Sick Day

I woke up really feeling the after affects of my refrigerator workout.  My left hip hurt like crazy, this started last night and I figured a good nights sleep would cure that.  However, I was wrong.  I ate breakfast and fed the cats so for all intense and purposes the day started normal but I knew when I woke up that today I was not going to work. 

I took a muscle relaxer and it’s amazing that one little pill can knock you out of commission for the entire day.  I was hallucinating as I tried to stay awake this afternoon after having slept most of the morning.  Eventually I just gave up and went back to sleep.  I slept pretty much all day long. 

I turned my phone on close to 5p and found that my other co-worker that had been out for 2 days took today as well.  That has only happened a couple times that both of us were out or off.  Usually one of us is there.  I only have 50ish emails to comb through and I seriously plan to return tomorrow. 

I do feel better not 100% but I am hopeful that tomorrow is a better day than today was. 

Good news is that last night I got up the courage to pull the fridge/freezer out to check and there wasn’t a drop of moisture to be found so I fixed the issue.  That made me feel good but I had a strong feeling that when the filter broke in the afternoon that was the source of the problem.  I hope the appliance keeps on humming along for many years ahead. 

Also got my paycheck that reflects my pay raise and I am getting $83 more per pay period, I think I will just up my savings and take the money rather than stuff part of it in a 401K.  I can always change my mind. 

My apologies for no Man Candy today but you know me I will make it up to you once I get caught up.  Right now my worry is sleeping tonight so long as I can accomplish that I will be able to meet my goal of going back tomorrow. 

Take care and hang in there were closer now than we were on Monday to the weekend. 

Sore as expected

Morning – Well I’m not stiff in the wrong places just sore.  Not sure if I mentioned it but there was a water filter in place for taste it came from Sears so that should give you an idea of how long ago it was replaced.  Anyway part of that broke last night when I was mopping the floor.  I believe that part of it was allowing a slow leak, thus the water.  Now that the water is shutoff and that filter has been removed if there is any water pooling or leaking it has to be coming from the fridge/freezer and it would most likely be from a clogged drain line.  While I haven’t pulled it back out yet I really feel like I found and fixed the problem. 

The floor underneath the fridge is just as clean as the day we moved in now that I mopped.  I did take one last peek before I put everything back in place and I didn’t see or feel any leaks which also leads me to my conclusion that this problem is solved.  I will find out soon enough. 

I did check the carpet this morning and it’s dry so at least things are off to a good start, despite the fact I am sore and moving like I am 90 years old. 

I took my sweet time eating breakfast and I was a little late to start my day but hey I made it.  I could easily take the day and lay around however the co-worker I complain about is out today sick and he was out yesterday because his kid was sick.  That’s the great thing about having kids you can use them as an excuse in so many ways.  I think his backup plan for child care failed and he just said he’s sick so that he can buy himself an extra day.  I also think it’s highly convenient now that we just went through a bunch of work.  It’s like he needs time to rest.  Hey maybe I am wrong and he’s legit sick but I honestly don’t buy it.  But it matters not because I’m not the boss. 

Last nights supper was pretty good.  Store made Stromboli.  They said cut it into 4 pieces I chopped it in half and only had 2 pieces.  Man I was so full and am glad that I have the other two for another meal.  I didn’t bother with desert after I let that meal settle a bit I went to finishing up my work on the fridge and mopping.  I was exhausted and just wanted to cool down and drink cold water, couldn’t get enough of it. 

Tonight will be garlic bread from my Sunday meal out and some store pasta.  I only wish I had some Spumoni to go with it for desert.

Here’s hoping that today will be less eventful than yesterday was and perhaps I can relax a bit before my afternoon series of meeting after meeting.  I really wish I was laying in bed and relaxing.  I know I can always make that happen but honestly don’t want to because of having to play catch up when I come back. 

The mowers showed up while I was eating breakfast and drove the cats a little crazy.  They bounced from window to window to peek out and see what was up.  It was kind of cute. 

I was left to sleep alone last night until I got up to go to the bathroom at 5am, it was all that water I drank before bed.  Anyway when I came back both cats were in my bed and acted like they had been there for hours when I know that wasn’t the case.  I made it work but it was not comfortable for me.  I am sure they were just fine.  Mora wanted to hug and cuddle about an hour later but I was in no mood for that I just wanted to go back to sleep.  She woke me up by standing on top of me.  All of that weight and stepping on a spot that was sore yeah it did the trick.  I thought she was her brother but soon realized by the feeling it wasn’t him it was her.  

Well work is starting to build so hi ho it’s off to work I go because I owe, I owe, I owe.  Have a great day!

Quick update

No surprise my back is killing me.  I was really exhausted and out of it after this morning.  I was able to take a short break to help recover.  Then work just came flooding in and I had no choice I had to stick with it.  I powered through and made it to lunch. 

The carpet is dry thanks to the help of a fan.  It is stained but I am sure if I use the carpet cleaner on it I will probably be able to clear that up.  I am in no hurry.  The cats weren’t too happy about it but it got the job done.  I pushed the fridge back in place and confirmed the floor was dry prior to doing so.  I found one spot after I pushed it back that had some moisture, which I cleaned up.  Right now it’s a wait and see situation.  I do think and hope the problem is solved.  However, I want to confirm that for sure before I walk away from this. 

I plan to pull the fridge back out tonight after supper and check the floor.  If there is any moisture then I will be calling for a repair person.  I’ve double checked both the fridge and freezer sides with a thermometer and they are both working.  If there is still water/moisture then it has to be a drain line like the YT video said.  I really hope that I solved this on my own, it would make me feel pretty good. 

Even if things are all dry tonight I will still check it again in the morning for the extra piece of mind. 

I dislike household issues but especially when they involve water. 

Since I already feel some of the affects of my so called morning workout I am sure that I will probably be stiff in the all the wrong places come morning or at least I expect that to be the case and to hurt a little bit more.  Having a massage booked on Friday is a good thing!

Right now I just want to coast through the afternoon and am eager to make it to bed time.  Not exactly the Monday I wanted but I know it can always be worse. 

Talk with you all again soon!

Where the water came from

Morning … I am tired and out of breath.  Kind of feel like I need a nap but I am just so hot.

I broke out the carpet cleaner last night to suck up whatever it was that was wet on the carpet.  Turns out it was water.  Such an odd spot and no plumbing near by.  I checked downstairs and all of the ceiling tiles are dry, plus there is no real plumbing in this area so that further added to the mystery. 

This morning I noticed that the area had grown in size and it was very strange to me.  Only thing in the area is the fridge.  I soon found the problem was the fridge/freezer.  It’s got a built in door ice and water.  The ice maker broke years ago and has been turned off.  I don’t use the water in the door.  First thing I did was turn the valve off that supplies water to the unit since it’s not needed.  The floor below where the unit sits was quite wet but unless you pulled it out you would have never known. 

I dried up the water on the floor, broke out the carpet cleaner to suck up more of the water in the carpet.  Then got out the vacuum cleaner to clean away some dust and cat fur that I saw.  It’s not immaculate by any means but I cleared away what I could.  A few years back I remember cleaning it out and it was plugged with fur from every cat that had ever been here.  Rudy and Mora were either not here yet or hadn’t been here for very long. 

My first instinct was that I would probably have to call someone.  I never did find anything that was leaking.  I watched a YouTube video that talked about a plugged drain line but don’t see anything like that.  I don’t know that I am fully out of the woods just yet and still may wind up calling a repair person. 

Right now the unit is pulled out and I am giving the area a chance to dry.  I’ve pushed it back in place and wiped up a little bit of water.  Pulled it back out and let it sit then after a bit pushed it back in and the floor is dry.  I think or hope by moving it I may have fixed the issue by happy accident, at least this my hope. 

The cats are so confused and I’ve never worked faster or harder just before starting a work day.  I need to head up and check on things. 

Both sides (freezer and fridge) are as cold as they normally are so I know that it’s got to be a drain or drain line.  I can tell you that I will be sore from this because it involves a lot of crawling around on the floor and being on my back.  Manual Labor which my body doesn’t like. 

My hope is that I can fix this on my own but if not at low cost by calling someone.  Right now it’s just wait and see.  Not the way I wanted to start the week out with a home problem, much less a problem that involves water.  Yuk!

Wish me luck I am sure I will have much more to post about this as time moves forward.  Hope that your day is off to a better start than mine.  Take care.

 

Lazy Does It

Welcome in … I had a productive evening.  Washed the cats fountain in the dishwasher.  Used air dry and just a normal wash cycle.  Anything more and the plastic it’s made from would melt.  At least that was my experience with a prior fountain years and years ago.  Talk about learning from your mistakes. 

Got the cat’s fountain put back together and filled.  Then loaded up the dishwasher with my dishes and knocked them out.  Speaking of knocking, my water heater makes all kinds of noise now that I flushed it.  I wished I would have listened to the plumber who told me when it was put in don’t touch it.  I know that your supposed to flush them as regular maintenance once per year.  It gets pretty noisy and I can’t help but think I’ve set myself up for failure.  The unit has been in service for 4 years, was installed at the start of the pandemic and still working fine.  It’s gas and on the lowest possible setting for hot water.  I know it is mineral deposits that cause the knocking.  Yet another joy of homeownership.  Here’s hoping that it lasts for many more years to come. 

Went to bed late and had several play sessions with the cats throughout the day.  Rudy was the one who drove that and I just hope he doesn’t think that is going to be an every day thing.  He really whined and carried on at bed time because I was all played out and he was denied his normal before bed play.  I watched some TV and eventually my medicine kicked in, I thought it wasn’t going to work at all. 

Rudy let me sleep in for 45 minutes and then at 7:45a he was making biscuits and waking me up.  I got up and fed them.  I came back to bed for a bit but eventually opted to get up and eat, take my meds and just relax.  That meant going back to bed and watching TV.  Of course I fell back asleep.  There’s nothing really going today and relaxing is what I enjoy most of all, even if it’s dull & boring wasting my life away. 

Got up around noonish and had some cookies & a soda for lunch.  After the cats were done with lunch they joined me as we returned to my room to watch more TV.  I got going around 2:30p with a shower.  By now it’s close to 100 degrees outside and there are air quality & heat advisory warnings out. 

Stopped for cat food first.  Then went to the office supply store and the kids working there looked at me like I had a 3rd eye.  I asked if they had a document holder.  The first person said that she was too young to understand what I was asking for and pointed me to some guys who thought I was looking for a typewriter.  It’s a simple device it holds a document in an upright position and you can more easily type as your looking to it and then your monitor instead of having to look down if the document was laying on a desk.  I was calling it a copy holder but explained what it did.  Well turns out it’s actually called a document holder and I can get one from Amazon for $12 and it will be here next day.  I knew I wasn’t crazy but those kids said they didn’t have it.  I looked prior to asking and yeah I didn’t find it either.  I looked over the pen isle while I was there.  Lots of choices but I didn’t buy anything. 

Off to grab the mail from there and then to a Mexican place that my friends were talking about.  I had been there when they opened and it was good but that was like 5 years ago.  The place fills up in a hurry.  Service absolutely sucked but the food was awesome.  Full of flavor and apparently full of salt.  I didn’t taste it but ever since I have been home I have been so damn thirsty.  I keep drinking water like I am a fish, I’ll be glad when my thirst is quenched I hate feeling thirsty and not being able to drink enough to get satisfied.

Cat food got put away and here I am in the basement.  Mora has been nagging at me.  I forgot about the time and realized she wanted treats.  I gave her those.  That only bought me 10 minutes of peace.  She wants to cuddle and that’s not in the cards when I am in front of the computer.  Kind of like why I hate letting either of them down here because all they do is nag me.  I know they enjoy being next to me and around me but damn it gets to be a bit much.  Didn’t help things that when I did let her in my lap she wiped her rear end on my arm.  She loves to do that but normally there isn’t any evidence left behind and this time there was. 

I’ve moved some money into savings, schedule a bill payment and updated my finances since we got paid a couple days early.  My pay raise amounted to an extra $80 after taxes.  Whoopy.  It looks like the extra money is a lot on paper but when you boil it down after taxes it’s not much.  Which reminds me I need to update my retirement account so that next check that $80 goes to it instead of me.  I’m doing fine on what I was making prior to getting a raise. 

That’s pretty much it for Saturday.  Tomorrow I’ll do the usual breakfast, target, grocery store and gas up.  Got some laundry to knock out and the house to clean which didn’t get done last weekend due to my poor back.  It’s feeling better now but I’m not pushing my luck.  Still very pleased when I look outside and see a semi-clean deck and sidewalk, looking at that won’t ever get old. 

Once I get away from the computer it’s back to the TV for the night.  Next week looks like it’s going to suck.  However, I’ll just take it one day at a time and try not to freak out.  The mistake maker had an early day yesterday and left me to cover things with just an hours notice and by email nevertheless.  No picking up the phone.  Common Courtesy as well as Common Sense just isn’t common anymore.  Damn Millennials!

Take care and keep cool & hydrated!

Tired & Sore

My outside tasks are done!  I woke up at 7a when it was cool outside.  Had some pastry, Banana and a Diet Coke for breakfast.  Fed the cats.  Loaded up with sunscreen and mosquito spray, threw on some clothes and my work shoes.  Grabbed the Armor Away or whatever it’s called.  House wash in a bottle.  I got it just before the pandemic hit it was a 2 for 1 special on Amazon. 

Hooked up the hose and started spraying away.  I think that it must have gone bad just from sitting, either that or the gable vent I was trying to clean is just that dirty.  I had one a couple years ago it looked horrible and this stuff made it bright white in 10 minutes.  Not so this time, I got off some of the dirt. 

I grew unhappy with the way it was rinsing and just decided to call it a day and put that junk away.  Grabbed the power washer and I rinsed it all off.  Wound up doing the side walk, a bunch of landscaping bricks that had green mold growing on them and then made my way to the deck.  Got the green mold off of it and washed the back of the house, the deck part and then what is the master bedroom, which also had green mold growing on it, light but nevertheless it was there.  I have no idea how much water I used but I started probably at 7:45a and I didn’t come back inside until 11:30a.  It was kind of fun but it was also back breaking. 

I was in limp mode by the time I got everything cleaned up and put away.  I am quite proud of my accomplishment.  If I had the gas left in me I would have done the other side of the house, it faces the street.  The siding looks clean but the gutters have dirt and some green mold growing on them.  I suppose that is a job for another day. 

I got undressed in the garage, came inside and grabbed a Gatorade.  Sat on the couch and watched some fireworks on YouTube.  I was sweating to beat the band.  I had caught my breath and was somewhat rested but still felt the ache in my back.  I made my way to the shower and that felt good.  Then I dried off and climbed in bed. 

Rudy was by myside and wouldn’t leave me.  He knew I was hurting and could use the company.  I rolled over and he snuggled up next to my back.  Eventually after about an hour I woke up and he was right there to greet me and make biscuits just as if it was morning all over again.

Passed out lunch for the cats, I ate more pastry and some left over cake.  Washed it all down with a Diet Coke and then got on my laptop.  I scoured menu after menu trying to find a decent place to eat at.  Wound up at a local pizza place.  Had some spaghetti & meatballs with garlic bread and a salad – washed that all down with a Diet Dr. Pepper and it was $22.  I left full. 

Then went for a ride to check on the neighbors new house.  There is a for sale sign in the yard so maybe they aren’t going to move in after all and they are going to sell it.  It’s coming along pretty nice.  I think by this time next month it should be fully done presuming that it’s being worked on every day.  I’ll probably make another trip out because I am just that damn nosy. 

Stopped in for a car wash and got to look at a good looking 20ish year old guy who had a fine looking ass.  I’m telling you that I am officially at the desperate point.  I want a companion but want him to be good looking kind of beauty and brains.  Hopefully my search will end this year because this is old and well so am I.  My age is against me for sure, especially if I want a younger guy say in his 30’s, I’d go 20’s but fear that I wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation that long and we wouldn’t have a whole lot in common.  Outside of the companion part I need to have some damn good sex, kind of tired of watching porn and seeing other guys have a good time.  Yeah things can always be worse but this is one hell of a problem that seems insurmountable.  I’ve done a damn good job solving all of my other problems but this one well not so much. 

On a different note, I went to the BBQ place and ordered the catfish last night.  It was not that good.  However, a woman walked in and from a distance she looked like my mom.  As you got closer I could tell that it wasn’t her but damn if I didn’t know that she was dead I would have sworn that it was my mom.  That was kind of odd to me.  I almost bought her meal and struck up a conversation but wouldn’t you know it I got a work call that I had to head home and deal with.  I thought about taking her picture and sending it to my brother but figured that wouldn’t fair well so I just left it alone. 

I’m sure I will continue to be sore for a few days but it still feels damn good to have made progress.  I could have easily wasted the day by rotting in bed. 

Tomorrow is the usual breakfast and grocery stores.  If I feel up to it I’ll be stopping at two grocery stores, kind of hope that I do because that will mean more food for me. 

Hope you have a fantastic Saturday.  Take care!

Fast Moving Tuesday

Morning … My plan worked great and I had a fast moving Tuesday.  I plowed through a lot of work and even had a few distractions.  All of my work for the interns is done, while my counterpart is just getting started.  I leave him in the dust every year because he moves at a snails pace.  There are people already asking when his part is going to be done. 

I got to park in a new area of the garage at work and it’s heaven.  Not a lot of people up there and it’s extra secure, I’ll be parking there from now on.  I had my semi-spicy Buffalo Chicken Wrap for lunch, it was good but it was no Chicken Cesar Wrap.  I left around 3p and almost got side swiped twice by an overly aggressive Dodge Charger.  He never saw me just changed lanes and I had to react to avoid getting hit.  Hey I was in a hurry to get home as well but I wanted to arrive alive and with my vehicle still intact.  An accident would have been the ultimate punishment for leaving early.

The emails poured in as I drove home and when I arrived home I only had a couple things to deal with.  I elected to put them off until this morning as I didn’t deem them important enough to deal with.  That permitted me to pay attention to the cats and they were both attention deprived and very happy to see me. 

We snuggled up on the couch after they had some food and did a little bit of playing.  I found a couple things to watch that kept me occupied for about an hour and a half.  After that it was a constant search for something new.  I wound up watching Reba which just was placed on Netflix.  I’ve seen it all before but looks like I am going to make my way through the series again. 

Today we have severe weather on tap once again.  Tornadoes possible along with Baseball to Golf ball sized hail, strong winds and of course lots of rain and thunder.  It’s all supposed to start just before lunch and who knows how long it will take to move through the area but I hope it’s not nearly as bad as the predictions and that this is the last severe weather we have for a very long time.  Thankful that I have a garage and my vehicle fits inside of it.    

Got one meeting on tap oddly around the time the weather is supposed to start getting bad.  Otherwise, unless something comes rolling in I have a nice goof off day to get caught up with web surfing and I can resume relaxing.  Rudy really wanted me up this morning.  He started at 6:30a and it took forever to shew him away.  Both cats were playful when I finally got up and we got moving. 

Checked on the water area of carpet and it’s dry at the moment.  We shall see if that changes once the bad weather gets here.  I talked it over with a colleague and it’s rather odd.  If it was a foundation problem there would be water in more than just one spot.  He told me to chalk it up to an animal accident.  It’s not an animal because cat pee has a very distinct odor and they are the only animals I have.  It’s quite the mystery that I don’t know if I will ever have an answer to.  I’m fine with that just as long as the problem doesn’t come back.

Here’s hoping it’s a good day for all of us!  Take care and thanks for stopping by. 

All in a days work

Hope you are having a good day thus far.  I’ve opted to stop working for the day.  I could have easily finished all of my work today but wanted to save something to occupy and help pass time tomorrow, because I will be in the office.  Normally I just sit and stare at my screen once my morning work tasks are done and scramble to try to find something to occupy my mind.  Now I know for sure I will have work to do and plenty of it. 

Picked up some Pineapple and Strawberry’s that were sliced fresh by the store.  I had some of each last night and it was a great snack/desert.  Passed out treats for the cats and watched TV until it was time to wrap things up for bed. 

Shaved, showered and then off to my room to watch TV and wait until my medicine kicked in and I went to sleep.  It seemed to take forever last night but I think it was close to 11:30p when I finally turned the TV off and passed out.  Both cats in bed with me and they didn’t want to move but it happened. 

Had a strange dream that involved surgery I think, don’t really remember much.  I know that I woke up a couple times and trying to roll over I managed to hit my head, I was really wedged in bed with the cats.  Rudy came along with his morning wake up call and we began a new day. 

Breakfast over, got dressed and headed down for work.  It was a semi-sunny morning.  Dreary looking by mid-morning and then the sun was back out for lunch.  More rain is on the way and it rained over night.  There talking about more severe weather this week but until it arrives it’s just talk to me.  Kind of like when they forecast snow, I used to get so excited as a child and quickly learned that you shouldn’t count on what they say because it’s all guess work and things change. 

Working away and was left alone for the biggest part of the morning.  Just before lunch I got three calls, one of which was a wrong number.  I was hungry for lunch.  I had looked up a place that I had been hearing about and saw the menu, my mouth was watering.  I forgot that I don’t have a whole lot to eat here for lunch.  That of course will change tomorrow because I planned for Tuesday.  I’m having a Buffalo Chicken Wrap because they didn’t have the Chicken Cesar Wrap.  I asked about that at the store and they said they are still making them but they are only out occasionally.  I was kind of hoping they would make me one on the spot but that didn’t happen.  I’m more excited for supper tonight.  I found a new frozen dinner called a Pizza Bowl.  The picture looks good, let’s hope that it tastes close to as good as it looks. 

I wound up having a Breakfast Burrito with some hot sauce and a tiny snack Hostess apple pie.  I didn’t read the fine print that said they were snack size.  When I saw the size I wished that I would have bought something else.  Watched Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and a couple other things on YouTube then it was time to come back to work. 

I started back up and got a few more things done and I enjoy the rhythm especially once I get up to speed.  However, the systems aren’t all firing at rapid pace and I have to wait for them to catch up.  We did some “maintenance” last week and that kind of has everything a little screwy.  After a couple interruptions I just opted to call it a day.  I’m coasting as I watch to see if anything will crop up, if not then I will be headed up to be with the cats. 

In other news, yesterday after the cats went upstairs for the day I brought down some Febreze and sprayed the area that had the water on it.  Damn if it wasn’t slightly moist feeling this morning.  Not sure what that was all about.  I’ve searched the basement and there are no other areas that are wet and I see no standing water.  I’ve got it all dried out and plan to turn the fan off when I go up for the day.  Then I will watch the area to see what happens.  In addition to the rain that is on the way for today, it’s supposed to rain more through Wednesday.  My hope is that the area stays dry.  It’s carpet on top of a concrete basement foundation.  Basements are known to be damp and musty but yet mine is finished and until I had the mold problem the only moisture issue we had was when the water heater exploded several years back.  Fingers crossed that this little hiccup stays gone and things remain dry.  Not sure that I will get my way but I can hope, right? 

Thanks for dropping by, talk with you all again soon.

Let’s Get Physical

Happy Saturday, hope all is well.  Buckle up as we take another ride in the adventure of my life.

Yesterday  I had this feeling of doom come over me as it relates to my home.  Not exactly sure why.  It started when I thought I heard the sump pump cycling.  It was not but I had to test it to make sure that it worked.  Yep still working.  In the afternoon I was headed upstairs.  I noticed that something didn’t feel right on the carpet.  I took off my shoe and went over the area again.  Yeah something is not right because my foot is wet.  In the middle of the floor there was a small puddle of water that had dampened one area.  I looked up and the ceiling tiles were fine.  I checked in the utility closet and didn’t see any water there.  Last time this happened the water heater burst but it was much wetter and covered a wider area.  Next up I checked the wall and the baseboard that are exterior facing.  They felt dry.  I am puzzled as to what in the world this is.

I broke out the big steam cleaner that I haven’t used in easily I’d say 4 to 5 years.  It didn’t suck up anything.  I got a couple pee pads out and inverted them so that the pad part faced the carpet and walked over them.  That wicked up some water.  I repeated it another time.  Finally I got the little carpet cleaner that I just bought for cat mini messes and damn it sucked up a small amount of some foul dirty water.  I worked and worked to make sure that there wasn’t anything left to suck up.  Then I broke out my big fan that moves air like no tomorrow and faced it on the spot and turned it on.  I let it run overnight.  I came down to check on it before I headed to bed and there was progress being made. 

I was so busy between this and a couple things from work that came in that I never ate supper.  The cats got fed and got their treats but I just kept putting off taking care of me, which is typical for me.  I wound up eating some Greek Yogurt and washing it down with some tap water.  I really wasn’t hungry, more sick and stumped over what in the world this could be. 

We have had a lot of rain and this area faces the back of my home, which is where I had the mold problem a few years back when I had a broken downspout.  Those gutters are clogged.  I figured that while it’s possible that this could be water from the foundation coming in, that’s not something I have had to deal with ever.  Neighbors around me have.  However, I wouldn’t think that it would be a small area and that it would cover more ground.  This is kind of an odd spot in that it’s in the middle of the house. 

That was enough to convince me I just have to clean the gutters in the back of the house.  It’s been 2 years and nothing has been done.  I prepped myself for that as my to do item for Saturday. 

Watched some TV, brushed my teeth and off to bed I went.  I slept for a couple hours.  I went to bed around normal time and was up by 1a.  I just couldn’t stop my mind from racing and thinking about the house.  I watched TV and around 4a I got up and fixed myself some oatmeal.  It was tasty and helped.  I managed to force myself back to sleep and Mora helped out with one of her magic hugs. 

Here comes Rudy at normal time waking me up.  I didn’t really want to be up.  I fed him and came back to bed but there was no going back to sleep.  I lounged for a bit as it was a bit nippy out at 52 degrees.  I eventually heated up the last Apple Fritter and had a Diet Coke to wash that down.  Then my medicine.  Sprayed myself down with sun screen (tip don’t get that shit near your eyes, especially if it’s water proof) and then some Deep Woods Off so I didn’t get bothered by bugs.  Threw on a t-shirt, some sweats and dug out my work shoes, which used to feel like crap but actually felt quite good.  Down to check on the carpet and to grab a ladder.  Upstairs and out to the garage to get a bucket and my dishwashing gutter cleaning gloves.  Then outside to get started. 

Damn they were packed to the gills with all sorts of icky crap most of which was wet leaves.  I filled two kitchen size trash bags way full and had to start a third bag.  The third bag had just a bit in it and I hated to waste the bag but out it goes.  I’m sure I’m not supposed to throw that stuff in the regular garbage but that’s exactly where it went. 

Next grabbed the hose and hooked it up, pulled it to the back of the house and began to flush the gutters out.  That could have easily parlayed into me breaking out the power washer and cleaning the deck but given the water issue I didn’t want to push things.  We had storms forecast for today anyway so if there is a foundation water issue I am sure the problem will come back. 

I got undressed in the garage, came in and grabbed a small bottle of Gatorade and relaxed in my chair as I tried to cool down.  It was only 9:30 am and I was done.  I went out close to 8a.  It was still nice and cool out, the sun was shining bright and it was a peaceful day.  I heard the roofers working, people talking, dogs barking and I let the cats watch me as I left the patio door open but the screen was in place to keep the cats inside.  They were quite interested in my every move.  I had a couple close calls but never fell.  I get nervous when I am on a ladder and home with no one around.  If I would have fell I would have been seriously screwed. 

I am still on-call but I left my phone in my bedroom on purpose.  I just looked at it and said screw you, stay on the charger no one is going to bother me.  I was right. 

I figured after all of that activity I would want to take a nap.  I did want to take a nap but I was wired and my body wouldn’t permit me to go back to sleep despite me trying and Mora’s help.  Besides that my eyes were burning from the sun screen and I had to try to flush that out.  It was a futile attempt, nothing worked until I was in the shower and force held my eyes open so the water could really flush inside my eye balls and that did the trick, it stung a little bit but issue resolved. 

Got dressed again and went out to grab the mail.  I saw a commercial for Chili’s last night and that sounded oddly good.  I’ve been wanting to eat there for the longest time.  I gave in and damn I should not have.  The menu was nothing like I was used to, a lot of the choices I was expecting to see were gone but it’s been years since I have been there.  Service sucked, my waitress had an emergency and had to leave.  The kitchen was slammed and it took forever to get my food, which was a burger and fries.  The fries were pipping hot and well seasoned, I just had to finish them off and that is something I almost never do.  The burger was just okay, nothing special to rave about.  When it came time to pay the bill the kiosk on the table was dead.  I had to wait for my server to come back around which took forever and he got me taken care of.  Storms were pushing into the area and I drove home in the rain. 

It was nice not to see the freshly cleaned gutters in the back over flowing or dripping.  My next step is to cover them in the mesh I purchased 2 years ago.  I would have done it today but just ran out of steam.  Once things dry out I plan to go back in the next couple weeks to get that done.  Need to work on the gutter in the front and that is an easy job the hard part is getting the big ladder off the wall and carrying it out.  There is a screen there but apparently it didn’t do much good.  When I say screen I’m talking chicken wire type screen not a metal covering.

I was quite proud of my accomplishment today despite the fact it wore me out.  I am sure that I will have some leg cramps or at least I am expecting them.  I am also expecting that my back muscles will act up.  There was quite a lot of physical activity for me and the most that I have done in a very long while.  Me and manual labor just don’t get along. 

The storms are wrapping up or so my phone says.  I still hear rain drops falling.  I’ve checked the floor and it appears to be dry thus far.  Time will tell if it is going to stay that way, fingers crossed. 

Now it’s upstairs to eat some German Chocolate Cake, pass out treats for the cats and try to relax as I wind down for bed.  Hopefully, I sleep well tonight.  I should since I am tired. 

Take care!

 

TGIF

Good Friday Morning!  We made it once again to the end of the week, hooray.  Now I’ve just got to make it through today and then it’s peace and quiet (so I hope) for 2 days. 

On the docket for today is one meeting and it’s just after lunch.  It’s supposed to be quick but I think it will be one of those lingering things because my boss won’t know what he’s doing.  Were making a change to a system that is required by a vendor.  Fingers crossed he doesn’t break anything or that will be catastrophic. 

Speaking of the boss we had our meeting yesterday.  He always wants us to show up early to every meeting.  Little does he know that I was raised to be early as being late is a sin, at least that is the way it was told to me.  Therefore, I am always early.  This meeting was him calling me so I had no control over it other than to be ready when the phone rang.  He was a half hour late and never said a word about it.  I got the usual patronizing buttering up bullshit that he spews to make us “feel appreciated”.  It makes me sick to my stomach and I am kind of numb to it all.  It’s just words and actions speak louder than words.  He has serious concerns about the big report I am working on since he’s seen a sample and he fears that it won’t meet expectations.  However, I am giving exactly what was asked for.  He’s going to have a talk with his boss and (while he didn’t say it, his choice of words did) throw me under the bus.  I guess that’s why he appreciates me so much because he loves running over me.  However, he assured me that “he’s here for me”.  WTF does that mean?  He speaks with such a forked tongue.  That’s why I would just work away and not have meetings because he’s kind of a walking disaster.  His moods change on a dime but he doesn’t yell and scream.  I am just waiting to see how he prepares my review and what percentage of a pay raise I get.  I’m also supposed to be in line for a bonus when he can give that.  If I make it to my anniversary since this year marks 10 years there is a gift aka another bonus for that.  I work for one reason and that is the money. 

Talking with colleagues in person I find that there are a lot of people that are upset and want to walk just because things have gone down hill.  Management has changed and that’s usually what happens.  The old way was the best and the new way sucks.  However, I’ve seen how one office location gets the red carpet rolled out for them and how our office seems to be the red headed step child and our people aren’t treated nearly as good.  Apparently the reputation of how things are so bad that people don’t want to come work for us.  I see that we do appear to have problems finding people.  Our web page recycles positions to make them look fresh.  What I mean by that is you have a position that is advertised say in January.  The ad runs for a month, maybe two and then it’s gone.  A fresh ad with a new date but the same position is posted to make it appear as brand new, when in fact it’s not.  I know that were not the only company in the world that does that.  I just think it is a dishonest practice but then again if your looking for a job now and you see a position on a site from January are you really going to apply for it?  I personally would not and think that the place just didn’t take the ad down.  Maybe I’m just old fashioned or out of touch.  Lord knows that I don’t want to be back in the job market.  I’m thankful for what I have.  Years past have been better and also a lot more fun. 

On a different note,  we have rain on and off today.  It just a gloomy semi cold day.  Lots of people in the neighborhood are getting new roofs from the hail storm we had a few weeks back.  One company has gone door to door and that’s why they have the bulk of the business.  My neighbor just signed up.  His roof is maybe 20 years old but to me it still looks brand new.  My roof is newer and I don’t see any obvious damage to it but then again I don’t have the trained eye to know what to look for.  I know that I have no leaks and that is the job of the roof to keep the water out.  I very much do not enjoy home ownership it’s a lot to swallow and maintain.  That’s kind of why I want out and want to move someplace like a townhouse or condo where someone else has the worry and does the work.  I am good with paying the bills.  However, I’ve got no plans to move anytime soon.  I will say that I am in a much better position to move from a pet perspective with only 2 cats compared to the clowder I had before.  I still have a lot of crap to get rid of, just lack the motivation to actually get in gear and start pitching. 

Based on the weather this sounds like a perfect lazy stay in side weekend.  I’ve got to get my haircut, cat food, the mail and of course I love to eat out.  Here’s hoping I can do that in between the rain drops or any severe weather.  I don’t mind going out in the rain or a thunderstorm it’s not my favorite thing to do but if there is a risk of a tornado or hail I would just as soon stay home and wait until it passes.  Fingers crossed that the weather won’t be nearly as bad as predicted. 

Take care and have a great weekend no matter what you do.  Enjoy!  I will try to do the same.

Proud

Today has turned out to be much like yesterday.  Lots of time to burn.  I laid around for a while and have had to come back down a couple times hours apart. 

I was working on my last task when I got a camera alert.  Hot hunky Amazon driver dropped off my most recent order.  I saw him drive by as I went up to grab my packages off the porch.  He sure is cute and well built. 

Wondering what I got?  A new drinking fountain for the cats.  It takes the same filters as the old one, holds way more water and has a tank on back.  You fill the tank and when they drink it adds more water so they are never without water or thirsty.  This fountain also comes apart and there are no hard to reach areas like there was on the old fountain.  Gator and all of Momma’s family would have loved this.  Now it’s Rudy & Morea’s.  I got it unpacked and setup, it holds close to two gallons of water, that should hold them for a while. 

Next up a new razor.  It’s made by Cremo it just appealed to me.  I’m looking for something new since Dollar Shave Club changed their blades the new blades are thinner but they don’t do as good of a job as the old blades did.  I am looking now for the replacement so when I run out of the old blades I can just convert to a new razor and be done.  What I see with Cremo looks to be kind of similar to the new Dollar Shave Club blades so I don’t know if I will like it or not but we will find out come Sunday night. 

Last up a new toilet seat.  It’s padded and has removable hinges for easy cleaning.  I did struggle a little bit getting this installed but it was trial and error.  It’s all in, looks great and I like it.  Feels nice to have the padding.  I just have to hope now the cats don’t go sinking their claws into it once they discover it.  The old seat would permit mold to grow and the new one has germicidal coatings so that shouldn’t be an issue. 

So while I was on the clock and watching for work, I got a water fountain setup for the cats and installed a toilet seat.  Pretty good for an afternoons work.  I’m quite proud of my efforts.  I thought I would wind up spending part of Saturday taking care of these tasks and now they are out of the way I feel better.  Plus when I feel like it I can order another toilet seat for the Master bath.  At least I will have the upper hand on how to install it.  I was also surprised that the old seat was installed with modern easy to remove hardware. 

Morea has been following me around like crazy and she is stuck to me like glue.  I got a little warm after all of that work so I got to escape her for a bit by coming downstairs.  It’s colder down here but I still feel pretty warm, the AC just kicked on.  She has these periods where she just wants to stick by my side no matter what.  I know she desperately wants me to open the basement door so she can be down here with me.  If I had to place a bet on which one of them I think is going to escape I would say it’s her.  She has already darted into the garage.  She is just nosy but I think if she does get out and gets spooked she will run and that will be the beginning of the end.  They are both chipped but that means nothing today and isn’t a guarantee of a safe return.  I am extra careful when I door opens and I am always yelling for them to get back or stay back.  They both do a pretty good job of keeping their distance, kind of like Momma’s family but it’s still a concern. 

Morea & Rudy also do some meowing but I have no idea what they want.  We just don’t know each other that well yet even though it’s been 4 months.  I am learning as we go but I still don’t know everything there is to know about their mannerisms but they have taught me when they want food or treats.  I suppose that is the most important. 

I’ve got about 3 more hours before I can knock out the last task of the day and then I am done.  Hopefully, then no one will bother me and I can have a quiet 2 day break before we start the fun of a week of on-call. 

Here’s hoping that you have a great weekend.  Be well and stay safe!

Education on Water Softeners

Morning and happy Monday if that is such a thing.  I’m more keen about Friday’s and/or days where it’s closer to a break or a holiday. 

Anyway I got to thinking about the Water Softener Battle.  I feel the need to explain a bit more.  Originally I thought that there shouldn’t be any water in the salt tank but obviously I was wrong.  What I had when this started was gallons upon gallons of water, which is NOT normal.  What I’ve learned in this process is that there should be some water at the bottom of the salt tank but it should be minimal and not Gallons upon Gallons.  I had a mush of salt & water (aka Brine) and with time that hardened and became a little like concrete.  It needed to be broken up and removed.  The best way to do this is with a broom handle and a shop vac.  It’s heavy so I should have probably had another person with me but that wasn’t an option.  Once I got the salt tank cleaned out that was 1/2 of the battle.  I spotted a leak in one of the hoses connected to the main water inlet.  That was the hardest part to fix because finding it locally was impossible.  I didn’t know what size fittings I was dealing with and when I came across that plumber a few weeks ago he told me what I needed.  Then it was on to Amazon where I found what I needed.  I got 2 one for hot and 1 for cold.  Glad I did this because when I fixed one the other started leaking.  Next came the test of the system and I still had way too much water.  That’s when I started pulling things apart and inspecting as well as doing some minor cleaning to make sure holes that water flows through as well as filters were not clogged.  Then I determined the brine pump was defective and the real culprit in all of this.  I ordered a replacement on Amazon.  Turns out the replacement part is about an inch shorter and part of the bottom support broke in transit but nevertheless the part works.  After a couple of recharges and taking the time to look up how a water softener actually works is when I learned that you need some water (not gallons upon gallons) in the salt tank.  I sucked out the water that was there, added salt and started one last recharge cycle.  Put the cover back on and I’ve peeked at it a couple times and all appears well. 

I also learned that most water softeners last about 8 years and they aren’t horribly complicated to work on but they do look intimidating.  The best place for parts is Amazon unless you happen to have a local mom/pop hardware store that stocks parts.  I could damn near rebuild the entire softener minus the tanks all from Amazon, which is kind of interesting.  However if your in way too deep it’s sometimes easier to just rip the old one out and replace it.  They all mostly work with the same type of plumbing setup up so if you have one, getting a replacement and installing it should be straightforward.  The hard part is muscling the old one out and getting the new one in. 

I know way more now than when I started and having that knowledge up front instead of learning the hard way would have been more valuable but considering how I learned chances I will forget it are slim to none.  I even downloaded the manual to my softener and have it stored on my computer incase I ever need to reference it. 

A new thing that I started doing back when I got a new Washing Machine is labeling new stuff.  I put the date of replacement, where I got parts and depending upon the item I may code in the price on the label.  It helps a lot because time gets away from you and details become fuzzy but with a label the date is easy to recall as well as the place of purchase  So the water heater has a label, my new UPS have labels as well as the one I replaced the battery in and the parts I put in the water softeners have labels.  I’ve had a repair person tell me that it was a good idea.  I’ve got a Dymo label printer and it’s used to address letters or packages but I don’t send nearly what I used to and figure the labels need to be used. 

I feel a little bit prouder of my accomplishment but still not the overwhelming sense of satisfaction I was hoping to get.  That’s mostly due to the fact that this took about a month, a bunch of time and a bit more money than I wanted.  However, I could have called a plumber and had them fix it probably in a few days but then I would have really sunk in the money. 

Another behavior that I am changing is that I used to fill the salt tank full of salt, it’s cheap and one less thing to think about.  However, I am keeping the salt level low so I can monitor if the water issue should come back.  It shouldn’t because the brine pump was replaced but with time salt builds up and things stick.  They need to be cleaned to get the gunk off. I’ve got 1 45 pound bag of salt in and I will probably pick up another but it will be kept as a spare and then I will swap out as needed.  Back when there were 2 of us and we each took way more showers and commuted to work the water usage was a ton.  As a single person who goes into work maybe 1 day a week and doesn’t take a shower every day the water usage here is minimal and that one bag of salt should last me easily 6 months to a year if not slightly longer.  I would fill it up but then if a problem arises with water levels I won’t know it until it’s far too late and emptying out salt mixed with water is something I never want to do again.  I damn near gave myself a heart attack and it took forever to recover from. 

There you have it everything and more that you probably didn’t want to know about a Water Softener.  We’ve always had Kenmore Softeners they work well.  If I had to replace it I would want another Kenmore but realize given that was a Sears brand it might not be available.  Kenmore designs are all in 1 units.  Where as other manufacturers have a 2 piece setup where you have 1 tank with the resin and the computer that runs it and attached is a salt storage tank.  I don’t have a lot of room and a 1 piece all in 1 setup fits quite nicely and frankly looks better, not that anyone will see it on a regular basis. 

Thanks for stopping by.