Katy Dickinson

WP668 Caboose Restoration Update

Since we moved WP668 into our backyard on 12 May, we have been working on her between other family and job obligations. It will take at least the next year to get the biggest projects done. Our first efforts have been:

• Neatly trimming trees that were damaged during the crane lift
• Setting up a temporary power connection for the ceiling lights so we can work inside
• Sweeping and vacuuming the dust of ages
• Replacing missing and broken glass in windows, cleaning the windows that survived vandalism during storage
• Replacing the fence we took down to move WP668 in
• Buying and installing the car stops
• A prior owner of WP668 cut through inside and outside walls to install a big window. He just made the hole - the window was never added. We have removed the cut 1"x6" tongue and groove interior planks above and below the hole and are installing new 2"x6" fir tongue and groove exterior boards to fill the hole. We will eventually replace the interior boards also.

The caboose originally had 6 small sash windows that rose between the interior and exterior walls plus a 2 piece sliding window in each bay plus 2 sidelights in each bay. There are also glass windows in the doors at each end. We are retaining and restoring (or replacing) all of the windows except the one sash cut out by the prior owner since that wall will eventually feature floor-to-ceiling glass fronted bookcases. We are still working on filling the exterior wall hole. John and Paul primed the new fir tongue and grove boards last weekend with white paint. John is filling the irregular cavity spaces between the interior and exterior walls with cut-to-fit rigid foam insulation.

It was my job to remove the interior boards around the hole. I found that getting 91-year-old fitted and nailed boards out without splitting them is tricky. We saved the pieces in case we need original wood for repairs elsewhere. We are leaving all interior work until it starts to rain again next Autumn.

Someone asked why we have named WP668 "Kate Hall". The name comes from Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew (Act II, Scene i), a play from about 1590 much-quoted to those of us named Katherine:

• PETRUCHIO
  Good morrow, Kate; for that's your name, I hear.
  
• KATHARINA
  Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing:
  
  They call me Katharina that do talk of me.
  
• PETRUCHIO
  You lie, in faith; for you are call'd plain Kate,
  
  And bonny Kate and sometimes Kate the curst;
  
  But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom
  
  Kate of Kate Hall, my super-dainty Kate,
  
  For dainties are all Kates, and therefore, Kate,
  
  Take this of me, Kate of my consolation;
  
  Hearing thy mildness praised in every town,
  
  Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty sounded,
  
  Yet not so deeply as to thee belongs,
  
  Myself am moved to woo thee for my wife.
  
• KATHARINA
  Moved! in good time: let him that moved you hither
  
  Remove you hence: I knew you at the first
  
  You were a moveable.
  

Posted at 10:01AM Jun 01, 2007 by katysblog in Caboose Project and Other Trains  |  Comments[2]

131 Apply to SEED So Far (2007-2008 Term)

We are in the application period for the 2007-2008 SEED Engineering mentoring program Recent Hire and Established Staff terms. Sun's Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development, Greg Papadopoulos sent email to Sun Engineering worldwide on 21 May opening the application period. Since then, we have received 131 impressive applications:

• Applicants: 131
• Completed Applications: 12
• By Organization:
• CTO/Sun Labs (inc. HPTC): 1 [ 1% ]
• Microelectronics: 6 [ 5% ]
• Sales (GSS): 7 [ 5% ]
• Services (GSS): 11 [ 8% ]
• Software Group: 80 [ 61% ]
• Storage Group: 6 [ 5% ]
• Systems Group: 17 [ 13% ]
• Worldwide Operations: 3 [ 2% ]
• By Work Location:
  • APAC (Asia Pacific): 1 [ 1% ]
  • Americas (outside USA): 1 [ 1% ]
  • China: 23 [ 18% ]
  • Czech Republic: 9 [ 7% ]
  • EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa): 2 [ 2% ]
  • France: 2 [ 2% ]
  • Germany: 3 [ 2% ]
  • India: 18 [ 14% ]
  • Ireland: 3 [ 2% ]
  • Russia: 5 [ 4% ]
  • USA
    • Central USA: 10 [ 8% ]
    • Eastern USA: 13 [ 10% ]
    • Western USA: 41 [ 31% ]

SEED generally receives over half of its applications during this last 24 hours before the deadline so these patterns may or may not be representative of the eventual totals. All applications are due today, 1 June, by midnight, Pacific time (in about 15 hours). All additional materials (resumes, letters of recommendation, etc.) from applicants who made today's deadline are due 8 June. The Selection Committees meet 13 June. The Recent Hire term runs September 2007-September 2008. The Established Staff term runs September 2007-March 2008. We plan to select about 80 participants, divided roughly evenly between Recent Hires and Established Staff.

More information on SEED is available at http://research.sun.com/SEED/

Posted at 08:43AM Jun 01, 2007 by katysblog in Mentoring & Other Business  |