Nyquil day part 2

My cold has gotten worse. I had to admit defeat and will probably cancel my busy day tomorrow. I had a slight burst of energy earlier and packed one box!

The aches have gone away and were replaced by a hideous scratchy sore throat and I can't quit coughing. Thanks Russ, for advice of the saline nose stuff, I'll try that next time :) Counting the minutes until my next dose of Nyquil....

Here are a few games I found, it took me forever to figure out the one called levers and fly guy is just a fun interactive animation:

Fly Guy

Levers

A nyquil day....

I have had one too many swigs of nyquil today. I still have the sore throat, runny nose and the aches, but I don't care!

I went to the house with every intention of working on the floors, they were dry and ready for the third coat but I just admired them and came back home! They look really nice-smooth and shiny and a third coat will make them look even prettier. Starting Sunday I am going to start boxing things up and moving in (I hope). I'm not really looking forward to moving all of my stuff downstairs, because I remember how much fun/horrid it was moving it upstairs!

I just thought my plumbing woes were over at the apartments. The plumber called today to "update" me. I knew it was bad when he said that. He got one of the issues taken care of, but the problem with the drain will be more involved. I have the smelling salts and muscle relaxers ready for when I get the bill so I'm all set!

Time for another swig of nyquil and a slather of vicks!

Second coat and another clog...

Even though it was colder outside than the directions suggested, we went ahead and put down the second coat on the floors. The directions on the can said it would only effect the drying time, so I wasn't too worried.

We got a bit of rain during the morning and most of the day. It has turned to snow now, there is a blanket of it outside. A few days ago it was warm enough for the air conditioner! I think this up and down temperature is what made me start feeling sick. I woke up this morning with a sore throat and it has progressed to body aches.

The plumbing probems must not have been a big deal, the plumber came and went while I was out and when I got back it was all fixed. Then when I get home from doing the floors there is a message on my machine-a different unit in this same building has a clogged washer drain!!!

I joked with Rick earlier saying that I either needed to learn to be a plumber or marry one-not thinking it was as funny as I did, he said that the second option would be cheaper! He doesn't appreciate my sense of humor, but at least he isn't pouting anymore! The only thing he said about my apology card/chocolates was when he pulled the chocolates out of his backpack the next day: "these chocolates are addicting". Hmmm, I guess I'll take that as his apology/acceptance of my apology?!!

Check out the amazing photography of Zenia Le.

I'm going to swig on my nyquil bottle and dream of a cheap plumbing bill-I hope everyone has a good weekend :)

Maybe it was the fumes....

I FINALLY got a coat of the sealer down today. I stood back and surveyed my handywork and felt that the hard work wasn't all that bad and had paid off-but I was high from the fumes at the time, so no telling.

I have 2 more coats to go with light sanding in between coats, and it worked out pretty good-I bought three cans and it took one can for the first coat for all 3 rooms. The company that makes these must be pretty proud of them at about $30 a gallon.

Here is a picture:



The plumber comes over tomorrow morning to investigate my 2 new plumbing woes. He even laughed and said we have to quit meeting like this. I hope I still have a sense of humor when I get the bill.

There was a big mess up with the bill for Rick's surgery. The doctor he used WAS in the network plan, but the hospital the doctor suggested WASN'T. A few days ago we get a statement from the insurance thinking it would have the deductible only-there were too many zeros! We finally got it cleared up thank goodness, the hospital administration lady was so friendly and said they would eat the difference. So today we get an adjusted bill, whew!

Thanks again Russ for suggesting "A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana" by Haven Kimmel-it was a great book, I read it in 2 sittings. She has such a way of writing and her sense of humor was great. I can't wait to read the other one you suggested "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim" by David Sedaris.

I have to say, the book I am reading now (listed on the right under reading/watching) called "Being Dead" is one of the most bizarre books I have ever read. I found it by accident at a used book store. It's so morbid. It begins with 2 grueseome murders and gets worse. Somehow this writer has hooked me-I want to put it down, but I can't!

No wonder I always liked grannies cooking! But seriously, Letti's cooking is looking pretty good!

Petey, pouting, and the plumbing gods...

Rick found this picture yesterday of Petey as a puppy that we hadn't been able to find since we took it:



He is still cute, but sometimes I wish they stayed that small!

Today was not a particularly good day.

A stupid argument between me and Rick kept us from working on the house today. I think he is still pouting-I even apologized for my end of it and got him a silly "I'm sorry" card and some chocolate-to no avail.

I was doing laundry today at my apartment and while I was outside with the dogs I heard splashing noises under the house. I opened the crawl space door and to my horror my laundry water (and who knows what else) is draining directly under the house in the crawl space.

Not long after that, one of the renters tells me that his sink and tub faucets are not putting any water out. I was telling a friend earlier and she said I must have done something to upset the plumbing gods!

It seems everytime I turn around I am having plumbing troubles. I have owned these houses for years and just recently it is one problem after another-I have my plumber on speed dial for goodness sakes.

Other than that I had a pretty good day

A weeks worth of work...

in 3 days. That is what I have been up to-trying to get too many things done in not enough time. I think I just about did it but everything hurts and what doesn't hurt is numb!

I finally got the floors completely sanded down-they look nice. Tomorrow I'm going to put the polyeurothane down. It feels good to be over the tough part finally. This has been my friend/enemy for the last few days:



For some reason this machine/torture device makes me have to hunch over the slightest bit and my lower back suffers. Then to make things even more fun/horrid you have to use this machine/mini torture device to get around the edges:



Sounds lots of fun huh? It gets even better-not only do you get to do this once, but twice!!! I had to start out with a medium grade paper to get the waxy build up and old sealer off then go over it all again with a fine grade paper to make it smooth.

All in all it is worth it-when it is all done it looks beautiful and so easy to maintain. I have a rental that I did 7 years ago and the floors are still holding up well even with renters moving in and out over the years.

I hope my chiropractor has an opening tomorrow! Hope everyone had a good Monday :)

Plans derailed....

I planned on working on the house today, but I got one of my apartments rented so I had to go and do some last minute things over there. It wasnt too bad, the last renter left it moderately clean so all I had to do was sweep/mop, dust the ceiling fans/mini blinds, throw out the stuff she left behind and change the locks. She left me a note telling me where to send her deposit-after moving out with 8 months left on her lease!

Rick is starting to get the flu so looks like the rest of my week will be fun taking up the slack around here, trying to get the house ready, and playing nurse. This will be my new address soon-



Just kidding, it't not that bad...yet!

I'd just forget to water it!

My summer home.

My computer is trying to tell me something.

Let me just write you a check.

Stuck in the middle

I didn't get anything done on the house today except buy the supplies that I will need for tomorrow, so I thought that was at least something! If all goes well tomorrow I will be well on my way to be moving in or at least packing this weekend.

I have a couple of friends that have been together for 8 years. They are going through a breakup. It is so hard to try to be friends with both of them and not get in the middle of it. I am doing a good job so far, but it is getting harder and harder as it progresses.

Rick has sided with one of them. I refuse to do so. I want to try to remain friends with both of them. If I hang out with one of them, the other will call and want details. I try to be vague about the details without trying to sound vague.

So today I am on the phone with one of them, and the other one shows up at my place wanting to talk. Shortly after, the other figures out what is going on and calls and wants to know what is going on. I don't like to lie, but I refuse to divulge details that are told to me in confidence. It gets trickier each time.

Rick has sided with the friend he thinks has be wronged, which I understand. I have been in each of their shoes and see both sides of the issue. But I am afraid that at one point I am going to have to "choose" between them because they seem to be wanting that.

I was in that same situation when I left my ex. My ex seemed to want to draw a line in the sand and make our common friends choose between one of us. I didn't realize how this affected people until now that I am in that situation. I see what our common friends were faced with.

I have a new perspective on the past, about how new relationships can define old ones.

Dog days

It is still supposed to be too cold to put the sealer on the floors tomorrow. Tuesday through Saturday is supposed to be in the high 50's so I'll get it done then. I'm hoping to be packing/moving by the end of this week or the first of next week. So tomorrow I'll probably work on painting the trim in the spare bedroom. We were going to wait and do that after the move in, but I might as well do it now while we are waiting. If not I have a few other things I can do.

After we move in, I'm getting my dog Taylor back from my ex. My vet said their best guess was that he was an american foxhound maybe with some beagle mixed in.



I found Taylor at the local shelter. He was a stray hours away from being put down. When I walked by his pen he ran to the gate, sat down, put his head down and his paw up-that was all it took! Whoever had him before trained him very well. He wont jump up on people, responds to several commands, and wont jump on the furniture.

It'll be a nice change to have a well behaved dog around the house again! The other two are so spoiled and think they are the bosses. Randy and Petey have Rick wrapped around their paws and he counteracts any discipline I try to instill in them. I finally gave up. Here is a picture I took of them recently-I couldn't get one of them without the green eyes showing up.

Too many martinis

I can't thank everyone enough for your kind thoughts/prayers/good vibes on the comments on the last entry. It made me, as well as my parents feel good to hear them.

I decided to cut loose last night and went to a martini bar with some friends. That was my first mistake. The second mistake was thinking they were so tasty I kept getting more. I do love a good dirty martini though!

I paid for it today, boy did I. I had that nagging headache most of the day and couldn't focus.

In my stupor this morning, ahem, afternoon I read my email. There is one from my Dad. Something about my aunt and uncle and my Mom and Dad going to Sante Fe. I took it to mean a local restaurant and didn't think twice about it. Later my sister calls and informs me that is was the CITY not the restaurant.

This is weird on a few levels. My parents haven't been out of town since a Las Vegas getaway in 1982 and they are not the spontaneous type. The aunt and uncle they went with used to double date/party with my parents back in the 60's so there is no telling what they are all up to!

I'm glad they went. My Dads email said he hopes it will take her mind off of everthing. I hope they stay away from the martinis!!

From bad to worse..

Today the only thing I got accomplished was a much needed grocery store run. The last week has been odd.

My parents are the type of people that won't ask for help. Not sure if it is pride or the way they were raised. Over the years my Dad has asked me for a major favor twice-major for him, not me. Once I bought him a pair of glasses when he was short on money and one time I picked him up when his car broke down.

He calls me last week and tells me that my Mother has a tumor-nothing major he says. From knowing how he is, I keep badgering him for more information. Nothing. Then I keep calling and badgering and finally get out of him that it is cancerous, but nothing major, its localized and the surgery will be a snap. Once again I keep badgering him. Nothing. Even my Mother won't budge.

Finally I get the whole story out of him (or so I thought). He tells me that it hasn't spread but the doctors want them to go to MD Anderson in Houston, just in case he says. We live in a town where people move here just to be near our wonderful medical centers, hospitals, cancer centers etc., so I know something is up.

Today I finally hear from my Sister. She called our Grandfather and he told her that the cancer has spread to bone and lymph. This we didn't know. Now I've got to try to badger more out of my Dad which won't be easy.

The harder part will be to get him to realize that there is support out there, money wise. They aren't wealthy and my Mothers insurance has lapped. So tomorrow, armed with my internet search printouts of all the information I found, I'm going to go get to the bottom of this and try to convince them that sometimes you just have to accept help.

The warm welcome

I was prepping the floors for the sealer today and the sander went kaput. I'm hoping it just overheated. My ex got custody of a lot of the power tools, the sander being one of them. I had to borrow this one, so I'm hoping I didn't fry it. Otherwise I'll be shopping for a new one to replace it soon!

I took it as my cue to quit for the day. I got a lot done before it quit working, so if it starts up again tomorrow I can start putting the polyeurothane on. If not I will hand sand it-I'm determined to get this house done darnit!

I had that overwhelming feeling today, like I had so much to still do. A friend stopped by the house today to say hello and see what had been done. She hadn't seen it since it was still in bad shape and she was impressed of how much we had done so far. That made me feel better, seeing it from someone elses view I guess.

We got a "warm welcome" note today, actually it was a notice to tow stuck to the windshield. Some civic minded neighbor decided that instead of reminding us that the inspection sticker on a car we have parked over there was up on December 31, they would call the city to have it towed. I would understand if it was a junk car sitting on blocks, but this is a nice Lincoln!

I told Rick a story of a man in East Texas whose neighbors starting calling them in for every violation he even came close to breaking on the restrictions. He finally got fed up and read the restrictions and saw that it didn't mention exterior paint color. Ours doesn't either. I'm thinking day glo green and pink-it'll match the day-glo orange notice to tow sticker nicely.

I wouldn't really go THAT far, but can you imagine the neighbor's reaction to that when they couldn't stand a nice Lincoln innocently setting there in my driveway?? What really interests/irks me is that you can't see the inpection sticker unless you walk up to the car and look in the front windshield that was facing the house-so someone was really being nosy.

Practicing what he preached.

The phone call is coming from inside the hospital?

Odd & gross food stuffs-at a store near you.

When is the annual book burning?.

A lazy Sunday

Today was a good day overall. I was lazy and slept in too long but I managed to get my computer work done as well as work on the house. Rick's father got the electricity box moved for the light bar and got the medicine cabinet up. I almost cried (not really) but it was nice to see it up finally!

Now I have a place to store all the drugs I'm going to need from having to pack and move!!!

It is amazing to see his father patch the sheetrock. There were 3 large holes that had to be cut to get the electricity box moved over. After he got through, you couldn't tell they were there at all. That is one thing I never got the hang of over the years so I was very appreciative of all the pointers and tricks he showed me tonight.

Tomorrow I start sanding the hardwood floors and hope to get the firt coat of sealer on. The weather is supposed to be warm enough for it.

Cuba is jealous.

But it doesn't help with divorce rates.

New Years resolution??

With everyone talking about their resolutions for 2005 it got me to thinking.

It's not that I'm afraid of failure, but I hate to make a promise to myself and not keep it. Last year it was to start going to the gym. I did halfway decent, I went for about 9 months, then work and my sleep schedule got in the way. Rick goes religiously every day.

The year before that it was to save more money. My savings account right now has $2.50 so you can tell where that went!!

The year before that it was to quit smoking. I was still with my ex at the time. I told no one so I wouldn't have to put up with the pity stares if I quit and then started back up. After my head quit spinning "The Exorcist" style and my ex came out of hiding I felt bad about the whole ordeal.

So this year I decided to make a resolution not to make any more resolutions. I will live this year on a day to day basis.

I'll continue to treat others well, eat as healthy as I have been, and try to stay on the right track-but I'm not making any resolutions or promises I can't keep. (This all sounds like a resolution to me, are any of you buying it???!!!)

Weekend Assignment #42: Winter Tales

Weekend Assignment #42: Winter Tales is: Share your favorite story of Winter cold -- preferably (but not necessarily) involving something freezing inconveniently and humorously.

Extra credit: Name a song that reminds you of winter that's not Christmas-themed.

I have the tongue frozen to the metal pole story as well as the left the car window down overnight during a snowstorm happen to me over the years but the funniest/oddest story happened a few days before Christmas.

We had a snow/ice storm about 2 days before Christmas and it got down to about 5 degrees. I called my parents to make sure they didn't need any supplies since I have an SUV and can get out easier than they can in weather like that. My Dad answered and was in a tizzy. My Mom could be heard in the background yelling and panicking. Finally my Dad calmed down enough to relate the story.

My Mom had let their chihuahua (Corky) go out in the backyard to do her business while she started some laundry. No less than 3 minutes later she went to call her in and Corky just stood there in the middle of the yard not moving. After some whistles and yelling my Mom goes to pick her up and to her horror finds that she is frozen to the ground!

I think Corky was more traumatized by my parents reaction than being frozen to the ground!! I had to drive over to their house to calm them down and reassure them that Corky would live to be pampered another day! I realized that Corky has it way better than I ever did living at home!

Whenever I hear "Que Sera Sera" by Doris Day it immediatly reminds me of snow. It was 1998 when my town was having a major blizzard. I was snowed in and watching "The Man Who Knew too Much" on AMC cuddled up on the couch. We were featured on CNN all that day as the town in Texas that had a 250 car pile-up due to the blizzard.

Slip N Slide

We had a lot of rain yesterday then it got below freezing last night. My car looked like someone hosed it down before it froze. The doors and locks were frozen shut and it took lots of elbow grease to scrape the windows. When I finally thought it was defrosted enough on the front one, I turned the wipers on and the blades tore because they were still partially frozen to the glass. My stairs were solid ice as well as my driveway. The streets were worse.

I miss my fireplace on nights like this. My wall heater is not cutting it-I can't wait for the central heat in the new place. The way I felt today, that may be winter NEXT year! It was too cold to apply the coat of sealer to the floors so we took a day off. It looks like this weekend it will be warm enough for that.

Rick asked me earlier how many houses I had renovated. I hadn't kept a tally, but after some thinking back I came up with 25 and one 4000 square foot office building. The office was the one I was most proud of with my last house coming in a close second.

It was an eyesore inside and out when we bought it, it had sat vacant for about 4 years and no one would touch it. We got a good deal on it and after we got through (2 months later) it was a sight to see.

Since my ex got it, Rick thinks I should feel like that was a waste of my time. Looking back I don't feel that way. Whenever I see it I feel that same sense of pride I did back when it was still mine, I sigh and think to myself I did that.

He was showing off.

Say it don't spray it!

Just bouncing through?

Future plumber.

Do I really NEED a medicine cabinet??

This medicine cabinet/light bar installation in the bathroom is getting to be a headache. Ricks father came to help move the electricity box over so the light bar will be centered. The old electrical box is too big so I got a smaller one at the store today. On top of it being the wrong one, there is a stud right behind where it needs to go. One of these days it may work out!

I'm glad his father came to help-I would have made a comical yet maddening mistake had I done it. The light bar has globes that point down and I probably wouldn't have taken that into account so the globes would have hung down enough that the medicine cabinet would have hit them when opened! Years ago I did a similar thing at my first house when I installed a medicine cabinet then decided on a nice gooseneck faucet. When I opened the medicine cabinet after admiring my handywork, it banged against the faucet. Live and learn.

I've been toying with an idea for a project this summer. There is a lot of wasted space off of the kitchen for the laundry area. If we walled some of that off and moved the washer/dryer forward-voila-a master bath. There would be enough room for this nice whirlpool tub I have been eyeballing everytime I go to Home Depot.

I did get the storm window that was on inside out reversed the right way. It went without a hitch thank goodness. Tomorrow I hope to have the medicine cabinet/light bar up and have the hardwood floors prepped for the sealer. Getting to the end seems to be taking up too much time-I want to get packed and ready to move before all the friends that offered to help realize what they are in for and change their mind!

The mystery buoy.

The singing gunman!

I wonder if her crown fell off?

Don't wear this in the wilds of Africa.

Flamingos and Poodles

I don't feel like I got very much done on the house today. I got the sheetrock and studs cut out for the medicine cabinet, the hole cut for the electrical box where the light bar goes and patched the edges around where I mismeasured the width of the cutout for the medicine cabinet!

It was slow going since there was 2 layers of sheetrock and the studs were 2x6's instead of 2x4's. I discovered a little bit about past owners of the house as I did this. The inner layer of sheetrock was wallpapered with pink flamingoes with a black and green swampy looking background.

Underneath that layer of wallpaper it got worse. It featured pink and yellow poodles sitting on teal green pillows surrounded by teal green vases full of palm fronds. There was also some art deco fleur-de-lis patterns in gold around that.

Over the years from remodeling rent houses and a few that I have personally lived in I have a small collection of bits and pieces of wallpaper I have saved just for fun. I frame them and have them hanging here and there. I was so disappointed I couldnt save any from the flamingo or poodle paper since they were so brittle and fell apart when I tried.

I tried to find a picture of it on google but only found out that Elvis had poodle wallpaper in his bathroom at Graceland!

Finally some good news.

I hope I never have to use this advice!!

An odd place.

I look like my dog.

Blame it on the real estate agent...

I have been very busy with getting the finishing touches on the house. I start on the floors tomorrow or tuesday depending on how tomorrow goes.

I tried to install the light bar and the medicine cabinet yesterday but at one point I decided I was quickly getting in over my head. There are a few wires that need moved and that is where I drew the line, even though the power was cut off I wasn't confident enough to move them and trust that I wouldn't create an electrical fire later. I could just see someone flicking a light switch later on and snap crackle pop.

I decided to clean all the windows inside and out on Saturday which meant taking the storm glass and screens off. I get to the last one which is the laundry window and something was odd. I kept trying to pull the glass out and the track was all wrong. By that time I was tired and it took me a moment to realize that someone had put the storm window on backwards! You have to go outside to open the window??!!

Whoever owned this house before either had some odd handymen or didn't know what they were doing, I keep running into things like that. When I was cleaning under the sink I noticed the water supply to the ice maker was hooked to the hot water line. Rick always laughs and blames it on the dang real estate agent (which was me!).

This was how I felt yesterday-minus the heels!



This is coming from a church?? (Not safe for work or if kids are around)

Extensive interactive graphics, maps, photos, simulation and other info about the Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunamis. (flash required)

Top 10 most outrageous statements of 2004.

The lazy layman's guide to quantum physics.