APRIL 29 2020 30 DAYS IN LOCK down Corona Virus

Well, who the hell is Louis Gardner? Well the origin of Louis is the fellow who built our house back in 1890. Since the house is in the architectural style of the Queen Ann Cottage we refers to the house as Gardner Cottage. Somehow that became Mr Gardners Cottage.

Me? I am Ed Richards, a retired cabinet maker.  I have a my bride hanging out with me. As we struggle with Corona Virus, I have spent much time in my garage shop doing many round tuit projects.
May 10 2020 Here are a few of my projects that I have completed in the last 40 days.

We bought this ball & stick spandrel a couple of years back. A little repair, a little stain & shellac and it is good to go.

The chair in back ground gad a broken piece, I turned a replacement on lathe.

 The table was in sad shape! Took it apart and refinished, looks good now.

Marble top table was also in pieces. Put it back together bought a new piece of marble.

Picture frame is for a picture of Madison painted by a neighbor. Oak cabinet is a long stored project that we purchased many years ago. It has bright blue milk paint on the inside, covered blue with a tan paint stain & shellac.

Upper cabinet was picked up during clean up campaign a few years back. It is in the Sarts & Crafts style. We added tge pediment  and art deco door pulls. Again a littl e stain & shellac. There are 2 sewing machine drawers at each end.  VG doug fir, a few old boards... good as new.

 You can bearly see table/desk under wall cabinet but it is there held up by some tavern table legs and lumber recovered from the coal gasification plant that was located where the police department is today.
ON the right side of desk is an oak box with a brass door. Picked up brass door from an old National cash register. Oak box from salvaged door at a Catholic retirement facility.

Again we purchased this lawyers stack some years back, it needed a top & botton piece. Done.

I have also turned a few items o n the lathe, most finished up nice... a few went flying across room while under going rapid design changes.

This story has been about what I did...my bride (designing woman) has been making the decisions on color, materials, placement of items.  Most of what has been done over the  past 3 years has been at her direction. I just fix tbe broken or worn out pieces. I never would have picked the colors or materials if left up to me.  I like all the choices, they just would not have occurred to me.

Ed Richards

well it has been a while since I have posted anything...

my, my, my the world is changing rather quickly.  3-1/2 years of Trump, Corona Virus, real ID drivers license, wrecked the pleasure way van and a host of other stuff.  We are confused with politics, if the Democrats keep putting up crap candidates we will continue to have a confused government. Trump has not done to bad with the exception of atomic BB style of leadership.

Lynne and I are finishing up our restoration of the main floor of the home we live in. walls and ceilings redone with a skim coat of plaster, fresh paint, new flooring, wall paper borders, ceiling medallions, fire place facade and we stripped the woodwork to bare wood, primed & painted it.

Lynnes Aunt Pidge passed away last February She took Ill December 28 and passed February 8 2019.  We stayed up in Redding and finished out her estate. We got home the beginning of April.

It looks like spring has sprung, so I have been wandering the ole' estate taking photos.

In 2009

In October of 2009 Lynne & I left for our first trip in our 1989 Ford Van Conversion Camper. We stopped at lake Tahoe the first night. We then picked up highway 50 and continued east until we got to Eastern Colorado. From their we picked up highway 36 and went to Hiawatha, KS. We arrived on Friday to find our Auntie Em in the hospital. She passed away Sunday Morning. She is missed by all who knew her. We stayed in Hiawatha and Robinson for about 3 weeks helping out with details.

We left Hiawatha and visited family in Kansas City, Arkansas City, Hot springs Village AR, Texas and then started home. We went about 5600 miles in 60 days and had a great time.

We left Home Sunday about 12:30 and headed to Tahoe on RT 50. We stayed at Nevada Beach and headed of on RT 50 across Nevada. Monday night we are in Ely with a low of 33 expected. Burrr.

Joe & Margaret Siebenmorgen

Dog Daze

Welcome to Dog Daze

I am Bloooo the lovable aussie shepherd and my yard mate is Ruffy a springer spaniel/aussie young lady. We are staying with Tori this week at her place in Santa Clara. Tori is a lovable old girl, but is sometimes a little cranky. We have arranged to have Ed & Lynne fix our meals and keep the lawn picked up. Me and Ruffy usually spend our time in aptos where the weather is much cooler. Staying here in Santa Clara is much warmer than we care for.

As you can see we spend a lot of valuble time walking in circles. We mostly learned this from Len, our caretaker. Ed has showed us how to hone this into a perfect lifestyle.

Once in a while we get confused and forget who is leading who. Ed is not much help in correcting this particular problem.

Pssst if you see my pup mom & pup dad tell them to come back soon we really miss them

If you don't see them then call the Aussie Rescue folks I think they can set us free.

Oh Boy she is home at last I missed her all day, ooooppps don"t let my real pup mom see this she will disown all four leggs of me

Thanks for stoppin in to see us catch ya real soon

Tori, Ruffy & Bloooo

Gracie Rose Elliott II

In Early July Lynne & I went for a week end trip to Atascadero to see da cusins. Renee & Peg, Lee & Jenny & Gracie and Quinn & Dani. Jenny's Dad was down from Sonoma for a visit also. We had some great barbque and a really good get together.


Hi everybody, it's me again---- Gracie



Jenny & Gracie & her father

Daddy's little girl


Granma--The spoiler


Jenny loves the ice cream--How does she stay so thin??


Grama Peg also a spoiler


Finally I got the little birdie to sit still

Little Gracie is a happy camper, family came to see her.

Jenny, Lee & Gracie

Daddy's little Girl

Well I have enjoyed seeing all of you but I need my nap.

See ya around 1:00 this morn zzzzz



I took about 60 pictures while I was there. If any family wants them I can send them or post them on Yahoo. conatact me for location.

EdR