Thursday

I'm so very far behind that I'll never catch up. Such is life in the fast lane. Picture how frustrating it looks from the slow lane - which is where I sit.

Luck is with me on the master bathroom re-do. A couple came to give an estimate this evening. One was telling me all that should be done and I was just about ready to run crying from the room. The other spoke up and said that he didn't agree. The area he believes needs to be replaced is relatively small given the size of the room as a whole. His suggestion was to replace the subfloor and install a new vanity and tile floor. He pointed out that the tub and marble surround are in perfect condition as is the lav and toilet. He suggested new faucets for both lav and tub/shower. I hope he is correct because I have a lot of $$$ in those fixtures and marble and I still like them. I don't have a bottom line cost yet but it will be less than a wall to wall re-do.

I guess this means the subway tile are on hold. (Subway tile are about the size of the face of a standard brick. They are used for walls and are laid edge to edge.) They might be an option for a kitchen back splash.

Other news. We are leaving on 3 September for a few days. Joe will be doing the honors of house/tank/cat sitting so we won't worry about anything here. We only have a direction we'll be traveling. Our first leg will be Charleston, SC, and from there up the coast. We'll move along as the mood strikes and just be vagabonds. An adventure, if you will. If a hurricane invades our path we'll just change our path - there are lots of mountains to explore in both North and South Carolina. My goal is to return home with a Pawley's Island hammock and a relaxed smile on my face. I think Harry's goal is just to manage not to have a nervous breakdown as he likes things on a cut and dried schedule. We'll have the laptop with us so Harry can conduct business as usual and I'll check email and blogs. I might even write and/or post pictures if time permits.

I have to brag - I have lost 35 pounds. It really hasn't been hard. I'd like to shed another 10-15 pounds but if I don't it'll be OK.

The clock struck three in the morning before I was asleep last night and I've had no nap today. I see an early night in my future - starting right about now. Tomorrow I'll have the boys after school. Have I mentioned that I love all my kids?

Hello World

It's hard to believe we've had almost two days of rain. The remnants of Fay was kind enough to remember that we have a drought happening right here in Rocket City and is giving our world a wonderful gentle drink.

The initial work under the house is complete. Now I have to think about the master bath. Part of the sub floor will have to be replaced. It's also a great opportunity to replace the vanity and have a high performance potty installed. That bath was completely renovated almost exactly 25 years ago. Guess I can't complain - and I'm not. This re-do will be very simple - I love subway tile and intend to have them at long last. Old farts don't need fancy; we need practical and rugged.

I haven't posted or commented very much for a few days. I have read but have mostly lurked. A schedule (like the one I'm trying to work out now) that seems almost impossible to plan because so much depends on other people just uses me up. Given a couple of days to get my balance and take a deep breath all will fall into place.

Meantime I'll be reading and posting/commenting when I can get my mind clear enough to do so. Don't forget me - I think of each of my blog friends every day and wonder how their world is behaving.

Calm Weekend Ahead . .

The work being done at my house?
Long story made short: There were several phone calls, one really ticked old woman, a foreman who was/is in BIG trouble with his district manager, and one job finally completed. Foreman left my job unfinished and moved the crew to another job. There was only about three hours work left to finish my job so "we can finish up that job as a fill in," said the foreman. Wrong again hoss! Finish one job before you begin the next. Lesson: Keep your money completely in your control until ALL work is complete to your satisfaction. You won't necessarily make friends but you will earn respect. I'm so glad this job is over. Second phase will be done first of week and then it's on to whatever damage I have and - if I'm lucky - a new master bath. Don't tell Harry. He doesn't know yet.

Nationwide at Bristol is running and is about half way through. I'll be back in front of TV for the finish of the race. Tomorrow the cup cars run Bristol. I'd love to be there in person. Maybe next year.

James spent the afternoon with us. (Jesse had music class after school so he wasn't here.) James and I played Noggin on line, had a snack, and talked about school (pre-school) and "the big blue slide." Only the big kids get to go down the big blue slide because it goes through a tunnel. James' teacher said that maybe her class might get to go down the big blue slide after Christmas. I gotta check out that slide. . .

I re-read my last two posts. Sorry I turned into a "witch with a B" because of the needless holdups with this work. I should be more patient. I promise to try to do better.

Back to the race. My best to all.

A Day of Waiting

Workers were here this morning and began doing what the contract said they should do. Before long the inspector came to the door to be sure I was satisfied with the way the work was progressing. He told me that the district manager was having a "pop-in meeting" with the worker's superintendent on our front lawn. The inspector and I talked for a few minutes and then he went back outside to look at the work being done. That gave me the chance to sneak a peek out the living room window to see what was happening out there. I don't know what was being said but the district manager was NOT smiling and the super was just looking nervous and nodding his head. I really don't know what transpired but I do know that everything went smooth as silk so far as the work is concerned. They didn't finish today so will be back to finish up tomorrow morning. When they are done the inspector will check the work and he will install extra floor supports. (As you know we have some heavy stuff (tanks) in this house.) It will be good to be through with this!

I haven't done anything today except wait for the "other shoe" to fall but it didn't. We'll see how the last part of the work goes tomorrow.

By Monday life should be back to normal - well as normal as it ever is. Have a good evening. If you are facing heavy rains and flooding I hope you don't experience loss of property or injury.

Is This Day Over Yet?

I last posted on Monday and here it is Wednesday. I haven't accomplished one thing during this time. The workers came this morning but due to "miscommunication" between the technical people and the worker bees nothing happened. The next start time is tomorrow between 8 and 9 AM. This job isn't rocket science I don't know what's so hard to understand about "remove the old insulation, treat the wood, replace vapor barrier, install power vent, clear all debris and get the thunder out of my face!" We'll see what happens in the morning. GRRR

I haven't had the chance to visit blogs for a couple of days - I've been spending my time worrying about getting this work done and completing a couple of projects. I don't want to be distracted while these workers are here. I think someone needs to watch them. I'm so glad that Harry cancelled his golf to be here to watch this process. Thanks Harry, I know I can count on you.

More on this later, I'm sure.

I'll try to read and comment tomorrow morning. Nite-nite!!

Tiger on the Wall

I had a couple of requests to post a large version of the picture that hung in my office. I'm going to do my best. Let's see how this goes.

Hmmmm. . . . Well, Harry will be embarrassed that I didn't straighten the picture and take steps to keep reflections off the glass. Sorry Babe, this is the best the old gal can do. To my readers I believe you can see several of the other big cats within the pic.

Yesterday, Sunday, was our usual gathering but Baby Hooper and parents were missing. We missed them. The boys asked why he wasn't here. I believe they have decided the baby is a keeper. Uncle Joe brought a computer program that allows kids to build cartoon monsters. They wanted Uncle Joe to demonstrate - or maybe it was Uncle Joe's decision to do so. He built the cutest monster with a monkey body, a unicorn head, one eye, and wings with a wide span. It was purple. He called me to come look at the critter. When I got to the computer there were two little guys standing there with big eyes and mouths ajar. Uncle Joe told them that I would recognize the monster and the boys had all eyes on me. I laughed and broke into the "Purple People Eater" song and the boys were so relieved to know he was "just a song" and not real. Uncle Joe likes to tease everyone and he surely had them in his clutches that time.

Harry's yearly physical was this morning. Kids, I'm happy to report that his report card was very good. I guess we'll keep him for another year. What da ya think?

We two old farts have just about worn this day out. In another hour we'll begin to settle in for the evening. I hope I can sleep tonight. Harry NEVER has trouble sleeping!

Sentimental Me

Yesterday was a wonderful day. The trip up to Ooltewah was smooth and with no problems. My friend, Carolyn June, met me at the meeting site. She was all about doing whatever I wanted to do and would have taken me to visit any one that I wanted to. I really only wanted to spend the time with her.

Carolyn June and I were really close as children, through our teen years, and into adulthood. We shared every dream, disappointment, and thought. Then I moved away and distance and the pressures of everyday life separated us. Our children - her two girls and my two boys - took our time and attention. I know I thought of her often and we usually called each other on our birthdays. With time even that began to fail. Now that we have grandchildren, have retired from the busy work-a-day life, and have a little (not much) time on our hands I hope that we will return to that closeness. We're both much older - if I remember correctly I'm five years older. We need to spend time together while we can - of course we're both going to live to 100 and drive everyone crazy. We had many, many adventures as youngsters - not the least of which was breaking the ice on the wet weather creek at the bottom of our pasture to go swimming. I don't expect we'll repeat those adventures but I'm sure there are others waiting for us to discover them. Any suggestions? It was sad to see her SUV pull out of the parking lot - sad enough to put a tear in my eye. We just can't repeat the past.

In short, yesterday was a perfect day.

Today promises to be perfect, too. I always look forward to Sunday and seeing the kids - all of them.

Smoocha, you asked that I post a large pic of the tiger. I have to make the pic because I don't have a large one. I'll try to get that done on my next post. Time's run out this morning.

Thanks for listening to my sentimental trip. If you have someone in your life that you love but have lost contact with don't wait - CALL OR VISIT THEM TODAY!!