at a Milwaukee 0299-20 8 Amp 1/2-Inch Drill, and I just had to have it right away. It has served us well even before the renovation, but it still looked brand new. Only through the course of our work on the bungalow has it been truly broken in. The downside to buying the largest drill one will ever need is that it is often far overkill for certain tasks, and it can be downright dangerous if handled improperly. For instance, I attached the side handle to the chuck rather than the (stationary) drill housing after pulling it out of the box. That was an eye opening introduction to the power and torque available in this hefty little package. <p> <p>Throughout our renovation project, the drill has served us well, doing all of those things that a drill can do. Holes in wood, screws in drywall, and lots of mixed drywall mud, it all went without a hitch. This weekend I bought a flexible bit attachment to help drill holes for the new electrical wire that I am itching to wire into the bedroom outlets. The flexible bit fit into the drill, and a 3/4" spade bit fit into the flexible bit. I figured I was golden, and the first hole went off without a hitch, although the going was slow. I guess this got me feeling cocky.</p> <p>The second hole was in a relatively accessible place, and I knew it would go smoothly. The first 1 1/2" of the hole went smoothly, the bit only catching slightly a handful of times. Getting impatient, I kicked up the speed and put a little more pressure on the bit. Suddenly, BAM! The bit caught, the drill wrapped around the flexible bit attachment, and the spade bit fell out of the hole. Where would the spade bit naturally land? In my shirt, of course. It spun around once or twice more, twisting itself into the shirt, and while I was trying to free myself I hit the drill trigger. That's where things got ugly.</p> <p>Nobody was hurt, but I did lose the flexible bit, and I almost literally lost my shirt. I love my Milwaukee drill, but you'd better believe that I'll be more careful the next time I am drilling in awkward spots.</p> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/2376745020/" title="Torque Kills by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2376745020_187fa6f2e1_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Torque Kills" style="float: left; clear: both;" /></a>
Trench Warfare
<p>Standing in the trenches of renovation is a nice metaphor for all of the hard work that goes into a home renovation, but we have found ourselves literally standing in the trenches of renovation. Keep reading to pick up tips on how to trench and how not to trench based on our experience digging up 60 feet of an already ugly lawn.</p> <p>The wiring in our detached garage is atrocious. It is so bad that our home inspector told us that he wouldn't park his car in the garage until we turned off the electricity. "Sure, it's been fine for years, but you never known when something this bad will finally burn the place down." Furthermore, the wiring out to the garage is pretty poor. We have 30 amps of electricity running through two tiny little wires that are far below the minimum height from the ground. Oh, and there's a birds nest built around those wires at the house end of the run. Truth be told, there are two pairs of wires running to the garage, but that second pair runs the light that sits between the two garage doors.</p> <table> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1265775087/" title="The Garage by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1215/1265775087_7471802bee_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="The Garage" /></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1298706264/" title="Awesome Wiring 3 by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1369/1298706264_f741ecc54f_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Awesome Wiring 3" /></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1265776923/" title="The Back Porch by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1152/1265776923_c25b2e83ee_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="The Back Porch" /></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1297842917/" title="Awesome Wiring 1 by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1313/1297842917_eccdf31491_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Awesome Wiring 1" /></a> </td> </tr> </table> <p>In discussing our options with the inspector, he mentioned that our two options would be to put in a new and higher run of wires or to go underground and hide the wires all together. Underground sounded like the most pleasing final result, but the idea of digging a trench from the back wall of the house to the garage sounded slightly back breaking, at least for a soft computer programmer like myself. That's where it pays to have friends with trucks and a love of heavy machinery.</p> <h3>Slow down now...</h3> <p>Before we show off the heavy machinery, let's talk safety. Our house is in an old neighborhood that sprang to life in 1927, and all of our electrical utilities run overhead. The layout of the plumbing indicated that our gas, water, and sewage all ran from the house to the street rather than through the backyard. With that in mind, many people may have forgone the quick, free, and painless process of calling for a utility locate. One more time, quick, free, and painless. Why skip a step that could save you from making a mistake that would surely set you back in time, money and health?</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1959715965/" title="Deciphering Utility Marks by timfreund, on Flickr"><img style="float:left;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2204/1959715965_3f45c3fd84_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Deciphering Utility Marks" /></a>Two steps were required to get a locate done on our property. First, I bought two cans of white spray paint to mark the path of our proposed trench. I was carded for the spray paint, which amused me. Next, I made a 5 minute call to the <a href="http://www.mo1call.com/">Missouri One Call System</a> one afternoon over lunch, and we were cleared to dig on the upcoming weekend. The utility location service wrote in paint next to my white dig line for each service that I was clear to dig. The marking was a little ambiguous simply because the little flags with their phone number said "buried [gas|electric] line" right next to paint that read "OK MGE" (Missouri Gas Energy), etc.</p> <h3>The Big Dig</h3> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/2037018366/" title="Trench Warfare by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2276/2037018366_bb2858f2b0_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Trench Warfare" style="float: right;"/></a>Now back to that heavy machinery. My buddy, Joe, said that we weren't friends anymore if I didn't invite him over whenever heavy machinery was on the job site. He's a little redneck like that, and he'd hate to miss the opportunity to tear up someone else's yard. That works for me, especially given the fact that I had never touched a trencher and I drive a Ford Escort. His full sized pickup had a lot easier time pulling the trencher than my car ever would, and his experience running the beast really paid off. The schedule of events looked something like this:</p> <ol> <li>Pick up 80FT of cable rated for 50 amps and direct burial, conduit, fittings, a hole saw, and an electrical panel at Home Depot</li> <li>Pick up the trencher from the rental place</li> <li>Trench!</li> <li>Attach the conduit and fittings to the house and garage</li> <li>Lay the cable, fishing it through the conduit at both ends</li> <li>Cover the cable</li> <li>Eat Lunch</li> <li>Attach the electrical panel</li> <li>Return the trencher</li> </ol> <p>I met Joe, we proceed to Home Depot, and things immediately start to go wrong. Our first HD doesn't have the wire we need. 30 minutes lost driving to another one and getting another associate to cut us the wire. We pick up our other supplies, and we head to the rental place. Our second bad experience of the day was watching the rental company's mechanics cannibalize two trenchers to get ours up and running, 30 more minutes lost to that.</p> <p>Soon, the trencher is off the trailer, and Joe's digging into our excavation line. After a rough start due to some stones and the remnants of an old clothesline, things are humming along. A few more whole bricks turn up in the soil as we near the garage, but nothing major. Then perceived disaster strikes. It appears that the concrete pad that makes up our driveway extends beyond the side of the garage where there appeared to be dirt and grass at first glance. A bit of worry sets in while we go over our options. Do we beat it up by hand with sledge hammers? Do we get a hammer drill? Do we go back to the rental outfit and rent a small jackhammer? My sister and dad stopped by at about this time to admire the predicament while they were in the neighborhood. After a few calls to directory service, AKA my mom and her phone book, we were on our way to rent a jackhammer.</p> <h3>Humble Pie</h3> <p>About half way to the rental place, I get a phone call from my sister. All that horrible tough concrete? Yep, wasn't concrete at all, it was just a row of cinder blocks set into the ground. My dad had poked and prodded with a shovel until they started popping out one by one. My dad wanted us all to go to college so we would be smart and successful, but who was the smart one, really? Thanks dad, you simultaneously saved us a load of time and money while reminding us that with age comes wisdom. 20 more minutes with the trencher and we were ready to move on.</p> <h3>Check and Double Check</h3> <p>We start assembling our conduit and fittings, and we realize that they are not all the same size. Home Depot is one of my favorite stores lately, but their conduit and plumbing fittings are a mess. Be warned. By this time we are running short on time with the trencher, and soon evening will set in. Joe laughs at me as I try to wrestle the trencher back on to the trailer, and then we are off to return it and make our third trip of the day to Home Depot.</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/2036221687/" title="Trench Carnage by timfreund, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2315/2036221687_35436d8b8a_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Trench Carnage" style="float: right;"/></a>This time around, everything starts to come together. The electrical panel was hung after dealing with some terrible nails that didn't want to drive into the old studs. Despite our lack of a fish tape, we were even able to get the cable into both the house and the garage successfully. Woo hoo! Of course, we were working in the dark at that point, and we left a large amount of carnage strewn across the yard and driveway. Click the picture to see the carnage notated. With that all said, how'd our schedule turn out?</p> <ol> <li><strike>Pick up 80FT of cable rated for 50 amps and direct burial, conduit, fittings, a hole saw, and an electrical panel at Home Depot</strike></li> <li><b>Pick up 80FT of cable rated for 50 amps and direct burial, conduit, fittings, a hole saw, and an electrical panel at the other Home Depot</b></li> <li>Pick up the trencher from the rental place</li> <li><b>Wrestle with the clothes line pole</b></li> <li>Trench!</li> <li><b>Find a potential place to rent a jack hammer</b></li> <li><b>Turn around one the way because we were dumb and short sighted</b></li> <li>Lunch</li> <li><b>Finish trenching</b></li> <li><strike>Attach the conduit and fittings to the house and garage</strike></li> <li><b>Return the trencher</b></li> <li>Buy more fittings</li> <li><b>Attach the conduit and fittings to the house and garage</b></li> <li>Lay the cable, fishing it through the conduit at both ends</li> <li>Cover the cable</li> <li><strike>Eat Lunch</strike></li> <li>Attach the electrical panel</li> <li><strike>Return the trencher</strike></li> </ol> <p>We ended with a success, but it was a long day in the making. If I had to do it all over again, I'd buy my materials ahead of time, dry fit them, and better clear the area so I knew what potential obstacles would slow us down. Kate and I bought Joe and his girlfriend dinner as a token of thanks, but deep down, I think running heavy equipment and watching me struggle with the same heavy equipment made his day.</p>
We've Been Working, Really
<p>Almost three months have gone by without a post. Once upon a time I had said that a week's worth of silence on the blog would mean that we are behind schedule. We aren't as far along as I would like, but we haven't been snoozing for the last three months, either.</p> <p>We never did get the outside completely painted before the nasty winter weather rolled around, but getting to move indoors has been fun. The work is a lot more varied and less sweaty. Since our last post, we've tackled a range of tasks: electrical, plumbing, plastering, paint, floors, and of course it all started with some demolition.</p> <p>We are going to pick apart some of these latest projects in several upcoming posts:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://renovatekc.com/blog/articles/2008/02/01/trench-warfare">Trench Warfare</a></li> <li>Demolicious</li> <li>Patching Plaster for Amateurs</li> <li>Sandless Floor Refinishing</li> </ul> <p>Those titles will turn into links over the next few days as we get them edited and posted.</p> <p>In the meantime, we're up to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/sets/72157601747133831/">111 photos in our renovation photo set on flickr</a>! Take a look!</p>
Wet Inside and Out
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1521062607/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2396/1521062607_ace7440e93_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Progress. Some Good, Some Not" style="float: left;" /></a>It rained this past weekend. That explains the wet outside, and it goes half way toward explaining the wet inside. Not only did the showers keep us from painting, the severity and direction of the downpour left no doubt as to the quality of our repaired roof. The roof was repaired over the summer, long before we bought the house. The roof itself was in good shape, but some of the flashing was done improperly, and that allowed water to seep in and soak a small hole through the living room ceiling. The repair work is evident, but apparently they missed a spot. The good news? Dad and I had purchased a tarp at Home Depot that same morning to transport some lumber to the house. Uncle Tim and I used the tarp to cover the offending area of the roof. We used the recently removed front porch railing to keep the tarp in place. It looked classy.</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1521910684/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2300/1521910684_ddba5f0abe_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Wallpaper in the Closet?" style="float: right;"/></a>That leak, as I said, only goes half way toward explaining the wet conditions inside. The rest of the water was there on purpose. Grandma and two of her sisters, Mary Al and Denny, took the wallpaper to task in both bedrooms. Mom was in on the action as well until she was pulled away to be my youngest sister's chauffeur. Everyone involved was taking the paper to task with a wide assortment of spray bottles and putty knives. The strangest thing, in my opinion, was the amount of wallpaper in the closets. I counted up to five layers, and I just can't imagine taking the time to paper in a closet. The wallpaper is almost done for - a small bit remains in the back bedroom closet, and we still have at least one layer hanging around the bottom half of the living room.</p> <p>Mom also made an interesting discovery in our duct work. Hair, hair, and hair. Oh, and popsicle sticks. Yum!</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1521064509/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/1521064509_c91ac1c743_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Mary Al, Denny, Grandma" style="float: left;" /></a>We took more pictures than we can fit in this brief write up. Don't forget that by clicking on any one of the photos you will be taken to our Flickr photo stream.</p>
Posh Scaffolding
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1465582061/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1367/1465582061_3e2f3ddeb6_m.jpg" style="float: right;" width="180" height="240" alt="The Scaffold" /></a> We have some pretty serious scaffolding erected to help paint the house, especially considering that it is a small one-story bungalow. How did we end up with this monster scaffold, what makes it so posh, and where is our sense of adventure? Shouldn't we just use a tall ladder, after all? All these questions, and more, answered below:</p> <h3>How did we get it?</h3> <p>It's good to have a handy family. The two sections planted in our side yard were in storage at the family business, we just needed to supply new planks. The scaffolding looks big up against our small house, but it's just the perfect heigh for reaching up to the very peak of the roof, and I am glad we have it. Had we not found these two sections lying around, we would have gladly rented the equipment from Home Depot for a very reasonable sum. They can rent scaffolding on a monthly term when necessary, and I believe it would be less than $200 for a month.</p> <h3>What makes it so posh?</h3> <p>See how there are four planks at each level, plus two planks leading up to the upper level, plus a (not so sturdy) 2x4 "guard rail"? Subtract the guard rail, the two intermediate planks, and two planks from each level, and then we'd have a standard scaffold setup. (Click the picture for a larger image.) That's actually what we had after the first evening, but that's where things get a little interesting. Dad and I set up the scaffold without issues, and then Kate arrived on the scene. She said things looked good, and Dad broke into some facts and figures about job site safety. He teaches the OSHA class for his union, and he had no trouble telling us that falls and falling tools are two of the leading causes of death on the job. We even got a personal anecdote: his first foreman was killed on the job after falling only 4 feet on to some rather pointy equipment. Kate was now convinced that the standard scaffolding was a death wish waiting to come true, and I was left wondering if she <b>really</b> wanted me to rent a scissor lift. That would be ridiculous, I thought. Fortunately, after some extra planks and wire made the scaffold more novice friendly, she gave her blessing for work to continue. I haven't seen her climb to the top yet, but she has been on the middle level.</p> <h3>Where is our sense of adventure?</h3> <p>Isn't renovating a house that contains a small assortment of hazardous materials enough adventure for right now?</p> <h3>Why Not a Ladder?</h3> <p>Several reasons:</p> <ul> <li>The scaffolding is free in our case.</li> <li>We don't own a tall enough ladder, although we did budget for one.</li> <li>The Silent Paint Remover is tough to wield from a high ladder. Remember, don't be cheap, get the handsfree device.</li> </ul> <p>Be safe, or at least pretend to be safe. "I told you so" never sounds nice, but I suspect it stings a little extra after sustaining a fall.</p>
New Color for an Old House
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1432055465/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1095/1432055465_3da71f99cd_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Painting Begins" style="float: left;"/></a>We started painting yesterday, and it felt great. Our work up until this point has largely been destructive, and this was the first weekend where we ended by making things "right" again. We are painting one scaffold width at a time since it takes a bit of effort to move the scaffolding. The scaffold deserves a post all to itself, so I'll write more about that later. For the curious, we are using Pratt & Lambert flat exterior paints. The trim is Woodgate and the primary color is Dried Moss.</p> <p>We didn't work on the house very much during the week, but Joe, a friend from my days with Honeywell, stopped by on Thursday with his angle grinder to take care of a chain and padlock that kept the back gate locked. It was a 5 minute job, but he got to spent 20 minutes freaking out over the state of the house wiring. He also confirmed that fitting a full size pickup truck through the gate on a daily basis could get tiring.</p> <p>We spent two full days at the house this weekend, and we were visited by Uncle Tim on both days. He helped us scrape and prime on day one, and then he helped us scrape and paint on day two. He brought Grandma along on Sunday, and she did a fantastic job of cleaning the grime off the walls in our hallway. I swear, the previous owner didn't believe in the benefits of hand washing - dirt is caked on to the walls, especially around light switches. As Uncle Tim and Grandma were arriving on Sunday, Dad was just leaving. He was tired of watching the Chiefs screw up, and it was only the 1st quarter.</p> <p>All this time, Kate was going to town on the windows with a combination of the Silent Paint Remover, a borrowed heat gun, putty knives, and a random orbit sander. I think she really started to like the sander by the time the weekend was over.</p> <p>We will move the scaffold some time this week and start over on the next section.</p>
A Primer Primer in Two Parts
<p>Last Saturday we had finished scraping around the lower half of the house, and we were looking for something to do on Sunday since our scaffold wasn't scheduled to arrive until the middle of this past week. Priming the bare portions of the house seemed like a great way to move the exterior forward while waiting for the scaffold. The entire event took only a few hours, but two lessons stick out and warrant a write-up:</p> <h3>Primer Preps the Surface for Paint</h3> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1353633796/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1018/1353633796_f43a26cb0f_m.jpg" style="float: left;" width="240" height="180" alt="Strange Priming Incident" /></a>OK, you probably know that already, but we encountered a small twist. We have cedar shingle siding, and we took it down to bare wood. There is a dark layer of tannin on the surface of many of the shingles. Our primer, <a href="http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=12">Zinsser Cover-Stain</a>, is meant to block the tannin from interacting with the paint and provide a solid surface for paint adhesion. The fact that it is white will help our paint's color look even across the entire house. Except that it isn't all white anymore. Apparently there was enough tannin on the surface of the back of the house that the Cover-Stain interacted with it and turned bright Orange. I thought the sun was playing tricks on me, and I called Kate around back to confirm the change. Prime well. It will allow paint to stick, and it will keep your paint from discoloring.</p> <h3>Read the Clean Up Instructions First</h3> <p>Seriously, before you crack open the first can, read the clean up instructions. We were priming with Cover-Stain, but we also had two cans of <a href="http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=11">Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3</a> in the house. The Bulls Eye was purchased first, and we knew it was water based. With that in mind, we primed with the Cover Stain, and we expected another hassle free water based clean up. Wrong, way wrong. I remember smelling the primer and thinking "this is oil based", but it didn't quite click with me until I was "cleaning" my brush under the faucet and only making a sticky mess. I really wanted to take a picture of this lesson, but I couldn't bear the thought of getting primer on my camera in the process.</p> <h3>Corollary: Appreciate Your Neighborhood Hardware Store</h3> <p>The neighborhood hardware store is a dying breed, but we are fortunate enough to have one right down the road. It only took Kate a few minutes to return home with a gallon of paint thinner so I could clean the brushes, the sink, and my hands. Sure, they don't have the vast selection of Home Depot or Lowes, but they do have a location that can't be beat when in the middle of a project we find that we are lacking supplies.</p>
A Little Help From Our Freunds
<p>I hate it when people make a play on words with my last name, but I couldn't think of a more appropriate title for this post. One of the great things about living within an hour of my entire extended family has it's benefits. Case in point, almost every day that we have spent working on the house has involved us getting a visit, or even a helping hand from one or more of the Freund clan.</p> <p> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1317151849/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1398/1317151849_8e2687e994_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Sanding Away Layers" style="float: left;"/></a>Jack and Sarah stopped by last Sunday while loading up on meat from <a href="http://www.mcgonigles.com/">McGonigles</a>. Sarah was jealous with our proximity to that finest of butcher shops. Meanwhile I'm jealous of Jennifer, my sister, since she lives within walking and smelling distance. My dad didn't make it over last Saturday because of my other sister and her chauffeur needs, but on Saturday he and my mom both stopped by to help. Mom made me feel a little guilty yesterday -- she got over to the house two hours before I did, and she had the back yard cleaned up quite a bit with the help of our neighbor lady. Jennifer has stopped by twice, and she's even provided snacks and drinks. She was even there when we witnessed the arrest of "the drunk boyfriend", or so he is nicknamed by the folks on the street. Drunk Boyfriend helped his girlfriend move out yesterday, so woo hoo. More about them in a later post...</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timfreund/1352748481/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1359/1352748481_b1a8efdfc9_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="A Little Help from our Freunds" style="float: right;" /></a>Today we were priming, and we got a surprise visit from Grandma and Uncle Tim. They stopped by to see the place, and they ended up feeding us and pitching in for a few hours. A note on the food: Tim, being a Freund, bought twice as much as was necessary. I was not shocked. I probably would have done the same thing. Today's visit did highlight a weakness in our project planning. Sometimes we don't know what to do. The priming finished hours earlier than expected, and then we had two extra people willing to help. We all kept busy, but that was more by chance than by proper planning. </p> <p>We love having so many guests, and it is icing on the cake when our guests want to roll their sleeves up and spend some time on the house. We only have two concerns: make sure that people never feel obligated to work on the house - it's a mess, and it is a mess that we knowingly signed up for. We also need to make sure that there are things to do for people who do stop by to work.</p> <p>To our family and friends: We appreciate the support you're giving us, and our doors are always open. Well, at least on the weekend and the evenings when we get a chance to work. If there is anything you want to learn how to do, but you're too afraid to try on your own house, let us know. We're going to be hitting up every major area of home renovation, so you can probably stop by to watch or help us make mistakes before attempting a project at your own house. Thanks for everything you do, you're the best.</p>

find several enticing, secluded beaches connected by coconut groves and predominately Muslim fishing villages.

Waterfalls
It's worthwhile to journey out to one of a few waterfalls on the island. Hin Lat Fall is most conductive to swimming, as there aren't many boulders or sharp edges underwater. Trekkers and groups of elephant riders regularly journey to the Na Muang Falls system—specifically to the second waterfall, because it's easily accessed by elephants. The first of the two falls cascades magnificently down a steep cliff.

Diving
Samui has a firm reputation among snorkellers and divers. Beginners can receive instruction from local gurus that work at one of multiple diving shops. More experienced divers have many options, ranging from the nearby Ang Thong National Marine Park or Sail Rock, out to the farther but highly esteemed Koh Tao, where divers from all over Thailand gather. In any event, the clear waters and stunning coral reefs make diving a wonderful experience.

Adventure sports
Samui is an ideal place for those who are full of energy as there are many adrenaline pumping activities and exciting water sports. You can also get up close and personal with Samui’s local elephants. The less energetic will be content with the lovely beaches that offer perfect tropical swimming, or a day spent shopping or at a spa.

Viewing wildlife
Samui has every manner of wildlife. Marine life teems at the Aquarium, while snakes and scorpions are employed in death-defying shows at the Snake Farm. The Crocodile Farm has more than just reptiles, with a few monkeys and other animals in addition to crocs and lizards. Violent Buffalo fights are held at one of several buffalo stadiums, while delicate butterfly species can be observed at the Butterfly Farm in the island's southeast corner.

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Samui is a favourite choice for travel writer Andy Burrows, he recommends planning your trip beforehand using the following;
Complete tourist www.1stopsamui.com/”> guide for Koh Samui
Fun guide towww.1stopsamui.com/hospitality/night_life/”> Koh nightlife