First Snow

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! I didn't have to worry about clearing any of it. That was a pleasure. Once the plow came into the parking area between the buildings, all I had to do was move my car to a designated place that had already been plowed. I only had to clean off one side of my car because of the way the fierce winds were blowing.

A crew of strong men cleared the parking lot, the sidewalks and my doorstep. How cool is that?

I used the basement door for coming and going and proved the wisdom of having that vinyl put along that wall in front of the slider and over to the stairs. It worked out perfectly...just as I knew it would.

It was so freakin' cold last night I wasn't able to sleep with my window open. Even open just a crack and the wind was howling. I did manage to cool the room off, but I didn't sleep well knowing the window was closed. I have a draft blocker under my bedroom door and weather stripping all around just so I can sleep with the window open. I know. Some of you think I'm nuts, but there is nothing like fresh air while sleeping under a pile of light-weight comforters...which I will do tonight!

Basement Update

The boys (my two sons) put the vinyl down 2 or 3 weeks ago. The carpet tiles finally came in...only took 2 months.

I have started putting the tiles down and find it's a harder job than I thought. At the perimeter of the space it takes a partial tile and it's more than a half tile.

As I come to the end of carpet tiling, I can see I'm going to be about 12 tiles short. The section I will have to wait for will be where my office space will be, so I can afford to wait. I will be able to bring down the bookcases and all the books. It will feel so good to have that stuff out of my living room.

I'm having my carpet guy come in to do the transition from carpet to vinyl. He'll cut the last row of carpet and put down the transition piece. That way I know it's done correctly. I also want him to cut the two pieces that go around the door frame under the folding doors to the storage area.

The chair that is out for reupholstering is due to come home in a day or two. That chair goes in the living room upstairs. The chair that will stay in the basement and be reupholstered in denim, is the next chair to go.

Little by little it's getting done. It is taking far longer than I thought.

Let me take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with an Abundance of All Good Things!

The Vinyl is Down

Yesterday morning Paul and Andy came over to put the vinyl down on the basement floor. As you see in the photo, it’s only along the short, back wall then “L’s” seamlessly to the bottom of the stairs. You can quite see the "L" in this pic, but it's there.

The rest of the floor will be carpet tiles. Yes! The elusive carpet tiles. Wouldn’t it be nice if they came in early so I could have this done before Anne comes on Dec. 10th?

There’s plenty of vinyl left over to completely cover the floor in the furnace/laundry room. That is going to be awesome!

Thanksgiving

My grandson, Joe, is a United States Marine in Afghanistan. We’re so proud of him and all the men and women serving our country and insuring our safety.

Joe’s family (both sides) and many friends came together in Thankful Celebration yesterday at the Warehouse Point Fire Department meeting room. The WHPFD has a great kitchen with a stove with ovens galore. They also have a great TV, so we were able to watch the Patriots trample the Lions. The food was unbelievable and there was lots of it. It was comforting to have all that family around Andy, Lori and Jonathan, to let them know that they were not alone in their concern for Joe’s safety.

Joe wasn’t with us physically, but he was definitely there in our hearts and prayers.

I have so much to be thankful for. My life has truly been Blessed. I give my Thanks and Gratitude to God.

If the only prayer you say in your life is “Thank You”, that would suffice.
(Meister Eckart, 13th century German, Dominican mystic.)

Thank you.

The Basement Will Be Finished!

Photos:
Left is the vinyl still on the roll.
Right...3 bookcases and 17 boxes of books that do not belong in my living room!

So I had to special order both the vinyl and the carpet tiles. The vinyl is in the house! The roll is downstairs waiting for Paul and Andy to have the time to put it down. It’s beautiful. I love it. Last I checked, the carpet tiles won’t be in until Dec. 9th! Nothing I can do about that. Anne will be here on Dec. 10th…so I guess I’ll have help putting the tiles down. ☺

Once all that is done, I’ll place the furniture. Almost everything is down there now. However, and this is a BIG however, what need to be brought down is not trivial…three bookcases and 17 boxes of books. That is going to take a good-sized work crew of very strong people. I’m buying the pizza and beer!

I recently put a thermometer in the basement and the temperature is two degrees cooler than the upstairs where the thermostat is set at 68°. I don’t think that will be comfortable. But, is not to worry, I have two electric radiators. I think one will do the trick. Come summer, that two degree difference will be wonderful. With the cooling set at 74°, the basement may be even more than two degrees lower.

Down to the Wire

I was determined that today I would find and buy the carpet tiles and vinyl for the basement floor. The vinyl will be along the wall in front of the slider and over to the bottom of the stairs. That way, when I come in with wet shoes or bike tires, I won't be messing up carpeting. The excess vinyl will be put in front of the washer and dryer. That part of the floor is borderline disgusting.

The carpet tiles will be on the remainder of the floor. I intend to install the floor coverings without glue. That means double sided tape. I want to make it as easy as possible for the next owner, 20 or so years down the road, to be able to change the floor covering if they want. The house I just sold had carpet glued down to the cement floor in the basement. I pity the poor guy who wants to get that stuff up. It won't be easy.

What I bought today is custom order so I won't have it for another 2 weeks. I had hoped to have it all done in 2 weeks. Oh, well!

AND, it is also the end of my budget! Actually I went over by $200. If I hadn't taken a large chunk of $$ to pay moving bills I'd still have some left over, but those bills had to be paid. I'm satisfied that it has all worked out as well as it did.

I can't wait to post photos of the completed basement!!!!!!

Critters!

If there’s anything that will set me off, it’s critters. Specifically, critters in my space.

Yesterday afternoon I started hearing a noise coming from behind my fireplace. Then it was on the left side, then the right. What? This kept on for quite a while before I realized it wasn’t my neighbor doing something to her fireplace. The two do not occupy common space.

What ever it was, it was clawing on sheet metal. At one point, I swear I saw the mesh material on the left side of the fireplace bulge out. IT was pushing.

Finally I called the management company and they called an animal control person who called me. Don’t you know this guy knows my kids!

Anyway, I didn’t sleep a wink last night even though Critter Thing hadn’t made any noise since around 9 pm. But it was on my mind and in my fitful dreams. Plus, I knew Frank was going to be here at 6:30. I usually get up at 6, but set the alarm for 5 to be sure I would be up and dressed.

Frank showed up on time and looked around. His inspection of the fireplace showed the flue was open…he closed it…manually. Apparently there is no handle. Hmmm. Anyway, he couldn’t find any way anything could had gotten in, but when it comes to squirrels and chipmunks, they are stealthy!

I have Frank’s card. Should the noise come back all I have to do is call him.

Please. Please. Don’t come back! ☺

Fall Foliage

Photo: Windsor Locks Canal bike path.

Yesterday, Sunday, I was able to get out for a bike ride. Hadn’t been out on the bike in quite a few days.

The day was perfect for a bike ride. And just look at that foliage! I have heard reports that say the colors won’t be as good this year because of the hot, dry summer we’ve had. If this was any more beautiful, I don’t think I could stand it! ☺

Playing Catch-up

Vacation Pictures
When in the world am I ever going to get my Cape Cod vacation pictures posted? That's a good question. Soon, I hope. How did I ever get so darned busy? ☺

Basement
The walls and trim in the basement are all painted and look beautiful. Kurt stopped by Wednesday to install the lock on the slider. Now I can walk out the door with my bike and lock the door with a key…instead of having to run up and down stairs like a crazy person to lock up.

Free Chair
The chair Kathy gave me will soon be reupholstered in denim and will go in the “library” area of my Woman's Cave. I bought the fabric yesterday. I tried going to Affordable Fabrics again, but they didn’t have any denim. So I Googled and started calling around. The cheapest denim I could find was $6.99 a yard, AND, I told everyone I was looking for upholstery weight denim. For $6.99 you can make blue jeans…not the same. I found myself back at Jo-Ann’s Fabrics where they had both kinds of denim, but once I saw the upholstery weight I knew nothing less would do. Yes, it cost more, but it was on sale. This chair will cost me under $300 to reupholster and you can’t get this same chair new for that price.

I bought a couple yards extra because I’m foolish enough to think I can make a slipcover for an old hassock I have and love, although it has seen better days. I’m thinking it must be in the neighborhood of 40-50 years old.

Home and Auto Insurance
I have had my insurance with The Hartford, through AARP, for years. Last year, when I bought the Honda Fit, my insurance increased $200. I wasn’t very happy with that, but, it was a newer car than my ’97 Saturn. This year I get my auto renewal and they have gone up another $400! What? They think I’m going to pay $1500 to insure my Fit. Sure I just had an accident, but it was not my fault and the other guy’s insurance eventually paid.

My son, Paul, kept telling me I needed to talk to his insurance broker…and I did. He saved me in the neighborhood of $1000, total, on both home and auto. When I call The Hartford and tell them to cancel my two policies, I hope they ask me why.

I have immediate needs for the $ I just saved. ☺

The Painting Has Begun!

Photo: Walls primed. Looks darker in photo than it really is.

The painter, Jeff, started yesterday. All the walls and wood was primed and today the paint goes on. I’ve had four guys working in my basement at one time or another, and even the paint color is a guy’s name…Tony Taupe!

Here’s to Kurt, Jimmy, Matt, Jeff and Tony!

Homeward Bound

There’s no place like home, Toto.

Up at 6:30. Very warm and humid, cloudy and windy. By 9 temp was 72° with dew point of 67°…that’s humid!

I had my breakfast at the counter at The Fairway restaurant. Then I gassed up for the trip home. On the road at 10:09. I took the scenic routes: 28 to 39 to 28 to 151 to 28 to the Bourne Bridge. Didn’t take any more time and was approximately the same mileage…maybe 6 miles longer.

In no time the car was unpacked and I was off to the grocery store for a few necessary provisions. After a much needed shower, I’m finally settling in and basking in the memories of another Cape Cod vacation.

Till next year.

BTW: give me some time to get the pictures in order so I can post my vacation pics!

Day Seven

After a skunky night I was up by 6:45. Once the smell of skunk #1 was gone, and I went back to bed, skunk #2 let go. Grrrrrrr!

Right now it’s 8:45 and breakfast and the dishes are done. What I’m going to carry on my walk will be gathered and I’ll head for Coast Guard Beach.

Once I’m there, I’ll determine whether I leave my shoes and socks at the foot of the ramp or I keep them on. The main reason for wearing my shoes (bike riding Keene Commuters) and socks (Smartwool®) would be if the area right at the water line is sloped toward the water. Walking any distance on that kind of slant is difficult to begin with; being barefoot would make it painful. Plus these shoes are meant to get wet and dry quickly; same for the socks.

The weather is cool, breezy (winds S at 10-20). I will be walking into the wind on my way to Nauset Inlet and it will be at my back when I return. I hope Paul D is right about it being less than a mile! ☺

Here I go. See you later!
*******

I’m back! The walk was perfect…closer to 1 mile out. Nauset Inlet is wider than I’ve ever seen it and more north than I’ve ever seen it. But the Cape beaches are changing all the time. When I post my pictures, you will see how the beach has been cut in layers.

As predicted the wind was in my face as I walked at the water line, south, toward the Inlet. I decided to keep my shoes on to make it easier to walk. Good decision. There were so many things to watch out for: where I was walking, so I wouldn’t trip over a rock or my own feet; where the surf was as it continued rushing at me on the incoming tide; and where was the seal that kept poking it’s head out of the water just to tease me. I’m pleased to report that my feet stayed dry (although it was tempting to walk closer to the water) and I avoided any ass slapping waves sneaking up behind me.

Later this afternoon my plan is to go to Napi’s for my splurge dinner out. I have decided against having lobster because that species is being over fished. Scallops or shrimp will be my choice this evening.

And now, I guess, it’s time to start thinking about going home and getting back into some semblance of a routine. My friend, Dolores, called to ask about going to Shelburne Falls on Sunday, which caused me to call Barbara to see if she was planning on going. This is where I start letting go of My Cape Cod and begin gearing up for My Home Sweet Home. ☺

I did indeed go to Napi’s and had Scallops Provincal. Very good. Would you believe 10 large scallops? I divided the contents of my plate in half…ate half and brought home half. That will be a meal for me tomorrow when I get home. On the way home I noticed it was getting a little foggy. We have warm temps and high dew points, no wonder.

This is the conclusion of my 2010 Cape Cod vacation. It’s been a good week in spite of the high winds all week and inconvenient times for high tides. I was forced to become creative. The only thing I didn’t get to do was ride the Cape Cod Rail Trail from Wellfleet to Dennis. Usually I take two days to do that one. Here’s to next year!

Day Six

I woke up early enough but just couldn’t (didn’t want to) get out of bed. Finally made it at 6:45. I have big plans for today and need to get a move on. Nothing to hurry over…just keep focused.

The winds have been unmerciful this week. I saw a lot of people bike riding yesterday (all week, actually) in the most unbelievably strong winds. That’s a judgment call based on my ability and willingness to ride in high winds. Yesterday we had 20 mph sustained with gusts to 30+ mph. I saw people of all ages pedaling away. Some looked my age or older. Well, I guess they are either stronger or crazier than I am. I had to be careful not to get blown over the edge of wherever I was standing to take pictures. I could have easily wound up in P’town Harbor or into the waters off Morris Island.

While I’m at it, I want to mention the surf. Was it heavy? Yes. Was it bad? No. It wasn’t the kind of surf that ate away at the dunes (not on the beaches I visited). I have seen worse, where the breakers were crashing right at the base of the dunes and spraying up to the top of Coast Guard Beach observation deck. In that storm, I had to brace myself in order not to be blown into the roiling water. I’ll have to see if I can find those pictures. They were taken with a regular film camera, but I think I have every picture I have ever taken on Cape Cod. ☺

OK. It’s now almost 8 am and I’d better get a move on if I’m going to get ahead of today’s winds…predicted to be 10-20 mph today. I want to be out there while they are 10! ☺

I treated myself to breakfast at van Rensselaer’s restaurant. Then it was on to the challenge of the week. I headed for the Province Lands Bike Trail. I have probably attempted this trail at least 5 times and it has defeated me every time. And every time I was defeated I vowed to never ride this trail again. But of course I did.

There has been a hiatus of five years since I have been to the Cape, and, in that time the bike trail has undergone vast upgrades. Some of the hills were made less severe and some of the curves were re-worked. The trail was widened to 10 feet and sand containment was added where needed.

Well, the trail may be new and improved, but I’m not! ☺☺☺

To make a long ride a short story…I aced it! I had to stop and rest at the top of some hills and stop and rest between some hills. BUT I NEVER WALKED MY BIKE UP ANY HILL!!!!! I met a couple along the way and she was walking her bike up a hill. She said that there was no embarrassment for her to walk a hill. Then I explained that this trail was my nemesis and not walking hills was part of the challenge! Nine and a half miles later I feel that I never need ride this trail again…but, of course I will.

After stopping at Dunkin’ Donuts to post yesterday’s journal I went back to the cottage and showered and snacked. Paul D came by to mow the lawn. I mentioned I hadn’t walked out to Nauset inlet because of the high winds, rough surf and inconvenient tides. Mostly the winds. He told me that the inlet is only about a half to three quarters of a mile from Coast Guard Beach. It has migrated about as far north as it ever does. Even if the winds are a little gusty I can do that! Now I have a plan for tomorrow…my last day here. My goodness the week has gone by fast!

When I came onto the Cape, I bought a cooked ½ chicken, 2 medium potatoes and half a butternut squash. I got four meals out of that…finishing all of it tonight. And it was soooo good!

Day Five

Up at a little before 7. I had high hopes I would be able to either ride a trail or maybe walk Coast Guard Beach today. Forget it. Right now (8 am) winds at 20 mph with gusts (already) to 30 mph out of the SSW. It looks like I won’t be able to do much until maybe tomorrow.

(OMG…I saw something out of the corner of my eye and when I focused, here was a spider coming down from the ceiling. I’m not a screamer…I’m a mover. Out of my chair, grab my computer because it was about to be the landing strip, and grab a magazine. No more problem.)

As I was about to say, I’ve about had it with this wind. I guess this will be a day of driving around from Stage Harbor to Provincetown. Now that’s a hunk of real estate! I guess this is the day (maybe) I have my splurge dinner at Napi’s. I have to manage my time well today in order to be hungry in P’town around 5 pm.

While in P’town I want to go to Cuffy’s to see what I can find in the way of cold weather wear. The last time I was there (the weekend I came for poetry last year) I picked up a set (sweats and a matching hooded top) for a total of $19. I wore it a lot last winter. Lord knows I don’t need any more sweatshirts! You never know what I’ll find.

So it’s on to breakfast…I think I will be good this morning and have hot quinoa with sliced apple. I did find some sugar so that is a GO!

Note: quinoa with sugar not as good as quinoa with honey.
Note: just took a good look at my face. Oh, yes. I did get sun warmed yesterday. I wasn’t in the sun that much. Most of my time yesterday was spent on shaded pathways. I guess I’ll put a thin film of sunscreen on today.

As I head out today, I plan to stop at the Sparrow Espresso in Orleans. I understand they are a wi-fi hot spot. Maybe I can connect from the parking lot. I don’t want to go inside because I feel obligated to buy something, and espresso coffee is not what I want or need! ☺

Gassed up: 317.7 miles ÷ 8.453 gal. = 37.584 mpg. I love my Fit Sport!

Did not connect with a hot spot. I guess you have to go inside.

Chatham Light: the cut in the barrier beach is huge. It looks like the surf is breaking out where the barrier used to be. Way to the left (north) there seems to be two houses on the barrier beach still hanging on.

Stage Harbor: I love going up to Stage Harbor. This day I came in on the west end (never did that before) and thus saw homes I had never seen before. These are $2-$5 million homes. Mammoth in size. Breathtaking. Then I went around to the east end…the one that has the sign Private Property. I always seem to get lost trying to find something else and wind up in this private area. Beautiful homes, but none that can compare to the west end.

Monomoy: If you don’t get lost in Stage Harbor you were probably looking for Morris Island and the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge. There is a wooden staircase leading to the beach, but when the tide is high and the surf rough, it’s a bit of a challenge. Going down these steps I realized there was a rhythm: step, step, step...one, two, three. It was a waltz! On the way back from the stairs, I spotted a squirrel, upside down, on the bird feeder (picture will be posted after I get home). Reminded me of that Grey Marauder/Damned Squirrel that was the subject of one of my poems.

Feels like my hair is getting shellacked again! ☺

Back to cottage for lunch: I got back here around 1ish. Had a light lunch and tried to draw up a plan for the afternoon.

My plans are changing as fast as the winds are blowing. I decided to go into P’town this afternoon for shopping (Cabot’s Fudge and Cuffy’s my prime objectives) and save Napi’s for Thursday or Friday night. Winds are currently 22 mph out of the SW in P’town. I’ll try hard not to get blown away. ☺

Can you believe it? I didn’t find anything at Cuffy’s. Last year at this time they had some really great fitted jackets. This year they had more coffee and soup mugs. Well, that saved me some money!

Cabot’s Fudge never fails to satisfy. I have a pound of fudge in the fridge with no intention to even open the bag until I get home. Wish me luck on that one! ☺

Found a hot spot in the parking lot of Dunkin’ Donuts. All I did was post yesterday’s journal. Didn’t check email or fb. I’ll do that tomorrow when I post this one. At least now I don’t have to go in and buy something. Working in the car is a little cramped, though…not the most comfortable.

It’s going to be a warmer night than we’ve had up until now…this week anyway. I’ll leave more windows open tonight, but have my quilt nearby just in case.

Got a look at the full Harvest moon as the season changed from Summer to Fall (on the calendar). The moon was big and beautiful and Jupiter was below it.

DAY FOUR

It’s Tuesday, already!

Here’s a little gem from the (Cape Cod) September Nature Calendar: “The first snow comes 6 weeks after the last T-storm in Sept.” What if there aren’t any thunderstorms in Sept.? ☺

Up at 7:30! What? I did go to bed late last night…11:30. Stayed up to watch The Event and The Chase (NBC). The Event is a keeper. Not sure I’d watch Chase again. It’s a formula story: bad guy kills someone; good guys chase bad guy while blowing up and shooting up everything in sight along the way. Good guys catch bad guys after chase and fight. In this one, the primary good guys is a gal.

The morning is chilly and sunny with not much wind. What to do. The forecast says the winds will pick up later today and switch to the SW at 15 -20 mph. Too much for riding. Hmmm.

Maybe I can wait until almost low tide this afternoon and walk Coast Guard Beach. If the winds are from the SW, then I should be sheltered by the dunes. If I walk, it has to be close to the surf where the sand is more hard-packed. If I have to walk in the soft sand…forget it. It’s a good theory. How many of my ‘good theories’ have gotten me into trouble? ☺

So, if I chug down to Chatham then dance up to Dunkin’ Donuts then hang around until it’s time to walk Coast Guard Beach…sounds like a plan to me. Low tide is at 5ish so, if I go down around 3, I’ll be able to determine what I can do. I would be walking into the wind going out to Nauset Inlet and have the wind at my back on the return trip.

By 8 am I decide it’s time to get dressed and start making some decisions here!

Left on my bike at 9 to go get the paper and some AA batteries for the kitchen clock. I got to the store at 9:30 after a pleasant ride. Back home at 10. Now that I have a newspaper, I should have breakfast…2 sausage, home fries, an egg. Yes!

I guess the day has decided to be lazy. I’m OK with that. The last 3 days have been very busy. What I actually did was: spend some time down at South Sunken Meadow Beach on the Bay side. Off with the shoes and socks. The soft, warm sand between my toes feels so good! ☺ I walked along the edge of the water feeling the sand scouring the bottom of my feet. ☺

Next I went over to the Audubon Center and walk the Silver Spring trail. I particularly wanted to go out to the Marsh Cabin to take a picture of it for a friend of mine who used to vacation there as a kid. I missed the shortcut and walked farther than I originally planned. It was worth the mistake. How beautiful the ponds with their lily pads and unseen chug-a-rums. The marsh is ablaze with all the colors of fall beginning to appear. The grasses are brown, yellow, green, while the scrub brush is beginning to show orange and red. AND the poison ivy is all over the place…it too is colorful, anywhere from glossy green to shiny red.

Then I popped over to Dunkin’ Donuts to check email and fb, then post Day Three to my blog. Scratched Coast Guard Beach. I’ve walked enough today and the wind is still up.

6:15. Just took my shower…my face is feeling a little sun-warmed. Settled in for the night. Not even going down to South Sunken Meadow Beach for sunset. Some of my favorite shows are premiering tonight…another late night.

Day Three

Day Three

Monday. A comfortable night’s sleep. Up at 6:30 to a very windy, cool and sunny start of the day.

Breakfast at 8 then off to Orleans Friends Market for specials and a stop at the Birdwatchers’ Store

At the BWS they will give you a free pencil if you tell them a good joke. I asked them if it could be a regional joke. Yes, that would be ok. I told them I was from Connecticut and my joke was: Hurricane Earl. That rang the bell and I got my free pencil.

Then it was off to survey MY Cape Cod…beach by beach.

Rock Harbor: Fleet’s in. The fishing fleet that is. Conditions way too dangerous to be out fishing.
Fort Hill: An artist was setting up his easel and I told him his paint was going to dry before he could get it on the canvas. ☺
Coast Guard Beach: Surf is really up and the tide is still coming in. Almost dead high. I stopped at the visitors’ center and bought two books.
Nauset Beach: Heavy surf. Up and over the berm. A woman was way to close to the surf and turned her back to the ocean. I cringed as she got ass-slapped by a breaking wave. She was lucky it didn’t drag her out to sea. She was soaking wet from head to foot. Not a smart thing to do.

At noon I stop at the cottage for some food and a potty break.

Marconi Beach: The sand is blowing something fierce and sand blasting everyone who has the courage to stand there. This was not happening on the other beaches. It’s probably the way the land curves and presents a different angle to the wind.
Marconi Site: The dunes have been eaten away to an extreme. Pretty soon they will have to move the diorama of Marconi’s telegraph station. I don’t remember it being this close to the edge…like maybe 5 ft.
LeCount Hollow: Spent lots of time on this beach many years ago. Today I took note of the sign that indicated the dunes were sliding.
Beachcomber at Cahoon Hollow: This isn’t the official beach, it’s a parking lot overlooking the ocean. The Beachcomber is a joint, club, tavern, bar…take your pick. It is now closed for the season.
Newcomb Hollow: High tide was 2 hours ago at 11 am, so the surf is not as impressive. However, with that gale force north wind, all the sand from Race Point is on its way to Chatham.
Ballston Beach: A steep climb to the top of the dune then a steep drop to the beach. I did the climb, took pictures, declined the drop to the beach.
Herring Cove Beach: What surf? Calm as could be.

Finally in Provincetown. This is just a reconnaissance tour. I’ll be back another day to get my fudge at Cabot’s and my lobster at Napi’s. The first thing I did when I got into town was find a bathroom where I could wash my sunglasses and glasses. They were coated with a fine, greasy, sticky film of salt and sand. Sat in Lopes Square while ate a cheeseburger and did some people watching,

Stopped at Dunkin’ Donuts to get my email and send replies. Replies have to be sent using my Yahoo! account. That’s ok. As long as it works. Caught up on fb.

As I came out of DD’s, two ladies were unloading antiques from a pick-up. There was a delicate rocking chair with a caned seat. I could not resist the temptation to go in. My goodness. It was like being in my mother-in-law’s house again. Caned shaker chairs, Hitchcock chairs, tables, etc. I spotted a lovely little “cabinet”. It was no more than 24” high, 18” wide, and about 6” deep. It was painted a cream color with floral stencil on the doors and the small drawer below. Price: $40. Hmmmm. I looked at the drawer…no dovetailing; the bottom was of a modern material (don’t remember what it’s called but it’s some kind of fiber on the back and smooth on the front…is it called ‘masonite’). The door panels were of the same material…painted and stenciled. The back was broken clear across the back so that it was two pieces held in place by nails. It was beat up, but it had charm. We negotiated. He would not take $25 or $30. I would not pay $35. It probably wasn’t worth the $25 I initially offered. Oh, well. Either some sucker will pay full price or I’ll be back and get it for $10. Billingsgate Art and Antiques…will eventually have a web site. I’m thinking they are a new storefront. Sure have a great location…between the post office and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Then it was home and into the shower. My hair was sticking out all over the place and felt like it was shellacked. Felt good to be clean again.

Day Two

After a terrible night’s sleep I woke up just before 6 am.

As feared, the mattress was not good. I woke up several times with my back stiff and hurting. At times, during the night, I contemplated leaving early to go home. Yes. For the first time in my life, I was homesick. Is it because I’m getting older? or is it because I love my new home and surroundings so much? Either way, I’d better get over it. ☺

Back to the mattress problem…I have stripped the bed I slept in last night and made up one of the twins. Considering how the other mattresses looked and felt to the hand, this is my last option.

The day is starting sunny and chilly. I am about to get dressed and ride my bike over to the Eastham Superette, about 4 miles from here, to get the Sunday paper.

Right now, it’s 7:20 am and I put the little space heater in the livingroom/diningroom/kitchen area and it has warmed up nicely. This is where I will get dressed.

While riding to get the Sunday paper Paul D called (he owns the cottage) to let me know the Dunkin’ Donut in Wellfleet (new…on Rt. 6 next to the Post Office) was a wi-fi hot spot. I will check them out tonight and post yesterday’s journal. Will also take care of email and FB.

That was a round trip of 8.59 miles. Once I got out on my bike my feelings of homesick vanished. Ah! The freedom of the open road! ☺

While riding on the Rail Trail back to the cottage, I was thinking about the lousy mattress I slept on last night, when it occurred to me that our service men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan (including my grandson, Joe) probably would welcome that mattress. Who knows what they have to sleep on. I guess I won’t be complaining about my lack of creature comforts.

By 9:30 I was having breakfast. No toaster, so I used the toaster oven. It made better toast than the toaster I have at home. Maybe I should try my toaster oven! Breakfast was toast, 2 eggs over easy, and 3 heat ‘n serve sausages (that I bought at the Superette).

At 11 am I left on my bike and rode to Nauset Light Beach. Just like yesterday there was a line of cars moving slowly, but there was no one on the bike path. Ha, ha! You can’t stop me.

The surf was up, but I’ve seen it worse. If the outer beaches are going to have anything from Hurricane Igor, it will have to be tomorrow.

From Nauset, I went back to the rail trail and rode over to the National Seashore Visitors’ Center and picked up the bike path that goes to Coast Guard Beach. Today, just like yesterday parking was for handicapped only. But, here again, the bike path could not be stopped. Of course, bikes did not take up parking spaces.

I took pictures at both beaches, but will have to wait to post them…probably on face book.

I took the rail trail back to the cottage. 15.4 miles. Add that to the 8.59 I did earlier and I put some nice mileage on my bike…to say nothing of my body! ☺

Some frozen yogurt, a shower (outside shower), and a nap and I’m ready to go again. Found the Dunkin’ Donuts with no problem and posted yesterday’s journal. Because I was dropping battery power something fierce, I opted not to post pictures. Tomorrow I will bring my power cord. Also was not able to send emails. I received fine, but could not send. I have two in the hopper waiting. I’ll see if they go tomorrow. I may have to use my Yahoo email account to see if that will send.

And another day is coming to an end. I hope I sleep better tonight!

(I will post a photo narrative after I get home. You will just have to wait! ☺☺)

Day One

And so it begins
Up at 5 a.m. with the alarm clock. (And I remembered to shut it off so it won’t go off at 5 a.m. every morning I’m gone.)

It is now 8:15 and almost everything is packed. I have to make one more sweep around the house to make sure everything is as it should be…the ‘on’ things are on and the ‘off’ things are really off. My bike still has to be racked, but that’s minor.

I expect I will leave here in about 15-20 minutes and be on my way. I haven’t been to the cottage since 2005 and I’m looking forward to the quiet and serenity. Hopefully I will get inspiration for some new poems.

And away I go………

8:40 am
30,857 beginning mileage

I start out by bringing my potted strawflowers to Alice to take care of…just needs water every couple of days or so.

9:20 am … on I-84

9:50 am…stop at Charlton rest stop. Exactly 50 miles.

10:02 am…back on the road.

No problem going over the Bourne Bridge or going around the rotary.

Getting closer
11:40 am…stopped at the Midway Recreational Area on the road that connects the two bridges (runs along the canal itself). Wanted to check the bike. I don’t like the way it’s riding on the rack. This is the 3rd time I’ve checked all the bungies. This time I did some rearranging and that did the trick. While I was there I used the facilities. I thought the toilet was never going to stop flushing. I thought I broke it. I’m not even on the mid-Cape Highway yet. Very S L O W. Why? Traffic is heavy and I decided to ease up on the gas pedal.

12:30 pm…at the Stop & Shop in Orleans. Wow! Has that place changed since the last time I was here. I used to be the first store; now it’s at the other end where either Caldor’s or K-Mart used to be. I can’t remember which. There is a TJ Maxx where the S&S used to be.

31,042 on the odometer…185 miles

Almost there
After leaving the S&S, I went to Coast Guard beach (as I always do), but today I could not get in. Weekends are for handicapped parking, only. I was welcome to go back to where the shuttle run begins or try Nauset Light parking lot…which I did. There was a long line at the gate house. What? It’s after Labor Day and they are charging? Huh! They finally figured it out…people don’t stop coming after Labor Day. The season really doesn’t end until mid to late October. I had my Golden Ages Pass so I wouldn’t have to have paid anyway, but… I decided to forget it for the weekend and I went to the cottage.

Hi Cottage! I’m here!
1:16 pm and 193.9 miles.

Unloaded the car, put some stuff away and made lunch. I bought a cooked ½ chicken, half a butternut squash already pealed and a potato. Once the chicken was warmed in the counter top oven and the veggies were cooked, dinner was served!

While the veggies were cooking I checked the coffee pot. Thank goodness I did. The last time it was used, Whoever forgot to take out the filter. Gross is all I’ll say. You don’t want any description.

Got that all cleaned and sterilized and I’m ready for my morning and afternoon coffee.

Now I really need to go make my bed and put my clothes away. I brought warm weather and cool weather clothes…that’s a lot of clothes.

As soon as I can find an internet connection I’ll post.

Bed making
Making my bed was exciting. The room I always choose is the one with two windows. As I prepared to put the sheets on, I noticed the mattress looked a bit lumpy. I tested it…and it was.

So I went from bed to bed (2 full size and 2 twins) trying the mattresses. I ended up choosing the smallest room with one window. I never liked this room because it was small and had only one window. But this bed had the best mattress. At home I have a memory foam mattress, so this will be a great adventure.

But I’m not a big person
It’s a good thing I’m here alone. The two-windowed bedroom has all my clothes. The other room with the twin beds has my bike, biking gear and empty bags and boxes. The small bedroom has me. So that means I take up as much room as 6 people. Hmmmmm.

An old friend stops by
The owner of the cottage stopped by to catch up on what’s been happening in both our lives in the last five years. We both worked for the same utility company years ago. He stayed a couple of hours and I bet he really hadn’t run out of stories to tell. ☺

Another beautiful sunset
Once he left I hustled down to South Sunken Meadow Beach to watch the sunset. It did not disappoint.

Basic Cable!
Back at the cottage, I try to get the Red Sox game. Bummer. The cottage has only basic cable…and I didn’t bring a radio. I think I’ll be doing a lot of reading this week. ☺☺☺

And so ends Day One.

I am in a Dunkin Donuts wi-fi in Wellfleet. Pictures will follow. I just hope this will post. My emails did not send.

Happy Day

While I was checking things out on Facebook, I got a chat message from my grandson, Joe, serving with the Marines in Afghanistan. How sweet is that?! It didn’t last long…but long enough for me to tell him I had brought stuff over to his mom and dad for a future care package. He wanted to know if it contained any tobacco. I told him that it was all stuff to keep him clean and smelling good! ☺☺☺

The Universe must have approved too, because after we finished our chat the sun came out. ☺☺☺

After exchanging 'I love you's' he signed off.

Where Were You on 9/11?

The day those planes flew into the Twin Towers in New York City is imprinted on humanity’s Soul Memory. It’s a day like the day President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas. Events so unthinkable, so horrifying, that it took days or weeks to assimilate.

The Monday morning that will live forever as 9/11, was a sparkling, blue sky, upbeat feeling day. I came in from hanging a load of laundry to see, over the shoulder of Greg Gumbel on TV, the first plane crash into the World Trade Center building.

As I screamed for my mother to… “come quickly, a plane has crashed into the World Trade Center…” I watched in horror as the second plane approached and crashed. It all happened in what seemed like slow motion. I spoke softly, “Oh my God! This is a terrorist attack!”

We watched in numb disbelief as news coverage became totally the attack on America. We watched as those on the ground tried to get away, or tried to help those at, what will forever be known as, Ground Zero. The smoky images of building parts and rescuers, ash covered fire and rescue trucks. Firemen coming out of the haze of ash, and when they spoke, ash being exhaled from their lungs. We watched as the smoke and flames began consuming the buildings; watched as large objects fell from the upper floors…learning later that these were people who opted to jump to their death rather than be burned alive. Oh my God! This can’t be happening.

But it did happen.

Now what?

During the 9th Anniversary of this tragedy, there are factions in these United States who have forgotten, that our country was founded on a principle of religious freedom. It seems some Americans are hell-bent on punishing an entire religious body for the acts of a few radical militants who claim to be part of that religious body.

This is wrong. We can condemn the act. We can condemn the people involved in that act. We can condemn the people who are still involved in terrorism around the globe. But we must not condemn all Muslims.

This raises the question: how do we tell the good Muslims from the bad ones? I’m sure they asked the same question during the Crusades: how do you tell a good Christian from a bad one?

The simplistic answer is: all of us need to be a ‘good’ member of whatever religious group we belong to.

I pray to God, please let this insanity end.

The Day of the Chairs

Chair on the left is the one being reupholstered now in the fabric I posted a few days ago. The chair on the right is the one I picked up today at Kathy's and will eventually have reupholstered in denim. This chair may wind up costing me the least...which makes it the biggest bargain.

This morning I took a pleasant ride down to the shoreline to see a good friend who will reupholster my delicate wing chair. I missed her house on the first pass and got all the way to the river. Thanks goodness for cell phones! I had been to her house only once before and I was riding a bike that time. Found her driveway on the second try…with good directions on the cell.

Once I got home it was time for lunch and a nap. The nap was only a ‘half-cat’ so I guess I’ll be going to bed early tonight. ☺

When I awoke, it was cold. I mean COLD. I had doors and windows open and the wind coming in off the river was COLD. Do you get my meaning here? I was COLD. So I put on long pants (hadn’t done that in 4 months) and a turtleneck. A cup of coffee was welcomed.

Then it was time to hustle up the road to Kathy’s to pick up another chair…this one is FREE. Now we’re talking Bargain. I will go back to Affordable Fabrics to see if they have any dark blue denim…that’s my choice for this one. It will go downstairs in the ‘library’ area.

Speaking of the downstairs, I do believe I’m going to wimp out and have someone do the painting. Yah, yah, yah! I know, but I can use my time for other things like getting ready to go on vacation and thinking about what I want to put on the floor…carpet squares or a large area rug that will essentially go wall to wall. I’m a long way from finished, so if I can get out of doing the painting and concentrate on other things, I’m good with that.

A Busy Week Ahead

Yesterday was a quiet holiday. I walked in the morning, tore the living room and dining room apart and cleaned. Visited my mother and gathered her laundry.

Today the central air people have already been here to replace my crazy, 25 year old thermostat. Now maybe the temperature in the house will show correctly on the thermostat, and not 6 degrees off. Basically I can set what I want for cooling and heating temps and forget it. Down the road, when the current central air system gives up, I’ll have another zone put downstairs, which will create greater savings.

The insurance adjuster is also due sometime today between 9 and 1. Another thing I want over with, so I can get on with my life! I really don’t want to go on vacation with a torn up bumper. The guy who hit me finally reported the accident to his insurance company. This afternoon, I’ll go visit my mother again and bring her clean laundry back.

Wednesday the decorating consultant from Sherwin-Williams comes to help me decide on a color for the basement. I can see the colors I want in every other room in the house…but not the basement. Once I have chosen the color then I get the paint and primer tinted and away I go…probably won’t paint until after the weekend. Maybe, just maybe, the painting will be done before I go on vacation.

Thursday I take my bargain (not so bargain any more) chair down to Deep River to be reupholstered. Now all I have to do is remember to get the chair out of Paul’s garage. ☺

Hopefully, somewhere in between I’ll be able to get in some bike riding and/or walking. Probably won’t get to the pool for water aerobics until Saturday.

Chair/Hissy/Paint

My Wingback Chair
This is the fabric I picked out for my bargain chair. First I went to a store where the fabrics are only $1.99 a yard. Do you think I could find something there? NO!

Then I went to another store and thank goodness they were having a 50% off sale. Did I find anything there? OF COURSE! Now my bargain chair is becoming less of a bargain. By the time I have it reupholstered I probably could have bought one new. HOWEVER, something new didn’t have the pattern fabric I wanted. By reupholstering I will have what I want!

I’ll take a couple of the pillows that came with my couch and have them covered in the chair fabric. NICE! Covering them will be doing them a favor.

Hissy’s Hit and the Insurance Company
Last I heard the other guy had not reported the accident to his insurance company yet AND they have been unable to reach him by phone. Hmmmmm. I immediately called my insurance company and gave them a heads-up. I just want my car fixed before I go on vacation. The adjuster is coming on Tuesday.

Painting the basement
Since I can’t make up my mind what color to paint the basement, I’m going to rip it all out and say to hell with it! NO, NO. I’M JUST KIDDING!!!!! ☺ ☺

Because I got Sherwin-Williams paint, a decorating consultant comes with it…free. She will be here next Wednesday to help me out of this dilemma. I bought the base paint while it is on sale and if I ever make up my mind on color they will tint it at no extra charge.

Paint Samples

I hate making decisions
Today I was supposed to tape the basement…never got to it. I did go to Sherwin-Williams to look at paint samples, though. They are having a sale…30% off. Picked out Wool Skein. It’s a light beige, and, depending on how the light hits it, it has undertones of either gray-green, pale yellow, gray, or no undertone at all. I don’t know if I would like a whole room done in that color. I had planned to do the wall with the slider in chocolate brown with the other walls in a tan/beige. Now, I’m not sure. Aaaaarrrrgggggghhhh! Don’t know what to do! I guess I’ll go with my original plan and if I don’t like it when the whole room is finished…I’ll repaint it. ☺☺☺

My couch has a similar color thread running through it (and it also has dark blue and maroon). So if I slip cover the lounge chair in maroon, and have the chair Kathy wants to give me reupholstered in denim…that could pull the whole room together. On the slider I would like to put drapes in a stripe incorporating all the aforementioned colors.

I tried to take pictures of the paint sample on the walls, but it just does not photograph well.

My bargain chair
Now that I have found someone to re-upholster my bargain chair for a reasonable price, I will go fabric shopping at some point during the next two days. Of course that will put me out on the road during another wicked heat wave.

So, when will I get around to taping the basement? At this point, it’s anybody’s guess.

Insurance adjuster
I had to leave two messages with the insurance adjuster head honcho trying to get it across to him that I needed my car fixed before I leave for vacation. My car has a hitch for a bike rack on it and when I leave for vacation my bike will be on my rack on the back of my car. And hopefully the bumper will be a new one. If not, then I go away with a damaged bumper and hope it stays on.

Anyway, when does the local adjuster call me? Four fifteen this afternoon to get a statement from me…to gather all the information I already gave to their office when I reported the accident on SUNDAY! The interview was going to take 20 minutes or so and all I had was 15 minutes because I had to pick up a friend at the airport. Now I won’t talk to her until tomorrow and I can’t go anywhere until I do. Trapped!

Hissy is a Hit Fit

FIRST: no one got hurt.

I was on I-91 south, coming back from Shelburne Falls, MA yesterday, and a guy in a big 2004 Chevy pick-up rear ended me not once but twice. Traffic was heavy and slow so he didn’t hit me that hard. He claims something went wrong with his transmission. Personally, I think he hit the gas instead of the brake.

I don’t know the exit number but it was just before the exit for Route 141 to East Hampton, right around the Holyoke area.

My friend, Barbara, was with me, but like I said, no one was hurt (except Hissy, and she’ll be fine).

☺☺☺

Another Great Bargain

The latest additions to my Woman's Cave!
I have been looking for two lateral files to replace the 4-drawer and 2-drawer metal cabinets I had. My son, Paul, suggested I go to Value Office Furniture in West Hartford. He had heard their ads on the radio and thought I might have some luck there.

For those who don't know, I'm finishing my basement where I will have an office, library and sitting area.

Luck indeed!
My friend, Barbara, and I were at a CAPA meeting in Avon, and in order to get to VOF before they closed, we had to leave the meeting before it was over. The featured speaker was very interesting, but she had not covered a tenth of her intended material because she had so much information to convey. I was getting bored because she kept getting off track...besides, I had to get to VOF. I know Barbara wanted to stay, but since she was with me...

VOFs's used furniture is in two different back rooms...one for wood, the other for metal. I found these two cabinets for $50 each. SOLD. Others I had seen elsewhere were $300 for one 6 foot file. I ended up paying $95, tax included...discounted because of my cheerful attitude they told me.

Paul and Andy came over this morning to take these out of my car (YES, they both fit in the back of my Honda Fit.) I LOVE MY HONDA FIT SPORT!!!!! After I unloaded the contents of the metal cabinets into the new laterals, Andy took the old cabinets away in his truck.

I am a very happy cave dweller. ☺☺☺

Recent Bargains

Let me begin by saying I hate to shop. If I didn’t need to eat I would never go into a grocery store! Now that I’m sorting things out in my condo, I need to hunt down those little things that will make a difference (to me) décor wise. I find myself having to shop.

Pillows
The pillows that came with the couch are really bland. I found these pillows at Pier 1…on sale. They pick up the colors in the area rug in the dining area.

Candle Holders
While in Goodwill looking for a wingback chair and/or a 2-drawer lateral file, I spotted these candle holders. Perfect for my mantle and only $4 each. Unfortunately, the 'feet' are a tad wider than my mantle is deep. No problem…this winter I’ll have a deeper mantle built. Not a bargain any more, I'm thinking!

Wingback Chair
So that leaves me still in the hunt for a wingback. I saw a couple at a consignment shop but they were in beautiful shape, too high-backed, and too much $$. In order to have the fabric I want (picking up the colors of the pillows on a light background) I need something in bad shape that I can reupholster.

Sunday, as I was heading to Stop & Shop, I saw a tag sale, and contrary to my usual habit, I screeched to a stop and asked if they had any wingbacks. It was obvious they didn’t, but I asked anyway. The lady had a cellar full of them. I found this darling little chair. It’s delicate, not high backed, and it needs reupholstering. When she said $25 I said SOLD! She also goes to upholstering classes here in town and, even though she herself doesn’t want to do the job, she is going to inquire among her classmates to see if one of them wants to take on the task. It sounded like it would be this person’s class project. This chair may turn out to be my biggest bargain yet! ☺☺☺

Canal Ride — 8/13/10

This was a ride on the Windsor Locks/Suffield Canal, not the Erie. Although I have to admit I was thinking about riding the Erie Canal. As crazy as it sounds I want to ride it again…taking more time and riding fewer miles each day. I’d like to accomplish this before I turn 80, so the clock is ticking.

But, getting back to the Windsor Locks Canal, I could not get over how many trees along the entire canal are standing up dead, fallen over dead into the canal or dying. What is going on?

I heard some birds but didn't see very many. Saw a couple of komikaze chipmunks and one rabbit. Even though I was out early, I got to the canal before 8:30 this morning, there was precious little in the way of wild life.

Viewing of the river and the canal was difficult because of the vegetation in full summer foliage. Once the leaves fall off, the views will be uninhibited. Since the leaves are starting to turn now due to stress (not the season) they might fall early.

The bike path over the Route 190 bridge is open for business. It's about time! You can't access the bridge from the parking lot of the canal yet...that's still under construction. For now, one has to ride up Canal St. to Route 159 and cross over where all the traffic is coming off the 190 bridge and turning onto the bridge. A little hairy, but with a little caution it can be done.

When I got to the railroad bridge, I was amazed at the tree damage (photo on left).

Notice the ‘plank’ (right photo) that goes from one pier to the other goes from about 15 feet above the water (near end) to just inches above water. That had to be some high water!

This is all that’s left of the Enfield Dam. People used to walk out on the dam, when it was whole, to go fishing. It was also a popular site for those wanting to commit suicide. Anyone who went into the water here, above the rapids, would surface 3 days later either in South Windsor or Middletown...depending on the time of year and the temperature and depth of the water. I bet you didn't need to know all that.

The condition of the canal lock distresses me. The entire canal is in very bad shape. It needs to be dredged and the invasive weeds dealt with. The walls need to be repaired as well as the lock itself. AND they need to allow more water to flow through the canal. It’s getting very stagnant! Next thing you know the snapping turtles will refuse to live there.

The canal is a historic site; this lock should be considered historic and probably is. How is it that it is being allowed to crumble like this? When the Dexter family owned the paper mills in Windsor Locks they drained the canal ever year, cleaned it out, made repairs, then filled it up again. Since they sold it to Alhstrom (I believe that is spelled correctly) nothing has been done. A group called Friends of the Canal has been negotiating with Alstrom to let the Friends take care of draining and repairing. Alstrom is hung up on ‘liability’. True, when the Dexter family ran the canal, there were boats up and down the canal on a seasonal schedule, and I believe Connecticut Light and Power controlled the lock at the Windsor Locks end. Now the boats up stream go down to Long Island Sound on wheels.

Got It!

Late yesterday afternoon the building department called me to say my permit had been approved! This is the woman who deals with the public at the counter and she is very nice. As a matter of fact, she was apologetic when she called, saying she was sorry I had been put through such an ordeal. I should get it in the mail today or tomorrow. YES!

I have not (publicly) lost my cool through all of this. I have been very cheerful and nice. And, I guess, that has been the lesson for me to learn. It's the old vinegar and honey thing! ☺

Building Department Beyond Annoying

I got a call from the building department this morning saying the letter they made me get from the condo association isn't good enough because it isn't signed. It was emailed to me and I printed it and hand carried it to town hall. Why can't the inspector (the little prick!) just pick up the phone and call the management company to verify that the letter is legit? I sure would suspect me of dummying up a letter...better check up on me just to be sure!

I am waiting for a phone call from the management company telling me they have a SIGNED letter for me to pick up and hand deliver.

I would suggest to the building department they put a hoop at the door so towns people can jump through it on the way in and be done with it.

Playing Catch-up

Tilex does the trick!
I have given the tub and surround a couple of applications of Tilex. The results are amazing. The first time I applied it and waited 5 minutes before spraying it off, I could see the bottom of the tub was a black stream heading for the drain. That mold could not be seen on the surround, but after the Tilex loosened it, it became a disgusting stream of black.

BUT, after that there is barely any smell. Yes, I did it a second time and I think I will do a third, now that I know it won’t hurt the grout or the vinyl flooring. I think it’s on the painted walls, too, but have been advised not to use it on the paint…it will remove the paint.

When I re-paint the entire condo in the spring I will use Kilz on the walls as a primer…then paint.

If the former owners had just used their heads. The tub area is small, windowless and has no ventilation other than the ceiling fan. I’m not sure they ran the fan very long if at all.

New Carpet
The small bedroom now has new carpeting. Thank goodness! The old carpet was probably original (25 years) and black all along the baseboard, including in the closet and where the folding closet doors closed. This I’m told is from the ceiling air vent. I will need to take them down in the upstairs areas to clean them. That’s going to be a ‘gag reflex’ job! ☺

It’s all mine
I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but this is the first time in my life where my home is mine and mine alone. It’s not my parent’s, or my in-laws. Not my landlord’s. It’s mine. That’s why I want everything exactly the way I want it…not someone else’s choices or restrictions.

Speaking of restrictions…
I applied for the building permit to finish the basement. That was an education and I am now considered a contractor. Now, the building department wants a letter from the condo association that I have their permission to improve my basement. The condo association told me I didn’t need their permission as long as I wasn’t taking down any walls or making any structural changes. I’m waiting for the letter from the management company that says I have permission and I’ll hand deliver it to the building department.

I didn’t balk when they said I needed a smoke detector in each bedroom. I was not bothered when they said I needed a CO detector in the upstairs hall. I was fine with having all three smoke detectors hard wired together. In this town, when doing a renovation the entire unit has to be brought up to code. All that is for my safety and I’m OK with all of it. But this permission thing is annoying!

Physical Therapy
I have been discharged from PT. So far I am still pain free and able to do activities requiring me to put my arms in the air over my head...water aerobics and swimming. It feels good to feel good!

Mold Patrol and PT

Gosh, I’ve been here for 2 months already. It feels like I’ve been here longer than that. Maybe it’s because so much has been going on.

Upstairs bathroom…
I was advised to use a bleach solution (not vinegar) along the base of the tub and wall (where they meet). That took out a lot of the smell. However, when I lean into the tub to turn the water on, it smells musty. I was also advised to use Tilex® on the entire tub and surround. That’s on my shopping list for today.

I spent considerable time cleaning that bathroom yesterday. Picture this (your shower head has the same thing): where the shower pipe comes out of the wall there is a metal baffle (or whatever it’s called) that covers the hole. I decided to move this piece away from the wall so I could clean the inside of it. OMG! The baffle was cruddy, as expected, and the wallboard around the hole was damp, ‘rotten’, and black from guess what! I’ve never seen anything like it. I left the baffle off (away from the wall) to give the wallboard a chance to dry out.

My immediate solution will be to place the baffle up against the wall where it belongs and trace around it with a light pencil mark. Then I will cut out the section that is blackened by mold. The traced circle will let me know just how far I can go. The long-term solution would be to rip out the entire bathroom and put everything back new and dry, with an entire floor to ceiling one-piece surround. However it’s going to be a long time (maybe never) before I can accumulate 20K to do all that.

Physical Therapy
PT has been going well. I have been pain free the last two days. Considering I tore tendons around my shoulder blade, shoulder and neck back in mid-March, I am most appreciative of having no pain.

Back in March, I very unwisely lifted a very heavy bag of groceries and carried it up the stairs into the kitchen with my arm fully extended. The bag was so heavy I couldn’t have flexed my arm if I wanted to. That was just totally stupid on my part, and trust me, I will never do it again. I now make as many trips as necessary to bring stuff in from the car. Granted, now that I’m in the condo I don’t have that far to go…but any distance is too far if the object I’m carrying is obscenely heavy.

Learn from my pain! :-))