Sparking anxiety, not joy

The weather outside was frightful, so I took a day off from my usual retirement activities and focused on some longstanding tidying up, specifically all the computer crap I have accumulated over the past 20+ years. Once upon a time, in a previous lifetime, I ran my own software development business, and that is when things really got out of hand. Most of this hardware sat in a closet for over ten years, when I decided to apply some Marie Kondo magic. I managed to pry all the outdated equipment from the closet, but then it sat (and sat and sat) in the den. Now I want it gone.

The first batch - a laptop, a notebook (with 8 meg of memory!) and its external floppy drive, a handheld scanner, a serial printer, a PKZip drive, etc. - has been trucked off to Staples for recycling. But instead of feeling lighter, I grieve. Leaving it all sitting in a grocery cart near checkout counter #1 felt so UNCEREMONIOUS. I guess I didn't take enough time to THANK it for all its hard work, for helping me try to realize a dream, for never failing me at critical moments. It has been a couple of weeks since I made that trip across town, and I still feel bad.

Then I tackled one of the desktops, a Gateway that served as my utility computer. It had FOUR serial ports, TWO parallel ports, a special circuit board for translating words from cassette tape to digital files, a 5.25 floppy drive, a 3.5 disk drive, and a BOURNOUILLI drive. I used it for debugging serial communications, for editing sound files, for testing software. Now it won't even boot up. Since I couldn't format the hard drive, I removed it for destruction. Dog knows what is on it. Last Thursday I made another trip to Staples with this PC, its keyboard and CRT monitor, plus various circuit boards and detritus. Late at night, I feel panicky about this loss.

I'm a little shocked at the amount of RJ12 wire, cables, "gender benders", serial converters, modems, mice, software installation disks, user manuals, etc. there is, in boxes and paper grocery sacks. And I am also a little amazed that I used to actually know something useful about computers and software development. For a while, software engineering was my world and it seemed SO important and I loved it. Now it is ancient history. I am guessing that 99% of the code I wrote is not in use today.

There are still two more desktops to tackle. I am going to try to transfer some of the files from them to an old laptop, but if it doesn't work. oh, well. Meanwhile, it feels like a huge part of my past has been erased.

Halloween is over

If I were a better photographer, I would have pix of just how far I went in Halloween decorations this year. This Jack o' lantern was just the beginning. There is nothing like having a five year old granddaughter to get one's holiday juices flowing.

Most houses in my neighborhood barely acknowledge Halloween, perhaps because the most goblins we get begging for candy is a dozen. One family really goes to town, though - ghosts and skeletons hanging from the trees, tombstones galore, etc. My aim was to simply appear welcoming. While that included one glow-in-the-dark skeleton, the rest was rather tame.

Re landscaping, I did trim back the sand cherry so accompanying adults did not lose an eye and reined in the switchgrass so the porch could be found. Joining the usual window dressing were construction paper pumpkins, ghosts, and tombstones. Some led lights glowed from inside the pumpkin (which I had to carve myself as the g'daughter considered the guts to be too icky and I deemed the knives too sharp for her to wield). Halloween flamingos marked one side of the walk, while orange lights delineated the other; at the curve to the porch, the orange lights gave way to ghost lights. Then there were some cobwebs here and there, some real, some store-bought.

And that was it. The next day, everything cleaned up very easily, so easily that I am contemplating doing something more than my usual at xmas. But first, g'daughter and I need to update the picture window with turkeys.

Decluttering update

Almost a year ago, I stumbled across Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and made an effort to apply it to my domicile. (And I want to note here, I was #konmarie'ing before it was trendy. Just saying.) Despite my earlier efforts, paper continues to be a problem - just when you think you have it under control, more surfaces from some magical place. And I keep accumulating kitchen gadgets I have no room for.

I have also discovered that the process described in the book needs to be reapplied occasionally. Something that gives one joy in 2014 may be totally annoying in 2015. While I discarded my work uniform (Docker-like twill pants) about two minutes after retiring, I am finding many other clothes in my closet do not suit my new lifestyle as a retiree. Plus, they are completely out of fashion.

(An aside: It is not lost on me that the current selections in the department stores look like they came right out of my wardrobe from the 1970's. A part of my brain thinks, If only I had saved those peasant blouses, that poncho, the sweater with a shawl collar in shades of brown, I could wear them now. Except I could not wear them now, as they would be laughably too small for this post-middle age body. Also, it's a style only the young can carry off.)

Winnowing clothes is a lot more satisfying than paperwork. If I haven't worn something in several years, it is easy to relegate it to the Goodwill bin. With paper, just because I will never look at a particular item again does not mean it can be tossed. Also, clearing out the closet means more closet space which can be filled with something joyful like yarn or new and more fashionable clothes that actually fit, while at this point, throwing out paper just makes room for more paper.

I recently asked my kids if there were any of my possessions either of them wanted, and the answer was NO. (Really? Nothing?!?) Now I can look at my stuff with the knowledge it will likely become so much landfill at some (hopefully far in the) future date. That gives me license to continue to whittle away.

That damn cat

In the not so distant past, I acquired another cat (read about him here and here). In the not so distant future, I will be buying a new TV.

From clues left behind by the purrpetrator, it appears Beau knocked the sound bar off the TV stand, and the sound bar hit the screen, damaging the display at point of contact. I would be more upset, but the display on this TV has been problematic for a while, so now I have an excuse to buy a new TV. And lock Beau out of the den.

Grrr!

The new deck was supposed to fit on the footprint provided by the patio slab. The subcontractors did not follow directions and made it larger than the patio. Now crap is growing up between the boards.

At the moment, this bugs the hell out of me. In the great scheme of things, however, it rates a zero. Time to let it go.

Cleaning for company

Since family was coming to visit this week, I finally unboxed my new carpet cleaner and put it to work. After some initial disgruntlement, I decided it works pretty well.

My primary complaint is the user guide. My unit appeared to be one that had been returned by a previous customer, as none of the attachments were in their little plastic bags. Consequently, I wanted to verify I had all the parts. No parts list in the user guide. Instead, the list was printed on one of the inside flaps of the box, something I noticed only when I was dragging the box out to the garage. Also, the diagrams in the user guide were too small and dark to reveal much detail. And the instructions seemed to be in an odd order; for example, the optional step of rinsing the carpet didn't appear until the end of the "clean up" section.

I tested the unit on some carpet remnants, which probably was not the best idea because the cleaner has rotating brushes and it was difficult to maneuver on the remnants without catching the edges with the brushes. However, they did get clean.

After a day of rest, I tackled the hall, most of the living room, and part of the dining room carpet, all wall-to-wall. This worked better, much like vacuuming but with a really heavy vacuum. I chose to perform the rinsing step, and then I also tried sucking up more water by running the unit without any water in it, which did not make much difference. The carpeting was dry by the next day.

Even though I had cleaned the carpets after the remodeling was complete, I was gratified and amazed to see how much *more* dirt the cleaner picked up. (I have a feeling carpet cleaning is like brushing a cat - no matter how long or how often you do it, there is always more hair.) The brushes fluffed the pile some, making the carpeting look newish again. I would recommend pre-treating stains, however, so they come out with one or two passes. All in all, I am satisfied.

Sleep with the sheep

I hate to shop, but after repeatedly waking up with an aching back, I decided I had to do something about my mattress.

I have a waterbed frame (sans the water-filled mattress) and waterbed frames are a bit longer than standard bed frames. They make mattresses to fit waterbed frames, but the selection is limited. I thought about replacing my bedroom suite so that I would have more mattress options, but it's made from solid oak with cedar-lined drawers, plus none of the local charities will accept waterbed frames. So I thought maybe I should just get a standard queen size mattress and stuff something into the gap at the foot of the bed so the dog does not get trapped between the mattress and bed frame.

But which mattress? I stumbled upon a web site (which I cannot find now) that broke down the options based on a collection of criteria, and all the possibilities had drawbacks. I just could not generate any enthusiasm for any of the usual selections.

A while back, I read a memoir (title totally forgotten!) in which the author described sleeping on a wool mattress. Being a knitter, this appealed to me, so periodically, I would research wool mattresses. They are expensive and not available locally, so I was reluctant to purchase one without trying it out first.

But then I did. I ordered one from Surround Ewe, sight unseen. After sleeping on it for two months, I could not be happier about my decision.

I ordered a 4" topper with my mattress, and I am glad I did, because the mattress itself is very firm, very much like a futon. Surround Ewe included two wool pillows and a "summer weight" wool comforter with my order. It's like sleeping in a wool sandwich. I now think of the bed as my nest.

And it is a very warm nest. Before, I had a difficult time staying warm in bed, despite the following: topping the mattress protector with a doubled blanket, using flannel sheets, capping it all off with a fleece blanket and polyester comforter, wearing thermal pajamas and wool socks, AND making the dog sleep with me; sometimes I wore a wool sweater to bed and/or added an afghan to the mix. (I considered buying an electric blanket or mattress pad, but could not convince myself I wanted to sleep with all that wiring.) Now, I still use the flannel sheets and the dog makes sad eyes if I don't let her on the bed, but otherwise it is just the wool comforter. Summer weight or not, it will have to go come spring.

Surround Ewe has a "renewal" program for their products, but I am hoping I never need it. Theoretically (which means in my magical fantasy world), the bedding should last forever. Everything is covered in thick organic cotton, I air things out each day by throwing back the covers and turning on the ceiling fan for a bit (they recommend opening a window, but HELLO it is still winter here), and come summer I plan to air everything out in the sunshine once or twice.

I don't get very excited about anything I own, but if my house burned to the ground tomorrow, this bedding is one of the first things I would replace.

Time for spring cleaning (almost)

It's difficult to get in the mood for spring cleaning after it snowed yesterday and tomorrow promises freezing rain. Ugh. But there is not much else to do while awaiting spring. Except spend money.

Frequent readers will recall that last year I fired my professional carpet cleaners after discovering I could do a better job with a rented machine. One problem with renting a machine is the logistics of the rental, a definite deterrent when you want to clean a small area. Another problem is its heft; when I bumped it up against the baseboard, it scraped off the paint. So I broke down and purchased the above. It is still in the box, but once I get up the gumption to actually use it, I will report back.

Trim that tree!

I'm rather lucky when it comes to neighbors. Not only do I get along with them, they seem to get along with each other. Jack, the best neighbor in the world, lives across the street, but even he was a bit bothered by *his* next door neighbor's trees. I knew the two of them had been in negotiations over said trees, so I was not surprised when the sound of chain saws and wood chippers filled the air last week.

Unlike some people in my fair city, these two neighbors are not anti-tree. However, the branches of some of Sue's locust trees hung over the property line, dropping a shitload (ha! that word is recognized by spell checker) of fine leaves into his gutters each year. Also, recent wind storms had left several large branches hanging by a thread.

I thought the trees were coming down, but not so. The broken branches were removed, along with the lower ones that were behaving unneighborly, but the trees themselves remain, to provide much needed shade from the midday sun. I enjoy the golden leaves in spring, which turn green for summer, then yellow in the fall.

Most properties in this neighborhood are populated with silver maples, all of which are potential house crushers. Despite their height, locusts seem to be rock solid. A friend of mine had some locusts removed from her yard 25 years ago, and the stumps are still there.

FINALLY!

I didn't sleep well the night before last, just could not drift off (damn that five o'clock cup of coffee), but since I am RETIRED, I made up for the difference by sleeping in. Consequently, I was still in my pj's when the contractor called to say they were on their way. Wha'?!? Per usual, the customer communication of this business had fallen short; *they* knew they were coming, so surely I would too, by osmosis I guess. Anyway, I told them to give me an hour (to shower, dress, and clean up the kitchen), and I'd be ready.

Yesterday's effort involved replacing the corner piece of counter top with a seamless one. The big wait was the lag time between the ordering and delivery of said replacement. The new piece has straight edges, not as attractive, but I'd rather have that than rolled edges with a seam running through the piece.

The week before, the paint-and-ceiling crew came and fixed one join in the crown molding that I was willing to live with but that really bothered the owner of the contracting company; he's tall and it was the first thing he saw when he stepped through the front door. The join is still discernible, but the light has to be just right and you really have to look for it.

So now everything really, really, REALLY is finished, at least as far as the big projects are concerned. There are many little things to do, but I can address them catch-as-catch-can. Oh, and I should probably write them a check, too.

Start date: April 9
Finish date: December 16

As with most major home improvement projects, I'm satisfied with the results, but it was painful getting there. Very few problems arose, though, a minor miracle considering how much work was done. I am a happy homeowner.

The decluttering continues

While playing with my new Nook Tab, I tested downloading books from the local library's Overdrive site, and wound up with The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: the Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondo. I'm about halfway through, and while I doubt I will start thanking my shoes for doing a good job or petting a coat as I hang it in the closet, I admit I agree with much of what she recommends.

In the course of the remodeling, I got rid of a lot of things. Some stuff went to Habitat ReStore, some to Goodwill, some to the landfill. The 20+ years of computer equipment is still here because I have this misguided idea that I need to copy everything off the hard drives, JUST IN CASE. I did buy a doodad that will allow me to do that, but I have not yet put it to use. Never mind that I have not even booted up any of those computers in over ten years.

Paper is the bane of my existence, though. Again, much of it has found its way out of my house via the shredder and the recycling bin, but too much remains. My desk has a file drawer in it, and my goal is to reduce the amount of paper in my life to what fits in there. Right now I have about four times that amount.

Just like the data on the hard drives of my old computers, I have not accessed a lot of this paper since filing it away. There are user manuals for things I no longer own, instructions for assembling furniture that was assembled right out of the box, outdated insurance policies, expired warranties, annual reviews from 20 years ago, certificates of participation for work-related seminars, an essay I wrote to accompany my application to an MBA program, etc. You get the picture.

Just like Kondo suggests, I handle each item and decide its fate. I've been working through the easy stuff first (see above), but there is so much paper, my brain tires from making decision after decision. Initially, I tossed user manuals for things I still own, but then I glanced through the one for the power screwdriver that died and discovered the rechargeable battery is replaceable. So now I want to save *all* the user manuals.

Slowly but surely, I am getting there, and hopefully will stay there. A couple of strategies help going forward. One is to not let more paper into the house. I do this by going paperless whenever I can, for banking, utility bills, and credit card statements. This leads to another strategy: if the information is available online, I don't need my own personal copy of it. Thirdly, I used to devote some time at the end of each year to winnowing the accumulation of paper over the previous 12 months. That habit needs to be reinstated.

I haven't reached the "magic" part of Kondo's book yet, but I do feel lighter, less burdened, as the junk clears out.

I lied. Again

The remodeling is not quite done yet. There were a couple of things that still bugged me, the worst being the kitchen counter. There is an almost-square section between the refrigerator and the stove, not very big but used very much because of its location. It is also a corner piece, and because I selected a rolled edge for the counter top, there was a big fat seam running up the middle of it, from inside corner to out. I had been told the counter top would have seams, and I thought that was just a cosmetic problem, not a functional one. Now I know better, especially after this particular seam developed a hump.

Eventually, the manufacturing rep showed up and deemed it fixable, but the fix is not 100% perfect. When a glass or plate slides across the seam, it bumps. If I had hired Joe Blow to install the counter top, I would have let it go. But for the amount of money I am paying, I want things to be as close to perfection as possible. I'll ruin them later myself.

I wasn't getting anywhere with the project managers I had been working with, so I went right to the top, asking the owner/president to come take a look. We go a ways back, as this company has done much work for me over the years. And he agreed that the seam just was not right.

So that part of the counter top is to be replaced with one that has no seam. This means no rolled edge on that section, but I would be surprised if anyone notices that. Once that is fixed, I can stop fretting and start enjoying my "new" house. (Fingers crossed.)

I vant to be alone

I may jinx myself by saying it out loud, but I think the remodeling is *finally* done. Today the counter top was fixed and the seams sealed, the underside of the house inspected (no evidence there has ever been water in my crawl space - good to know), this and that checked, and walls touched up. Not only does the house look great, but NO ONE IS EVER COMING TO MY HOUSE EVER AGAIN. Not really, but I am looking forward to some solitude. As soon as Halloween is over. And Women's Weekend. And the holidays. Maybe come January?

What a good cat!

Last night, with my butt plastered to the living room couch, I heard a noise in the dining room. I thought it was the cat doing something, but the sound went on and on. Finally, I eased over to see what was what. Finn was lying on the floor, perfectly innocent and perfectly OBLIVIOUS to what I realized must be a mouse in the wall between the dining room and the kitchen. Eek!

There has been the occasional rodent in the garage, but never in twenty years has there been a mouse in the house itself. The other day, however, I noticed some movement by the (closed) garage door and realized there is a gap in the garage foundation; the movement was probably Mickey deciding to come back later when the structure was not occupied. I keep a litter box in the garage because sometimes Finn likes to hang out there (I wonder why!) and I grew tired of finding cat poop here and there. Last night the litter box contained not cat poop but mouse turds. While I have changed to using clay litter in the house, the garage litter box contains the last of the Swheat Scoop which is made up of wheat which is apparently attractive to mice.

So I locked Finn in the garage overnight (with food and water), and this morning there was half a mouse on the step. Hopefully, that is the only one. Today I am replacing the Swheat Scoop with clay litter and blocking the gap in the foundation. In a previous lifetime, when I lived in the country, there were mice in the house, but you can't live in the country and be squeamish about such things. (There was a black snake that hung out behind the siding by the back door, too. Snakes eat mice - the enemy of my enemy is my friend.) That was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Backyard habitat notwithstanding, this citified gal now prefers the wildlife stay outside!

Happy birthday to me!

The couch was delivered today. Fingers crossed it looked at least okay colorwise in the den, and it does. The cushions feel stiffer than they did in the store.

The mattress will not induce anyone to overstay their welcome, but it will be used maybe once per year, if that, so I'm not too concerned. A nice feature is the head of the bed can be propped up. The better to see the TV, my dear.

In other late breaking news, the deck repairs were completed yesterday to my satisfaction. And the countertop rep magically appeared today, to declare the countertop fixable. That means more waiting while they schedule that task. If I knew then what I know now about countertops, I would have made some different choices. Ditto bathtubs. Ditto just about everything that has been upgraded in my house over the past twenty years. Maybe I will remember some of this info in my next life.

I lied

This morning, while replacing some of the deck paraphernalia, I discovered the deck crew did not run boards down to the ground in the pit by the faucet. I'm sure Finn would relish (in more ways that one) having families of mice or chipmunks living under the deck, but not me. So that needs to be fixed. Also, the sales rep is discounting my final invoice to atone for the fact the deck was not built to spec. Once the above described fix is made, I'll pay up.

The sofa, on the other hand, is paid for and scheduled for delivery next Wednesday. Whoo-hoo! I bought a nine-cube thing from Target, thinking it could go behind the love seat in the living room, but once I assembled it, I did not like it there - too tall and not wide enough. I put it in one of the spare bedrooms and, once I get some fabric drawers for it, will use it for, well, fabric storage. Target has a different shelf thing that I think would fit better, but I decided I would look around more before committing.

STILL no word on the kitchen counter. I am looking at alternatives for that corner, like maybe stainless steel. The area is not very big but much used when I cook.

At least SOMETHING is finished

I received a phone call early yesterday, and the next thing I knew, the pergola crew showed up and finished that job. It took most of the day, and was completed in the rain, but at least it is DONE. The sales rep is coming Friday for a final "walk through" and presumably to collect the final payment.

The thing looks massive to me, much more so than the free-standing pergola that was there before. In fact, the whole project is bigger than expected. There is a whiny part of me that is a bit put out that I did not get exactly what I asked for, but seriously, it is just a deck. Once the surface is populated with the usual collection of potted plants, patio furniture, and grill, I'm sure its overall gestalt will return to the lived-in look I am used to.

Same day the plumbing guy banged on the door. He was passing by and decided to stop and take care of the bathtub spout and the grout for the vanity backsplash (he had used clear grout, which disappeared and made it look like there was no grout). We also discussed the scratched floor tile. I have only one extra tile left and the flooring is no longer in production. I've come to the conclusion that this guy is not that experienced in all facets of home remodeling (earlier he confessed that this job was the first time he had installed crown molding), so I'm reluctant to waste my last tile on his education.

Still no resolution on the kitchen counter. Still waiting to hear from the manufacturing rep. I am prepared to shed tears to get what I want.

Good news and bad news

The good news is, the carpet/tile junction is now smooth and even. The guys who laid the tile seemed to know what they were doing, except for the carpet bit. A different guy fixed their errors, which begs the question of why the first crew did not know the correct method. My observation of some businesses is they have A teams and B teams, and they send the B team out for most things, then the A team comes along and mops up. Presumably, the B team is paid less, but I don't know that for sure.

(I took a picture of the "foyer" but the walls look pink and the tile looks like particle board, neither of which is accurate. So, no photos. Sorry.)

The bad news is, when I decided to try out the new tub enclosure, the spout flew off when I switched the water over to the shower head. I'm glad I thought to test the installation, else the calamity might have occurred to a guest.

Still nothing new about the kitchen counter, although the rep for the manufacturer is supposed to contact me this week. I really, really, REALLY want that corner of the counter to be sans seam. We'll see how that pans out. Also, waiting on the pergola construction.

Deck and pergola - after day 2

I haven't been paying too much attention to the weather other than monitor nighttime lows for frost warnings, so I was surprised at how much it has rained the past two days. In fact, it absolutely poured at times. The mostly Amish crew was not deterred, though, and completed the deck portion of the deck-and-pergola project yesterday.

Even though the deck is not much bigger than the patio footprint, it looks HUGE to me. It's like another room has been added onto the house. The patio furniture is in the garage, but I may have to drag it back out so I can sit outside and survey my realm during Indian summer.

Deck and pergola - after day one

Midday Sunday I decided I should mow the lawn, and set the mower deck down a notch, in hopes that this will be the last mow of the season (jinx, jinx, jinx!) Shortly thereafter, the deck people called (okay, *one* guy called, representing the "people"), to inform me that work would begin today at 8:00 AM. Whoo-hoo! And that gave me time to finish cleaning off the patio instead of grooming pets and vacuuming, like I planned.

The deck crew's idea of 8:00 AM differs from my idea, as I was still staggering around half-dressed and under caffeinated when they showed up. At least I was able to get the car out of the garage and into the neighbor's driveway before more vehicles arrived. Then it was noises, noises, noises for the next eight hours or so.

The rain did not stop them, but they did break for lunch, so the pets and I got a short respite. I left mid-afternoon to pick up g'daughter at preschool. My car is not very quiet, but it seemed so on the drive across town.

Apparently, reality collided with my vision of the project. As explained to me, because of pre-existing footings, the deck itself is larger than the patio slab, even without the step. And the step down from the house to the deck is shorter than anticipated because there just isn't room enough for the joists otherwise.

The whole thing looks incredibly... sturdy. The posts are set three feet into the ground, so this pergola should not get blown over like the free standing one did. So far, so good, anyway.