Allis, not Alice

I just found out that I had been spelling the name of Dave’s dog Allis wrong the whole time I’ve been writing this blog.  It’s Allis, not Alice.  Come to think of it, I’ve been thinking of Allis as an Alice the whole time I’ve known her too. Turns out she is named after Dave’s Allis Chalmers WD45 tractor.  Great name.  I’ve since corrected it on the blog.

Incidentally, the spelling and pronunciation of a name go a long way in helping me associate and remember a person and their personality.  In other words, I think of people (and animals) in terms of how their names are spelled and pronounced.  For example Katie is completely different from Katy or Kady, just as Zach is different from Zac or Zak. Even though those sets of names are technically pronounced the same, they’re just not the same to me.

Which is why my Alice mistake is such a bummer.  It’s almost as if I’ll need to spend more time with Allis so I can get to know her as an Allis and not an Alice.  I guess I’ll have to find something else for Dave to do at my house once those donations to the “Tile Thomas’ Kitchen and Den Fund” come rolling in.

Stretch it out, Allis

Allis in Wonderland

My contractor, Dave Pritchard, has a Weimaraner named Allis.  She is the prettiest dog and a joy to have around the house.  She is so obedient, and mostly hangs out under the construction trailer in the driveway.  She is also very protective.  Even though it’s my house, she still barks when I come up the driveway.  I guess that is because she has spent more time there than I have.  It’s no wonder she feels a sense of ownership of the property.

Yesterday when I went over to visit with Dave, I took Allis a rawhide bone.  I did this to thank Allis for guarding my house during the day, but also as a way of saying thanks to Dave for all the great work he has been doing. I figured by making his dog happy, I’d make Dave happy too. Allis sure did appreciate the bone.  She immediately took it in her mouth, made a loop through the house, and then ran outside to begin working on it.

Above are a few photos I took of Allis and her bone.  She doesn’t know it yet, but I have another one in the car to give to her the next time I see her.

Work to be done

I’m a very detailed person. And so, naturally, when it came time to select a carpenter for my simple project, I asked around, checked references, did my due diligence, all in an effort to find someone who was honest, fair, and skilled at what they do. At the end of the day, I selected Dave Pritchard from Black Hawk to be my contractor.

Dave was recommended by my friend Andy Hackleman, has worked for several trusted people in town, and has a reputation for quality work. Above is a list of work that I gave to Dave on his first day on the job. Although there have been a couple of unsuspected events to come up in the process of tearing out walls, he and his Weimaraner, Allis, have been a joy to work with thus far.

The list will serve as a sort of “Table of Contents” for this blog. It lists most of the projects I will be undertaking on the front-end and provides a sense of the types of changes being made to the house.