On the Home Front

This past November we put our house on the market. As it turned out there was virtually no interest in the house. It was priced too high, the yard has too many trees, and not having a furnace tends to scare away potential buyers. Winter hit hard and early and people just don't want to house hunt in the snow. We lowered the price once, but then decided to take it off the market, unwilling to lower it any more.

I'm not keen on cutting down the trees, nor can we install a furnace, but we can continue to make minor updates to the house. It might improve the marketability of the house or maybe we'll make it into somewhere we want to stay (although it is a bit smaller than we would prefer). Since de-listing the house, we installed a utility sink in the basement, hung some insulation, and replaced all the hardware on the kitchen cabinetry. Obviously I am using the term "we" loosely. It is super helpful when doing home improvement projects if your other half is capable of doing pretty much everything himself.

Next on the list is a slightly larger project- replacing all of the interior doors. The original dark brown doors are pretty beat and look rather dated. Eventually we want to replace them all with white 6 panel doors to match the ones I had installed on the family room level when I had it finished 4 years ago. Also on the to-do list is a new light fixture for the dining room and doing something about the flooring in the master bedroom. Our real estate agent described the carpet in there as "interesting."

The list of things we could do goes on and on, but that's just part of home ownership.

Tell me again why I want another dog?

Today was even warmer than Wednesday, and so after work Mr. Dog and I again went-a-walking. After a quick change of clothes and eating a bit of frosting from a spoon, that is. Mr. Dog was a little jealous since he had to wait until we got home to eat his dinner.

I'm still vacillating on the house numbers. I don't think the brass will show up against the siding, and black seems odd when there isn't a speck of black anywhere on the house (OK, I'm exaggerating, there simply must be black somewhere). I guess I need to start by deciding if I'll put them on the siding or on the trim. BerryBird has got me all paranoid that I may be breaking some town ordinance.

After discovering that FF's little dust mop of a dog had peed all over Mr. Dog's dog bed, I rushed out to pick up a new one. I've lost count of how many we've gone through. The first several Mr. Dog ripped open and ate the fluff, but I can't recall the specific demise of the rest. The one that got peed on today was filled with cedar chips, which I imagine don't go through the washing machine very well. I'm not sure that this new one was the best choice, as Mr. Dog keeps trying to flip it over. Why won't he just curl up inside its nice chenille softness?

Because You Asked Nicely

The old:

The new:

I'm done with this month

Today was another good day in student teaching land. I'm starting to learn names. We did a lab today and I think we'll be doing another tomorrow. Snacks were a good idea.

On the home front, I showered today with water heated by my new used hot water heater. Its previous owners only used it for a couple months before replacing it with a gas version. It was given to me free of charge, and my contractor installed it for half the price another guy quoted me at. I hope it will live long and prosper. And perhaps be more energy efficient. I'd considered taking a picture of it, but then I realized no one else would be interested.

I'm experiencing a stabbing pain in the front of my right shoulder. It seems to be most associated with reaching for the mouse at my work computer. It's not cool.

Also not cool is this frigid weather. I would like to state my objection to the leap year business. I don't think anything should be done to elongate February. Couldn't we tack an extra day onto June?

Hot Water

This morning I enjoyed my first hot shower since Friday. It was luxurious, but just about every second the water was running I was worrying that it would be the last drop of warmth.

The weekend involved draining the tank twice, a broken valve, and a ice-cold shower. There was microwaved water to brush my teeth with (they're very sensitive to temperature) and more microwaved water to wash my face with.

Now there's the prospect of a new tank to replace the 28 year old one that is clearly giving up the ghost.

The good and the bad

I was about to write a post about what a great day I had visiting with Crunchy Forester when I heard an unusual sound. I tried ignoring it, but it didn't stop. I set my laptop down, paused The Sound of Music, and headed down towards the basement with dread. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind the sound was unnervingly familiar.

As I suspected, the sump pump was dry heaving. But alas, the expert is in town. I dashed back upstairs to phone my mom on her cell. She advised to unplug the misbehaving beast and volunteered her husband's aide.

So now I wait for them to arrive. Hopefully parts won't be needed, as 9:30 on a Sunday night is not the best time to need a hardware store.

You must be kidding.

All you homeowners out there, feel free to nod along knowingly.

FF discovered recently that there are water spots on the ceiling in the catroom (obviously a room I attempt to avoid like the plague, therefore not having much opportunity to spy on the ceiling). You may remember that my father had a new roof put on the house before I bought it. That's right, folks, the roof is just over a year old and it's leaking.

I promptly phoned the roofer, who I've never met nor spoken to, only to have him inform me that he's gone "out of business." Curses. If I weren't so dreadfully exhausted I might be freaking out.

Just now while attempting to hunt down a piece of mail I'd thought I'd left on the kitchen table (it turns out it was on the coffee table, which is odd because I never put mail there), I flipped on the dining room light switch. Flash! And dark. I turned off the switch and tried again. Flash! And dark. Because I clearly was at a loss for what else I might do, I tried several more times, with the exact same result. I don't get it.

Seriously though, is this the kind of shit I can expect on a daily basis as a homeowner? Can't I have a day or two in a row without something breaking or going wrong? Whoever put this curse on me, what do I need to do to lift it?

Stuck Inside on a Beautiful Day

I've gotten my most important schoolwork completed. That certainly doesn't mean all of it but enough where if I could I would be outside enjoying this gorgeous sunny day. But alas, that is apparently not to be.

The painters showed up just before noon and are planning to finish the job today. My car is blocked in and the doors must be left open to dry so I won't be going anywhere anytime soon. I am sad to miss such a lovely day of course, but I am also anxious for them to finish. When they are done, the whole project will be complete. I look forward to having my house all to myself again.

Contractor has not returned the key yet because of a cat-related situation that I've asked for his help with. The hateful beasts have pulled the brand new carpet loose from around the brand new tile floor. If I can't get it fixed and prevent it from occurring again, they could unravel pieces that run the full length of the room. Have I mentioned recently how much I hate cats? If I didn't have so many other things to worry about this would probably be causing me to freak out.

Does anyone want a very loving, litter boxed trained black and white cow kitty?

Evil Darkness

The painter started spraying the aluminum siding on my house today. I hate picking paint colors with a passion, so I picked the one that seemed to me to be the closest to the current color. (I know, you are wondering why I'm bothering to spend all this money to have it painted. Well, I'm wondering the same damn thing.)

As I was driving home from class, FF called and said "I see you decided to go with a lighter color." Uh oh. I specifically told the painter that I wanted it to be essentially the same color. Perhaps he misunderstood? English is, after all, not his first language and I have difficulties with his heavy accent. Perhaps he doesn't care for mine either.

What's really killing me is that it's dark by the time I get home from class, so I can't see the damn siding. I have to wait until morning!

I'm already so super stressed with school and work that I had the most elaborate and looong chase dream last night. It was scary and awful and kept going and going even when I would wake up and go back to sleep. Now I have the added anxiety of a paint color that I may hate and will have to live with for decades to come.

Bullets of Procrastination

• I spent all day yesterday on the couch watching TV. I still feel slightly stuffed up and very sniffley. I hope it doesn't develop into something much worse.
• Obviously, I didn't do any schoolwork yesterday. That leaves today. Oy.
• The sub-contractor my contractor lined up to do the exterior work has bailed on him, so he is here today trying to get the work done himself. He'd already moved on to another job in another town because he'd finished his end of the work. Or so he thought. Needless to say, the banging is a little distracting.
• Even though it's mostly cloudy, the solar has been running occasionally, helping to bring the internal temperature up a few degrees from the rather chilly start of 61.
• I took a break earlier and vacuumed the entire house. It's a little odd when vacuuming becomes a form of procrastination and not something that you procrastinate to avoid doing.
• I've gotten it in my head that I may need reading glasses. I'm thinking a run to a store might be in order to try on some of those over-the-counter glasses. That doesn't sound like procrastination, does it?
• Fine, I'll go back to reading that fascinating article on reform in undergraduate science classrooms.
• Right after I eat some Nutella.

Bullets of Bad Mood

• My lawn desperately needed to be mowed so I thought I was being productive by getting that taken care of early in the day. Unfortunately, although I got the lawn mowed, I've been unable to do any schoolwork at all on account of the post-mowing head congestion.
• Because of that I am in miserable mood. I keep wondering why I am doing this to myself, and how I am possibly going to get through all of it. Most days I feel increasingly stupid and incompetent.
• The interior portion of my construction project is essentially done. I spent hours last night vacuuming the newly installed carpet and cleaning the new bathroom. Today I hit Target for some essentials, like a trash can and bath mat.
• I have a classmate who is constantly pursuing me, which is doing nothing to ease my stress levels. I haven't the time, energy, or interest to be bothered.
• In fact, I can't be bothered with much these days.
• All I really want to do is watch TV and sleep.

Thursday Morning Bullets

• Mr. Dog finally had a normal bowel movement last night. Yay! I never thought I'd be so happy about poop.
• Placement #2 went much better than #1. Not only were they expecting me, but they were very welcoming as well. I'm excited about the selection of classes I'll have the opportunity to observe.
• Since I know you're all dying for an update on the construction project: Contractor has installed and painted all trim and hung the two new doors (closet and basement). He has closed in the backs of both sets of stairs and put in the new window (which actually locks- good for one's peace of mind). The shower walls are up and the vanity is in place. I think that about covers it.
• This heat needs to Go. Away. It's impacting my much-needed sleep. Plus, it's almost October. Enough already.
• I'm expecting to get sick at any moment. We've been warned that since our bodies are not used to the normal onslaught of germs in the school system that the new student teachers/observers often come down with something when they first start. Yippee.
• My dinner last night consisted of four cookies and a small granola bar. That should help keep me healthy, right?
• I think I'll go make some herbal tea.

Foul Mood

I am in a foul mood. Just thought you all would like to know.

1. I hate H0me Dep0t. I will not be going back there. If that means having bare bulbs dangling from the ceiling because I refuse to return to pick out light fixtures, so be it. Isn't that what I'm paying Contractor all of this frickin' money for? So I don't have to frickin' load a solid surface vanity top into my car BY MYSELF. Thank you to the stranger in the parking lot who helped (as opposed to the store employees who did not).
2. Now my back hurts from unloading the fool thing into my garage.
3. I got no school work done last night on account of the baloney with H0me Dep0t.
4. I was so angry and upset I couldn't fall asleep.
5. I would like to say nasty things to Contractor right about now, but I don't see where that will help in the long run. Plus, he can't know that things he does on a daily basis are tantamount to hell for me. I suppose.
6. I so don't want to be at work today.
7. And I so don't want to do that stinkin' birthday party tomorrow.

I hope y'all are feeling more cheerful on this lovely Friday morning.

Bullets of Too Busy For Anthing Else

• Before I knew I was starting my master's program this semester I agreed to lead a birthday party Saturday. Now I am kicking myself. The small fee I get paid is not worth the added stress and the loss four hours of prime studying time. I have two papers to do over the weekend. I wish there was some way I could get out of doing the party, but there isn't. At least the weather should be pleasant and warm.
• My new girly doctor seems very nice. English is clearly not her first language, but she is much easier to understand than my last one. I think I talked to her more today than I ever did with my former girly doctor who I saw for years. Now I'm just hoping all goes well and I don't have to go back for 12 months. What a joy that would be. And a novelty.
• This has been one of those weeks when being management ain't all that much fun. It's a lot like babysitting. How old are these people anyway?!
• Contractor finally returned this morning after a nearly 3 week hiatus. He's more or less insisting that I go to H0me Dep0t tonight to pick out the vanity top for the new bathroom. I feel like telling him I'll get to it in a week or two.
• FF had gotten me six tiny pumpkins to line my front steps with. This morning I discovered one had been all but devoured by the rat-bastard squirrels. Two more were no longer pristine. I brought the remaining three inside to protect them. Between neighborhood youth and evil rodents, how can I enjoy my festive pumpkins?
• I still haven't watched the season premiere of Prison Break, which I love. All of the other shows start next week. Thank goodness I have a DVR. I don't know how I'll keep up with both my homework and my TV!

Mowing vs. Reading

Since I already chose to mow the lawn instead of do my reading after work tonight, I might as well compound the problem with a little blogging. At least my lawn looks better now. I can't even remember when I mowed last. It's been so horrendously dry that the grass hasn't grown at all.

Not mowing has been kind of nice actually. My head is now echoing from the noise and my nose is entirely snuffed up. Joy. But lest you think I am complaining, let me be clear. I would rather mow twice a week than have to shovel snow. Ever.

The panic over my assigned readings is starting to mount though. If possible, I think I have more than last week. I have this idea that I can do all of my school work Thursday and Friday evenings and during the day on Saturday and Sunday. That way I wouldn't have to crack the books on the nights I have class (Monday through Wednesday). If I don't get my act together, that will end up being some sort of pipe dream.

House-Related Bullets

• My fifth grade teacher walked by with his wife the other evening when I was outside doing yard work. It strikes me as sort of surreal that something like that can occur at all. It seems atypical of America today that I now own the home I lived in as a child.
• I have finished the majority of the poison ivy removal from the "garden" in the front yard. I also removed said garden and have sown grass seed throughout most of it. I will put down seed in the last section tonight after I attempt to do some leveling with the rake. Little bits of PI keep poking back up, but that's to be expected.
• My contractor has returned. In fact, apparently he was at the house twice last week and I just couldn't tell.
• He texturized the ceiling and primed the walls. Today he is starting to lay the tile floor.
• I felt bad because he picked up the wrong tile, and then had to return it. I had written Milano Walnut, and he picked up Milano Almond. Not the same thing.
• He also reframed my garage door, so that if H0me Dep0t ever gets their act together, everything will be all set for the installation of the new door and opener.
• FF just called and informed me that there are five guys at my house right now working both inside and out. And that one of them "blew the place up." Fantastic, it's not a frickin' port-a-potty, folks. Stay out of my bathroom!
• I can't wait until this is all finished and I can revert to my hermit style. I don't like people in my space.
• I don't even want to think about how my poor plants are faring. Hopefully, they can survive if they get trampled.
• I like and trust the contractor doing the inside work. The outside people, I know nothing about them. I can only hope he keeps an eye on them.
• Sigh.

In and Out

My parents borrowed their friends' pick-up truck to bring me my stuff (not a good sign). It's stacked on the bed in the cat room three boxes deep and three boxes high.

I did, however, send them home with two of my dad's staple guns, their wet vac, and their air purifier. All of which were still left from the initial cleaning phase last fall. After they left I found several other items that I will attempt to pawn off on them soon.

Then I ran a small load of stuff to the donation center. There will certainly be more, but this way I was able to avoid even bringing several items into the house. I took:

• one bag of clothes that had been previously prepared and has been shuffled around room to room as it got in the way of various projects
• plus four clothes items from my own closet
• five pairs of shoes (including two pairs of Steve Madden mules/clogs)
• one pair of boots
• one stack of dishes from my college/Florida years
• one candle holder with the tag still on

I also informed my parents of the new gifting policy. No knicknacks unless I've specifically requested them. They seemed to understand after having packed all of those boxes and then seeing my basement.

I actually did something!

Here's what I got done last night:

• two shelves of books (not organized but out of the box at least)
• which emptied one box completely and part of a second
• put clothes in 5 drawers in the dresser
• which had previously been stacked on the bookshelf
• FF gave the cat room a thorough vacuuming
• and I brought one unopened, brand-new tooth brush to work with me to leave as a grab item in our break room (it is not a style I would ever use and was a freebie from the dentist- must learn to say "no, thank you")

My parents did not end up bringing my stuff last night, but they warned me that there is a lot of it. Fabulous.

No construction work was done yesterday except for the delivery of sheetrock, which was conveniently stacked blocking the stairs to my basement. Uh, thanks guys. I really hope they come back today to hang it.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent the cats from scratching the tops of all my furniture (i.e. buffet, old sewing machine table, new handmade table from the farmer's market)? I usually keep everything piled with items to prevent them from jumping up on them in the first place, but I hate the cluttered look and feel of that method. All you cat people out there, do you just sacrifice your furniture for the love of the feline?

Cutting Down

One of the bloggers I enjoy reading, Riana, has been writing a series of interesting posts on simplifying her life and cutting down on her consumerism. She's calling it "A Slow Year".

I've been reading along and thinking how fabulous she is for doing what she can but that I wouldn't be able to do it myself. And then my parents called last night. They will be showing up tonight with my belongings that were left at their house in the years since I moved out. I own a three bedroom house and it's full. I have random pieces of furniture plopped in odd places waiting for the family room to be completed. The basement is so stuffed already that there is just a narrow path leading to the washer and dryer.

I've had enough. So I'm brainstorming on things I can do to cut down on my possessions.

First, I'm considering issuing a request to my family: no more nicknacks or claptrap. If it collects dust or takes up space I don't want it. If I can't eat it, wear it, or read (always an exception for books!) it, I don't want it. If I haven't specifically requested it, I don't want it.

Second, I need to tackle what I already have. Can I donate it? Throw it out? Return it to its rightful owner (namely mum or sis!)?

And third, organize what I keep. The piles of crap, they have to go.

I realize this sounds ambitious. I recognize it would mean actually putting forth some effort and pulling myself away from the Law & Order reruns I've already seen twice. But I can't live with boxes stacked in my living room. The time for action has arrived.

Bullets of too tired to write more

• My birch tree is being devoured by Japanese beetles. They are practically swarming. The leaves have been reduced to lace and are scattering over the lawn.
• What is happening to le Tour de France? I nearly drove off the road on my way home from work when I heard about Rasmussen and Vinokourov on NPR. What on earth...
• Construction has commenced! The hallway and linen closet have been framed in. Siding is in the driveway. Wow.
• I finally started training my replacement at work today, which means that I may get to assume some of the tasks that go with my new position someday soon.
• Things are so unsettled at work right now. Practically every week things change. It's a bit stressful.
• I've been rereading A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle. She is one of my all-time favorite authors. I find her writing so inspiring.
• As a result, I've been journaling again. I had stopped journaling in my spiral notebooks altogether since the break up with FF. I'd dumped so much into them during that time that I had negative associations with the whole concept. It feels good to be journaling again. It was something that I let slide during much of our relationship, so it feels good to regain the things that matter to me.
• I continue to meet my weekly goal of a minimum of two walks per weekend. In fact, I exceeded it by one walk this week. Go me!