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Thursday, July 18, 2013

{New Power Wiring to Our Gazebo}

Renovations in itself are often a handful but there are always surprises when you own a home. Already last year we had no power to the electric pump for watering the garden. And for the electric grill in our gazebo, neither light nor fan... There was obviously a problem but it was hard to locate. Last year when husband Pieter did write the book about his life, for daughter Liz, during the summer months, there was no need for watering the garden as it rained enough. But now we installed a new fan after the gazebo got painted and we could not even test it... The job had to be done and after searching for the culprit, under the gazebo, where our contractor in 1990 had made the connection, Pieter decided to just ignore it and run a complete new power wiring from the house out to the gazebo and to the back of the greenhouse and pump. 
The job got done!
Power wiring got dug in, alongside the walkway to the gazebo.
In front of the gazebo some rodents had dug burrows underneath those washed concrete tiles and  they sunk into a slanted position.
Almost done... Now filling up the burrows with concrete, in front of the gazebo where you see the left planter box tilting to the left.
By the way, the Interlock® Aluminum Slate Roof in Aged Copper is already on the gazebo here!
From Interlock Metal Roofing (click it)
Also the painting job is finished.
Now the new power line will make using the new fan and light + electric grill possible again.
The culprit for sure was that somewhere there was a weak connection or maybe they did fuse some wires inappropriately...
Yes, we now go back to November 1990 when the contractor finished our home.
We were at the time working and living in Indonesia.
We received a letter from our friends who kept an eye on the construction and they mentioned: 'The gazebo is up and roofed...' 
I recall reading that very sentence THREE times!
WHAT? A gazebo, we only had discussed that but we already had brochures from Pennsylvania for building our own wooden one after we finished work in Indonesia.
We were very anxiously coming home...
There it was; in the middle of the garden, in front of our pond!
Through our veranda window you see it.
That was the wrong spot! 
Pieter ordered to have it moved, adjacent to the house and in line with the veranda steps for a walkway from there towards the gazebo.
Walking such a long distance with a tray for coffee or tea or whatever on it, was not practical.
So they did move it with a huge crane and we split the bill...
That's my Dad on a stretcher taking his nap and me in a chair in November of 1990 when Dad helped us move in...
Don't you agree that this was an odd spot for our gazebo?
Even though we had not ordered this gazebo, we liked its construction and we used it for barbecues with friends and neighbors or for breakfast and lots of tea and coffee times with family and friends.
So that was the history of our gazebo and by moving this entire building they must have hit the wiring some how and making it a shaky connection at times. But we got new power wiring now with a constant working connection. 


46 comments:

  1. oh, i like the gazebo a lot! i don't care where they would have located it! :)

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  2. Dearest Theresa,
    We did care,as walking with your tray over a washed concrete tile path is a lot easier as over the grass. Oh sure we have LOVED this gazebo, it is spacious, functional and beautiful.
    Hugs to you,
    Mariette

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  3. I'm glad you got those problems under control. Gazebos are always redolent of relaxing times and Summer days, and yours is perfectly situated overlooking the lawn and the water.
    --Road to Parnassus

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    1. Dear Jim,
      We both are very much relieved for having tackled this big problem. The gazebo is now in its perfect spot and no longer blocking the view of our pond, when seated in the veranda or even from our bedroom...
      Kindest regards,
      Mariette

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  4. Mariette, this is a lovely gazebo! I'd spend hours out there enjoying the breeze relaxing with a good book. Love the tile roof!

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    1. Dearest Sarah,
      Oh, you are right about the breeze as this gazebo is in the right spot now for always feeling a breeze. It is not a tile roof, those pieces of aluminum are just called 'Slate' as they do resemble natural slate. But you will get to see more about it in detail.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  5. it's so great that your husband can do so many handy work. The gazebo looks great, and even if it wasn't what you initially wanted, I am glad that it worked out, and that it is still standing

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    1. Dearest Daniela,
      Oh, my husband is really a true sentipede handy man! We of course love this gazebo and have used it so often. Those brochures of the ones we wanted to build ourselves were of far smaller ones. By far not as practical.
      Hugs to you,
      Mariette

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  6. Dearest Mariette,
    this gazebo is such a lovely place to sit and relax and enjoy your garden :O)
    Love and hugs
    Claudia

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    1. Dearest Claudia,
      Oh, for many a tea we enjoyed viewing our pond and overlooking the garden...
      Hugs to you,
      Mariette

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  7. Liebe Mariette,

    das ist wieder FASZINIEREND!

    Sonnige Grüße
    Elisabeth

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    Replies
    1. Liebe Elisabeth,
      Danke, ja es war eine Menge Arbeit aber jetzt ist es perfekt.
      Sonnige Grüsse zurück!
      Mariette

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  8. Hi Mariette, I just love the gazebo! Great post.

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    1. Dearest Linda,
      Thanks, wish we could sit and enjoy a cup of tea in it...
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  9. Dearest Mariette,
    How wonderful your husband did another great job☆☆☆ Having Gazebos in our house must be one thing we dream of. How gorgeous it must be having tea there and enjoy your fabulous garden, my dear friend♡♡♡

    Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

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    1. Dearest Miyako,
      Indeed, husband Pieter did finsih a great job! Our gazebo is such a nice extension from our home. We enjoy it very much.
      Love and hugs back from Georgia,
      Mariette

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  10. What a great gazebo. I can see having coffe with family and friends in it would be very nice.
    It is good you have the power on now.

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    1. Dearest Kay,
      Oh sure, for coffee or tea with family and friends this is such a great place! Power is on and all is working again. A lot less worries.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  11. Hola Mariette. La casa es una preciosidad, el cenador una maravilla y tu, una preciosidad. Son unas fotos fantásticas. Todo lo que hay en ella es belleza. Un abrazo amiga. Besos.

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    1. Querida Enma,
      ¡Qué dulce comentario! Sí, es un lugar encantador para nuestro cenador del jardín y también fue un tiempo maravilloso cuando con mi papá. ¡Muchas gracias a todos por sus elogios!
      Besos,
      Mariette

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  12. Dearest Mariette,
    your both of working for the garden it was problem but Pieter did wrice his book his for daughter.
    The Summer mouth was so many waterning it rained enough.
    But your job has done for the culprit vider the gazebo.
    I really enjoyed to looking at your garden with all the time.
    Hugs and thinking of you!
    Michiko

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    1. Dearest Michiko,
      Glad you enjoyed looking at the different pictures and yes, it was quite a job for solving this problem. Mission accomplished!
      Hugs to you dear friend!
      Mariette

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  13. Dearest Mariette...I agree, the original location looked like the gazebo was just plunked down any which way. Now the gazebo looks like a part of the landscape. And now you have power and all!I would be out there with an electric kettle to have tea at all times.
    Enjoy your day...........*s*

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    Replies
    1. Dearest Suzi,
      It looked really like being plunked down in that original spot; blocking the view from all rooms in the house...
      Having tea is easy, also as a guest, staying in the Rose Suite by using the Rose Stepping stones towards the gazebo, from the little patio.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  14. Oh Mariette, wie gut mir dein Gazebo gefällt! Es steht jetzt an einem viel besseren Platz als früher, aber es ist toll, dass der Zufall diesen Pavillon überhaupt zu euch gebracht hat! Und die Fotos von früher sind schöne Erinnerungen!
    Ich freue mich ebenfalls, dass wir jetzt auch durch Google+ verbunden sind! Leider habe ich es noch nicht geschafft, mein google+-friends in meiner Seitenleiste zu zeigen; eine andere Bloggerin hat mir geschrieben, wie sie es gemacht hat, aber so hat es bei mir nicht geklappt... Und auch diese "Leiste", die du unter deinem Posting hast (to recommend the post on facebook etc.) erscheint bei mir nicht, obwohl ich sie in meinem Layout ausgewählt habe. Weißt du vielleicht, was da falsch sein könnte?
    Alles Liebe, Traude

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    1. Liebe Traude,
      Danke das du unser Pavillon auch so magst! Ja, wir kamen gerade heim von einen Mini-Urlaub nordlich von Atlanta und ich werde dir gerne helfen; etwas Geduld...
      Ganz lieber Gruss,
      Mariette

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  15. Lieve Mariette,
    op de eerste foto lijkt het bijna alsof je in de boom bent geklommen om de foto te maken, maar dat denk ik niet, toch?! Wat goed van je man Pieter dat hij nog zoveel zelf doet.
    De gazebo is prachtig hoor! en de plaats is nu inderdaad beter!
    Fijne dag!
    Nicole

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    1. Lieve Nicole,
      Néé hoor, die is vanuit de veranda genomen door het raam. Die hulstboom staat net op de hoek, naast de trap die naar het pad uitkomt dat tot het tuinprieeltje leidt. Ja, met zó'n man ben je wel gezegend!
      Lieve groet,
      Mariette

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  16. Liebe Mariette,
    ist ist wunderschön, dass du uns immer wieder so tolle Einblicke
    in dein Leben gibst. Alles sieht wunderscshön und geschmackvoll aus.
    Einen schönen Abend wünscht dir
    Irmi

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    1. Liebe Irmi,
      Ja, Einblicke in unserem Leben wo ich oft gerne das heutige mit das vergangene irgendwie verbinde. Es zeigt auch wie unserem Lebensweg gelaufen ist; ob er irgendwie in eine Sackgasse endete oder weiter führt mit schöner Aussicht...
      Lieber Gruss,
      Mariette

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  17. How great you were able to get power to the gazebo without too much of a problem, this took me back to when I helped my dad run power down to his garage, I was only a little girl at the time

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    1. Dearest Jo-Anne,
      Oh we're both so glad that this has been dealt with! Not knowing where to look for the problem is hard and this solution is the best of all. Just an entirely new power wiring and the problems are past!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  18. Dear Mariette,
    Your beautiful gazebo is in the perfect place to enjoy the pond and garden, yet close enough to carry some lovely treats! I do love the copper roofing, too! Oh, your dear Pieter has worked very hard, but the love of his beautiful home shows in all of his labors. What a lovely, cool, shady spot to enjoy a summer day! Hugs xo

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    1. Dearest Karen,
      Thanks for your comment about our gazebo! It is now very convenient for carrying a tray down.
      It is not a copper roofing but ALUMINUM in an Aged Copper color!
      Guess the past half year we've done more work than other years but we aim to be free from maintenance for a lifetime (roof) and painting for a long time to come. There will be always little things for repair and maintenance as you both very well know too.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  19. Dearest Mariette,
    I LOVE your gazebo!!! I hope you get to enjoy it this summer! It must be great to sit there and enjoy the view and the shade with a good book and a cup of tea or coffee! Your veranda is gorgeous too!
    Hugs from the Alps :)

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    1. Dearest Anna,
      We sure will get to enjoy it, maybe later in summer. The weather is good enough here even through November. Thanks for loving it.
      Hugs back from Georgia,
      Mariette

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  20. I think your gazebo is situated perfectly. What a lovely place to sit down and relax. Did Pieter do all the wiring himself? I tried to see if it was him on the photo, but I am not sure :-) If he did, it must have been a lot of work and tiring with those high temperatures!

    Have a lovely day!

    Madelief x

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    1. Dearest Madelief,
      Sure Pieter did it all himself, as mentioned in the sentence above the first photo. It is a lot of sweating; whatever you do here in our garden! But for that you enjoy the shower even more and you feel fresh and reborn.
      Hugs to you,
      Mariette

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  21. So you only discussed about gazebo and contractors put it there just like that? What were they thinking... Glad it is such beautiful gazebo though :-) If I ever live in the house with big yard, I would love to have one like yours. It must be so nice to have breakfast and tea time etc there. Your husband Pieter is amazing to do wiring himself! He is much more skilled than those contractors!

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    1. Dearest Tamago,
      Yep, that's right. We told them that later, after our 3-year contract with Indonesia was over, we would build our own. What use was there for a gazebo while working and living in Indonesia? But it worked out very well; thank goodness. But when we read that letter it was a scare!
      Guess you are right about being much more skilled than those contractors. Yesterday we got back from a 3-day stay at the new Hyatt House in Cobb Galleria Atlanta. There were so many flaws that workers created just by doing a sloppy job. A pity that people don't take pride in their job anymore. What is the purpose of using high end materials when you mess up things?
      We were so lucky for having three perfect days. We had another thunderstorm last night after returning home...
      Hugs to you,
      Mariette

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  22. Liebe Mariette,

    Ich finde Euren Pavillon sehr schön! Und wenn ich es richtig verstehe, wurde er noch einmal versetzt, da er zu weit vom Haus entfernt aufgestellt wurde.
    Meine heutiges Englisch - mangels Übung ;-) ... aber ich lese heraus, daß Ihr gar keinen Pavillon wolltet und dennoch einen geliefert bekommen habt? Der zudem noch an einem falschen Ort aufgestellt wurde?

    Das Buch ist bestimmt spannend. Wir des das auch auf dem Markt geben?
    Ja, in einem Garten gibt es immer genug zu tun. Schön, daß Dein Mann sich im Garten freiwillig betätigt. Manche Männer haben dazu ja nicht so die Lust und gehen lieber ihren eigenen Interessen nach oder ruhen sich aus ...und frau "darf" die schwereren Arbeiten draußen übernehmen ...

    Liebe Grüße nochmal und noch einen schönen Sonntag!
    Sara
    http://herz-und-leben.blogspot.de/

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    1. Liebe Sara,
      Danke das du unseren Pavillon so schön findest; wir auch! Es stimmt das wir 'noch' kein Pavillon wollten damals da wir ja drei Jahre immer in Indonesien zur Arbeit waren. Erst später wollten wir selber eins bauen. Aber es war da und so mitten drin damit wir keinen Ausblick vom Haus auf den Teich mehr hatten... Es ist versetzt worden und so ist es auch schön und praktisch um mit ein Blatt hin und her zu laufen.
      Nein das Buch ist privat es wurde vom Mannlieb ganz von Hand mit den Füllfederhalter geschrieben; alle 182 Seiten...
      Wir haben immer gerne zusammen im Garten gearbeitet und natürlich ist Mannlieb stärker als ich um manche schwere Arbeit zu tun.
      Lieber Gruss und schöner Sonntag für dich.
      Mariette

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  23. Dear Mariette,your veranta is so beautiful,so as the gazebo!!!
    I like the new location !!!
    Dimi...

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    1. Dearest Dimi,
      Glad you like our veranda and gazebo. Oh, this new location is so much better than the original one. We are glad we had that corrected right away in 1990 while we were working and living in Indonesia.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  24. cara Mariette un gazebo troppo chic, io amo i gazebo sono così eleganti e raffinati, il tuo è proprio così <3 un bacione e buona domenica!!

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    1. Cara Elly,
      Un gazebo nel estate ci serve molto. È anche abbastanza grande.
      Baci e buona domenica notte.
      Mariette

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Thanks for your visit and comment.

Mariette...