Fixing something in an old house is like replacing a part on an old car. Once you get started, one thing leads to another and you have that '56 '57 '58 '59 Chevy that somebody wrote the song about.
We replaced our kitchen, which sorely needed replacement. That included the kitchen window, the ceiling, the floor all the way down the hall to the bathroom, the shelves and cabinets, the a/c ducts over the kitchen, and most of the appliances. And a new electrical panel to replace a panel with those funky old glass fuses.
Then we replaced the front door with a door that should withstand a hurricane.
Then the garage door began to disassemble itself after one of the two big springs went sproinggg, so now we have a new Miami-Dade rated hurricane resistant garage door.
Then the air conditioner died, after 18 years of faithful service. We could have just replaced the a/c unit but there's a nice tax credit if you replace the cooling and heating system with an energy efficient system. That meant taking out an oil furnace, new six years ago, and putting in a heat pump. With the tax credit, the cost difference was less than a thousand bucks. We lived without the a/c for ten days which reminded me how much fun it was to grow up in Florida without air conditioning. I didn't mind it then because we all got sweaty and we all smelled alike, but now I thoroughly dislike the high humidity.
All of this should make the house easier to sell someday if we (or our children) put the house on the market.
This gives new meaning to the expression, "I'm out spending my children's inheritence," but in this case it's all borrowed money. They might get most of it back whenever the house sells - which we sincerely hope will not happen for the next 20 or 40 years!
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
major and minor marvels
Yesterday evening I was thinking of two marvels, one major and one minor, but not unimportant.
The major marvel is that my opthamologist zapped my bionic right eye with a laser, cutting a square hole in a cloudy membrane behind the artificial lens that was installed last summer, and making my world look clearer. It seems that getting a cloudy membrane behind an artificial lens is a side effect that occurs in some cases. The good - no, amazing - news is that the problem can be fixed with a laser beam that cuts a hole in the membrane, cutting out a little tiny squarish piece that becomes a "floater." The doctor says the floater will become less obvious with time; in fact, should sink out of sight (so to speak) in a week or so. Even if it does not sink out of sight, it is so minor and the improvement to my visual acuity is so great that I don't care!
(My next appointment with the eye doctor is to have X-ray vision installed. Just kidding, but wait a few years. It might become possible some day.)
The minor marvel is my obtaining a . . . (drum roll) . . . meat thermometer, one of the instant-read kinds with a digital dial, of course. I used it last night on a nice piece of salmon. I waited for it to get to 145 degrees and it was perfect. No more stabbing with a fork, trying to decide if it's done enough, no more bringing it inside to be told it isn't done enough. I've always had the hardest time with salmon because I don't want to burn it or overcook it, and it looks pretty much the same to me whether it's done or only half-way done. No more of that! All I need to do now is replace all the working parts of my grill and I'll be set to grill with the best of them.
Speaking of marvels, the Rays are on a roll. They have discovered that the thin air of Denver seems to allow baseballs to fly out of the stadium easier than at sea level. Or, that's my theory for today.
The major marvel is that my opthamologist zapped my bionic right eye with a laser, cutting a square hole in a cloudy membrane behind the artificial lens that was installed last summer, and making my world look clearer. It seems that getting a cloudy membrane behind an artificial lens is a side effect that occurs in some cases. The good - no, amazing - news is that the problem can be fixed with a laser beam that cuts a hole in the membrane, cutting out a little tiny squarish piece that becomes a "floater." The doctor says the floater will become less obvious with time; in fact, should sink out of sight (so to speak) in a week or so. Even if it does not sink out of sight, it is so minor and the improvement to my visual acuity is so great that I don't care!
(My next appointment with the eye doctor is to have X-ray vision installed. Just kidding, but wait a few years. It might become possible some day.)
The minor marvel is my obtaining a . . . (drum roll) . . . meat thermometer, one of the instant-read kinds with a digital dial, of course. I used it last night on a nice piece of salmon. I waited for it to get to 145 degrees and it was perfect. No more stabbing with a fork, trying to decide if it's done enough, no more bringing it inside to be told it isn't done enough. I've always had the hardest time with salmon because I don't want to burn it or overcook it, and it looks pretty much the same to me whether it's done or only half-way done. No more of that! All I need to do now is replace all the working parts of my grill and I'll be set to grill with the best of them.
Speaking of marvels, the Rays are on a roll. They have discovered that the thin air of Denver seems to allow baseballs to fly out of the stadium easier than at sea level. Or, that's my theory for today.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Saturday
I'm "celebrating" today (Saturday) in my favorite manner: Slept in late, but not too late; enjoyed reading the paper and drinking coffee in bed with my best friend in the whole wide world; fiddled with the computer long enough to transfer photos from my camera into it; got out of the house long enough to clean the pool filter and then sweep the pool manually with a new-fangled brush; trimmed back two bushes that were threatening to take over a wall; came in for lunch with my BFITWWW after doing her the favor of taking a quick shower; and now I'm fiddling with the computer again, thinking about how HOT it is outside.
I'm overdue with the task of sending photos to people. My friends can find me in Flickr, where I will upload some photos of grand-nieces taken in Naples last weekend. I also need to add new photos of our grandson, Quentin, to our iPods. I need to run up to the library to get another book by Randy Wayne White, an author from Ft. Myers who writes adventure/ mystery stories that remind me of the Travis McGee stories written by John D. MacDonald, a Sarasota writer. White's main character, Doc Ford, is like Travis McGee only smarter and tougher. The stories are page-turners and I feel like I've been there, like I could drive down to Sanibel Island and find Doc Ford in his house/lab or on his boat.
I'd take my bike to the library but I also need to go pick up more chlorine for the pool. The house next door has been gutted, right down to the masonry walls, and we've had dust blowing around the neighborhood and into the pool for weeks. Today, the filter wasn't green with algae as usual; it was brown with dirt. That new-fangled pool brush has a big flap that forces the brush into firm contact with the pool wall and bottom, making the job easier. I seldom brush the pool manually but, today, it was overdue.
I need to get back from the pool store in time to get ready to go out for dinner and a movie, bringing this Saturday to a perfectly suitable end.
Before I go, let me digress: The last time I was in Tarpon Springs I drove out to find the house where we lived when I was a kid, in the early 50's. Couldn't find it. I've now figured out where it is and why I didn't recognize it. The city acquired the lot next door, then ran a new street back into what used to be piney woods. Those woods, which used to have old brick streets left over from Florida's boom days of the 1920's, are now full of houses. Progress, Florida style. Disgusting.
I'm overdue with the task of sending photos to people. My friends can find me in Flickr, where I will upload some photos of grand-nieces taken in Naples last weekend. I also need to add new photos of our grandson, Quentin, to our iPods. I need to run up to the library to get another book by Randy Wayne White, an author from Ft. Myers who writes adventure/ mystery stories that remind me of the Travis McGee stories written by John D. MacDonald, a Sarasota writer. White's main character, Doc Ford, is like Travis McGee only smarter and tougher. The stories are page-turners and I feel like I've been there, like I could drive down to Sanibel Island and find Doc Ford in his house/lab or on his boat.
I'd take my bike to the library but I also need to go pick up more chlorine for the pool. The house next door has been gutted, right down to the masonry walls, and we've had dust blowing around the neighborhood and into the pool for weeks. Today, the filter wasn't green with algae as usual; it was brown with dirt. That new-fangled pool brush has a big flap that forces the brush into firm contact with the pool wall and bottom, making the job easier. I seldom brush the pool manually but, today, it was overdue.
I need to get back from the pool store in time to get ready to go out for dinner and a movie, bringing this Saturday to a perfectly suitable end.
Before I go, let me digress: The last time I was in Tarpon Springs I drove out to find the house where we lived when I was a kid, in the early 50's. Couldn't find it. I've now figured out where it is and why I didn't recognize it. The city acquired the lot next door, then ran a new street back into what used to be piney woods. Those woods, which used to have old brick streets left over from Florida's boom days of the 1920's, are now full of houses. Progress, Florida style. Disgusting.
Friday, April 24, 2009
I'm going to miss Pontiac
The news is that GM is going to drop the Pontiac model in its entirety.
I'm going to miss it. As a kid, the Pontiac was a step up from the Chevrolets my parents drove. The distinctive Indian head logo you'd see in a garage needed no words of explanation.
I owned only one Pontiac, a Catalina. Our neighbor said they weren't as good as they used to be, but we got good service out of it. I used it to drive our twins home from the hospital, and we took it to Boca Raton when we moved from Tallahassee.
The Pontiac GTO was the first muscle car, with an 8-cylinder engine. The Beach Boys sang about their "little GTO." So did a group named Ronny and the Daytonas.
I'll miss it, but considering I haven't bought one since 1975, I'm not shocked they are closing their doors for good.
I'm going to miss it. As a kid, the Pontiac was a step up from the Chevrolets my parents drove. The distinctive Indian head logo you'd see in a garage needed no words of explanation.
I owned only one Pontiac, a Catalina. Our neighbor said they weren't as good as they used to be, but we got good service out of it. I used it to drive our twins home from the hospital, and we took it to Boca Raton when we moved from Tallahassee.
The Pontiac GTO was the first muscle car, with an 8-cylinder engine. The Beach Boys sang about their "little GTO." So did a group named Ronny and the Daytonas.
I'll miss it, but considering I haven't bought one since 1975, I'm not shocked they are closing their doors for good.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Facebook and the slow death of blogs
OK, so I'm one of the millions of old folks who have discovered Facebook. The young folks who jumped into Facebook earlier need not worry (too much) about their parents wanting to snoop over their shoulders. We are having too much fun re-discovering people we haven't seen since our time in the Army, college, high school, and even elementary school.
I have noticed that the bloggers in my family (including me) don't "blog" as much as we used to. Our limited time for such stuff is being consumed by Facebook, where you can make editorial comments like this one knowing who your audience will be.
Writing on a blog reminds me of the classic poem, "I sneezed a sneeze into the air. It fell to Earth I knew not where, but hard and cold were the looks of those in whose vicinity I snoze." I don't know who will read this - if anyone - but I know my "friends" in Facebook will see my little status updates and photos I put in my album, and I'll see theirs.
So, I'm not saying goodbye here, but if I seem to be doing this even less frequently than usual, you'll know why. If you want to keep up with me more often, you'll have to join Facebook and become my "friend."
I have noticed that the bloggers in my family (including me) don't "blog" as much as we used to. Our limited time for such stuff is being consumed by Facebook, where you can make editorial comments like this one knowing who your audience will be.
Writing on a blog reminds me of the classic poem, "I sneezed a sneeze into the air. It fell to Earth I knew not where, but hard and cold were the looks of those in whose vicinity I snoze." I don't know who will read this - if anyone - but I know my "friends" in Facebook will see my little status updates and photos I put in my album, and I'll see theirs.
So, I'm not saying goodbye here, but if I seem to be doing this even less frequently than usual, you'll know why. If you want to keep up with me more often, you'll have to join Facebook and become my "friend."
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
oh, shut up
I have a very low tolerance for "talking heads" on TV, but there are a few in particular I would like to single out, if for no other reason than to vent my spleen.
("Vent my spleen" is from a medieval notion that the spleen was the source of a hot temper, and by "venting" it, one would be letting loose of one's anger. Think of it as primitive anger management. Now, you are smarter than you were 30 seconds ago!)
The people I would like to hear nothing from again include:
Nancy Grace. How can a woman so beautiful and so smart be so utterly obnoxious? I'll bet she uses commercial breaks to change into dry panties. I cannot watch her on our big TV any more because, if I hear the phrase "tot mom" one more time, I will throw something at it. Is there any other case in the country going on besides the Caylee Anthony case?
Jim Cramer: This guy is CNBC's resident expert on the stock market. He appears to be off his meds, hopping and jumping around, while the TV cameras roll from left to right, zooming in and out. It's enough to induce an epileptic fit in a healthy person. If I could hear him on the radio I might pay attention, but I fear he'll have a heart attack one of these days.
Lou Dobbs: Before the last election, Dobbs' main agenda item consisted of illegal immigrants. That's basically all he talked about. Now, he ranting about anything "liberal," including the liberal media, who won't cover the stories he thinks important. One of these days he will vomit green bile, right in front of the camera.
Newt Gingrich: This blowhard brought us the "Contract On America" in 1994. Now, the liberal media keeping bringing him back for sound bites. I frankly don't care what the man says.
Rush Limbaugh: Need I say more? The guy is stark-raving bananas. He was the featured speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference, misquoting the Preamble to the Constitution and otherwise raving like a loon. Now conservatives are amazed that Democrats are trying to make him look like the new face of the Republican Party. If he isn't, who is? Perhaps one of the governors who want to turn down federal money?
I could go on, but I think I'll shut up myself and go to bed.
("Vent my spleen" is from a medieval notion that the spleen was the source of a hot temper, and by "venting" it, one would be letting loose of one's anger. Think of it as primitive anger management. Now, you are smarter than you were 30 seconds ago!)
The people I would like to hear nothing from again include:
Nancy Grace. How can a woman so beautiful and so smart be so utterly obnoxious? I'll bet she uses commercial breaks to change into dry panties. I cannot watch her on our big TV any more because, if I hear the phrase "tot mom" one more time, I will throw something at it. Is there any other case in the country going on besides the Caylee Anthony case?
Jim Cramer: This guy is CNBC's resident expert on the stock market. He appears to be off his meds, hopping and jumping around, while the TV cameras roll from left to right, zooming in and out. It's enough to induce an epileptic fit in a healthy person. If I could hear him on the radio I might pay attention, but I fear he'll have a heart attack one of these days.
Lou Dobbs: Before the last election, Dobbs' main agenda item consisted of illegal immigrants. That's basically all he talked about. Now, he ranting about anything "liberal," including the liberal media, who won't cover the stories he thinks important. One of these days he will vomit green bile, right in front of the camera.
Newt Gingrich: This blowhard brought us the "Contract On America" in 1994. Now, the liberal media keeping bringing him back for sound bites. I frankly don't care what the man says.
Rush Limbaugh: Need I say more? The guy is stark-raving bananas. He was the featured speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference, misquoting the Preamble to the Constitution and otherwise raving like a loon. Now conservatives are amazed that Democrats are trying to make him look like the new face of the Republican Party. If he isn't, who is? Perhaps one of the governors who want to turn down federal money?
I could go on, but I think I'll shut up myself and go to bed.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
random thoughts for January - er, February already?
A few random thoughts before heading off for work:
Our lives are marked by little pieces of paper we collect along the way, beginning with birth certificates, then high school and college diplomas, honorable discharge certificates from the Army, professional licenses to practice, and so forth. I got a horrible one in the mail yesterday - a Medicare card with my name on it. I have my parents' cards around here somewhere, but this one is mine. Holy cow. Most guys my age, who grew up during the Cold War, never thought we'd live so long. I'm tempted to ask, "God, can I really be old enough for this?" But God's answer would be, "Yes, dummy, and you know it. Now leave me alone so I can worry about 300-pound athletes who think I'm supposed to protect them from injury while they run over each other at 30 miles per hour."
Changing subjects: If the feds want to pump money into infrastructure to get the economy going, why not give it to state and local governments that build and maintain the roads, bridges, sewer treatment plants, and so forth? God knows how many of Florida's bridges are ready to crumble.
By infrastructure, I do not mean Clearwater's proposed new marina. The waiting list at the marina on the beach is so long they expected a huge demand for the new marina but only three or four people have paid deposits for slips. Give that idea up, commissioners. Put that money where it will do more good.
I also do not mean those miniature traffic circles I see under construction, so small they fit within street intersections. Those things are traffic hazards and a waste of money.
I can understand why several of President Obama's appointees have serious income tax problems. When you see federal tax money going to the banks so they can spend millions to redecorate their offices, pay huge bonuses to the "good people" who ran them into the ditch, and plan getaways in Las Vegas, you wish you could get away with not paying, too. Those appointees are powerful, successful, big-time politicians; you wonder how many smaller fish simply haven't been caught yet.
Isn't it refreshing to see our president look at a TV camera and admit that he screwed up? The American people can forgive someone who 'fesses up and does not play the duck-and-cover drill we are accustomed to seeing.
My children haven't "blogged" for weeks. I wonder whether FaceBook has taken the place of blogging? The kids went to FaceBook and now us old folks have, too. I've contacted several high school friends I haven't seen since graduation. I suppose that means the kids will abandon FaceBook and find another place where they can hang out, electronically, without us old folks looking over their shoulder.
More later -
Our lives are marked by little pieces of paper we collect along the way, beginning with birth certificates, then high school and college diplomas, honorable discharge certificates from the Army, professional licenses to practice, and so forth. I got a horrible one in the mail yesterday - a Medicare card with my name on it. I have my parents' cards around here somewhere, but this one is mine. Holy cow. Most guys my age, who grew up during the Cold War, never thought we'd live so long. I'm tempted to ask, "God, can I really be old enough for this?" But God's answer would be, "Yes, dummy, and you know it. Now leave me alone so I can worry about 300-pound athletes who think I'm supposed to protect them from injury while they run over each other at 30 miles per hour."
Changing subjects: If the feds want to pump money into infrastructure to get the economy going, why not give it to state and local governments that build and maintain the roads, bridges, sewer treatment plants, and so forth? God knows how many of Florida's bridges are ready to crumble.
By infrastructure, I do not mean Clearwater's proposed new marina. The waiting list at the marina on the beach is so long they expected a huge demand for the new marina but only three or four people have paid deposits for slips. Give that idea up, commissioners. Put that money where it will do more good.
I also do not mean those miniature traffic circles I see under construction, so small they fit within street intersections. Those things are traffic hazards and a waste of money.
I can understand why several of President Obama's appointees have serious income tax problems. When you see federal tax money going to the banks so they can spend millions to redecorate their offices, pay huge bonuses to the "good people" who ran them into the ditch, and plan getaways in Las Vegas, you wish you could get away with not paying, too. Those appointees are powerful, successful, big-time politicians; you wonder how many smaller fish simply haven't been caught yet.
Isn't it refreshing to see our president look at a TV camera and admit that he screwed up? The American people can forgive someone who 'fesses up and does not play the duck-and-cover drill we are accustomed to seeing.
My children haven't "blogged" for weeks. I wonder whether FaceBook has taken the place of blogging? The kids went to FaceBook and now us old folks have, too. I've contacted several high school friends I haven't seen since graduation. I suppose that means the kids will abandon FaceBook and find another place where they can hang out, electronically, without us old folks looking over their shoulder.
More later -
Saturday, January 31, 2009
death of Google? maybe not yet, but -
Earlier today it seemed that Google, the source of nearly everything I know, had shot itself in the head. For awhile, if you went into Google and entered any search, no matter what for, you got this message: "warning - visiting this web site may harm your computer."
As a test, I searched for the two major daily newspapers in the Tampa Bay area and then searched for "mapquest," and got the same result. For fun, when I searched for "google.com" using Google, it appeared there, too!
The main problem was that you couldn't go forward and take your chances. You had to go back and try again, which failed for the same reason. You had to wonder if someone had hacked Google and caused this to happen.
I don't know who Google's competitors are, but they just got a major boost. This may have been a temporary glitch, but I'm looking for a good alternative.
As a test, I searched for the two major daily newspapers in the Tampa Bay area and then searched for "mapquest," and got the same result. For fun, when I searched for "google.com" using Google, it appeared there, too!
The main problem was that you couldn't go forward and take your chances. You had to go back and try again, which failed for the same reason. You had to wonder if someone had hacked Google and caused this to happen.
I don't know who Google's competitors are, but they just got a major boost. This may have been a temporary glitch, but I'm looking for a good alternative.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
counting down the hours
George W. Bush has four more days plus a few hours to occupy the office of President of the United States. I'd be happy if he would hit the road for Texas tomorrow and be done with it. The following web site is counting down the hours, minutes and seconds until high noon on January 20, at which time his term of office ends and the term of Barack Obama begins:
http://inaugurationday2009.com/schedule.html
To my friend(s) from high school and in-law(s) who have been sending me bad jokes about Barack Obama, please understand that I am deleting them faster than you are forwarding them. (Why are none of them ever original to the sender?). They are not funny and I am not amused, or would not be amused if I bothered to look at them. You may as well just relax and see what happens over the next four years. Mr. Obama won. Get over it. To paraphrase what our British cousins say when the royal crown passes to another head, the President is gone to Texas, long live the President.
http://inaugurationday2009.com/schedule.html
To my friend(s) from high school and in-law(s) who have been sending me bad jokes about Barack Obama, please understand that I am deleting them faster than you are forwarding them. (Why are none of them ever original to the sender?). They are not funny and I am not amused, or would not be amused if I bothered to look at them. You may as well just relax and see what happens over the next four years. Mr. Obama won. Get over it. To paraphrase what our British cousins say when the royal crown passes to another head, the President is gone to Texas, long live the President.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
almost finally done
The topless island got its top installed, and now the kitchen looks done except for a few odd jobs by the electrician. Finally!
Friday, January 02, 2009
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Christmas Eve
All I wanted for Christmas was our kids together with us at the same time, which is getting harder and harder as time goes by. Here we are at First Methodist of Clearwater on Christmas Eve. Glorious!
Friday, December 19, 2008
kitchen update, revised (again)
Here's an update as of tonight (Friday): The plumber came in (two of them) and they installed the kitchen sink and connected the line to the ice maker. The new kitchen window is now installed. We now have the flooring installed, the cabinets installed (still missing a couple of doors), the granite countertops installed, all the tiles for the backsplash installed (still needs grout), and all of the appliances except the oven and microwave. The electrician still has a few odd jobs. The island in the middle of the kitchen and the window sill will be installed Monday. I replaced the rack in the hall closet. Tomorrow (Saturday) or Sunday I will put a second coat of paint in the dining area and parts of the kitchen, hang a shelf back on the wall, attach a new duct to the clothes dryer, and replace a shower head, and then I may as well mow the front and back yards. THEN I'm going to sit back and eat grapes while my wife moves everything that was in the kitchen back in the kitchen.
To appreciate how far this project has gone since it started, scroll down to see earlier photos. At the bottom, click on "older posts."
To appreciate how far this project has gone since it started, scroll down to see earlier photos. At the bottom, click on "older posts."
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Phase 6
Starting today, this is the last photo I'm going to upload until our kids come home and see the final project completed, although I might slip in a small detail here or there. I mean, we have to save something to surprise them for Christmas!
Friday, December 12, 2008
light at the end of the tunnel
The cabinet man began installing the cabinets today. He is a perfectionist. I like perfectionists!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Phase 6 begins
The cabinets have arrived! With any luck they will be installed on Friday, or at least the lower cabinets will be, so the counter man can get started.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Thursday, December 04, 2008
more progress
The progress may seem slow judging from this photo, but we now have a ceiling and walls with the gaps filled in.
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