New roof and gutters

 It's not only a roof over our head... now it's new!!!

We got a new roof and new guttering last week. I just signed the agreement Monday and was told it would be a couple weeks before they got to us. Apparently they had a scheduling conflict elsewhere and he called Wednesday and asked if they could do our roof on Thursday. Absolutely!

The materials were delivered Wednesday afternoon, and the roofers arrived Thursday around 6:30AM and started tearing off the old. That was the noisiest part, and lasted maybe a couple hours. They did have to replace three sections of damaged decking, so it's a good thing we went with a new roof instead of a second layer of shingles. The rest of the day was spent doing that, changing our roof vents to a ridge cap, installing leak barrier, underlayment, Timberline HDZ shingles (app. 26sq), new drip edge and gutter apron, pipe boots, and then clean-up. I believe they were done by 4:15PM. So that was a pretty full day of work for them - although they did take like a 1 1/2 hour lunch break.

We went with the Shakewood color (I think). It's lighter than what was on there, and a little lighter than I was hoping for in real life, but it doesn't look terrible.

As for gutters, they came Saturday morning around 8AM and were done by noon (if not before). Our old gutters looked terrible and sat so low that the rain basically just poured over the tops of them. I went ahead and splurged for the larger 6" seamless gutters, and we kept the basic white. They now sit where they're supposed to, and if it ever rains again this summer I'm assuming they will work quite nicely. They came with gutter guards installed.

The son-in-law recommended this company, and we were happy with the results. Andrew was a great guy to work with, all the workers seemed nice, and I was happy with the ~$13,000 price for everything. Hopefully the 50-year warranty will last us our lifetime (ha!) and all manner of our roofing will be well. :) 

New air conditioner

Well, we have a new home air conditioner. We replaced the old jalopy (bottom photo) with this new Bryant 2023 Legacy Line model 114S (top photo). They also replaced the evaporator coils in the top part of the furnace to coincide with the new type refrigerant (freon). Hopefully we can stay cool for a good long while now (the installer said maybe 20 years).

I'm guessing it was about 5 years ago we had an issue with our AC unit. There happened to be a repairman next door and I just asked him if he would mind taking a look (I actually think it was some kind of holiday or something). He did, and he added some freon. He said there was obviously a leak somewhere and that we should start thinking about replacing that unit regardless because it likely wouldn't last the rest of the summer. So we feel pretty fortunate to have made it this long.

It may have been early June and we came home one day to find that, while the air was still 'on,' it was not cooling the house. Sure enough, the connector was iced over outside. I did a quick google search and they suggested leaving it off for the night and seeing if it would work the next day. That's what we did, and it did work just fine. Although... it happened again a couple weeks later. And again. And again. 

Finally, on a week where it was in the 90s every day and never cooled below the upper 70s, it just couldn't keep up anymore. I called Doc Dancer and they had someone here that same day on 7/31/24. 

As you can guess, they naturally recommended a new unit. I swallowed hard and signed on the dotted line. It's the same cooling capacity as the old one and was $5,500 installed. The unfortunate thing was, this was a Wednesday, and they couldn't install it until the following Monday (8/5)! Ugh.

It's funny, though, how quickly we adapted though. We used fans, kept the shades pulled during the day, opened the windows if it got cool enough... just like old times! We actually didn't get air at my parents house until I was in high school. We can survive. However, once they got it in Monday... it was darn nice!

So, there ya have it!

A new string trimmer

I got a new string trimmer. This Black + Decker 12" 20v Cordless String Trimmer/Edger (model LST320C) from Menards. It was just under $100 and came with two batteries and charger.

Of course this wasn't the trimmer I intended to get. I started researching them awhile back because the batteries on my old B+D string trimmer were all giving out. At first I thought I was going to move away from cordless - thinking either gas or corded. However most sites suggested cordless over gas trimmers for residential use, especially if you're not going to use it on a daily basis. They say the cordless trimmers are now powerful enough that gas trimmers aren't necessary, and often gas are more hassle than they're worth. Certainly the old cordless trimmer I'd had was reliable enough. I don't even remember when I bought it, but it was awhile ago.

So, I began looking for another cordless trimmer. After my research I decided on an Ego or Worx. I happened to find an Ego on sale at Lowe's (online) and decided to go to an actual store and check it out. They were out of stock in the store. So I was going to just come home and order one online. Ha! By the time I got home they were out of stock online too. Drats.

In usual fashion, since I'd put this off for so long, I finally just trudged over to Menards and bought a random Black+Decker since it was reasonably priced and came with two batteries (instead of just one like many of them). How bad can it be, right?

I bought it last week and just got it out of the box and assembled the other day. I've still not used it. But it's here if it ever stops raining, and happens to coincide with a day I have the energy and gumption to trim weeds. Hopefully it will work for awhile. 

That process fairly accurately describes my lack of interest in yard work as a whole. I tried to take an interest, but it didn't last long and I finally just did the bare minimum. I really do not enjoy it. Wish I did... but I don't. Such is life...

Tree trimming

We had two trees trimmed in our back yard yesterday. Of course I forgot to get a 'before' pic, and didn't feel right taking any 'during' pics. So both these are what they look like now after the fact. 

This had been on my to-do list for... yeah, several years. Suffice to say this was perhaps my most-procrastinated project ever. I know. I'm not proud.

Actually, it wasn't entirely my fault. It's not easy finding someone to do tree work anymore. I called two companies that had good ratings and I never received a response. Finally I called Marvin - who has a giant sign in his yard a couple blocks away - and he got back to me within the hour. He was here the next day with a quote, and since it's the 'off-season' was able to do it whenever I wanted (plus at an off-season price).

Originally I hoped to have like the top 1/3 of both these trees removed, so we would still get good shade in the summer. However, Marvin suggested removing some of the lower branches growing sideways or downward that posed a greater risk of falling on the house and/or power line and preserving the sturdiest branches straight up that are the main part of the tree. That made sense, plus they use "climbers" instead of a bucket truck so it would have been near impossible to top these trees in the limited space we have. 

Not only did I have to call a tree trimmer, but Marvin also suggested I call the power company and have them drop the line from the pole to my house. He said they could work around it if need be, but it was a lot safer doing it beforehand and would maybe save having to pay to have them reconnect if it were to accidentally get taken down by a limb (they do it for free if you schedule it before). So I made TWO phone calls! Whew.

The day of the work (yesterday): The power company was set to disconnect our power at 8:30am. I ran my 7 miles at the gym and hurried home to get ready. However the guy was here at 8! That was fine, but I wasn't able to get a shower when I planned to. Anyway, it was near 8:30 when he was done, and then I got a text from Marvin that his "climber" went to the ER that morning, so he was waiting on his second climber. He said he would be there around 9:30. Shortly after that Marvin and his wife showed up, along with a pickup pulling a flat-bed trailer with three other guys. I believe the first limb was dropped at 10:10am. 

There was one climber and the other two guys and Marvin's wife did cleanup on the ground. Marvin himself had just had carpel tunnel surgery, so he was on the ground supervising the climber. They didn't have a chipper, but instead just loaded all the branches and downed logs onto the trailer. I couldn't believe they got it all in one load.

I had a lunch meeting at 11:30, and when I got back at 12:45 the climber was done and gone, the power company had returned to reconnect the electricity, and the ground crew was just cleaning up. I wrote them a check for the agreed-upon $1850 and they were gone before 2pm. That went way quicker than I expected.

I'd say everything went okay. It was a little nerve-racking listening to big limbs thud on the ground, and a couple times I heard scrape-age on the side of the house; one big limb was tied off on a rope and back-swung into the sliding-glass door, but nothing was damaged. I still wish the trees weren't so tall, but I'm not really in the mood to pay someone else to bring a truck in now and top them. I also didn't really want to lose that much shade, but it will be nice not having to pick up as many sticks and worrying quite as much about limbs on the house or power line. So, all in all, that part of it went well.

Personally... ugh. I was nervous as a cat about this. Not only the tree work, but the power disconnect too. It seems any time things like this are done there is almost always something that comes up. Plus I felt kinda like I was all alone in this endeavor, and I don't do well on my own. On top of that I was not feeling great. I haven't slept for crap in days, my heart rate had been high and heavy (which always makes it difficult to sleep) and my blood pressure had been up a little. In addition to the physical I've also been dealing with some mental stuff in regard to communication and loneliness... and I was a wreck. I didn't sleep much again last night and just lay on the couch totally exhausted. Finally I noticed I couldn't hear or feel my heart pounding at least, and wonder if I just wore myself out.

Today it is raining (unlike the beautifully sunny 60F we had yesterday). I lifted weights early like usual and intended to run outside at 8. I just can't get into 45 degrees in the rain though, so I'm still just sitting here. 

I'm glad the tree work is done - though I will still worry about limbs falling on our house, the power line, or the neighbors house or fence (and they would likely do more damage now). I continue to feel up and down physically (and it seems more down now than it used to). I'm tired. I've got one of those 'gut feelings' that I don't like. And... I just don't like feeling like I'm alone. I feel kinda like this tree looks. All by myself, exposed and vulnerable. 

Such is life, I suppose. We never know when a part of us will be lopped off. And so I've once again managed to turn something as simple as trimming trees into a sad yarn about my pathetic life. You're welcome. Just be glad YOU don't have to live with me and my brain...

The water meter

Well, since we're getting close to the end of the year, I guess maybe it's time I let you all know...

We did finally get our water meter replaced so we are in compliance with city utilities. I know. This is pretty riveting news deserving of sharing with the world.

I'm not sure when it began - maybe a couple years ago - but the MyWater program was undertaken to bring the city of Fort Wayne up to speed with the latest leading-edge technology to "exceed customer expectations for the long-term." Apparently the old water meters were outdated, and the new ones will wirelessly deliver usage information and alerts, so city staff will no longer need to drive to customer premises for meter reading, leak detection and other routine activities.

The only requirement of city residents was to schedule an appointment, clear the area surrounding the meter so installers could access it, and have someone 18 years or older present during meter replacement. While it sounds easy enough, I know of several people who dragged their feet and had their water shut off. I'm glad we were not one of them.

We were scheduled for a window between 12:30-2:30pm, and the guy was here right at 12:30 sharp. It took about 30 minutes, and if you didn't know what the old meter looked like you wouldn't even know he was here. Piece of cake.

So, there ya have it. That's the latest. Because, ya know, sometimes that's what life is like. You just do what you're supposed to do and no one gets hurt. Resistance should be reserved for much less vital concerns than water and plumbing. <clears throat> :)

A few outdoor projects

I've been trying to address a few long-neglected projects around the house recently. The bushes had not been trimmed in a few years, the playground equipment needed some love, new lighting over the back patio, and some lawn edging.

There is still plenty more that needs done (gutters cleaned and new gutter-guard, trees trimmed, garage cleaned, weeds pulled, etc., etc., etc.). Here's the rundown so far:

BUSHES

These bushes actually need torn out and replaced. I have no idea how old they are, but I think they're beyond the trimming stage. My fear with tearing them out is we have a drainage channel around our foundation and I don't want to inadvertently damage that. I do want some kind of bushes though, because they drink a lot of water out of the ground and help keep it from our basement. Until then, though, this will have to do.

PLAYGROUND

These two pieces were here when we moved in... and we haven't really done any upkeep on them since then. We have had to remove the monkey bars because, since they were also wooden, they'd started to rot and weren't safe. I also took the slide off... because it's a pain to mow around and the grandkids rarely come to visit, much less play outside when they do. But, I did put two coats of red stain on all the wood parts, as well as put a tarp over the top on the one piece. Long ago it had a canvas roof. This $10 tarp isn't as sturdy, but so far it's held up. I do have to say the whole thing looks much nicer now even if no one uses it still.

PATIO LIGHTING

A couple summers ago we bought some lights to string over our back patio. We spend a weekend rigging up some large flower pots with concrete and tall poles to place around the perimeter. It worked "okay," but always looked kind of clunk-ish to me, and took up a lot of patio space. So I bought these light kits and ran them out to an eye-hook screwed into the tree out back. Not only does it look nicer, and cleaner, but we can also easily take them down if a storm is coming or someone wants to throw a frisbee or something. I much prefer this.

LAWN EDGING

I think I wrote about getting a Black & Decker electric lawn edger not too long ago. I finally put it to use and edged along all the sidewalks and patio. Wow, I couldn't believe how much space it added to our sidewalk width. It was a chore to do, and doing it on 90-degree days maybe wasn't the best time, but it's another job that I'm really glad to have done.

 

So, that along with reading, writing, meditating, and running has been keeping me pretty busy so far. There's plenty more to do, but I think I may need to let this stupid poison ivy rash clear up a little before I tackle too much. I'm also feeling about ready to start on an e-book (maybe). I'm thinking of finally writing that holy week devotional based on the music of David Gilmour/Pink Floyd. We'll see...

12 miles, brakes, and dryer repair

I took Jane's 2013 Honda Accord in yesterday and had them replace the front brake pads. I debated where to have it done and finally just caved and gave the dealership the $350. Gah. They also suggested that at the next oil change I have them investigate the oil leak from the valve cover. Not looking forward to that either.

Early this afternoon I did a 12 mile run. I averaged just under 11-minute miles (as planned). It went okay. There was a light drizzled almost the entire 2 hours 10 minutes. It was also windy again, but not as bad as last week. I started out along the greenway and headed to Foster Park. All of a sudden I noticed there were 6 deer right beside me - not 10 yards away. I puttered past and they all watched, but not a one of them even moved. It was crazy.

After the run I tackled the clothes dryer again and replaced the blower fan. Back in early March I noted on this post that I was hoping it was just loose, but it worked itself back to a wobble. I'm glad I had the videos from the March 9th post. They made all the difference and it wasn't too bad of a job. At least I hope it works. I've just put the first load in and it's purring like a kitten so far. 

So, it's been a fairly eventful couple days. Jane and Carrie went to Columbus today shopping, and now I'm watching the Final Four.

Bathroom updating

We did not do a full renovation, but after having the kitchen redone Jane decided to paint the main bathroom in the house. We also got a new register vent, shower curtain, and towel rack and tp holder. I fixed/patched several holes in the wall as well.

We painted it the same color as the kitchen and hallway, and Jane also repainted the ceiling.

It looks much better - other than now the floor looks like it needs replaced. It is more of a tan, and the walls, curtain and towels are more light gray. Someday we really need to replace the shower "surround" part too. Still, it looks much cleaner than it did when it was brown/tan.

Kitchen renovation timeline

We thought it would be such a simple thing. Take off the backsplash, paint the cabinets, replace the countertop, sink, and floor. Boy were we wrong!

In March we contacted Eagle Contracting in New Haven, IN because they did such a good job redoing our basement after it flooded in 2016. We didn't even think to check current reviews (we now know we should have).

The fact they couldn't start for several months was perfectly understandable. It is 2022 after all. So when they said they were going to begin August 15, we were pretty excited. Even though this was a LOT of money for us, we couldn't wait to have a new kitchen!

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. We moved everything out of our kitchen (including everything in the cupboards) by August 15 - like we were told to do - but they didn't begin work until September 19th. Then what was supposed to take "2-3 weeks" actually drug on until October 24 when they "said" they were finished. Even though they, in fact, have still not finished the job. They have sent us the bill though.

Here is a rough timeline of the kitchen remodel project saga.

• March 2022: We began discussions about remodeling our kitchen with Eagle Contracting. We were told it would be about 6 months before they could get to it.
• May 2022: We signed a contract and made a down payment to have the kitchen cupboards painted, remove old backsplash, replace sink, countertop, cabinet hardware and electrical outlets/switches, and replace the linoleum floor. We were told work would likely start sometime in August.
• August 10: Matt came and told us to empty our cupboards and everything from the kitchen and they would start work on August 15. [So all of our kitchen supplies and food were in the living room from this day forward]
  
• August 15: Matt said it would actually be Tuesday, August 16.
• August 16: We were told Ashley forgot to order the countertop and they didn't want to start work and leave us without a countertop, so they were going to delay the start for 2 weeks (even though we ended up being without a countertop for OVER A MONTH!).
• August 30-ish: We were told it would take an additional week to get the countertop done since there was a holiday on 9/5.

 - Lots of messages left for Matt (who we thought was supposed to be the project manager) and he didn't return any calls or emails (a guy named Joe ended up being project manager) -

• September 19: They FINALLY started. One guy (Alton) tore out the sink, countertop, backsplash, and started on the floor. [So we had no use of our kitchen - other than the refrigerator - from this day forward].
• It wasn't until after Alton had already tore things out that they informed us they only worked 4 days a week (Monday-Thursday).
  
• September 20: Same guy finished tearing out the old linoleum and sub-floor.
• September 21-30: Dustin started on repairing the drywall where the old backsplash was. It was approximately 18 inches by 19 feet. He was the slowest person in the world. It's possible he was doing jobs at other places along with ours, otherwise I'm not sure what he did all day.
• October 3: Al started sanding, priming, and painting the cabinets. He got done 10/6 and said he would paint the doors and drawers at the shop on 10/10
• October 10: Dustin (different from drywall Dustin) came with another guy and girl and put the sub-flooring down. He told Jane they would have it all done that day. They did not. They also blocked a doorway with the refrigerator and the hallway to our bedroom with the dishwasher - which I had to move out of the way (Alton later said they probably did it because no one likes to put down linoleum).
  
• October 11: Dustin and the girl came back and put the linoleum down, and did a terrible job. There were bubbles all over, and they didn't get done this day either even though he assured Jane he would.
• October 12: Apparently Dustin came back and finished the linoleum, and then did a terrible job on the baseboard trim. Several of the corners were cut completely backwards. And he still didn't get it all done. Plus the seams showed terrible, and he didn't cut straight lines along any edges.
  
• October 12: Marcus and Alton brought the countertop and doors and drawers. They put in all new hardware for the drawers and also installed drawers and doors. Although not a single door would close. They just set the countertop in place but didn't fasten it down. *It turns out the countertop had a rounded front, which is not what we ordered. We kept it though.
  
• October 13: I'm not sure if Marcus came in the morning or not, but whoever was there fixed the doors so they closed and cut out the sink area in the counter. Alton came back after I got home and installed the Lazy Susan, fixed some of the baseboard trim, and fastened down the countertop. He was going to hook up the sink but didn't have any silicone to seal the bottom of it, so he said he would let the plumbers do that.
  
• October 13: Apparently the handles for all the doors and drawers were the wrong size, so Joe told Jane we should just go to Menards and buy them ourselves. We did, and we thought they would take the old ones back and not charge us - we told Joe several times - but he never took them, and they charged us for them.
• This now marks 4 weeks that we haven't had a kitchen sink, stove, or dishwasher. 
• Oct. 14-16: I finally just hooked up the icemaker on the fridge. Jane and I painted the walls. 
• Oct. 17: A youngish plumber was there when I got home. He hooked up the kitchen sink and dishwasher. However, he left the sliders under the back two legs of the dishwasher, so it is crooked as heck. Also, an hour after he left, the hot water line to the sink cracked open in the basement. I called and he came back and capped it off, so the sink still doesn't work. Someone apparently came and installed all the handles on the drawers and cabinets, and TOOK THE CUTTING BOARD that's built in. 
• Oct. 18: Water line was fixed, sink hooked up, dishwasher straightened out, and paint was touched up. Someone came in the afternoon while I was running and hooked the oven back up. THE FIRST DAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE THE STOVE, DISHWASHER AND SINK SINCE 9/19. The electrician was supposed to change out switches/outlets, but did not show.
  
• Oct. 19: Someone dropped off the painted shelves for the two open cupboards, as well as a replacement cutting board made out of plywood. Electrician did not show again. All that's left is the switches/outlets, and the toe-kick along the bottom of the cabinets (to cover up the terrible job of cutting linoleum).
• Oct. 20: Toe-kick was replaced WITH THE EXACT SAME THING! It does not cover the bad edges of linoleum. Electrician did not show yet again.
• Oct. 21: We locked the door because they supposedly don't work on Fridays. Joe texted Jane that the electrician would be there late morning or early afternoon. I took an hour off work and drove home to unlock the door. Electrician still did not show again.
• Oct. 22-23: We decided to move our kitchen stuff back into our kitchen. I replaced the baseboard and quarter-round along the long wall. Jane finished touching up painting. The only things that need done are the switches/outlets replaced, and something done about toe-kick (which I will likely just fix myself).
• Oct. 24: The electrician finally changed out the light switches and outlets.
• Oct. 25: Joe (project coordinator) texted Jane and asked if we could "settle up." We decided to use their timetable and sit on it for a bit. The biggest issue I have is how the flooring looks under the cabinets, along the sliding glass door, and the door going into the garage. It's totally uneven (not cut straight) and not covered up with anything. Plus thresholds were not replaced on 2 exit doors.
  
• Oct. 28 we received the bill in the mail for full payment (without ever meeting up with Joe).

I ended up putting quarter-round trim under the cabinets to cover up the terrible edging on the linoleum. I'm still trying to figure out what to do for a threshold on the exterior door into the garage and the sliding glass door.

 Other issues:

• We were not told they only work 4 days per week until after they started the job.
• Everyone told us a different story of the order things would be done in.
• They basically didn't do anything the way they said they would (we were told they would spray the cabinets, and they did not - they were painted with brushes).
• The hinges were not what we ordered (supposed to be no-show hinges).
• The countertop was not what we ordered. It has a rounded front edge.
• The "soft-close" drawers don't work for crap.

 

All told, we could not be more disappointed with this company (Eagle Contracting in New Haven, IN - in case I've forgotten to mention it).

Sure, the kitchen looks totally different from before, and we like how it looks. As long as you don't look to closely. We don't, however, think the company was at all dependable or honest with us, and they did very shoddy work overall. I would NOT recommend them to anyone to do any type of work.

At any rate, here are the before and after pics...

 

Painted the kitchen

We spent the weekend painting the kitchen. Well, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon/night. And only three walls.

Our kitchen is still torn apart and unusable - other than the refrigerator is plugged in (but in a different place). At the end of this week we will have been without cupboards, counter, sink, stove, dishwasher and floor covering for 4 weeks, and all our food, utensils and dishes have been scattered about our living room for TWO MONTHS!

Anyway, the cupboards got painted last week - at least the parts that are still there (the doors and drawers are at their shop). So we decided to go ahead and paint the walls where the drywall had been replaced and where the cupboards are. We primed everything Saturday night and put on two coats of paint Sunday.

We didn't paint the wall where our refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and trim boards are stacked along. We will do that after those things are put back where they go.

I have no idea what will happen this week. They are supposed to be painting the doors and drawers, and still need to replace all the outlets/switches, put in the sink and countertop, situate the appliances back where they go, and put the floor down. I can see what was supposed to take "2-3 weeks" easily taking another 2-3 weeks at the rate they've been working so far.

I realize these are first-world problems, but I've been so discouraged and disappointed with this project. I'm tired of not having a kitchen, not knowing where anything is even though it seems like EVERYTHING is piled right there, and I'm sick of.... well, I'm just sick of everything right now. And tired.

At least the three walls we painted look nice.

New furnace filter

I changed our furnace filter this past weekend. We have one of these big 20x25x6 'accordian-style' filters (pictured above). Those black things have, like, comb teeth that you have to space between the pleats and it takes a bit of work to make the change.

Awhile back, though, I picked up one of these at Menards that was in a box THAT size (instead of folded up in a small box).

When I went to install the new one I couldn't figure out how to get the filter OUT of the box. It's like it wouldn't open. Then I realized you simply slide the entire box into the casing. It took like two seconds!

I'm not sure how I like this though. It is definitely easier to replace, but it just doesn't seem right not having to go to a bunch of work to change it anymore. Plus, what am I supposed to do with the giant "comb" spacers?

We'll see. Maybe I need to learn to appreciate easy things for what they are. Like, harder isn't necessarily better. At least not always. I dunno.

***

Matthew 6:25-27

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

Re-caulking the bathtub

Over the past week or so I have been re-caulking the bathtub in my bathroom. It shouldn't really take that long, but it's one of those jobs I've been putting off and dreading (I was supposed to have it done before Christmas). It didn't turn out so well, but I think it's at least finally done.

I did this in 2013, and ended up using some of that peel & stick stuff over the top of it in 2015. Don't ever use that stuff - it looks terrible later on. It's also a pain to try to remove. That was the hardest part of this job. 

So, it took me a couple days to get all the backing removed from the peel & stick stuff. I used 'Goo Gone' (or whatever that orange stuff is called). I didn't realize you needed to wash it afterward, so it was mostly just a goo-ey mess. I finally got it pretty clean.

Next I bleached the area and then used a rag and Mineral Spirits to further degrease. I got the supposedly low-odor kind, but it was still quite odoriferous. 

I let everything sit and dry thoroughly for several days. Not because it needed that long, but mostly because I'm just exhausted by the time I get home from work and do my run. I don't remember exactly how many days it just sat. I was using Jane's shower in the meantime (when I felt I had to).

Finally the day arrived. I had bought painters tape and caulk and for some reason decided to tackle it on a Saturday morning when Anna had a basketball game. This was not a good idea because I don't do well when rushed. I did it though. I put tape on both sides of where I was going to caulk and filled the tub with water and ran a bead around the top and sides of the tub. I smoothed it with a wet finger and we headed to the basketball game. This would prove to be the big mistake...

When we returned from the game I drained the tub and caulked along the floor. All that was left to do was pull off the tape. At this point I developed a sick feeling in my gut that maybe I should have pulled the tape off the top before we'd left. ...

Ugh. I should have. The tape came right off on the bottom where the caulk was fresh, and it looked really nice! Unfortunately, when I went to pull it off the top, where it had started to set, it didn't go so well. Obscenities were flying easier than tape was coming off, right along with great globs of caulk that had already started to dry. Grrr. I was not happy at being so stupid. I knew I should have looked it up.

Well, eventually I calmed down and took my cup of water and tried to smooth out what remained with a wet finger. It wasn't terrible from a distance, but I still wasn't sure it would suffice. So, I just let it sit another few days while I stewed.

Eventually I re-caulked right on top of the caulk just on the back side of the tub wall. It was really thin there and I was able to put a thicker bead on, so it should be okay. I debated about doing it around the entire top but finally just decided to be done with it. If I need to re-do it all in a few months I guess that's what I'll have to do.

In the end, it was not a very pleasant job and equally not so well done. But it's done, for now.

***

"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Refrigerator repair (and other broken things)

"To be broken is the beginning of Revival. It is painful, it is humiliating, but it is the only way." —Roy Hession, from The Calvary Road

 

Our refrigerator puked out the other day. I came home from work Monday and there was a puddle of water on the kitchen floor in front of it and it was only 52 degrees inside. It was also making a strange noise - like the clicking of a coffee pot left on too long. I remembered hearing that before I went to work and thinking it odd.

I immediately consulted Google and after taking off the front and back of the unit, and the inside back panel of the freezer section, I surmised it was probably/hopefully the starter relay for the compressor. Due to it being a bottom-freezer, and my lack of confidence, I searched for a nearby repairman online.

A Plus Appliance Repair & Parts seemed to be the closest to our house, so I called. The person who answered the phone said he could be there by 5 or 6 that evening to look at it. I was happy with that. Unfortunately, when 6 pm came and went, and 7, I got a little uneasy. Finally around 7:20 he called and said he was on his way. Unbeknownst to him, I was getting ready for bed, so I said, "How about 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon." He said that would be better for him too.

I had already put some of the more important items in the mini fridge we have in the basement. I crammed what I could from the freezer into our large cooler. I'm not sure it helped the freezer items though, because most of the meat was already thawed.

Anyway, Tuesday I came home from work and waited for the call. Just before 2 the repairman phoned and said he was on his way. When 3 pm came and went though, I started to get a little miffed. I was going to give him until 3:30 and was then going to call this place Drew suggested. At 3:20 the original repairman called back to verify my address. Apparently he'd written it down wrong. I could no longer hide my displeasure, but he said he would be there in like 2 minutes. I said he better be because I had someone else I was getting ready to call.

Well, he pulled up out front in just a few minutes. It was a bit awkward at first, but he quickly diagnosed the problem and had a new compressor starter on in about an hour. The $109 charge seemed fair enough, considering how much a new refrigerator costs (plus, like everything else, they're just a little hard to find nowadays). I was satisfied.

---

I was not real happy with the repairman for misleading me both days about when he would be there though. I was even less happy with myself for losing my cool about it. These things happen. Things break, people make mistakes, and life goes on. It is how it is. The repairman apologized countless times, and I got over it. I also apologized for my frustration. I would probably call him again (though I am a little concerned that I didn't get a receipt. Hopefully one will arrive in the mail(?)).

 

---

 

On the same Monday the refrigerator puked, Jane's new Airpods also stopped working. She was no longer able to pair them with her phone. She tried several troubleshooting suggestions from online, and finally contacted Apple support. They had no luck either, and directed her to take them to an Apple store or certified shop and they would either fix or replace them.

 

It seems like something else broke on the same day but I can't recall now what it was. At any rate, there are likely lessons to be learned.

 

What is really at stake when things break? Is it the end of the world? Not hardly. And, actually, even with the refrigerator, I felt like we could "rough it" for a few days. Plus, you know, we had the mini fridge. Sure it sucks to have to pitch a freezer full of meat. How did people use to get along before freezers though... or how do the poor and homeless get along still?

 

Perhaps the bigger issue isn't that things occasionally break and we are temporarily inconvenienced. It is how we respond. And how we respond to life in general. Responding, after all, is the only way to continue on.

 

I can do better in this area. Fortunately I am able to learn as well.

 

In the end, I am feeling fairly thankful for all the conveniences of life I have been blessed with, for people who have been patient with me, and for tiny bits of hope found in moments of silent reflection.

 

***

"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." (Colossians 3:12-15 NLT)

 

Patio lighting project

We put up some lights on our back patio. We wanted to go simple, portable, and cheap... so of course it was way more complicated and costly than it should have been! I said, "You live and learn" multiple times over the weekend, but I guess it turned out okay in the end.

When Jane first brought up the idea, she wanted me to make some tall box planters with 4x4s for the lights. I thought on this for quite some time, and finally one day happened across some alternative ideas on Pinterest via Google. If I learned one thing, though, it is: Don't use someone's idea off of Pinterest!

Anyway, we went with concrete-filled planters and 1 1/2" pvc pipe cut to 8'11" (so it will fit under the eaves for winter storage). I also got end caps so they don't fill with water, though I don't know that that would be a problem. We painted the pipe black and drilled holes in the end to insert a wire to connect the lights to. We thought this would make them easy to move about if necessary.

After letting the poles and end caps dry overnight, we set them in concrete in the planters on Saturday. I used about 3/4 of a bag of concrete mix per planter, and just mixed it in the planter. I made a triangle of boards to sort of hold the poles in place, but it set up pretty quickly. I also drilled three holes in the planter sides just above the concrete to allow for drainage (we planted flowers on top of the concrete). Within a couple hours we were attaching the lights.

 I thought everything was going pretty smooth until we strung the lights. We got three strands of 20' lights from Walmart that connect together. Unfortunately the planters, having a narrower base at the bottom, were a little too tippy with the lights attached so high. After having the poles fall over a couple times we decided a change was necessary. We happened to have some bigger planters with a wider base and just set the original ones inside them. This added some stability, but we also decided we needed a third pole/planter. We happened to have a 10' galvanized pipe that was the same size as the plastic, and it worked better than the plastic pipe. And... the plastic pipe bent quite easy, so I cut some smaller conduit and put inside the plastic pipe. With the new planters and the third pole, we think it is now sufficient.

Costs were roughly:

• Plastic pipe - $5/each = $10
  
• Cement - $5/bag = $15
• Original planters - $15/each = $45
• Lights - $12.50 = $37.50
• Conduit = $10
  
• Grand Total = $127.50

If I had it to do over again... I would probably opt for one of these scenarios:

1. Run a wire from the house to the tree and back to the garage and hang lights on the wire. That would be the simplest, cheapest, and probably best overall.
2. I would sink 4x4s in the ground with concrete and string the lights from them. Not portable, but cheaper and more stable.
   
3. If we stuck with something similar to what we have: I would have gotten the wider planters to begin with, and metal pipe instead of plastic. Also use a full bag of concrete per planter.

 But, alas, we didn't do any of those things (yet), so this is what we have for now! You, um, live and learn. ;) 

***

Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” - John 12:35-36

Ceiling fan

Our big accomplishment Saturday was installing this ceiling fan in the kitchen. There may have been a bit of cussing (by yours truly), but it didn't go too bad overall.

I know ceiling fans aren't supposed to be "fashionable" anymore, but they are practical. We needed some help with air flow and occasionally getting odors out of the kitchen, so I picked this up at Menards for like $70. I suppose we've put a ceiling fan in every house we've owned at some point.

Of course this house must have been built during that phase (early 60s) when they put very few lights on the ceiling too. The master bedroom is the only room with an overhead light besides the kitchen (and I guess the main hallway). I don't know why that used to be a thing, because it's a pain not having them - especially in the living room.

Anyway, here is the old light fixture. I intended to take a pic of it before taking it down, but of course I forgot. I don't care for the low-hanging lights like this, but it actually was pretty nice for what it was. It's definitely heavy! I will keep it for awhile, and then may try to sell it or something.

***

"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." - 2 Timothy 1:6-7

 

Pruning

I trimmed the little tree in front of our house this past Saturday. It looks pretty hideous at the moment, and should have been done last fall, but I've cut it back like this before and it's turned out well every time.

I generally try to prune this tree every other year, but I think I forgot the last time or two. It got a little out of control. Anyway, there are many reasons why pruning a tree is important. It can influence the way a tree grows and is shaped, adds vitality to overall health, and provides strength to the base, among other things.

Of course, it's pretty easy to see the correlation between tree pruning and the biblical idea of God pruning us for growth and to shape our lives. I believe he wants us to be productive and fruitful. That does NOT mean being able to do more things or have more stuff though (in my humble opinion). Sometimes when we are pruned we may even look worse off, like this poor little tree. But our Creator knows how to provide for us and what's best for us in the long run.

Incidentally, my prayer this morning - from my reading of Proverbs 30 - was that I might live an honest life and learn to be content with just enough (not too little and not too much). It's a lofty goal, I know. I hope it doesn't result in a pile of spare parts like from this tree. [Btw, I was glad the son-in-law was able to haul these limbs away for us]

***

"But the fruit of the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these." -Galatians 5:22-23

 

The first snow

We got our first snow of the year yesterday. It actually might have snowed when we were in Illinois, but I guess that doesn't count if I didn't see it. Anyway, it wasn't much, but it's amazing how slick the streets can get from such a little frosting.

In other news... I changed both headlight bulbs in the '13 Honda Accord. I noticed the left one was out the other day, so I just bought the cheapest Sylvania H11 headlamp pair for ~$25 and replaced them both. I figured I'd save the $10 for the next step up since we rarely drive at night. Whatever.

Nothing else mattered today. It was the first day of the bosses vacation thru the end of the year, and it was as frustrating as ever. Not that it had to be, but that's the way it goes there. I don't care.

***

"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12

 

Leaf raking and last mowing (???)

The neighbors should be happy. I finally raked our leaves out to the curb. Other than next door to the east we were the only house on the street who hadn't done so.

I am not a big fan of leaf raking, or yard work in general. Hopefully I waited long enough that I don't have to do it again. Fortunately it was windy today and the trees are all fairly empty (except one small one). 

Most years we are one of the first neighborhoods where they come and pick them up. This year they switched things around and we are the last. I don't think they are scheduled for the first pick-up until Thanksgiving week. At least it's supposed to rain tonight, so maybe it will at least soak them down.

I also mowed the lawn. I would like to think it's for the last time this year, but in looking through my archives I actually mowed on November 25th the previous two years. Anyway, even though it was a total pain in the butt trying to mow with this boot on, it does look nice and clean.

It has also been really warm the last few days. Yesterday was 77f, and today was somewhere near there. I worked up a good sweat both days. It felt kind of good.

Ironically, tonight is when they are shooting off the 4th of July fireworks in Fort Wayne. It was rescheduled for Veterans Day Eve. I'm sure they had no idea it would be so warm, or so windy. Anyway, I am plum tuckered out and just had a shot of bourbon, so.... we may not make it.

If only the world could be so simple as raking leaves, fireworks, and fall. Someone thought they could Trump that...

***

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’” -Job 37:5-6

The heat is on

 I caved and turned on the furnace yesterday. We hadn't run the air or heat for quite awhile. I don't know why I like to see how long we can go before turning on the furnace. Anyway, yesterday it was about 62f inside - which it's been before - but I was feeling a bit weak and not in a great mood with the achilles strain, so I turned it on.

It was set to 68 during the day and 65 at night. Once it started heating up I was getting a bit too hot, so I turned it down to 65 during the day and 64 at night (I think). It is much more comfortable now. We'll see how it goes when it starts to drop below freezing outside. I believe 34f is about as cold as it's been so far.

Our house must be pretty well insulated, as it is fairly easy to heat and cool. Hopefully it will stay that way.

***

Hosea 6:6

"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
    and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."

New furnace filter

I suppose our furnace is going to stop working now.  You know how these things work, right?

I changed the furnace filter today. It seems like whenever I do something preventative it always results in something going wrong.

Looking back, the last time I did it was May of last year, so it was probably due. It was dirty enough.

We have those big 20x25x6 pleated filters, and they're not cheap. I think they are supposed to be changed every year, but this may be the first time since we've lived here that I've done so.

Normally I order the Aprilaire 201 (that fits our model 2200) from Amazon. This year, in an effort to deprive Jeff Bezos of more bazillions, as well as save myself a few bucks ($10), I went to Menards down the street and got the BestAir A201. As I said, it was cheaper, and it looks exactly like the other one.

So whether the furnace will actually work or not I do not know. But when we do decide to turn it on, we should have a little cleaner air flowing through the house.

***

"Unless the Lord builds the house,
    the builders labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1a)