My morning started out on the wrong foot. Or the wrong toe.
A few weeks ago, the county picked up all the roadside dumpsters, the kind you always see along the road, about 4' by 6' or so. In place of about eight or ten of them, they put one great big one. It's really cool. You pull open the door, drop your bag of trash inside, and when you close the door, the motor turns on and it immediately crushes the trash. I like it because it stops "dumpster divers," and it minimizes litter around the area which sometimes blows out (or never makes it in!!) the dumpsters. It's cleaner, neater, more sanitary.
As I left for work, I picked up the trash to drop at the dumpster on the way. I pulled into the unloading pad, and went to open the door of the dumpster. Well! It was completely full, and I mean full to exploding! And it more or less did explode when I opened the door! A bag of someones trash fell out and dropped on my big toe! It hurt! And it is still hurting tonight. No, it isn't broken, because it didn't hit right for that. It hit on the edge of the nail, and I'm sure it has bruised deep in the flesh. I can walk fine and all that, but it just hurts, even tonight. What a start to my day.
I got to work and tried to call the company to advise them, but I got one of those lovely phone systems that gave me eight or nine choices. I finally selected what I hoped was the right one, and there was a recording saying that she was in today but away from her desk, and if I needed immediate assistance to call another extension. I did, and got the same message from that person!! I tried the third number given, and when it went to the automated response again, I hung up. I got busy and didn't call again. I will tomorrow.
They did pick up the dumpster today, 'cause on the way home, there was a new, empty (or almost so) unit there. I got rid of the bag of trash, and enjoyed hearing the crusher at work. I don't know why that is so satisfying to me, but I suspect it is because it stops dumpster diving. I'm always uncomfortable thinking of someone going through the garbage. Security, sanitation, whatever, it is just not a good thing.
Late last week, I ordered a new laptop. This one is still working, but it is becoming worrisome. Little hesitations in actions, slower loading as time goes on, a broken key (thanks to one of the dogs jumping on my lap while the lap was hosting the laptop), another key that just quit working a few days ago, etc. I will probably keep it for editing my photos, as the 17" screen is really nice for that. The new one is 15". I decided for portability it will be easier for me to have a slightly smaller one.
I'm very excited about it. When I compared the memory and speed of this one to the new one, it was amazing how much I am "moving up." So I decided to go with the low end of the continuum of choices with the new one. It's still 8-32 times better/faster/bigger than I have now! I don't think I need more!
I've been watching the tracking information on the shipment, and I'm thrilled that it will be here tomorrow! I even got a call from the shipping company saying it will be delivered, and I called to confirm it. Now I don't want to go to work! I want to stay home, wait with drool seeping out the corner of my mouth and lunge into the box when it arrives!! Dang! I will have to go to work and do my tasks with drool seeping out of the corner of my mouth all day until I can get home and then play! Any bets on how late I will stay up tomorrow night? chuckle!
When I got home tonight, I did a little work in the back yard. I bought some topsoil to even a few places where there isn't enough soil between clumps of grass. I spread about 250 pounds of it tonight. Tomorrow night I will put grass seed in those spots, water it down well, and then on Thursday or Friday, I will cover everything with peat moss and water it in again. By doing a little of this every year, I have almost completed the process of evening the ground, and there is a nice topsoil bed being built on top of the rocky earth that was there four years ago. I couldn't afford to have it professionally done, so taking it a little at a time have worked for me. The soil under the grass is becoming thicker and richer, and the grass cover is almost complete. Unfortunately my first two plantings were washed away and blown away, and the third one was slightly established when a rain washed away parts of it. Finally, it is nearing a healthy state. It has been a lot of work, but the expense has been spread out over four years, which helps. I'll be glad when it is really done.
One last thing ... the job continues to work out. I'm still finding something new to challenge me almost every day, but I'm overcoming it more quickly with each event. I like the job. Right now, there is a lot of organization and revamping how things are done, but that is something I like to do. I like taking something obscure and making it clear, taking something that is in a state of confusion and making sense of it, taking something that has no visible boundaries and defining what it is, where the limits are and making it all work. The geek in me, I suppose! I wish I had that geekiness at home! LOL! It gets left at the office, I think!
OK, long enough that many of you probably haven't gotten this far. I think that is the cue for me to get off here and consider getting ready for bed! Hasta la vista, y'all!!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel
The insurance adjuster left just a little bit ago, and it was easy-peazy! I will have new carpet soon! I don't have a figure yet, but it looks like they will replace with like value. I'll get the information and a figure in about a week. They are also looking into the trouble with the water heater that was the cause of the whole mess. I don't know if that means a possible replacement or just what. Although it has been repaired and the plumber feels it is still a good heater, I'm glad they are considering all aspects of this. If it turns out to be a faulty heater, I'd certainly rather replace it and avoid a repeat of this!
I'm going to go ahead and look at carpet at the store this weekend. I can start making choices, and have less time out when I have the figure to work with. I also want to look at replacement for the living room. I don't know if I will do it now or later, but I want to begin considering. It is time to replace it, as well.
The adjuster said that the ceramic tiles in the kitchen and laundry room look good at this time. He said that problems might pop up much later, however, and to let him know if they do, because the claim will remain open for an extended period to be sure I'm OK. Wow! I love it when things go so well.
Whew!
I'm going to go ahead and look at carpet at the store this weekend. I can start making choices, and have less time out when I have the figure to work with. I also want to look at replacement for the living room. I don't know if I will do it now or later, but I want to begin considering. It is time to replace it, as well.
The adjuster said that the ceramic tiles in the kitchen and laundry room look good at this time. He said that problems might pop up much later, however, and to let him know if they do, because the claim will remain open for an extended period to be sure I'm OK. Wow! I love it when things go so well.
Whew!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Duty and cuties
My neck and shoulders h.u.r.t. I've spent the last few days hunched over the computer at work, and it is getting to me. But what I'm doing is going to make a tremendous difference in my ability to do the job.
The person I replaced apparently had very good organization skills. The problem is, she didn't think like I do. Her organization makes little sense to me. I struggle to find things in computer files or physical files. She understood her thought process and probably knew right where things were, but I've been struggling with it. She named files in the computer differently than the title of the document. A document titled (right at the top of the form) "Checklist for Cutting Toenails" might be titled on the icon, "Grooming." And, of course, those are both silly names, but you get the idea. It's just harder to find.
Another problem is one that many of us do. On my computer here at home I have dozens, maybe hundreds of file that are old, unused and probably should be trashed. But I rarely get around to weeding it out of the computer. This has been a problem for me because when I look for a file, especially when I'm using it for a task I'm just learning, I get very confused when I find 2, 3, or even 4 of the same document, each with some differences from the others, and I have to figure out which is the correct one.
Sooooo .... I've spent these recent days sorting files and moving the older ones into a folder called "Unused Files." Later, I will try to go through it and figure out if there is any reason to keep them. The good part of this is that in doing this, I'm learning a ton about the job, understanding more each day, and feeling more in command. I've also taken time to really evaluate the forms and make some changes to make them more useful for me. It is also helping me to write a step-by-step manual for all my job tasks. This is so that if someone needs to step in and do my job, it will be easier for them than it has been for me.
I've also created a few new forms to help with tracking certain activities that are essential to be done completely, correctly, and timely or the agency doesn't get paid. Federal and State agencies get very wonky about that sort of thing! The woman who did the job before knew every in and out of it, and she didn't need the reminders, but for me to learn and for people who fill in for me or follow me, it will be a godsend.
Since I've been home, I've had my aroma herbal pack around my neck and shoulders. I reheat it every half hour or so, and the muscles are finally beginning to relax. I'll live.
I got the dogs groomed today, and they look so cute!
I've been noticing some cool signs of spring as I drive around lately. Colts and calves and fawns are everywhere! I love seeing the babies in the pastures and the forest. Such a nice reminder that the cycle of life goes on, in spite of any one of us.
Life is just pretty good at my house. How 'bout yours?
PS - Humorous .... have you noticed when you publish a post to your blog, on the subsequent page where it says "You're blog post published successfully" that some ads come up to the right of the page? I just realized that those ads are based on the content of the post! There were ads for a chiropractor, a pet grooming school, and an employment lawyer!
The person I replaced apparently had very good organization skills. The problem is, she didn't think like I do. Her organization makes little sense to me. I struggle to find things in computer files or physical files. She understood her thought process and probably knew right where things were, but I've been struggling with it. She named files in the computer differently than the title of the document. A document titled (right at the top of the form) "Checklist for Cutting Toenails" might be titled on the icon, "Grooming." And, of course, those are both silly names, but you get the idea. It's just harder to find.
Another problem is one that many of us do. On my computer here at home I have dozens, maybe hundreds of file that are old, unused and probably should be trashed. But I rarely get around to weeding it out of the computer. This has been a problem for me because when I look for a file, especially when I'm using it for a task I'm just learning, I get very confused when I find 2, 3, or even 4 of the same document, each with some differences from the others, and I have to figure out which is the correct one.
Sooooo .... I've spent these recent days sorting files and moving the older ones into a folder called "Unused Files." Later, I will try to go through it and figure out if there is any reason to keep them. The good part of this is that in doing this, I'm learning a ton about the job, understanding more each day, and feeling more in command. I've also taken time to really evaluate the forms and make some changes to make them more useful for me. It is also helping me to write a step-by-step manual for all my job tasks. This is so that if someone needs to step in and do my job, it will be easier for them than it has been for me.
I've also created a few new forms to help with tracking certain activities that are essential to be done completely, correctly, and timely or the agency doesn't get paid. Federal and State agencies get very wonky about that sort of thing! The woman who did the job before knew every in and out of it, and she didn't need the reminders, but for me to learn and for people who fill in for me or follow me, it will be a godsend.
Since I've been home, I've had my aroma herbal pack around my neck and shoulders. I reheat it every half hour or so, and the muscles are finally beginning to relax. I'll live.
I got the dogs groomed today, and they look so cute!
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| Max is so good about posing for me. Sweet, handsome dude! |
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| And Lola, as usual, won't look at the camera when I want her to! |
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| Jazi seemed bored with the "sit still" stuff. |
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| The girls were watching birds at the feeder. |
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| Dear, sweet Joey. He just looked at me and froze! He's such a luv! |
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| But Sam! He couldn't stay awake! |
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| But asleep or awake, he is adorable! |
I've been noticing some cool signs of spring as I drive around lately. Colts and calves and fawns are everywhere! I love seeing the babies in the pastures and the forest. Such a nice reminder that the cycle of life goes on, in spite of any one of us.
Life is just pretty good at my house. How 'bout yours?
PS - Humorous .... have you noticed when you publish a post to your blog, on the subsequent page where it says "You're blog post published successfully" that some ads come up to the right of the page? I just realized that those ads are based on the content of the post! There were ads for a chiropractor, a pet grooming school, and an employment lawyer!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Super Full Moon
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| This shot is a little blurry, but it is a cool photo, nonetheless. |
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| But this one .... knocks my socks off!! |
I have to laugh at myself. I was checking the eastern sky ever five minutes .... yes, I set the time so I would miss it .... and when it peeked over the mountains, it was breathtaking! I grabbed for my camera .......... and realized I'd left it n the car!!!! I made a mad dash and before I could get it focused, the moon was already all the way up. Sheesh! I'm such a goober! I knew I wanted to take pictures, so who didn't I check it earlier, make sure the batteries were charged, etc.?? No, that's too logical. Oh well, those are still great pix.
This has not been my day. I got ready to go to lunch with some friends,, and when I walked to the car, I discovered that I had locked my keys in the car. Damn. A neighbor tried to help, but he couldn't get it open, and I had already called AAA. The driver got here, but he had some trouble getting the door unlocked, and by the time I could have gone, it was more than 2 hours past the lunch time. So I stayed home and did house and yard work.
I didn't work really hard, but I got a lot done. I gave my garden the first watering of the season. I'm seeing some little points of green out there, so it won't be long before I can see what damage the deep freeze did. I also watered all my plants and cleaned the back yard, too. I'll water the grass in the back tomorrow, as it is beginning to show some green, too. I'm eager for everything to grow and bloom.
I have to trim Max tomorrow. I've done all the others. They all developed a thick undercoat during that cold weather, and when it began warming up, it came loose, but instead of shedding, it formed a carpet about 1/2 inch off their skin. I couldn't brush it out, and the de-tangler was not working well because it was so thick. So I began just whacking it off with big scissors. Joey, Jazi, Sam and Lola look better, but it is a rough cut. I've made an appointment with the groomer for next week, and she will make them all cut again. I left Max till last because he isn't as thick coated as the others. But tomorrow I'll lighten his load, too.
I'm glad it is spring. I didn't hate the winter here, but I'm still glad to see warmer weather.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
One mo tahm!
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! I discovered that the song file wasn't working. Thanks Di, for the heads-up! So here it is, my favorite St. Paddy's Day song, sung by Dolan Ellis, State Balladeer of Arizona.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Wishin' you blessin's on the greenest day of the year! Enjoy the song below, the one I share with you almost every year, 'cause I like it a lot!
Go forth and be green!!
Go forth and be green!!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Shorty
Nope, not calling names. Just posting a shorty post.
I was left a comment on my photography blog, and I realized I haven't posted anything there since January 2010. I need to get back to that.
I'm having a busy week. I don't feel like I'm going to have much time to post here, but we'll see how it goes. Lots of good things are going on, but I'm feeling like I'm running behind the train, not quite able to catch the handrail. Why can't we have lots of time for the fun things in life and have the not-so-fun things just zip past? Would someone work on that, please?
And now .... I need to sleep. Oh, could someone work on that, too? You know, lessening the need for many hours of sleep? Thank you. Thank you very much.
I was left a comment on my photography blog, and I realized I haven't posted anything there since January 2010. I need to get back to that.
I'm having a busy week. I don't feel like I'm going to have much time to post here, but we'll see how it goes. Lots of good things are going on, but I'm feeling like I'm running behind the train, not quite able to catch the handrail. Why can't we have lots of time for the fun things in life and have the not-so-fun things just zip past? Would someone work on that, please?
And now .... I need to sleep. Oh, could someone work on that, too? You know, lessening the need for many hours of sleep? Thank you. Thank you very much.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
My weekend in review
If you've wondered:
On my way home Friday, I stopped at a high end consignment shop. I was going to look for some nice slacks for work. I didn't find slacks, sadly. I will need to keep looking. That is something not easy to find here. All the shops are trendy boutique types, and occasionally I find something that is OK for work, but I'm more likely to find very dressy or very casual clothing. I'd already checked at one shop that I've frequented in the past as they carried a good brand of cotton clothing, but they have ceased carrying that line and everything was along the line of bejeweled jeans. gah.
Anyway, at the consignment shop I was disappointed to not find slacks. She says they rarely get slacks and frankly, they don't sell well. As I was walking out, I saw a fabric that was pretty. Yeah, you're right .... I was a goner. I left the shop with four nice outfits. None of them slacks, of course!! LOL!
Two of the outfits are similar in style, skirts and blousy tops of a silky, soft rayon, washable (a must for work, IMO), and both fit me very well. I can wear them to the office, and they are nice enough to wear out for an evening, easily dressed up. One is a dusty blue, and the other is an orange, not always my best color, but this one is great on me. The best part is that I noticed a small ink mark on the blue one, and I wondered about removing it. It wasn't bad, and probably wouldn't have been noticed, but I was just considering if that was OK for me. She looked at it and said she thought it would come out, but she would discount it by 20% to cover cleaning costs. Cool! Then she said both had been there for a while, so she gave me 20% off on each! That made the blue one 40% off!
Another is a gorgeous emerald green linen skirt, narrow, but not tight, and a loose top about hip length. Guess what I'm wearing to work on Wednesday!!
The fourth one is dressier, and I don't see me wearing it to work, but damn, is it gorgeous! It's a tailored blouse of ivory satin and a "broomstick" skirt of a very heavy cotton in the same ivory color. It is so elegant! I can't wait to have an occasion fine enough to wear it!
I love stumbling across finds like that. Oh, BWT, I walked out of the store for under $100. Just amazing! The only problem is .... I need to be careful when I go shopping for slacks again!
It's been a good weekend. I love weekend when things go so well. I've really paced myself so that I haven't worn myself out. I am tired, but not exhausted. I'm going to go get in the shower is a few minutes, have some dinner, then sit down and relax for a while with the pups. I'll probably try to hit the sack around 10:00 to try to have a good night's sleep to be rested and able to get up in time to be at work for an 8:00 meeting. That's actually 7:00 on that first working day after the clock debacle. I don't usually go in till 9:00, so it's like a double whammy. Gah. I really, really hate daylight savings time.
- put my house back in order and clean it - PARTIAL CHECK (almost all)
- income tax finished up - :(
- plant flowers - :(
- take cuttings from geraniums to start - CHECK
- organize my office and empty contents of a couple pieces of furniture that will be leaving my house - PARTIAL (barely begun, but at least I’ve begun)
- make plans for moving furniture between two rooms (exchange the purpose of the rooms) - PARTIAL
- unroll hoses and start watering outside - CHECK
- move indoor plants to the deck for sunning for a few days while nights are tolerable - CHECK
- clean the deck - PARTIAL CHECK
- get hummingbird feeders filled and hung - CHECK
- laundry (lots of it since the "flood" and the humidity that was in the house) - CHECK
- begin getting summer clothes out (not time to wear them yet, but it takes a while to wash and exchange, and the winter things are beginning to feel too warm on most days) - PARTIAL (I packed away about half the sweaters and sweats)
- bake some banana nut bread (I have some old bananas) - :( [froze the bananas]
- clean out the fridge, as there is food in there I couldn't get to during this water leak mess - CHECK
- mop/clean ceramic tile floors and return throw rugs - CHECK
- bathe and trim 5 dogs (possibly the most physically taxing of all this list) - PARTIAL CHECK (4 of 5)
- box up some gifts for mailing to get them off my dining table - :(
- break all the clocks in the house so I don't have to deal with "the big change" - CHECK ;)
On my way home Friday, I stopped at a high end consignment shop. I was going to look for some nice slacks for work. I didn't find slacks, sadly. I will need to keep looking. That is something not easy to find here. All the shops are trendy boutique types, and occasionally I find something that is OK for work, but I'm more likely to find very dressy or very casual clothing. I'd already checked at one shop that I've frequented in the past as they carried a good brand of cotton clothing, but they have ceased carrying that line and everything was along the line of bejeweled jeans. gah.
Anyway, at the consignment shop I was disappointed to not find slacks. She says they rarely get slacks and frankly, they don't sell well. As I was walking out, I saw a fabric that was pretty. Yeah, you're right .... I was a goner. I left the shop with four nice outfits. None of them slacks, of course!! LOL!
Two of the outfits are similar in style, skirts and blousy tops of a silky, soft rayon, washable (a must for work, IMO), and both fit me very well. I can wear them to the office, and they are nice enough to wear out for an evening, easily dressed up. One is a dusty blue, and the other is an orange, not always my best color, but this one is great on me. The best part is that I noticed a small ink mark on the blue one, and I wondered about removing it. It wasn't bad, and probably wouldn't have been noticed, but I was just considering if that was OK for me. She looked at it and said she thought it would come out, but she would discount it by 20% to cover cleaning costs. Cool! Then she said both had been there for a while, so she gave me 20% off on each! That made the blue one 40% off!
Another is a gorgeous emerald green linen skirt, narrow, but not tight, and a loose top about hip length. Guess what I'm wearing to work on Wednesday!!
The fourth one is dressier, and I don't see me wearing it to work, but damn, is it gorgeous! It's a tailored blouse of ivory satin and a "broomstick" skirt of a very heavy cotton in the same ivory color. It is so elegant! I can't wait to have an occasion fine enough to wear it!
I love stumbling across finds like that. Oh, BWT, I walked out of the store for under $100. Just amazing! The only problem is .... I need to be careful when I go shopping for slacks again!
It's been a good weekend. I love weekend when things go so well. I've really paced myself so that I haven't worn myself out. I am tired, but not exhausted. I'm going to go get in the shower is a few minutes, have some dinner, then sit down and relax for a while with the pups. I'll probably try to hit the sack around 10:00 to try to have a good night's sleep to be rested and able to get up in time to be at work for an 8:00 meeting. That's actually 7:00 on that first working day after the clock debacle. I don't usually go in till 9:00, so it's like a double whammy. Gah. I really, really hate daylight savings time.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
What a weekend I have ahead
I have so much to do.
Those are the big things. There are probably twice as many little things. gah. I feel totally overwhelmed and incompetent right now. So what am I doing? Sitting on my duff and blogging! Yeah, well. That's how I deal with it. Avoidance works for me. Oh, I have several rented movies to watch! Perhaps I should .... no, no, Lyn! Not until later!
The monstrous and live-saving fans and dehumidifiers all left yesterday morning. What a blessed relief it is to have my quiet home back to, well, quiet again. So nice! I was able to hang most of the clothes back in the closet last night, although I'm going to wash all of them systematically over the next week or so, to be sure no residual moisture remains that could cause mold. I still have some clothes not hung (they fell off the hangers in the process), and I'll probably begin with washing them this morning.
I was able to move most furniture back into place. A few pieces, I chose to leave "bunched," thinking it might save moving it again when the adjuster comes. Then I talked to him last night and because of the huge amounts of damage around the State during the freeze in Feb., a wildfire that destroyed and damaged many home in Silver City, and wind damage a few days ago in some places, he is behind. He will be here on the 24th. Yep, it will be that long. I was rather perturbed at first, but when I thought of the big picture, my inconvenience is relatively small. At least I have a home, one without smoke damage or a missing roof. My pipes never broke and did damage far worse than I have. So I'll move more furniture back into relative order soon. It is what it is, right?
OK, I seriously do need to get busy on this stuff. Anywon want to come spent the weekend? I'll make you work, but I'll feed ya really well, too? The sign up list follows, called "Comments"! Any takers? C'mon, you know you want to!! chuckle!
Later, all! Have a great weekend!
- put my house back in order and clean it
- income tax finished up
- plant flowers
- take cuttings from geraniums to start
- organize my office and empty contents of a couple pieces of furniture that will be leaving my house
- make plans for moving furniture between two rooms (exchange the purpose of the rooms)
- unroll hoses and start watering outside
- move indoor plants to the deck for sunning for a few days while nights are tolerable
- clean the deck
- get hummingbird feeders filled and hung
- laundry (lots of it since the "flood" and the humidity that was in the house)
- begin getting summer clothes out (not time to wear them yet, but it takes a while to wash and exchange, and the winter things are beginning to feel too warm on most days)
- bake some banana nut bread (I have some old bananas)
- clean out the fridge, as there is food in there I couldn't get to during this mess
- mop/clean ceramic tile floors and return throw rugs
- bathe and trim 5 dogs (possibly the most physically taxing of all this list)
- box up some gifts for mailing to get them off my dining table
- break all the clocks in the house so I don't have to deal with "the big change"
Those are the big things. There are probably twice as many little things. gah. I feel totally overwhelmed and incompetent right now. So what am I doing? Sitting on my duff and blogging! Yeah, well. That's how I deal with it. Avoidance works for me. Oh, I have several rented movies to watch! Perhaps I should .... no, no, Lyn! Not until later!
The monstrous and live-saving fans and dehumidifiers all left yesterday morning. What a blessed relief it is to have my quiet home back to, well, quiet again. So nice! I was able to hang most of the clothes back in the closet last night, although I'm going to wash all of them systematically over the next week or so, to be sure no residual moisture remains that could cause mold. I still have some clothes not hung (they fell off the hangers in the process), and I'll probably begin with washing them this morning.
I was able to move most furniture back into place. A few pieces, I chose to leave "bunched," thinking it might save moving it again when the adjuster comes. Then I talked to him last night and because of the huge amounts of damage around the State during the freeze in Feb., a wildfire that destroyed and damaged many home in Silver City, and wind damage a few days ago in some places, he is behind. He will be here on the 24th. Yep, it will be that long. I was rather perturbed at first, but when I thought of the big picture, my inconvenience is relatively small. At least I have a home, one without smoke damage or a missing roof. My pipes never broke and did damage far worse than I have. So I'll move more furniture back into relative order soon. It is what it is, right?
OK, I seriously do need to get busy on this stuff. Anywon want to come spent the weekend? I'll make you work, but I'll feed ya really well, too? The sign up list follows, called "Comments"! Any takers? C'mon, you know you want to!! chuckle!
Later, all! Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Interesting and encouragng day
The SM crew came out this morning. Things are drying well, but not complete, yet. The good news is they removed all but SIX of the fans!!
This morning, before they came, I turned off one fan for a few minutes while I cooked an egg, and I discovered that by turning off that particular fan, the noise was enormously decreased! It was off balance or something, and it was the source of about half the overall noise! Good grief! I made very sure they would take that one with them, of course!
They will return on Thursday for another check and perhaps take the rest. There is still a little moisture registering right at the line of the baseboards, and of course, we don't want to stop too soon. I might have fans through the weekend. We'll see. At any rate, it is quieter and I can almost walk through the kitchen and bedroom now. The fridge and refrigerator are still pulled out, but that is easier to deal with in the absence of the fans.
I had some excitement when I left for work. just over a mile down the highway there were three llamas in the highway! The ServiceMaster crew had left 4-5 minutes ahead of me, and they were there. We both called the sheriff, as did two women in another pickup right behind me. Then the two women and used out trucks to herd the llamas off the highway. They ran into a fenced yard of a house, and I followed them, I knocked at the door, but the house appeared to be vacant. I don't think they lived there, because they were still looking around as if it was unfamiliar territory.
The Sheriff arrived and suggested we simply close the gate and keep them safe. He radioed it in, gave the address to the dispatcher to give to the owner when he/she called, and we all left. As I came home this evening, the gate was open and there was no sign of the llamas, so I'm assuming they are safely home.
I looked on the internet about the size, because one was huge. He looked to be 7-8 feet tall at the head, but the information I find is they are 4-6 feet. At any rate, he was one big ol' boy! The others were smaller and seemed to have been shorn more recently. The big guy had a massive coat that came almost to the ground! And it appeared to make his body look twice as wide as I think it was, compared to the others. They were magnificent animals! And I didn't have my camera!!! A few pics from the internet:
Once again I was in that place for a straying animal. What is it about me? Well, I'm glad I'm there as often as I am.
Later!
This morning, before they came, I turned off one fan for a few minutes while I cooked an egg, and I discovered that by turning off that particular fan, the noise was enormously decreased! It was off balance or something, and it was the source of about half the overall noise! Good grief! I made very sure they would take that one with them, of course!
They will return on Thursday for another check and perhaps take the rest. There is still a little moisture registering right at the line of the baseboards, and of course, we don't want to stop too soon. I might have fans through the weekend. We'll see. At any rate, it is quieter and I can almost walk through the kitchen and bedroom now. The fridge and refrigerator are still pulled out, but that is easier to deal with in the absence of the fans.
I had some excitement when I left for work. just over a mile down the highway there were three llamas in the highway! The ServiceMaster crew had left 4-5 minutes ahead of me, and they were there. We both called the sheriff, as did two women in another pickup right behind me. Then the two women and used out trucks to herd the llamas off the highway. They ran into a fenced yard of a house, and I followed them, I knocked at the door, but the house appeared to be vacant. I don't think they lived there, because they were still looking around as if it was unfamiliar territory.
The Sheriff arrived and suggested we simply close the gate and keep them safe. He radioed it in, gave the address to the dispatcher to give to the owner when he/she called, and we all left. As I came home this evening, the gate was open and there was no sign of the llamas, so I'm assuming they are safely home.
I looked on the internet about the size, because one was huge. He looked to be 7-8 feet tall at the head, but the information I find is they are 4-6 feet. At any rate, he was one big ol' boy! The others were smaller and seemed to have been shorn more recently. The big guy had a massive coat that came almost to the ground! And it appeared to make his body look twice as wide as I think it was, compared to the others. They were magnificent animals! And I didn't have my camera!!! A few pics from the internet:
 |
| I love how their ears are shaped! And when they are assessing you, those ears almost touch over the head! |
 |
| The big guy was almost this long, but not so well kept. His coat looked like many big tangles. |
 |
| They are so gorgeous! |
 |
| This is almost the look I got from the big guy, but his ears were waaaay up in alert. |
 |
| The large one in this picture is the color of the big boy. The others were white and brown. |
Once again I was in that place for a straying animal. What is it about me? Well, I'm glad I'm there as often as I am.
Later!
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Aftermath
Well, here I am. I'm not sure where that is, but I'm here.
I slept pretty well. True to my guess in the previous post, the droning of those fans seemed to help. I was exhausted, too. Whatever, it was good to sleep the whole night through.
I woke with a thought that ths is one way to ensure a thorough cleaning of the house! It's both "the good thing" and "the bad thing." I'll attack it at a slow pace, because otherwise, I'll crash and burn. There will be no avoiding the cleaning, though.
Currently, I can't do much, however. The fans are plugged into every outlet in the kitchen, bedroom and laundry. If I run the microwave, I'll probably blow a circuit, so I'm planning around that. I could unplug a few fans in that area long enough to heat or cook something, but if I can avoid it, I will. I don't like microwaved food anyway. I use it only to warm something that has cooled (coffee). I reheat most food on the stove, anyway.
OK, the stove .... as it is sitting in the middle of the kitchen, it is inconvenient for any significant use. I can do something simple like eggs. I hesitate to do something like pasta that puts steam in the air for obvious reasons. But the stove in unplugged. It is gas with electric ignition, so if I use it I have to light the burners with the BIC I use to light the BBQ grill. No big deal, just inconvenient. I won't be doing any fancy cooking!
If I run the dishwasher, it will be similar to the microwave. I'll have to unplug fans to avoid blowing a circuit. And it takes a long time to run the dishwasher, so I'll probably just do dishes by hand for now.
The washer and drier have been unplugged. I can't wash clothes without the same problem. Besides, my clothes for last week are trapped somewhere in that jumble in the bedroom. I usually rehang something I've worn, hang it on a hook inside the closet door till I'm ready to wash. I do this to avoid extra wrinkling since I wear a lot of natural fabrics. Now I can't get to them. The doors of the closet, bathroom and bedroom came down, and they are in the bedroom chair and on the bed, mixed in with the rest of the things from the closet. I can't get to them. I'm not even sure how I'm going to dress for work! I'll cross that bridge later.
I guess I'll spend the next few days cleaning the other end of the house, guest room and office. Then, when the damaged area begins to clear up, I'll move there to restore a little as a time as space becomes available. My best guess is that it will be a minimum of a couple weeks before I will see "life as I know it."
I'm supposed to go to a dinner today. I can't cook a dish, so I'm going to settle for a loaf of bread with dipping oil, some fresh fruit and a little chunk of cheese as my contribution. Oh well!
I'm going to go now so I can wail "WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?" without subjecting you to it. ;D No, I just have things to do, for some strange reason!!!
I slept pretty well. True to my guess in the previous post, the droning of those fans seemed to help. I was exhausted, too. Whatever, it was good to sleep the whole night through.
I woke with a thought that ths is one way to ensure a thorough cleaning of the house! It's both "the good thing" and "the bad thing." I'll attack it at a slow pace, because otherwise, I'll crash and burn. There will be no avoiding the cleaning, though.
Currently, I can't do much, however. The fans are plugged into every outlet in the kitchen, bedroom and laundry. If I run the microwave, I'll probably blow a circuit, so I'm planning around that. I could unplug a few fans in that area long enough to heat or cook something, but if I can avoid it, I will. I don't like microwaved food anyway. I use it only to warm something that has cooled (coffee). I reheat most food on the stove, anyway.
OK, the stove .... as it is sitting in the middle of the kitchen, it is inconvenient for any significant use. I can do something simple like eggs. I hesitate to do something like pasta that puts steam in the air for obvious reasons. But the stove in unplugged. It is gas with electric ignition, so if I use it I have to light the burners with the BIC I use to light the BBQ grill. No big deal, just inconvenient. I won't be doing any fancy cooking!
If I run the dishwasher, it will be similar to the microwave. I'll have to unplug fans to avoid blowing a circuit. And it takes a long time to run the dishwasher, so I'll probably just do dishes by hand for now.
The washer and drier have been unplugged. I can't wash clothes without the same problem. Besides, my clothes for last week are trapped somewhere in that jumble in the bedroom. I usually rehang something I've worn, hang it on a hook inside the closet door till I'm ready to wash. I do this to avoid extra wrinkling since I wear a lot of natural fabrics. Now I can't get to them. The doors of the closet, bathroom and bedroom came down, and they are in the bedroom chair and on the bed, mixed in with the rest of the things from the closet. I can't get to them. I'm not even sure how I'm going to dress for work! I'll cross that bridge later.
I guess I'll spend the next few days cleaning the other end of the house, guest room and office. Then, when the damaged area begins to clear up, I'll move there to restore a little as a time as space becomes available. My best guess is that it will be a minimum of a couple weeks before I will see "life as I know it."
I'm supposed to go to a dinner today. I can't cook a dish, so I'm going to settle for a loaf of bread with dipping oil, some fresh fruit and a little chunk of cheese as my contribution. Oh well!
I'm going to go now so I can wail "WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?" without subjecting you to it. ;D No, I just have things to do, for some strange reason!!!
Saturday, March 05, 2011
It's been several days in one
For those of you who aren't on FB, here's my day. For those of you who have read the snippets during the day, here's the full Monty. Fasten your seat belts.
Last night I got out of bed to go to the kitchen about an hour after I had crawled in. I took two steps, and my foot and the carpet went "slosh." I was standing in enough water to cover my toes. I knew immediately what it was. That blasted water heater. I opened the closet, and learned there is no shot off valve on it!! I grabbed a flashlight and skittered down the hill to the well house to turn off the water to the whole house. Well, this was gonna be a great night, wasn't it? I ran a big bucket of well water (meaning not filtered or softened, so not to drink) and carried it up the hill. That way I could at least flush the toilet.
Once that was done, I began emergency measures. I grabbed all my shoes that were on the floor of the closet. Fortunately they were all upright, so they weren't wet up onto the shoe, just the soles. I threw them all in the bathtub. Next I got my carpet cleaner and sucked up water for about 30 minutes. It was still wet, but at least it wasn't covering my toes. I was exhausted, and I decided to wait till morning to finish.
I made out the hideabed in the living room. It is a queen size, better for me and the Five Fuzzies than would be the double bed in the guest room. We snuggled down, and I slept pretty well till about 6:30. I got up and started the sucking up of water which was again as bad as it was last night.
About 7:30 I called the plumber. Turns out he was out on a ranch doing an all day job. I called a friend and asked for another recommendation. Called that plumber, and he said he would be over in just a bit. I went back to sucking water. Doesn't that sound gross? Yeah, well, it is. was looking at several days of fans and sucking water, over and over and over. I was NOT excited by this thought. Now was I thrilled with the prospects of laying out major money to replace the water heater and the carpet. I dumped out around 12-18 gallons of water, but it was still pretty wet.
Meanwhile, a friend reminded me that I needed to call the insurance company. OH YEAH!!! I have insurance!! I stopped and made the call, and before we hung up, they said ServiceMaster would call me and come out to clean up! Hurray!! I was off the hook for the laborious clean up, at least. An adjuster will be calling on Monday.
Then I went back to sopping up the still soaked carpet. When the plumber got here he was astounded. We looked in the closet, and saw that it was still trickling out, even with the water shut off!! Here are some pictures of what it looked like before he arrived.
I took most of my clothes out of the closet and piled them on the bed. Many long things were close to the floor, and I wanted to avoid getting them wet while I slurped the water from the closet floor. By now, my bedroom was beginning to look like a tornado hit it.
The plumber drained the remaining water form the tank. Turns out one of the two elements had quit working and had actually popped out for some strange reason, allowing that trickle of water to keep me from winning in the clean up race. He left to get the parts. He said that the tank is still in very good shape. It should be; it was put in new just four years ago! I was so relieved that it wasn't going to be a full replacement of the whole water heater!
I continued to fight the battle of water while he was gone, and I got a call from the clean up crew who would be here in 1-2 hours. Yippee skippee! I took time to have a sandwich, then went back to work.
The water heater was fixed within minutes of his return and he also installed a shut off valve in case this should ever happen again. I like this plumber better than the other one. He seemed more confident and experienced. He is a really nice man and lives close by, so if there is another emergency, it is handy for us both.
Then the clean up crew arrived ..... lawdy mercy, did they work! They moved furniture (and thanked me for having sliders under most pieces!). They used "super sucker uppers,' then lifted up the carpet and removed the padding. It was so full of water! They cleaned the remaining water from the plywood or pressed wood sheest that are the flooring. They went under the house and removed insulation and plywood that was wet. They ran a detector thingy over all the walls to see how far up the water had soaked (6-8" close to the tank, and tapering off to a couple inches farther away), pulled out the refrigerator, the stove and the dishwasher. They didn't have to move the washer and dryer because they were far enough away to escape the lake.
Then they began placing big, rather noisy fans in the areas to dry it quickly and avoid the growth of mold. They think we got to it quickly enough to do so. Whew. There are 2 fans under the house. There are 10 of them in the bedroom and kitchen, laundry room and closet. There are two huge dehumidifiers in the kitchen and the bedroom. Alone each of those machines is "rather noisy," as I said. Together, it sound like a WWII prop plane is flying through the house! Here is an idea of what it looks like:
It looks to me that the carpet might be saved. The adjuster will decide. I wouldn't mind replacing it, and this would be the time to do so. If he doesn't trash it, I may opt to do so myself. We'll see about costs first.
One real concern to me, to everyone, is the ceramic tile in the kitchen and laundry room. The grout is definitely wet. The head of the crew told me that we can't tell about the flooring under it and the carpet or the tile conditions for several days. I could be in a state of "halfness" for even a couple weeks.
The crew will be back on Monday afternoon. They will assess it and decide whether to leave the fans for two more days. He thinks they will probably remove a few, check again in another 2 days, remove more, etc., until they are comfortable that it is all safely dry. He said sometimes it is just 2-4 days, others it is as much as .... sigh .... ten days. I'm glad they are being cautious and thorough. I just don't relish listening to this irritating roar for very long. Actually, the drone of the fans might, might help me sleep tonight. We'll see.
In the midst of all this, I had Sammy, Max and Lola fenced off down the hall. They tend to get under foot. I let Jaz and Joey stay out because they stayed on the couch or in that area, out of the way. They watched all this with great fascination.
I was also on the phone much of the day. I am the person from the agency who is notified when people die, then I call the doctor, the team staff, the folks who will be picking up the body, the pharmacy (so no medications will be dispensed). Well, today would be the day that we lost two people. It's OK. I was just sitting most of the time once the crew started to work.
What a day it has been. I am very sore in my muscles and joints. I think the vigorous work and the dampness has set off the fibromyalgia. I'll be taking something to help this in a few minutes and again at bedtime. When they said they were going to dry us out, I was excited, thinking that we might get to sleep in the bed tonight, but I didn't realize what all had to be done or how much had already seeped into the cracks and crevasses. Nope, we'll be on the pullout for a few more nights.
What a day. What a day.
Last night I got out of bed to go to the kitchen about an hour after I had crawled in. I took two steps, and my foot and the carpet went "slosh." I was standing in enough water to cover my toes. I knew immediately what it was. That blasted water heater. I opened the closet, and learned there is no shot off valve on it!! I grabbed a flashlight and skittered down the hill to the well house to turn off the water to the whole house. Well, this was gonna be a great night, wasn't it? I ran a big bucket of well water (meaning not filtered or softened, so not to drink) and carried it up the hill. That way I could at least flush the toilet.
Once that was done, I began emergency measures. I grabbed all my shoes that were on the floor of the closet. Fortunately they were all upright, so they weren't wet up onto the shoe, just the soles. I threw them all in the bathtub. Next I got my carpet cleaner and sucked up water for about 30 minutes. It was still wet, but at least it wasn't covering my toes. I was exhausted, and I decided to wait till morning to finish.
I made out the hideabed in the living room. It is a queen size, better for me and the Five Fuzzies than would be the double bed in the guest room. We snuggled down, and I slept pretty well till about 6:30. I got up and started the sucking up of water which was again as bad as it was last night.
About 7:30 I called the plumber. Turns out he was out on a ranch doing an all day job. I called a friend and asked for another recommendation. Called that plumber, and he said he would be over in just a bit. I went back to sucking water. Doesn't that sound gross? Yeah, well, it is. was looking at several days of fans and sucking water, over and over and over. I was NOT excited by this thought. Now was I thrilled with the prospects of laying out major money to replace the water heater and the carpet. I dumped out around 12-18 gallons of water, but it was still pretty wet.
Meanwhile, a friend reminded me that I needed to call the insurance company. OH YEAH!!! I have insurance!! I stopped and made the call, and before we hung up, they said ServiceMaster would call me and come out to clean up! Hurray!! I was off the hook for the laborious clean up, at least. An adjuster will be calling on Monday.
Then I went back to sopping up the still soaked carpet. When the plumber got here he was astounded. We looked in the closet, and saw that it was still trickling out, even with the water shut off!! Here are some pictures of what it looked like before he arrived.
 |
| Entering the bedroom. The baby gate on the left is to keep the pups out of it. Lola liked the slosshy sound when she walked in it. |
 |
| The two doors are into the closet. That carpet is w.e.t. |
 |
| A peek into the closet which was mega wet. The water tank is just to the left, behind a wall. |
 |
| That just makes my stomach clinch to look at it. |
I took most of my clothes out of the closet and piled them on the bed. Many long things were close to the floor, and I wanted to avoid getting them wet while I slurped the water from the closet floor. By now, my bedroom was beginning to look like a tornado hit it.
The plumber drained the remaining water form the tank. Turns out one of the two elements had quit working and had actually popped out for some strange reason, allowing that trickle of water to keep me from winning in the clean up race. He left to get the parts. He said that the tank is still in very good shape. It should be; it was put in new just four years ago! I was so relieved that it wasn't going to be a full replacement of the whole water heater!
I continued to fight the battle of water while he was gone, and I got a call from the clean up crew who would be here in 1-2 hours. Yippee skippee! I took time to have a sandwich, then went back to work.
The water heater was fixed within minutes of his return and he also installed a shut off valve in case this should ever happen again. I like this plumber better than the other one. He seemed more confident and experienced. He is a really nice man and lives close by, so if there is another emergency, it is handy for us both.
Then the clean up crew arrived ..... lawdy mercy, did they work! They moved furniture (and thanked me for having sliders under most pieces!). They used "super sucker uppers,' then lifted up the carpet and removed the padding. It was so full of water! They cleaned the remaining water from the plywood or pressed wood sheest that are the flooring. They went under the house and removed insulation and plywood that was wet. They ran a detector thingy over all the walls to see how far up the water had soaked (6-8" close to the tank, and tapering off to a couple inches farther away), pulled out the refrigerator, the stove and the dishwasher. They didn't have to move the washer and dryer because they were far enough away to escape the lake.
Then they began placing big, rather noisy fans in the areas to dry it quickly and avoid the growth of mold. They think we got to it quickly enough to do so. Whew. There are 2 fans under the house. There are 10 of them in the bedroom and kitchen, laundry room and closet. There are two huge dehumidifiers in the kitchen and the bedroom. Alone each of those machines is "rather noisy," as I said. Together, it sound like a WWII prop plane is flying through the house! Here is an idea of what it looks like:
 |
| Kitchen, totally upended, appliances pulled out. Well, not the dishwasher. There was no water behind it, so they shoved it back. There is a red fan behind the stove and one behind the fridge. The green thing is the dehumidifier. |
 |
| There is the one behind the stove. |
 |
| This is fuzzy, but you can see one between the fridge and stove, and you can catch a glimpse of the one behind the fridge. |
 |
| Going into the laundry room, this one is pointed at a wall that has a small amount of dampness. |
 |
| The bedroom. closet doors and farther down, the bathroom door with one in there, too. |
 |
| All the furniture is shoved to this side which didn't get wet. On the bed are clothes, lamps, hats, and anything else that was in the way. What a mess! I'm not a perfect housekeeper, but this is distressing to me!! I wouldn't make a good hoarder! |
It looks to me that the carpet might be saved. The adjuster will decide. I wouldn't mind replacing it, and this would be the time to do so. If he doesn't trash it, I may opt to do so myself. We'll see about costs first.
One real concern to me, to everyone, is the ceramic tile in the kitchen and laundry room. The grout is definitely wet. The head of the crew told me that we can't tell about the flooring under it and the carpet or the tile conditions for several days. I could be in a state of "halfness" for even a couple weeks.
The crew will be back on Monday afternoon. They will assess it and decide whether to leave the fans for two more days. He thinks they will probably remove a few, check again in another 2 days, remove more, etc., until they are comfortable that it is all safely dry. He said sometimes it is just 2-4 days, others it is as much as .... sigh .... ten days. I'm glad they are being cautious and thorough. I just don't relish listening to this irritating roar for very long. Actually, the drone of the fans might, might help me sleep tonight. We'll see.
In the midst of all this, I had Sammy, Max and Lola fenced off down the hall. They tend to get under foot. I let Jaz and Joey stay out because they stayed on the couch or in that area, out of the way. They watched all this with great fascination.
I was also on the phone much of the day. I am the person from the agency who is notified when people die, then I call the doctor, the team staff, the folks who will be picking up the body, the pharmacy (so no medications will be dispensed). Well, today would be the day that we lost two people. It's OK. I was just sitting most of the time once the crew started to work.
What a day it has been. I am very sore in my muscles and joints. I think the vigorous work and the dampness has set off the fibromyalgia. I'll be taking something to help this in a few minutes and again at bedtime. When they said they were going to dry us out, I was excited, thinking that we might get to sleep in the bed tonight, but I didn't realize what all had to be done or how much had already seeped into the cracks and crevasses. Nope, we'll be on the pullout for a few more nights.
What a day. What a day.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Sad
TL just called. Mai Tai's liver is grossly enlarged. She will cross the Rainbow Bridge this afternoon after the kids are home from school. Please keep her and the family in your prayers.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Prayers, please
I asking for your thoughtful support for my daughter and her family. Her sweet little dog, Mai Tai, is having great difficulty, and the whole family is stressed. Little Mai Tai is a precious Shih Tzu who will be 18 years old in June. If you've read my blog for a while, you might remember my own darling, Mai Lin. She was Mai Tai's mother. Since Mai Tai was my baby for a couple months before she went to live with TL, she is very dear to my heart, too. She has been with TL through two marriages, a far more faithful and loving companion than the men who followed her into TL's life.
Mai Tai began having seizures a couple days ago. She has had several seizures, and they seem to be coming closer together. She has been very healthy, except for losing her hearing and most of her sight in recent years. In spite of those obstacles, she has remained sweet and loving, a happy little dog. She is having tests to see if something reasonable can help her. If not, they have already decided to let her cross the Rainbow Bridge. The seizures are serious and obviously frightening, if not painful to her. No one wants her to be in pain or in fear, but it is hard letting go, as many of you have experienced.
So, depending on your spiritual journey, please remember MT, TL, and the kids. They are all hurting. Just ask for peace and freedom from pain for them.
Thank you, my friends.
Mai Tai began having seizures a couple days ago. She has had several seizures, and they seem to be coming closer together. She has been very healthy, except for losing her hearing and most of her sight in recent years. In spite of those obstacles, she has remained sweet and loving, a happy little dog. She is having tests to see if something reasonable can help her. If not, they have already decided to let her cross the Rainbow Bridge. The seizures are serious and obviously frightening, if not painful to her. No one wants her to be in pain or in fear, but it is hard letting go, as many of you have experienced.
So, depending on your spiritual journey, please remember MT, TL, and the kids. They are all hurting. Just ask for peace and freedom from pain for them.
Thank you, my friends.
~~~~
UPDATE: 3/3, 5:50 AM
Thanks to all of you for the prayers. I spoke to TL just a few minutes ago. Mai Tai had a rough night, several more seizures. She is going back to the vet today. I'll let you know. Boy, this just stinks.
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Oooouuuuuu, Ahhhhhhhh.
One of those drop-dead gorgeous sunsets! This one covered so much of the sky that even the 12,000 foot high mountain couldn't hide it!
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