A few Q's and A's

First question(s) - Have I been gone so long from Blogger/ and what the heck have they done now???

I don't think there is a good answer to this.  I haven't been away for that long, and they have changed stuff until I had to spend a lot of time just logging in!  Sometimes I hate blogger.  Then I become accustomed to their changes, and it's ok.

Second question - so where have I been?

We came to the SSB on Monday.  I have been working with the Women's Group at church during a lot of this week because a church member was admitted to the hospital, and will have surgery.  So we were asked to provide the family with food.  Well - the first person dropped the ball and didn't contact the wife.  There wasn't anyone to volunteer for the second day, and the wife decided she didn't want food for the remaining time.  Thank heavens for the internet.   Then she decided food for the rest of the time past the weekend would be good.  So....

Third question - done anything interesting/exciting

The weather has turned vicious here.  The temperature has been hovering around freezing for two days with a fine mist/sleet.  I know - this is nothing for a lot of you, but for this gal it is bad, really bad.  My SIL came up yesterday - for two days - and invited me into town.  She and her daughter are starting a small business to rent vignettes to photographers in Austin.  The SIL/husband to these two is an excellent wedding photographer who utilizes these things in his photography, and they have found there is probably a market to rent these things to other photographers.

When we left, we knew it was cold, but the rain/sleet wasn't supposed to  hit until we theorized we would be back home here in the hills.  We were wrong.  It was so cold in town.  Out here we had what could be termed in Texas a toad strangler rain.  We have dirt/rock roads.  We traversed about four quagmires on our trip home with the associated "spin-outs" even with the four-wheel drive.  As my son says, four wheel drive gets you stuck twice as far off the road.

Question four - what haven't I accomplished?

Easy-peasy.  We were going to try to recondition the cat to desensitize him to Clyde.  That hasn't happened, and probably won't happen.  We heard from daughter today.  She doesn't want to put her dogs into boarding for a week, so they have cancelled their trip to San Antonio and will be coming directly here.  One thought was to come tomorrow, leave the dogs with us (oh, heck no! We have enough with Clyde on the frozen steps) and go to San Antonio.  But when we said to not travel to the Hill Country on Sunday because there are winter storm warnings out for tomorrow into Monday, they decided to kill the San Antonio trip.  The only one who will probably be upset will be SIL's mom unless the family was looking forward to them buying the goodies for a big Thanksgiving dinner for who knows how many - at least 12.

What am I doing for the rest of the day?

Hoping this will save since there is ice on my dish that brings me the world.  I have been getting error messages all through this post, and going over to SIL's to visit with her sister and BIL.  Then coming home, building a fire, and eating Shrimp Etouffee. 

Catch you later!

  

Stressed and angry

We are leaving tomorrow for the SSB.  It will be nice to get away from the dust and all.  I don't like having that huge mirror leaning on the chest on my side of the bed.  I am such a spaz that I am afraid I will lose my balance, and well...

The hall bath will be done while we are gone. That means  the cabinets had to be cleaned out this weekend.  I really thought I would get some help.  There are the three under the sink cabinets, two pie shaped ones above, Three floor to ceiling double cabinets against the wall, and then the regular one in the tub area.  I was thrilled with storage 38 years ago when we moved in, but that was then and this is now.

I know I should do a regular cleaning of my closets and cabinets yearly.  But I haven't felt like it in at least 10 years.  When you get that far behind it is a major chore.  That's where I am now.

It took me over four hours yesterday, and I still have some stuff in the vanity area to bag (not thinking ahead,  I am having to use garbage bags to hold things) what I took out.  We have at least three garbage bags full of trash outside.  I am treating this as if we were down-sizing and moving. 

So why am I angry?  I thought the Lord and Master would be getting off his duff to help.  He sat and watched three football games while I was in there.  At least he did remove the garbage when I filled the smallish can and put it into big bags, but that was the extent.

I ended up working to the point I was nauseated.  When I told him,  he didn't even hear me.  When I went to the bedroom to try to quell the nausea (and I have no idea where my precious hoarded anti-nausea pills are),  heard him finally get off his duff and say "where are you?"  When he discovered me - his question was "are you OK?"  I wanted to hit him.  I really did.  I replied - "I told you I was not!"

So today I have the remaining vanity area and the tub portion to do.  Want to take bets on how much help I will be getting?????

Two weeks

We are at the end of the second week of having adopted our contractor and his guys.  I remember last year when my neighbor embarked on this same project that I thought they had adopted the guy (notice the singular noun??) who did the same things we are having done.  It seemed like he becbame part of the family.  I would swear he was there for months working on bathrooms!

But there is marked progress.  Because V wanted the tile in the shower to be awesome - and not adding another tile to the mix, he made a pattern with the tiles we are using.  That means his guys had about fifteen million cuts to make on the tile.  If you have ever tiled or had tile put in, you know there are many cuts to begin with - around doors and other structural items.   We just added to those!

This morning, before they arrive, we have the entire master tiled.  They have textured the walls where there was wall paper.  It is sad that wall paper is out of favor once again.  I actually love wall paper, and I will miss that in the hall bath especially since my son helped me pick it out.  I re-papered those walls in the baths!

As the work continues, the dust grows as well.  It will take the rest of my life to get rid of this dust.  This is a task I am not looking forward to. I'm really not looking forward to putting all the junk back into the cabinets either.  I had the immature idea that it could stay - I didn't need the interiors painted, but then I changed my mind.  Taking the stuff out that has accumulated for periods of time up to 38 years isn't my idea of fun - but that sort of thing hasn't been in my top fifty for many years now. 

The longer I put it off because the cancer and treatments made me too tired, or my joints screamed most of the time meant it has been years since I have done a good cleaning out of cabinets and closets.  They became depositories of hurriedly stashed stuff that I didn't know where else to put.  So I am paying the price of that now.  I pretty much have just stashed the stuff in garbage bags and figure that I can sort it as it is time to put it back.  Then the garbage bags will be of use again!

On Monday we will be heading to the SSB until after Thanksgiving.  That is two long weeks. Of course, that depends on what the orthopedist says this morning about Lady Bug.  Last week (and thank heavens it wasn't when her parents were in Italy) she went to a trampoline place that is set up for early teens on Friday nights.  Trampolines + pre-teens (especially the boys)  = injuries.  And she was injured.  She has a weak ankle as it is.  During a swim meet, someone, somehow managed to step on her ankle.  Don't really know about that one.  Anyway, it seems that if someone is jumping on a trampoline, someone can cause the jump to be stopped by also jumping at the same time.  She came down - hard - and twisted her ankle.  A week later, it is still swollen, bruised, and very, very sore.  She had an  MRI a couple of days ago, and as I write this she is at the orthopedist to get the results.  To summarize this - IF there is major damage that means surgery, I am not sure I am going to be gone for those two weeks.

So life continues around here.  I am looking forward to my remodeled bathrooms.  A completely re-done master with no tub - just a nice walk in shower, and the hall bath finally with the ADA toiled that I have put into the SSB master, and this master.  (I use the hall bath - and suffer) And between Thanksgiving and Christmas I will be putting all the stuff back into the cabinets with more order and less stuff! 

SO where have I been?

I have a good excuse or two - really I do.  Last week was body maintenance week.  It was the monthly eyeball-puncturing time, as I said in the last post.  Things are going well - just not well enough to be allowed six weeks between appointments.  The alternative isn't something that would sit well with me -  blindness.

It was also my visit with Dr Poison.  Things there are going well - even if the Ca27.29 (the breast cancer marker in the blood) has risen to 31.  As long as it is below 38, but I was questioned about new pains, energy level and the like.  My blood pressure was great, and the nagging blood sugar was low.  I think I may have been effected by Lipitor if you want to know the truth - but proving it.  Don't think that will happen.

We completed week one of the re-do.  It hasn't been easy.  I have what most people would envy.  A lot, lot, lot of storage in my bathrooms.  Well - that means when it has to come out - it just kind of explodes all over the house.  The dust it about an inch thick now, and will only get worse.

The rats that G has been hearing in the attic weren't his imagination.  Last week, I heard a noise in the bathroom.  It was down  to the studs, and the plumbers had opened a small hole in the ceiling.  I opened the door, and in the roughed in shampoo holder spot was ... a rat.  Not a mouse, a big rat.  I am glad the door was closed, and I think I scared it more than it scared me, and that caused it to retreat into the attic,  I was quiet about my discovery, and they closed in the walls that day.  I called the vermin people on Thursday, and they will be here this week to set out traps again.  I really thought we had them under control, but the danged squirrels have chewed new holes that the rats have taken full advantage of.  Darn - so I guess we keep out contract with them to do yearly inspections and get rid of the things.

So here are pictures from last week:

All my hard working with the wall paper (15 years ago) is gone - it is all down.  The mirror is off the wall - leaning against the dresser, and the horrid formica (black textured stuff) is gone.

And you see the carpet is also gone.  Still in place are the cabinet pulls that will be replaced as well.  I need 42 for both bathrooms.  Yuck.  They run at least $2 a piece.  I do have some towel holders purchased as well as toiled paper holders that are cool, cool, cool!  That is the closed door to the tub/toilet area.  The granite has been chosen.

This is the roughed in shower stall.  That will be the bench.  This must have been post rat because we still don't have dry wall in this picture.

This is the alcove for the ADA toilet that was already in place and will be put back.  Looking at this makes me wonder if we will EVER be put together again.

And of course, everyone should have the ADA toilet in the middle of the bedroom.  Notice the accumulation of dust in the foreground.  Isn't that lovely.  Perhaps I can start a new trend.  If I were my mother in law, I would be standing there all day to clean off that dust.  Probably some of you would be doing that too.  Me?   I would rather read blogs, read Facebook, and do more genealogy than clean it only to have it back in a few minutes.  I know - lazy me.

New bathroom - day 2

I was going to get day 2 of construction, but I wanted to delete Alaska pictures from the camera.  Since there were so many, it took a while, and today was the wondrous eyeball puncture day.  So no pics of yesterday's work.

I will get some this afternoon. There won't be much difference really.  The horrid formica counter is gone as well as the mirror - which is leaning against my side of the bed.  The framing of the new shower is there, and there has been jack hammering for the new drain.  The new fixture and shower head are in place.  But really you don't notice much difference.

Clyde was a MOST unhappy camper yesterday.  I was doing my laundry - finally.  So since I couldn't get into the bedroom to put things away and hung, the couch was covered.  That's HIS place.  I know Simone is looking down from doggie heaven really cursing me.  She wasn't allowed on the couch.  I would imagine when Clyde climbs into bed, she is really incensed!  But he had to be on his leash all day.  Bummer for the doggie.

I couldn't get to see Shadow until late last night.  I wanted to go up and work, but I felt I had to help with Clyde.  This morning we went up to change the litter.  I cannot find that cat.  All the noise yesterday and the noise today have sent him into a scared cat delirium.

I asked the contractor for a general time line.  I would love to think what he said would be for both bathrooms, but I am afraid it is only the one, but he said two and a half weeks, depending on Christian, our building inspector.  He can be a twit.

And when Christian does come, he will remark on our stair case.  He will say it is supposed to have a railing or at least a higher wall on the side.  Well - sorry Christian.  It has been like this for twenty plus years!

At church on Sunday, I was laughing with another woman about when we can write our names in the dust on the table it is time to clean house.  They are gone a lot to the lake.  Well - I don't think I will ever be rid of dust again!  They tried - but dust is so insidious.

And to the music of a jack hammer, I will say goodbye!

And it begins

When I was about 20 years younger, I would be so excited with this remodel, but it hit me last night just what we are in for.  G began emptying the cabinets in the master (his) bath, and I started taking things off the counter.  It hit me that I wouldn't be able to take my meds in there or brush my teeth in there for a while, and WE would be sharing the hall bath.  We are used to double sinks, and he is used to being able to "sit on the john" for extended periods.  That changes today for an unknown period.

I know our contractor doesn't like to waste time.  He likes to get in, get done (and he does exemplary work) and get out.  The master will have the most work done, so it will take a while.

Right  now I am listening to them chip out tile.  I wonder what will happen with the tub.  It will go to be replaced by a big walk in shower.  It is enamel over iron.  It is a quality tub.  Oh, my the noise then.

Say some prayers for us!!!!  We will need them before this is over.

This was in Anchorage.  But this is why I dread sharing a bathroom with one sink.  At least the counter is MUCH bigger.  This is all of G's stuff.  I have nothing there.

I did take some before pictures.  And this is not the way it usually looks - not quite this bad.  We were in the midst of taking things out.

 This is a view of the tub/toilet area.  There's nothing special of the area to the right - just a tub.  BUT that's where the big change will happen.  It should be nice.  The tile you see on the wall is being taken out right now.  We decided to re-tile the walls rather than just sheet rock them.  The floor is 40 year old terrazzo, and while I am glad it was white rather than green like my daughter's house, it is dated.  If we are doing what we are doing - then it needs to be updated too.

This is a view from the bedroom into the dressing area.   That ugly cord on the left HAS to go.  I am so used to it, I don't even pay attention anymore, but now ugh!  Like I said, we have begun getting rid of things on the counter because that horrid black, textured formica has to go! Plus  both sinks and faucets will be replaced.  They are dated, and wonderful G was able to make his rust when he wouldn't wash the salt water out of it when he would rinse post mouth surgery.  He is such a help!!  Anyway - the cabinets will stay but with a fresh coat of paint, and the mirror will stay but with a frame.  The rest GOES!

Sluggish Saturday

Last night, I decided that I really have to start attending other grand children's things.  Of course for these older ones, that usually means sports events.  Their dad is a jock, and even though he said he would never force them into sports, Monkey Boy is playing basketball, baseball and doing some water polo.  Huh????

Anyway, I enjoy going to LB's volley ball games.  They are really fun, and she is really good.  I enjoyed her water polo match I saw.  I would go to more of those.  I HATE baseball.  Hate, hate, hate it.  Do you get the idea I hate it?

So I really don't want to go to one of the multitude of games (DURING THE SCHOOL WEEK!!!) that he plays.  Even when I was keeping them, I didn't go to that game, and as soon as Dad landed - he was getting ready to go that game that night.  No pressure though.

I decided I would go to the basketball game today.  The team is really pretty bad.  They got skunked 22-11.  Guess who is the coach.  Yep.  I think MB would do a lot better if Dad wasn't the coach.  But, he is.  SIL finally got his Canadian friend to help coach.  The friend actually played basketball in college, so he has more credentials than the football and baseball for SIL.
 
I did enjoy the game.  I like basketball, and watching nine year olds play is a hoot!  Ball control is not in their vocabulary, and shooting, well, let's just say it is lacking.

This shouldn't be a sluggish day though, and I should not really be sitting here on the computer.  I will finally HAVE to have family dinner tomorrow night.  I have gotten out of it long enough.  So I really need to get a shovel, and perhaps a high pressure hose and clean out my house.  After Alaska, the reunion, keeping kids at their house, and the SSB things have just gotten thrown around.  G made the comment this morning that soon we will need a larger breakfast table - which was a nice way of saying that there is too much stuff on ours.  And yes there is.  Things, like mail and genealogy, have gotten piled and piled, and , well you may get the picture.  Yes - I allowed that to happen,

It seems as I get older, I procrastinate more and more.  You would think I would "live each day to the fullest" because there aren't all that many left.  But I think the little voice in the back of my head is saying "enjoy your end days."  That means a messy house. 

So - I guess I better head off and get the shovel.  It will take that to dig to the bottom.  But, after I go to Facebook.

More moaning and groaning.

First and foremost, I am always reminded how fragile life is.  My BFF's (even though we really don't talk often, email often or see each other - I know, strange) husband fell at home a few months ago.  He broke his hip, some ribs and the like.  He was lying there all day because with a broken hip , well...

My son texted me a Facebook posting from one of her sons.  It was that E was going to have a double by-pass a couple of days ago along with an aortic valve possibly thrown in for good measure.  Then yesterday, he posted that his dad has gotten SIX (yes six!!!) transfusions because they can't stop the bleeding, his kidneys are still wonky, and there is a terrible amount of fluid on his lungs - thus still on a ventilator.  Plus, as one would imaging, he looks terrible.

His other son is a physician, and I imagine he is about to go nuts.  He lives about an hour and a half from here, and I congratulate him on not dropping his practice to come and oversee his dad's care.  I texted my friend, and she said he is improving, but this is a woman who will not ask for help.  A few years ago, when she was having terrible breathing difficulty, drive herself to the ER.  What can I say there.

So if you believe, say a few extra prayers for E.  If you don't believe in prayer, send him some good karma or any other good thoughts.

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I forgot to add while we were at the SSB, after our guest hunter loaded up her deer and drove away, G took Clyde for a walk.    They were between the retaining wall on the north side of the house and the "barn" when Clyde got really interested in something.  About that time, G recognized the diamond pattern in the grass.  There was about a five foot rattlesnake stretched out by the wall.  Usually it would have coiled in preparation to strike, but I guess it was a little too cool, and the snake was sluggish - thank heavens.

Clyde still needs obedience training, and he didn't want to break from his "trail."  G was about to carry him up the steps.  G was the one wisely scared out of his mind!  He came in to get the pistol, and went back - no more snake.

This is getting really bad.  Especially since the next day or so, they were walking across the front of the house, and there was another rattler headed for the house.  This one was about 19 inches.  By the time he got the shot gun, it was gone.

Needless to say, we are really on alert when we are outside these days.  Clyde is certainly going to snake school.  They do use a shock collar, but that will be much less harmful than the snake bite.  And as soon as he is cleared of this heart worm treatment, he will get the rattlesnake vaccine.

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Shopping trip today to get the faucets for the bath remodel.  Really neat shower heads!  Fortunately, I am not changing cabinets, dressing area lights, the faucet in the hall bath, and the bathtub in the hall bath.  My dream of the handicapped tub is just that.  $6000 is just too rich.  So I have convinced myself that sitting waiting for the water, using THAT much water, then waiting for it to drain isn't something I really want to do.  The sitting in the water would be great, but there is just too much with that tub.  Plus I would have to clean those hoses for the bubbles, and I am sure that the door will eventually leak.

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In addition to having to learn Windows 8, I decided that since my virus protection upgraded to cover Windows 8.1, I would do the free update to Windows 8.1.  Ain't nothin' free in this world.  While I didn't have to pay a penny, the time invested was terrible.  After the download, then it had to install, and install, and install, and then tweek and tweek.  All in all, it was 45 minutes post installation.  Geesh!


So that's my life today.  We had no flooding problems, and most of the area didn't have too much.  Austin was hit HARD!  Especially toward the east - like Pflugerville area.