"Beat Dem Damn Yanks," I say

Yesterday was a busy day for us.

John had arrived at midnight the night before so we didn't get home until 1:30 in the morning and we managed to sleep until 8:00 am (woo hoo for us!).

But there was lots to do, what with getting him unpacked from a week of hunting and then packing for three days in Toronto.

And we had to go back into Ottawa for that funeral service by mid-day.

So essentially, yesterday was a lost day.

And by the time we got home from the funeral, John was bushed, the travel having caught up with him.

He's still sleeping now, a very unusual occurrence in this household.

Once he does get up, he'll have to get into action quite quickly because he has to deliver the dog to the kennel before we leave to catch the train.

We have to be out of here by 11:00am for that to happen.

We're heading off to Toronto to take in the Blue Jays vs the Yankees series -- it's my boys' final homestand of the season.  As it turns out, there's going to be a special ceremony honouring manager Cito Gaston on Wednesday night.  (I swear I knew nothing of that plan when I bought tickets for this series.) Then, apparently, once Joe Carter heard that I would be there, he decided that he too would make an appearance in honour of Cito!  So just like last year when I was there for my birthday, Joe will be there too!  He is too sweet.

We'll be in Sec 228, Row 9, Seats 101, 102 and 103, the same seats we had last year (best seats in the house, as far as we're concerned), so it won't be difficult for Joe to find me.

"OK ... OK,

Blue Jays, Blue Jays,

Let's play ball!"

Last day of my Alone Time

This is going to be one very loooooong day.

I've been awake since 4:15am (my usual wake time) and of course I still wake every 2.5 hours to change positions, so in spite of having a well-functioning right hip, I'm still not getting quality sleep.

Hence, I'm not truly rested.

My ability to walk is much better than it has been in a long time because of that latest steroid injection, but my left hip is causing me grief again (is there ever a happy medium?).

That last steroid shot certainly proved beneficial because I no longer feel the bone-on-bone sensation in my right hip when I walk but the effects have worn off in the left hip and it seems worse than it was before I got the shot in that hip.  I'm wondering if I should take another shot in that hip at all, but will discuss that with my doctor before I proceed.

Anyway, I'll spend the morning taking it easy today.  Fortunately, this is Saturday so it's "big newspaper" day, which means I'll loll about reading my newspaper for a good part of the morning.

I have to go into the big city this afternoon to hang out with my little chickadee (that's never a chore, might I add) so that she can take me to the airport to collect John and Toop when they arrive at midnight -- yes, midnight!  I can't drive outside daylight hours and this is not the first time my little chickadee has been called into service for this run.  She is such a sweetheart to accommodate her mother this way!  Fortunately, she lives not five minutes from the airport.

Then, after we drop her off at her place, we'll head home -- which means we won't get home before 1:30am.

Tomorrow, one would think we would need a rest and catch-up day after John had been away for a week but, no -- not in the cards for us.

We have to go back into the big city to attend a funeral tomorrow.  The week before John left for his trip, he received extremely sad news.  His good friend and skeet shooting partner had passed away, one year and two days after that friend's wife had passed.  John left for his trip with a very heavy heart indeed.  Last year, we had attended Verna's funeral the day before John boarded his flight, and this year we are attending Duane's funeral the day after he gets off the plane!

To add to the eeriness of the situation, last year while John was on his trip, I attended the funeral of one of my paternal aunt's sisters (with whom I had been in school). And this year, while he's been away, I attended the wake of another of that aunt's sisters.

I've suggested to John that perhaps he shouldn't be taking that trip any more!

On Monday, we have to be out of here in the morning to catch a mid-day train for Toronto.

That's right!  We're taking our annual Blue Jays trip to see my boys beat dem damn Yanks.

We'll watch Monday's game on Bob's new big screen TV (he had to copy us!) and on Tuesday and Wednesday, we'll be in the same seats we were in last year on my birthday (Sec 228, Row 9, Seats 101, 102 and 103).  Best seats in the house, as far as we're concerned.

On Thursday, the train will deliver us back to the region around 4:00pm.

What I'm saying is, don't look for updates here before Friday of next week.  I'm not taking the laptop with us and while I can use Bob's computer, I just quickly check e-mail and such; I don't stay on it for any length of time so I won't be posting here (I don't think).

Day 6 of my Alone Time

Well, here we are, on my penultimate day of alone time.

And it looks like I'll actually spend it doing nothing.

Ta da!!!!!!

'Bout time, I say.

Last Sunday, my little chickadee lent me a book to read while I vegged this week, but I have to be finished it when I see her tomorrow so she can return it to the library (she has another to lend me for our Toronto trip next week).  I'm within 100 pages of the end now, so I plan to finish the book today.  It's a fascinating read -- "House Rules" by Jodi Picoult.  I highly recommend it for anyone who has an interest in gaining a better understanding of the autism spectrum.  Picoult has done an amazing job with this book.

I didn't get to all the chores I had hoped to tackle during this week of freedom, but time flies so fast when one is having fun!

In any event, I am today going to sit and veg -- finally.

Day 5 of my Alone Time

My Day 4 didn't quite pan out as the R&R day I had thought it would be.

First of all, my 9:00am appointment was actually a 10:00am appointment (oops) -- but everything worked out OK since the dietitian had cancelled her 9:00am client thinking she'd be late and when she arrived at 9:05am, she was very gracious about my screw-up and simpy took me ahead of schedule.

I had a few errands to run before coming home so I didn't get here until almost 11:30am and for some reason I thought I should do chores around here rather than take the R&R day that I needed.

So I started cleaning the bathroom (I've been wanting to tackle the floor in there for some time now and with John away, this is the perfect time).

Then I set about to replacing the PVR530 with the PVR630 I had bought the day before.  That went very smoothly, although I haven't yet taken the time to verify that the DVD/VCR player is working as it should (I'll take care of that little detail later today).  I'll enjoy the new features of the 630 and John will get used to yet another new remote control soon enough.

The 530 will be reactivated in my new sanctuary/grandson room when that project is complete.

Yesterday afternoon, Don the plumber came in to fix the leaky bathroom tap that has been causing me grief for, oh ... at least five years now (I had called him on Monday and asked that he please come here while John is away).  The hot water tap has been dripping and leaving an unsightly iron stain on the sink and it was tres ugly.  John has been promising to fix it but never has.  I wanted it fixed so I called in the plumber.  I also had him address the matter of a recenty-acquired filter system on our incoming water, which John has also been "doing" for way too long now (the filter needed to be replaced but with what?).  So Don brought a package of three filters, and showed me how to replace it.  Now I'll take care of it my ownself!  Money well spent let me tell you!

Today is another round-trip into the big city, this time for pysiotherapy -- my first session this month.

My physiotherapist has been away since the end of August (are they allowed to do that?) so it's been a long haul for me.  Fortunately, I've been able to have massage therapy in the interim.  And of course, this latest steroid injection has been tremendously beneficial.

After physio, I'm going to have lunch with my other daughter and her "man" -- I'll be meeting him for the first time and I'm quite looking forward to it.  I haven't seen her since I don't know when -- she moved to Vancouver way too long ago and only gets back here infrequently.  She and her man are here to attend a wedding this weekend and I'm glad they were able to fit lunch with her "other Mom" into their hectic schedule.

I'll be tired again by the time I get home, but I still have tomorrow for an R&R day.

Day 4 of my Alone Time

Today will have to be a day of R&R.

I guess yesterday was too much running around for me because today I am totally drained.

I do have an appointment with the dietitian this morning, which I will keep of course.

But when I get back from that, I will simply sit and veg.

No energy for anything else.

Nada.

Nothing.

I am done like dinner!

I do have a funny story to tell you about yesterday though.

As you know, I've been enjoying the quiet and solitude of my alone time here.

Turns out, that has its down sides.

For instance, as I was heading down the highway yesterday, I wondered why I couldn't hear my radio as well as I usually do (I kept having to turn it to a higher volume setting than normal).  Then I realized that I had left home without my hearing aids.

You see, when you're at home and there is nobody with whom to converse, you don't need to hear.

And when you don't turn on the television, you don't need to hear.

If you don't need to hear, ....

Hence, I didn't realize I wasn't hearing properly until the task was called into play when I turned on the car radio.  By then, I wasn't about to turn back because it would have made me late for my many appointments.

So I spent a day in the city finding myself saying, many times, "Pardon?" and "Can you repeat that please?"  I expect I was talking way too loud for everyone else too.  Ooops.

I also found out that I've shrunk an inch in the past three-plus years.

That's right.  Back in January of 2007 when last I had a bone density test I was 5' 8" tall, and now I'm only 5' 7" tall!

Harumph!  Aging sucks!   (Guess I'll have to adjust my age upward from 29 -- have to work on that.)

Day 3 of my Alone Time

So, my day two didn't pan out quite the way I had planned.

I didn't go buy the new PVR yesterday -- that will be done today on my way into the big city.

Pisses me off that companies offer incentives to new clients but bilk their long-time loyal customers, let me tell you. 

We've been subscribers to StarChoice (now Shaw) since 1998 and I've embraced the new technology as fast as they've introduced it.

When I wanted their PVR530 a few years ago, I complained to them that it was being offered to new subscribers for a better deal than I could get it as a loyal customer. They cut me a deal that ended up costing me the same as though I were a new client.  That's the way it should be.  (Isn't that the thrust of all those annoying Ally Bank ads?)

Anyway, they're doing the same thing again with the new PVR630.  New subscribers get a way better deal than I will.  So I complained yesterday. It didn't get me anywhere this time (their response indicated that they would "contact me" but I haven't heard anything).

Today, I have a very busy schedule of appointments in the big city so I'm going to bite the bullet and spring for the new unit.  Should the company contact me, I'll let them adjust my account however they see fit to make me a happy customer.

I can't put off getting the unit because I'll get too far behind in my canned shows with no time to watch them.  And if my canned shows are on the old unit, they'll be stuck there until my new room is built ...  I need to stay current with my shows.

So, I have to get the new one now and install it and have my canned shows queued up and ready to go ...

As I said, I have a busy day ahead of me today, with several stops to make en route.

My doctor ordered a bone density test for me and somehow I got an appointment within ten days of the request, so I have to go for that today.

I had hoped to lunch with my sister-in-law who just happens to work almost down the street from the lab but she is up to her eyeballs in alligators at work these days so she can't take the time to "lunch."  I'll stop in to see her briefly, but only very briefly to make an exchange of items that we've been trying to do for some time now.

After that test, I have to go to my doctor's office to have my blood pressure kit calibrated.  He wants to ensure that my home testing kit is accurate because it seems that, just as my blood sugars are not stable, nor is my blood pressure.  And that causes him concern that he wants to monitor.  Last time I was in his office, my BP was elevated, and it has remained elevated in the days since.  He previously would pay no attention to the concern I was expressing about my blood sugars -- until he saw the wonky BP numbers.  Then he decided to sit up and pay attention.  "Something just might be out of whack and I don't want to leave this too long," says he.

From there, I have to stop at a funeral parlour to pay respects to one of my late aunt's sisters (no direct relation to me, it was an aunt by marriage but our families lived very close to each other when I was a child and we spent lots of time at their home).  Last year while John was in Saskatchewan, I attended the funeral of another of her sisters (the one with whom I went to school).  I've got to stop seeing my cousins this way!

That will make for a rather long day for me so by the time I get home, I'll be bushed.

Day 2 of my Alone Time

Here we are, day two of my alone time and I've already figured out how to get into trouble.

Yesterday, I crashed by 6:30pm -- having been up and out of here at 4:30am.

John apparently called at 8:30pm last night but I missed the call -- I don't hear the phone when I'm sleeping.  He did say he'd call every night but ... he'll have to get to me earlier than 8:30pm if he expects to catch me awake (a fact of which he is very aware, I might add).

Anyway, needless to say, I've now been up since 3:15am -- obvioulsy slept out by then.

I tried reading for a while but decided to watch more of my canned tv programs -- it's important that I empty the hard drive of all shows quickly because it was my plan to buy the newest PVR tomorrow.

But, I've decided to go out and get it today.

That will be my "trouble" project for the day -- replacing the PVR with the newest version so that it is up and running on time for the new season premieres that are all starting this week.

I'll head out and do that soon and it shouldn't take me long to take the existing one out of its home and put the new one in.  Then I'll have to call my provider to activate the new PVR, deactivate the old one (which will be reactivated in my new sanctuary/grandson room once it's built), and enjoy all the benefits of the new technology.  Have I mentioned that I love toys?

Later today, I'll tackle the refrigerator -- it's in desperate need of a thorough cleaning.

There are a few little chores I can finish off (that I started yesterday and need to complete).

If I don't "nap" at some point today, I expect I'll hit the sack early again tonight, having been up since 3:15am (wow, I'm going to be turned around big time!).

Day 1 of my "Alone Time"

OK, I got John off to the airport on time this morning (well, HE got himself to the airport on time, since he has to do the driving at that time of day/night/morning).

His flight was leaving at 7:00am so he wanted to be there by 5:30am to allow plenty of time to check the dog in, clear security with the guns, etc, etc, etc.

That means we had to leave home at 4:30am.

Which means we had to be up by 4:00am.

Now, that 's certainly not a problem in this household, to be sure.

Having delivered him to the airport at 5:30am, I next headed to my good friend LC's home because it is her annual duty to join me for breakfast at that ungodly hour (that's what friends are for!).

We visited at the restaurant until 8:00am and then I stopped in at my little chickadee's place for a half hour and collected many hugs from my beautiful boy before I headed home.

I made several stops en route and finally got home at 11:00am, ready to start my alone time.

Which for today will consist of catching up on the laundry, sitting and reading the newspaper, watching some of my canned TV shows, catching my boys' ballgame at 1:30pm (now that Rogers Sportsnet One is available to me), and just doing whatever suits my fancy.

Tomorrow, I'll start getting into trouble.

View from my kitchen window

OK, so my sanctuary/grandson room is coming right along.

Yesterday was a very productive day:

The boys worked diligently all morning, until the rain came and they had to stop.  But they managed to install the pipes for the heating system, and the building inspector had to to come by to approve the project to this point before they installed the floor sheathing and covered it all up.

It passed!

And today?

Well, they arrived bright and early again this morning but before further building could begin, they first had to mop up the near-swimming pool that had collected.

And then they went away and waited for the sun to dry out the plywood before they proceeded.

We had to go out for some errands and when we got back they were already on site and back at it.

At 1:15pm, they were almost finished applying the sheathing:

By 1:45pm, the sheathing was installed:

And by 2:10pm, the worksite was covered with a tarp, to protect it from the elements for the next 15 days while my builder goes off to Montana to hunt elk!  (They are calling the tarp my "green carpet" -- fortunately it happens to be my favourite colour, "hunter green.")

So until the beginning of October, there will be no further views from my kitchen window to share with you.

Sigh. 

My right hip is fixed!

Well, sort of.

And it might only be temporary, but the point is:  it is fixed, for now.

I went for that steroid injection yesterday and oh, this one was uncomfortable to receive (thought I was seeing stars at one point -- not "pain" per se, just pressure that was really not fun but I expect that was because my right hip has historically always been more sensitive than the left anyway).

The immediate response to the shot wasn't very encouraging, primarily because I didn't have the same effect when the left hip was treated.

This time, I was able to walk (gingerly) back to the dressing room, but when I went to get dressed, the act of lifting my right leg to put on my underwear just wasn't happening.

"Are you kidding?" shouted my hip.

So my outer pants were thrown on the floor, onto which my underwear was placed, and I stepped into them and then used my left leg to work the garment up my right leg until I could grab it.  Tricky manouvre that!

Having managed that trick, I also had to put on socks (and eventually tie a shoe).

Ever tried that without bending your leg at the hip?  Ha!

I did eventually finish getting dressed (it's amazing what tricks one can invent when one must) and then slowly made my way back to where John was waiting for me.  Fortunately I had had the foresight to bring my cane with me, anticipating that it might be called upon -- it was.

Getting into the car was the next challenge -- difficult to do that with a leg that wants to be held straight out from the body but I did manage with much grimacing.

Then, about half way home -- I'm assuming as the freezing was starting to wear off -- I became aware of really serious pain in my right groin.  The seat belt was pressing right across the treated area and -- OUCH!!!!  Another rebalancing act was required.

We were almost home when John commented that he didn't recall my having that response with the injection in the left hip.

And then the light went on.

When I got the shot in my left hip, we had stopped for lunch and I had taken a codeine pill in anticipation of the freezing coming out, so I had circumvented the more intense pain that was to follow.

Duhhhhh!!!!  How could I have forgotten that?

I immediately popped a codeine tablet.

My right leg continued to give me discomfort for the rest of the evening, but it wasn't really painful -- it was just reminding me of its presence every time I tried to do anything.  Quite like carrying around a lead weight, really.

Anyway, I went to bed last night and except for waking up choking (a slight "drowning" sensation again) that was quickly brought under control by use of my puffer, I had a reasonably good night (my usual 2.5 hour wake-up calls of course).

And when I woke for the day (4:00am this morning -- also my usual pattern), and rose to get up, there was no pain!

I can't tell you how delighted I am that I have no residual discomfort this morning and my hip is definitely different from what it was yesterday.  When I walk, I have absolutely no sensation of bone rubbing on bone -- must be what "normal people" feel when they walk.

Now, the doctor warned me to take it easy -- no heavy lifting, no strenuous exercise (did he see the look of "if I can, I do" in my eyes perhaps?) -- for at least a week. 

I have to say, it's going to be a challenge for me to keep that admonishment in mind for the next few days because there is so much happening around here and there's so much I want to be doing and I feel sooooooo good!

But listen I will, I promise.  I don't want to lose all the benefit that I might derive just for failure of having followed instructions.

View from my kitchen window

Oh my, what a difference a day can make.

The builder guy didn't show up yesterday morning, after all -- he had to finish another job first.

But he arrived bright and early this morning, along with an assistant, and they got right to it.

By the time I had to leave to go into the big city (went for a steroid injection in my right hip today -- woo hoo!), they were moving right along.

I have to apologize right now for the lack of  "technically" good photos that you will see on this site -- I am probably the world's worst photographer.  But this is my project so you'll have to settle for my photos -- sorry folks.  (The white "blob" to the right of the photo above is actually the pile of insulation packages waiting to be used on the project -- it is not light!).

I've also taken to moving out on the deck for most of the shots simply because I can get a better angle from there.  I will continue to take a photo from my kitchen window each day, but I find that there is better perspective achieved from the deck.

Anyway, when we returned some four hours later, it was abundantly clear that the boys had been busy:

That pile of insulation packages is now reduced to one.

By the way, that "trail" that you can see in the background is the one leading to John's beloved beaver dam; the one on which he also has a deer feeder and he keeps a trail camera hooked up to see what wildlife activity lurks there.  It's not very far down the path either.  That's where he got the shots of the bear that were posted at various times.  No telling what sights I might see when I look out the window that will be on that wall!

And these guys are no slackers.

They left the site about an hour after the above shot was taken and here is what my sanctuary/grandson room looks like now:

Since I'm calling this series, "View from my kitchen window," I guess I really should include a view from my kitchen window:

Oh, it's getting exciting now!

View from my kitchen window

We've got lumber!

Yes we do.

It arrived yesterday afternoon.

The photo was again taken from the deck, because I wanted to capture the full shot (difficult from the kitchen window).

But the point is, we've got lumber!

Builder man will be here this morning.

And this morning's paper provided me some insight into what I can expect for the next few months.

My horoscope for today declares:

"In the next few months, your home scene might undergo increased tension because of irritability with people at home, but more likely (and hopefully) because of renovations and repair projects.  Whatever the case, increased activity on the home-front is guaranteed."

Wow.  How perceptive!

I go for a massage this afternoon, which I desperately need (not having had physio for the past three weeks) and tomorrow I go for my steroid injection in my right hip.  Hopefully, my physical state will start improving before the home-front chaos gets really bad.

Gosh I hate computers!

It's been crazy busy around here of late.

Lots going on.

Too much, in fact.

After my meltdown last week, I took it easy (sort of) on Friday.

The crew arrived that morning to pour the concrete for the footings for my new sanctuary/grandson room, so at least that much is done.  But all we can do now is sit and wait until supplies are delivered.  Of course, nothing could be ordered until we had that damned permit in hand and everything takes about four weeks, so ... it's gonna be early October before anything else happens.

Oh well, c'est la vie.

Yesterday morning, we went to pick up the flooring for my new room so at least we've got that much -- now we just need a room in which to install it.  It's presently piled up in the workshop.

And yesterday was slay the chickens day:  John and his son and my Angel's son raised a community batch of chicks (actually John raised them since he has the facilities).  Time to do the killing and gutting and de-feathering and bagging so they got together yesterday for that yucky job.  I had the pleasure of cooking one of them and we sat down to a fabulous chicken dinner with all the trimmings (my daughter-in-law and I prepared the meal and oh it was gooooooood!)

It was a very long day, but a very fun day, as declared by all concerned.

In the meantime, my house is in a state of flux because of the domino effect.

And I don't handle flux very well.

After more than 20 years of working in an environment of having to be ready to respond to daily crises from the moment I woke, I don't like uncertainty any more.  For some reason, I -- who used to manage a very busy MP's office and was damned good at it too -- could now not manage my way out of a brown paper bag!

Since my retirement, I find that I desperately need to have a calm, stable, day-to-day controlled environment. 

Not going to happen for the next several months though, and I've been psyching myself up to that but my body is not responding favourably to the news.  I seem to be in a fibro flare-up and I'm having great difficulty getting it under control.

My left hip has decided that the steroid injection has run out; I got 12 weeks relief for which I am eternally grateful.  But since Saturday, it has been burning unbelievably.  Feels like the nerves are on the outside of my hip and leg; the slightest touch or movement causes agonizing pain.

My right hip of course has always felt that way and I'm actually going for a steroid injection in that hip on Wednesday.  Hopefully, I'll get the same kind of relief on the right side as I did on the left.

But my doctor tells me that that's it -- no more, because of the effects that these shots have on the bones.  Too dangerous to continue this as the method of treatment.  He didn't offer an alternative.  I plan to discuss the issue with the specialist who will be giving me the shot on Wednesday (aka Jerry Kellerman).

And through all this mess, my darling husband has been struggling to put up a new website for his new business.  And struggle he does.

I keep telling him that "I don't know nothin' 'bout 'puters" but he won't believe me and he insists that I bail him out.

I hate computers.

Rogers Sportsnet One -- Greedy beyond measure

I've talked before about how po'd I am at the Rogers Corporation.

They own the Blue Jays.

Yet evidently they don't want fans to watch the games anymore.

Here we are, at the end of the season, and last night's game was the fourth consecutive one we were denied.

And we will be denied most of the balance of the season too.

Why?

Because the games are being aired on Rogers Sportsnet One -- available only to Rogers digital subcribers.

And what upsets me even more is that I've been yelling about this for weeks now and nobody was listening.

But make it a hockey issue?

Oh, OK, now we'll sit up and pay attention.

Which, I believe, was exactly Rogers' plan.

---

Senators fans might make noise, too
WAYNE SCANLAN
Ottawa Citizen
11 Sep 2010
It’s the game within the game. Mention the name “Sportsnet One” to a Blue Jays fan and then stand back and watch as an erstwhile sweet grandmother from Burlington, Ont. (Cogeco Country) turns into a raging maniac. The moral of the story: Don’t mess...read more...

Tech Tags: Ottawa Citizen newspaper SPORTS

They're counting on this fiasco being resolved by the time the hockey season hits.

Blue Jays fans be damned!

Thanks Rogers -- home of the Toronto Blue Jays, as you so often like to remind us.

Feel free to tell Rogers what you think:  feedback@sportsnet.rogers.com

View from my kitchen window

So the crew arrived bright and early this morning.

I don't know how these guys do it but somehow the cement truck managed to make its way through the maze to get to the back of the house (it's a trick!).

Once there, it didn't take long to fill the six tubes.

It was noisy, but quick.

John was taking photos as well, but he was on the ground, right in their faces.  I preferred to stay in the kitchen, and snap my photos through the window, but I stepped out on the deck for this shot to get a better view of the full scene.

Then I went back into the kitchen and took more shots.

When the pouring was finished, as the crew was sighting in the job, John took advantage of the time to talk to the operator of the cement truck (with John's help this job should only cost us about 30% more than it would without his help, I figure!)

Essentially, the view now looks much like it did yesterday, but now the tubes are filled and each has a funny metal brace on top, waiting for the joists that will eventually be put in place.

We're now in hold mode again, waiting for supplies to arrive.

I'll keep you posted.

Quick Update ...

This will have to be quick.

I arrived home from an overnight in the big city (oil change for car and haircut for me yesterday; doctor's appointment this morning) around 11:00am.

Had a meltdown en route home -- by the time I got here I was near basket case (long story but suffice to say that when I get too far behind in the lack of sleep department, well ...)

In any event, my former boss-man and another friend are about to arrive for a delectable dinner and visit (to which we have been looking so forward for the past week).

My house is a mess due to "construction on hold" status -- that will finally really get going tomorrow when they pour the concrete for the footings.

I'll start my "view from my kitchen window" series tomorrow.

But as of today, it still looks like it did back on 1 September:

Gotta go rest until our guests arrive.

Or at least try.

Later.

OK, the waiting is over (on several levels)

Yes, my money has arrived (finally).

It actually appeared in my bank account late yesterday afternoon.

Oh, the joys of computers!

But, on a more exciting note, our building permit was approved so we can pick that up today and finally get started.

Our builder has another commitment for today but he has ordered the cement truck to come here tomorrow and pour concrete.

Yippee.

Now the building starts in earnest.

I'll post photos on a regular basis -- "The view from my kitchen window" -- so you can see the progress.

Gonna be major upheaval in this household for several weeks to come.

But it will be oh soooooooooooooo worth it on the other side.

Short term pain, for long term gain, as the saying goes.

In my case though, it's going to be several weeks' pain but I'm just going to have to endure.

I have such mixed emotions about this exercise because I know it's going to be brutal for me.

But, them's the breaks -- I want my sanctuary/grandson room and this is the only way I'm going to get it.  So be it.

Still, still waiting ...

So, how long do you suppose it should take for one arm of government to correct an error created by another arm?

As I documented here last week, Canada Post seemingly made a policy change some six months ago wherein my address was altered.

They just forgot to tell me.

So I was never given the opportunity to advise anyone that I had "moved" as it were.

And when the T4As were mailed out (at the same time as the "change of address" became official, you realize), one of my documents was returned (five others arrived in this household, all addressed the same "incorrect" way, I might add).

That kick-started a process about which I knew nothing.

Apparently, my pension fell into a pocket of clients who were being given six months to advise the paying office of their "new" address.  Failing that, the account would be suspended until contact was made (theory being that once the money failed to show up, contact would happen -- fast).

The inevitable happened.

My August pension was not paid and I called the office on August 30th, only to be told the lurid details:  my T4A had been returned.  Had I moved?

Further inquiries at my local post office led me to find out about Canada Post's nefarious policy change which created this fiasco.

In any event, here it is, September 7th and I'm still waiting for that "rush" payment to show up in my bank account.

Fortunately for me, I have the financial resources to cover the shortfall of the late payment (and I was able to act quickly to prevent a disaster).

That's not true of all persons who may have been affected by this screw-up that Canada Post created.

By the way, I'm still waiting for "official" communication from Canada Post that my mailing address has changed.

The Canada Post decision was made fully six months ago and still there has been no communication with its affected clients.  Wonder what they're waiting for.  We're going to find out by osmosis perhaps?

I just want to be normal ...

Is that asking too much?

Here's the deal.

All I did on Saturday was go into the big city so my little chickadee could accompany me on a fact finding mission to help me decide what to do about flooring for my new sanctuary/grandson room.

Admittedly, it was a long day and there were many stops (getting in and out of the car), but MLC did all the driving.

I made one stop on the way home.

In fact, I had gotten so used to having a chauffeur that when I returned to my car at that one stop, I went to get into the passenger side of my car.

Oops, no driver!  I was quite amused by that.

Anyway, I arrived home none the worse for wear (I thought).

And then Sunday hit.

Yesterday I was as useless as an old dishrag.

I did nothing all day but lie around the house.

Well, nothing isn't quite right.  I emptied a closet in preparation for our construction project (it will be converted to shelving and that can happen now so I want to get moving on that).  That took about a half hour of physical exertion.

And then I napped.

Actually, I crashed.

Several times.

Slept through a good part of my ball game (which we won -- woo hoo!).

Then slept again in the early evening while I tried to watch something.

So I went to bed.

And couldn't keep my eyes open to read even a few pages.

The kicker?

I felt like I had been beaten up by a band of thugs.

Still feel that way this morning so I'll have another day of rest today.

I don't know how long it will take to recover from Saturday's outing but this is stupid, I think.

I want to be able to contribute to this project but it seems that even a slight participation takes me out of commission for -- how long?

And there's a lot more shopping has to happen yet!

Not to mention the packing/moving/unpacking of boxes that is to come (I would really like to do the packing/unpacking myself).

All I can say is ... fibro really sucks when you wanna have fun!

Oh my head is spinning ...

This construction business is too much for my psyche.

I have to decide on flooring.

But what to choose?

And how do I decide?

Nobody seems able to advise me.

I don't know what goes into the choice.

All I know is that I want something that looks nice.

And I don't want to break the bank buying it.

And I don't want to have to do it all over again in five years.

So I guess I want something durable, but sustainable -- and easy maintenance.

Our home is entirely hardwood floor, that badly needs to be redone.

And John and I have been fighting for five years as to how that will be achieved.

So the floors remain a mess.

And I hate it.  They are simply ugly.

I know that they would be lovely if they were redone.

But therein lies the problem.

I want to call in a crew and be done with it.

But John won't hear of it.

He will do it his ownself.

Hence, it hasn't been done yet.

So I want something in my new room that won't run into that problem.

Solution?

Laminate hardwood.

The search began last weekend with my daughter-in-law.

I chose a sample and brought it home.

Fabulous, says John.

Cheap, says my builder (based on the price, alone).

My builder has no idea how to assess the stuff so he tells me who to see at which shop.

I went there and I came home with more samples.

Cheap, says John.  The other is far and away better.

I have no idea how to assess this stuff (and nor does John).

All I know is that I like the piece that I first brought home.

Yesterday, my my little chickadee and I went floor shopping.

She first gave me a piece of the laminate hardwood that was installed in her home six years ago -- still looks fabulous.

We went to the same place she bought her flooring and I was given wonderful information and advice.

And I left there with two samples.

I came home and without tellling John which sample was which, I laid all the pieces out on the floor and asked him to choose.

He selected the first piece that I had brought home (which was also still my choice and was my little chickadee's choice too).

According to the information I have now gleaned, doesn't really matter what I choose.

They all carry "guarantees" -- for whatever that's worth.

So bottom line is, go with what you like.

And that is exactly what I'm going to do.

I will buy the stuff I chose first.

Which just happens to be the least costly of all the samples I've been given.

But it is the floor I like the best and as long as it is installed properly and maintained properly, there is no reason to assume that it won't provide me what I want.  It's not like there will be high traffic in this room -- after all, it's gonna be my sanctuary.

Still Waiting ...

This is all so annoying.

Good thing I have money in lots of bank accounts.

And good thing I have lots of money (so says my husband).

Because my August pension still hasn't appeared in my bank account and I had commitments to meet on the 1st of the month.

I talked with the Pension office on Monday, August 30th at which point we determined that Canada Post had returned my T4A back in February, which kick-started the process that put me into a "client has moved" category so they had been waiting all this time, unbeknownst to me, for me to contact them with my new address.

Of course, since I hadn't moved, and since I didn't know they were waiting to hear from me, I never contacted them with my "new address."

Until I didn't get my money.

The file was amended, with the explanation that I had not in fact moved -- Canada Post had simply decided to arbitrarily return the mail -- and a rush was put on the request to pay my August benefit.

Here it is, Thursday, September 2nd, and I'm still waiting.

Aren't computers wonderful?

Add to that the fact that Rogers Corporation is still feeking around with my Blue Jays games and airing most of the rest of the season on Rogers Sportsnet One, thus preventing me from watching my boys most nights.

Feel free to send your views about the Sportsnet One fiasco to feedback@sportsnet.rogers.com.

I am not happy.  Or, to quote MFN, I'm cranky!

View from my kitchen window

Things are happening around here.

The crew was in yesterday to get things ready for construction (they can't actually start yet, pending permit but there's lots can be done to get ready).

And get ready they did.

They dug holes and put the tubes in but can't fill them; that has to wait for the permit.

They cleared tree stumps and rocks and got the landscape ready.

They shortened the roof overhang at the deck that's been waiting all these years to be repaired (bonus!), AND repaired the eavestroughing along the porch roof while they were at it (double bonus!).

John still has a few other "fix-ups" that he'll have them take care of while they're here too.

There was lots of clearing had to be done to make a new road for John to get to the woods since my sanctuary/grandson room will kind of encroach on his previous route.  He just wanted a clearance to allow him to get through,  nothing fancy you realize.  But this guy doesn't do inferior work.  John will have damned near a highway up through there now.

The crew appreciated the steady supply of drinking water as the heat was unbearable throughout the day, and we invited them to join us for lunch (life in the country!).

Anyway, the day was put to good use in preparation for the real job and now we are in wait mode until the permit is issued (and that can't come soon enough, let me tell you).

John tells me that the larger tree to the left was supposed to come out (he guesses they forgot).  Apparently it's dead, thanks to the many woodpeckers that entertain us, and it will fall down on my new room if it isn't removed.  You can be sure I'll be reminding them to take that tree down!