Winding Down from the Weekend

Sigh? Yawn? I am not sure what to call that exhalation of air from my mouth. The Wife is back home form the weekend visit with the Daughter, and so far has claimed nothing but a good time occurred there. In our brief conversation in the vehicle (trip explained later) I filled her on on what we 'men' accomplished while she was gone. I think the trip did her well, and gives her a nice breather.

So that trip? It was to Lowe's yet again. Wife came home, and had her flip the power while I switched over the wiring for the garbage disposal I am installing. Five minutes or so, no major deal. Went to physically hook it all up - to the drain, to the sink, dishwasher.... and I am missing a piece of pipe about 9 inches long. It was part that went from the disposal drain pipe, to the sink trap piping. Cannot find it anywhere amidst the other pieces and tools laying around where I am working. I had removed it the other day, so I know it was here.

There was a flash of white I caught from the corner of my eye. Daisy, the dog. The Chewer of Things. The Destroyer of all things she can reach. The Anklebiter Prodigy. I am sure she is the cause of the missing pipe piece. So I had the Wife drive me over to Lowe's to get a replacement. I measured so I would be sure of the right size pipe piece I needed, found it, got some pipe cement in case needed as well as a new washer and nut for the piping. Got home and went back to work. I didn't calculate the difference of about 2 inches that the piece would overlap in connecting to the one side, so it is now too short. I needed the other, longer piece. Store is now closed. So we are another night without the kitchen sink. Tomorrow morning after the gym I will head over and get the right piece, and hopefully finish up this whole weekend job.

Wife is home though. I'll sleep better tonight having her near me. That's the best part!!

PeacE

While the Wife Is Away ....

The Wife left this morning for Tucson, to spend the weekend with our daughter. A little trip both the daughter and I encouraged her to do. I think the time away from "near home" and alone time with the daughter, will be good for her to sort of recharge a bit. I'm glad the daughter thought it up, and helped me push the Wife towards to doing it. I think this morning she was actually excited about going.

So she is gone, and I have all three boys (13, 9, and 5) at home. I also have a garbage disposal replacement to take care of over the two day period. No big deal. Of course, those are semi-famous last words.

I had noticed earlier this week, that in replacing the disposal, there was a leak along the 'drain sleeve' that I was hoping to not have to worry about replacing. Okay, so now I needed some extra stuff from Lowe's (plumber putty). I picked that up yesterday. I know have all tools and stuff I am pretty sure of needing.

I get down in there today, unhook all the piping work that needed, loosened up the bolts for the drain sleeve...popped it out. Started cleaning the previous (and now pretty much non-existent) layer of plumber putty; only to discover a hole. No, not the drain hole, silly! On the metal through the edge about an 1/8th-inch in size. No way is simple putty going to not leak through a hole like that, at the juncture that the seal meets the area where water is to be. Sigh. So, another trip to Lowes today to get some stuff called WaterWeld (like JB Weld) that they said should work for that environment. I am waiting another half hour for it to set up so I can see if it hardened up good enough to finish the install tomorrow.

Hopefully, it will be ready to finish, and I will be able to do so. Shouldn't be anything unexpected now, unless something electrical happens I think. Yes, I know, I just cursed that part, too.

PeacE

A Slow Afternoon

Today feels pretty mild. It's not as 'hot' feeling as it has been some of the past weeks, sun is out, looks nice. I have nothing 'pressing' to do today, so I jumped around on the blogs doing some catch-up, played a couple games, and brought myself here to put down some words. But since I really don't have much to write about, I'll just throw in some random thoughts I had.

I wonder if I will be able to see the falling satellite tomorrow... or will daylight be too bright to see it? They say trackers will only have 2 hours to know the exact location of where the biggest debris will hit. Glad I am not in the fall path....

Garbage Disposal project has turned into more. Need to get plumber's putty to install a new 'drain attachment' piece to the sink as well. Need to pick that up today.

Two pills left on the prescription med I take. Guess I will be heading to the store soon.

Started a book - "The Laws of Our Fathers" by Scott Turow. It's a hardback that my MIL sent over thinking I may like. Five pages in, and seems okay so far.

Think I may hit the pub this afternoon. Discounted beer from 12-3 and 3-6 is free chicken wings, and they are good!

PeacE

Take Another Piece of Me

This October will be a year since I came to the decision I needed to do something about my health/weight. Since that time, I am down a bit over 35 pounds, have improved my feeling of health, increased the amount of energy I feel, and lowered my cholesterol and blood pressure. Overall improvements that are contributing to me being healthier, and hopefully, extending my numbered days so I can spend them watching my children grow up. A year ago, I would not have believed *I* could have done these changes.

But, it wasn't just me that made these changes. Yeah, I was the one that decides how much of a workout to do, how much to eat, etc, etc. Truly though, it was those around me that did the hard part. The support of family and friends, compliments from people, especially when you need them. All were (are) contributing factors.

As I near the one year mark of my little journey, and move into the second, I just want to say thanks to all of you.

Thanks.

Kinda a mushy post, but that's what you get today. It's just how I feel.

PeacE

Just. Can't. Win.

The Wife posted those three words, with that punctuation, last night as part of her Facebook status. It sums up very well the feeling we have about our house sometimes. Well, actually, most of the time. We moved into our current home back in 2000. It was our first home, as we had been renters for the previous 9-10 years, at several places. As any first home for first-time buyers, it was an exciting time for us, and a big step, not only financially, but in that whole 'family dreams' idealism. 

Like probably most first-time home buyers, we should have informed ourselves better about somethings, and learned to look at homes better. But, I admit, we were anxious to get out of where we were living, and settled pretty quick on our home. It is a bit older, built in 1962 if I remember correct. There are a couple additions to the home, that when done were not properly 'permitted' or even done completely correct. Some of that is in evidence now of minor repairs, etc we have had to do. Most of which seem to be from things 'wearing out' like water pipes.

How does this all relate? I'm not entirely sure, but goes along with my thought process. It just feels like we can't get ahead, and things seems to set us back just that bit, to bring us down. Pretty much Life, I guess. Last night, the Wife discovered a leak under the sink. She was able to track it down to it coming from where the garbage disposal connects to the sink underneath. At least it isn't a water pipe.... but (the inevitable but) the leak wasn't discovered until it had been bad enough to soak everything underneath, and seep out from under the cabinetwork. Hence, how she found it by feeling the water at her feet.

So, today got assigned a project. to replace the garbage disposal. Why replace when it only sounds like it needs to be re-tightened, or maybe put on some teflon tape? Because it doesn't work. It was a project I had not gotten around to doing, and we have the new disposal already here. Now, no better reason to not get it done. My procrastination and laziness about it can no longer talk me into waiting. Though, at 5am, I think I will still wait a couple hours before I get in there and tackle it all.

My Redskins beat AZ Cardinals this week in NFL. Next Monday we get the Monday Night slot against our rival, Dallas. Looking forward to beating them, in Dallas. The Wife is going down to the daughter's next weekend for an over-nighter to do girly things. The boys and I will be on our own, so I am sure the restaurant industry in N. Phoenix will have a sudden increase in business. 

I'm still trying to figure out the earworm I had a few days ago. Nothing I have come across is helping, and it is irritating me. I just want to find the damn song and will be able to 'let it go' once I have the title. In the meantime, this one was running through my head this morning.....

PeacE

Another Early Morning

I wish I had an explanation for my erratic sleep schedule. For weeks I will sleep (for me) normally, then nights like tonight, up at 1:30am for no apparent reason, and unable to return to sleep.

At least it is Friday. I am going to head back to bed now (about 3am) and try again to sleep. I will be headed to the gym about 6:30, and having breakfast with PT afterwards. It is nice to do breakfast about once a week, and have some mano el mano talk.

Since it is the wee hours of the morning, as you can see, I have no topic today. Maybe something will come up later on...

PeacE

In Search Of .....

... the earworm continues. It has really gotten aggravating trying to find this tune. Being unable to put the sounds to words, makes the search even harder as I can't share with friends, or anyone, online. Through the searching I have done though, I wanted to share these two good ones I found....

 and another good one....

Great songs both, though not the earworm that eludes me....

PeacE