An Ordinary Day

In the beginning of writing this blog, I couldn't write fast enough to keep up with my ideas. Lately, I feel a bit uninspired. The weeks have been full...so what really have two retired old farts done all day? Whatever we do, we do it differently!

I'll start with Frank. He's the perfect picture of habit. He wakes up about 6:30, and he first takes out the dogs and tries to keep the cat from coming in. Feeds the outside cats, opens the chicken house, and feeds the goats and big dogs. Back to the house where he starts his coffee in the Keurig, then empties the dishwasher while he waits. If there is a pan on the stove from last night, he usually washes it. Coffee and laptop take up his next hour or so. That's when I wake up, about 8:00, unless I'm subbing. 

I love the gentle quiet of morning. In the year I was here alone, I got up, made my coffee, then watched the birds and read. Part of that doesn't happen anymore because the second I get up, someone is all ready for his day, sharing his list and I can't even function yet! In an effort to curb my desire to read a book snuggled in with the puppers, I promised myself I could only read and check the devices for one hour. Something has gone wrong...the plan just sort of died...for the lack of my participation. Basically I read and goof around until about 10:00, then I feel guilty if I don't get dressed. (Please understand, that I don't feel guilty doing chores, inside or out, in my nightgown.) Sometimes I escape to buy groceries or have lunch with my bestie.

Bless his heart, Frank always has a list, and he goes outside raring to go. He argues with the mower until it starts or gets tangled up with a fence/dog/tree that creates a wound. I have finally convinced him he retired to not work an eight hour day, especially in the heat. I'm noticing that he now has lawn chairs in several strategic shady places around the yard. He told me he is satisfied 
to rest and hydrate. Some days I can even convince him to come in and eat. He's like I was as a kid - we hit the screen door early, and only came in quietly to eat or use the bathroom (our mom slept days as she worked nights), and were back whenever we were called or it was dark. 

We have both agreed that a nap is just part of being retired. Neither of us have been huge nappers until now. It makes it a great deal easier to finish our day, when we meet up again for supper, tv, and closing up the animals!!  I putsy around until well after midnight; Frank has another nap from 9-10:00, then finally to bed at 11:30. 

At 6:30 a.m. the routine begins again.

Now, we aren't total slugs! We've been having a blast with our camping club, traveling, watching the little girls, going to all kinds of events, and serving our county through the Democratic committee. We've even protested! I still enjoy subbing and being at school. At least once a day, one of us says how happy we are to be here at the farm. 

It would be great if there was progress on our "list," but it is also important to acknowledge this is our time, no longer worrying if it fits someone else's schedule. 

Life is peaceful. Life is fun. Life is full. Life is good. I wish the same for you!

Bathroom Project is "Done"

Well, I'm back. I wanted to write one last post about our bathroom and move on...I just didn't know it would take sooo long to be done!

Quick review: The day we started, July 7, we were automatically three days behind when the plumbers stumbled on the mess under the house. Old lead pipes had become dislodged and two of our sinks were emptying into the crawl space. Lucky for us?, the crawl space has vents and stays "warm" year round. The ground is very dry and the water just leeched into the soil. We don't have a garbage disposal...thank God! 

Then it was a steady stream of folks for about two weeks.  Plumbers, electricians, painters, and carpenters. At each turn, something little happened, it seems, but none like getting the right faucet for the sink. You see, I just had to have a vessel sink. Ever since I saw my sister-in-law Kim's beautiful blue sink, I vowed to have one. Of course, I couldn't find the blue I wanted, and then I stumbled onto a clear sink! It seems that the sink is tall, and that most vessel faucets were too short, and the new medicine cabinet is too low. Five tries later, we have a faucet that  answers all the challenges. (See that little bit of room between the top of the faucet and the bottom of the mirror?) 

To add to the misery, I couldn't find a faucet for the soaking tub. Amazon to the rescue, because I thought $218 was enough - not $800 like Home Depot.

The wrong toilet was sent, and that required a trip to pick up one in a hurry. I appreciate the home improvement box stores because they will get it ready, but I had to make a 140 mile round trip to get it, only to find the plumbers left because they wanted to install everything in one day.

Then the painters took three days because they were jumping between jobs. 

Now, here is my quandary: Our shower was ordered just after the first of the year, but the doors weren't measured until the unit was installed, even though they had measured and knew our metal preference. So, the bathroom is essentially "finished," but we still don't have shower doors?

I left for some quality time in Wisconsin with my bestie. On August 7, Frank texted to say the second bathroom hot water heater was kaput! The plumbers couldn't replace it until today. No shower doors and no hot water in the second bathroom. He had to tub it.

We got the keys back to our bathroom on Monday, August 10, sans shower doors. The carpenter confirmed that the doors were in process, and their liaison would call to schedule installation. Tuesday we found out that "Nate" no longer works for the company, but, indeed, the doors were in process. 

Today, the new hot water heater is being installed. I have a long list of chores, and all of them include water! Since it is shut off for installation, I am paying bills (wink, wink). The chores still have to be done, because we leave on a camping trip tomorrow!

This will give you a giggle - Jennings' Law prevailed! All of a sudden we heard rushing water and the plumber yelling to his partner to shut off the water - Hurry! The gasket had blown (from where to where I don't know) and fortunately, their floor covering caught the better part of the shower!  

Pros and cons. Always do pros first: Still grateful that the leaks under the house were found and repaired. Thankful for tradesmen who know their craft and did their best for us. Happy that we have met tradesmen that we'll call on again in the future. Pleased that the vision we had for the bathroom is what we have. Cons: We could have used a bit more guidance ahead of time on purchasing. Still not sure how it took eight months for the Onyx to be finished and 10 months to have shower doors. 

Now it is my turn - to paint the legs to the tub, sand and finish the cabinets, and decorate a bit. Window coverings are still in development.

Funny ... the final bill arrived yesterday. I won't pay it until the shower doors are in.