First! Friday PWYC

[Ramblinrose]

LadyM…
So sorry to hear abt your dd’s damage from the storm. Hope it doesn’t take too long to get her home fixed.

I went to my class this morning, came home, cleaned up and then attended my coffee gathering. Tonight is movie night for the community’s teens and I volunteered to help set up and stay for the event. Should be interesting.

Just finished my lunch and depending on whether the storms show up in the next 30 minutes plan to head out to HD. Otherwise I’ll go tomorrow.

[Harmony]

Lost track of the numbers but here I am! Just sitting here waiting to cool off. I need to pop into the shower. I am done outside.

Lucylee, thanks for worrying about me up on the truck. You have to picture this: this truck is a big long van-type, like a big oblong shoe box on wheels. The top is perfectly flat metal, painted with something white. Good surface to sit on or stand on. I'm not too terribly afraid of heights, though I'm not fond of the getting up there and the getting down. I do the ladder steps one at a time very slowly. I keep both feet on the same step. The only thing I don't like at all is when I have to get back on the ladder from the top. I didn't know how to do that until DH coached me. Noticed today as I did it I felt more comfortable. Experience is a good teacher.

He was having a bad day. The gutter fitting at the bottom that I told him was crushed...was indeed beyond repair. NOW he agrees with me. I do have that problem with him. When I tell him something I know or have seen, he doesn't want to listen. He's the guy who's always been in charge. So he's going to change that fitting. But I screwed the long downspout to the thingy at the top so it's attached and I'm not going up there again.

He was going to set up our horse so I could walk across a bit... no it's not here it's on that job. sigh..... ok get the black ladder...look around...no it's on that job.... so ok get the silver step ladder that's a little heavier for me to move...sigh yes it's here. We had to pull back the nice bushes I have there and scrub the dirt off the bottom of the wall. I got down with a stiff brush and the hose and cleaned. Anyway, even with my favorite paint brush suddenly disappeared, I used another and got that whole wall finished. DH was so annoyed with the whole thing he took off on his bike. I'm not sure I can work with him any more.

It looks like rain but the paint dries almost instantly it's so hot here and we had a little breeze. Sky is grey. while I waited for the cleaning to dry I watered the planters. They are looking bad. I will scrub those and pull the dirt back from the edges and repaint. I also need to clean a few sections of the fence...it's been bad since the hurricane. If I say anything to him about it he'll make noises about the pressure washer. Nope, not doing THAT.

Ak I need my shower. Have a great afternoon, everybody.

[lucylee]

Harmony -- that would be the part that would make me nervous, too -- getting on & off the ladder. I remember my ddad telling me "you always want to go this way..." when you're getting on at the top of the ladder... but of course, I don't remember which way he said! Fortunately, I don't have much reason to get up on high places.
(((Mr. Harmony))) and (((YOU))) for having to do all the do-ing that is involved when the man of the house is having a bad day.

DH here is now hurting in his knee and hip -- the other -- "sensitive" area is fine. Antibiotic must have taken care of that problem. He probably walked funny/sat down-stood up so carefully that he has his leg out of line, I guess. I left message asking doctor to call in another round of prednisone for him, but I don't know if he will or not. It has only been 3 weeks since he last prescribed it, and gave dh the steroid shot. That was like a MIRACLE, but it was short-lived.

LadyM, I am sorry about the damage at your dd's house! Is she still in Australia, or am I totally off-base here? Didn't she go visit her SO there?

Rose, that sounds like the perfect fit for you, helping with the teen movie night. Have fun!

Looks like your day is off to a great start, Nancy! WTG on all your bargains!

Twins, I thought your idea of prioritizing things would be an excellent idea for me, but then I realized I agreed 100%:

I wouldn't have written it down unless it was important to me....

That's kinda what I thought Kathryn was talking about when I saw FIRST -- I thought -- WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FIRST?

I am proud to say, I followed through and actually did the FIRST priority things FIRST.
So I have these ta-das:
* s2s, had breakfast (but no make-up and no quiet time/devotional reading yet)
* took list of prescriptions to doctor's office for renewal (can never get him on the phone, and office is right by the post office)
* went to post office
* talked to ds (* JOY * DGD is on 4th day of swimming lessons and conquered her fear of jumping off the diving board! Yesterday she swam across the deep end twice with no help! -- Wish I were as brave as her!)
* BIG TA-DA -- finished vacuuming the carpet (except for master bedroom, dh is napping in there)
* BIG TA-DA -- picked up all the c*r*a*p from dgrands' room. I had not touched it since they were here Sunday, so it was a MESS.
* read the paper

I keep checking for word from Dee... and also am keeping you and your dh in my thoughts and prayers, blessed! (((BIG HUGS)))

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Glad to see some of you turning today's theme into something useful and productive!

I got a lot of papers tidied while waiting for my friend to come over to measure air quality. The laundry room really failed. My neighbour ran her machines today and that makes the smell of her detergent overwhelm my apartment unless I get the laundry room door shut in time. I did today but when we tested it the AQI was at 102. This was at least an hour after the peak of the smell.

The living room was AQI of 70. Lower once we turned the air filter fan up to high but that is too noisy for me to concentrate on work. With it on high, it settled into under 50 but the bedroom was high. He couldn't believe I turned the filter off in there. We aren't in the bedroom, it is fine now. He pointed out things would settle on the furniture. I pointed out it would when I opened a window and let pollen in so I didn't care.

There's a balancing act here - do I need to have the air quality perfect but my apartment unbearable due to noise and never any outdoor air coming in? I don't think that's the way I want to live. On the other hand, it has proven to me that we have to do something about the laundry room. Keeping the door shut in there makes it harder on the freezer to run since it gets so warm.

The worst of today's smoke is abating but it will remain risky for the rest of the day and night.

I'm at the end of my rope with all this. All I want to do is go to sleep or at least close my eyes to ease the stinging eyes. I should put on a mask but I hate to wear one in my home but my chest it tight too and I can't concentrate.

[Twins' Mom]

My body work was good. I feel aligned again. I told him about some of the passive stretches that I did (with the trainer) at my workout yesterday and he approved. He said one might have contributed to my upper back not being so hunched.

I washed my car on the way home, there's now a car wash near the house and I signed up for unlimited washes on a monthly plan. We'll see how I like it. And I napped a bit. I have our towels in the washer, I need to move them over and fold two loads but I don't wanna. I did wash my car on the way home too. I signed up for the monthly/unlimited plan. We'll see how I like it.

Dh wanted to ask massage therapist if he had any openings this afternoon, so dh is going at 4:30. I think he'll go on to temple after that. I just have the donwannas. I think I'm probably still in recovery mode.

[Lady Maverick]

I just checked the map, and it shows DD12 is 30 minutes away from home.

DD12 coming home from camp triggered my memory of last year. It boggles my mind that it has only been one year ago that covid was such a big deal. Last year they had to shut the camp down a couple of days early because several were getting sick. They thought it was a stomach virus but it was later confirmed that several tested positive for covid. It some ways it seems like covid is a far distant memory, but it was affecting our lives just a year ago.

I failed to hit submit so this sat here for a while. DD12 is now home from camp and had a great time. After spending 6 days with non-stop social interaction, she is ready for some quiet time in her bedroom.

DD is home from Australia after her 2-week visit. Her SO will be working in Australia for another couple of months. Since he is the owner of the storm damaged house, he is having to deal with the insurance company from afar. DD47 is hands on dealing with the mess and will be IRL meeting contractor and adjustor. I forgot to include the hail also broke 4 house windows. One glass was completely shattered and the other 3 windows were broken with cracks but remained intact so far. The part of the roof that was destroyed is over their main electrical panel. They are unsure how damaged the electricity is and if that will also need to be replaced.

[Nancy]

I am back in from the garden did a few shorts of my garden, green toms are hard to see against the green back ground of other plants.
My purple basil has pretty pink blooms on it. Herbs are doing well.

The hose caddy will be tried next in the backyard, to be honest it is p.i.b. at least in the front my wind it up myself works. will take a bit to get used to is but might be great for winter storage and take up less room in the potting shed.

The trash bag holder works really well I filled up two bags of small limbs I pruned off in front. One row done yea!
Wondering if I can make a square loaf of bread in the dish I got today!
I need to put stuff away on the counter but at least I did up the dishes.

The mugs wondering if I can do the cook a cake or ? in one I will practice with cornbread, If I mess it up the dog will help eat the evidence LOL!
I think is basically a cup cake LOL! Cake in a cup!

I got the hose caddy wound up and works better in the back yard with out leaking so much and is still a pib.

I did get the dishes done.
Dd is coming Sunday not sure what time.

[CathyS]

Wrote a long post about our busy day, and then I had a problem posting. Checking to see if I can get this post to go through.

Woo hoo!

We spent most of the morning out of the house doing some grocery shopping and going for breakfast.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I napped for an hour. Felt better after.

Had dinner (pizza that dh went and got) and then got a text that the A/C was off again. Sigh.... Sure enough, there is room temp air blowing out, not chilled air. It is only 77 in here, so not bad and the bedroom is closer to 73. But the windows can't be opened so we are stuck having to run the fans in order to keep the place from getting too stagnant.

While dh was off getting the pizza I got the cash reconciled in Quicken. Now I should work on other stuff as well. Oh, and I ordered more plant pots since I liked the ones that came a couple of weeks ago. It is a second set of the same ones. I like having everything matching. I had no idea it would feel so much better than the mishmash I had/have. It makes sense, though. Everything the same is 'quieter', and follows the same theory as me taking the labels off my shampoo and conditioner in the shower in order to make things 'quieter' in there.

[Harmony]

I do normal routine things first, then what's left is done in order of what's most important...usually those things that have been OMM for a while and getting super annoying. Like DH and the wall. I was blasted tired of hearing him talk about it. He says it looks 100% better to him. Me, I don't think it's perfect and can't figure out why... but it does look newly painted.

Also, another thing I do is clean like I'm a whirlwind if I'm mad about something. Probably not a good way to do things. Tonight I worked on the one paint brush I had left out while I used another. It was too much effort to get down off the shorter ladder to go rinse it out and put it up somewhere. DH was not out there helping or I'd have given it to him. So it got hard as a rock... and he said just throw it out...but it is a nice one I bought myself and hide from him so I'll have it...and I was mad about that so as I worked on it - and got it pretty good I must say - I tackled the laundry tub which is a white plastic deep cube thing with a wash board built in at the front and a section for putting stuff at the right. It's all white again, polished with baking soda. I cleaned whole laundry room, door frame, top of freezer, back splash, and the washer and dryer, all clean. Mopped that floor, a hallway and kitchen, then I did it again when DH walked around with his muddy shoes.

I discovered the underneath lip of the wash. machine lid is getting rusty already. All that is cleaned off but on my list is to clean it good with metal cleaner and when dry spray paint it with white appliance paint to see if I can stop that. Why do they use such cheap metal and finishings on appliances these days? Well, buy a better grade of appliances is probably the answer...

Little faucet no longer works and it's all loose. DH wanted the RO filters to change that and he pulled out the big funny shaped washer that has rusted under the faucet...so that will be another job to help with. I'm really tired of all this.

Kathryn, I give you an A+ for patience in dealing with your air quality and your a/c problems and vent problems. You pay RENT for this place? Shouldn't it be a given that proper air is included? I know for sure DH wouldn't have the patience you do for it. How are the fires? Do they have them out yet?

LadyM, I'm really sorry for all the damage DD has. I hope all the repairing will go smoothly.