Visitors from St. Louis

Living across from the Martin House Complex, we meet some very interesting people, some of whom are more than happy to strike up a conversation with us if we're outside.  Recently, a couple about our age stopped to talk to Robert as he was working in the yard. They were each riding a small fold-up bike. The man explained he had taken the train from St. Louis and then rode his bike from the Depew Amtrak station to downtown Buffalo. The woman had flown to Buffalo from St. Louis, and rode her bike from the airport to downtown Buffalo. They were proceeding to explore Buffalo on those tiny little bikes. They gave Robert this card. 

Martinview Cottage Repairs, Summer 2012

While Wright's masterpiece across the street is being brought back to life, we gave some thought to making sure our little cottage lasts for yet another hundred years.  The weather side of the house was stripped down to the insulation, vacuumed out, all boards stripped and put back together, and repainted.  We saved all the old square nails, and the new nails and screws are stainless steel so they will last forever.  The window well was cleaned out (turns out to be lined with three-inch thick granite slabs), and a new stainless steel grate was constructed for it.  The new window opens from the inside (in the basement), and the grate can be removed only from the inside.  It's beautiful, and gives us so much light in the basement laundry room.  Some photos are attached, although I haven't yet taken a photo of the new stainless steel grate.  Maybe later today....