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September 5, 2003

It's alive!

Long time no post.

What can I say? I've been very, very busy.

::: I know..... hardly an excuse :::

* so then.... where have YOU been and what have YOU been doing? *

Fall has been in the air over the past week. The evening temps have dropped and I've burst into full tilt kick ass on the project mode. But then, the cool down was short lived. It lasted for a few days and then it crept back up into the low to mid 80's. With humidity.

Last weekend I framed in rooms in the basement. Nearly all of the framing work is completed except for some creative framing that needs to be done in the bathroom behind the furnace. The main bathroom walls and the doorway have been framed, the utility room and doorway and, the pantry room and doorway. Plus, the shelving was completed in the pantry this week after a 10 hour workday at the office.

I am still waiting for the electrical inspector to stop in. I have called and left messages and have heard nothing so far. Also, the builder needs to come back and put hurricane ties on the roof trusses, along with an attached escape ladder in the window well egress for the basement bedrooms. When he comes back, he will trench the line for the sump in the basement and, I hope to contract with him to lay the pipe and to get the gravel for it, and the egress well, too.

I've yet to call the Mechanical Inspection Department and set up a heating and cooling inspection.... I will be doing that relatively soon, and hopefully, we can work out a date and time when I can be there. I just talked to my electrician and he will possibly be over on Monday to wire the furnace and the air conditioner. If not..... sometime soon. I have already drilled holes in the joists and run the wire there from the panel. The toughest aspect is done. The hook up should be easy.

This weather this weekend allegedly will be grand. I expect to have another successful project weekend, and right now, I feel damn good about the potential. There is plenty to be done. Too much actually. But, I cannot look at the big picture without feeling overwhelmed. Therefore, I have to decide where to start. There is a door that needs to be framed under the stairs in the basement. Shelving in the pantry upstairs and another door to be framed. The walk-in closet shelving needs to be framed. Post holes need to be dug and cemented in for the courtyard fence rerouting - although, that will be put off because I am waiting for rain because the ground is so dry. Add, some framing in the bathroom and a bunch of little details to be attended to. How much can get done? I'll let you know.

I almost forgot, that there are still materials sitting on the cement slab in front of the garage that need to be moved. Damn. Cement board underlayment for tiling in the bathroom. 4x8 sheets of sheathing for shelving need to be moved. Along with 800 pounds of cement for the courtyard project. Wow.

M called me this morning at work. Seems the cylinder on the deadbolt in the main entrance fell out when she was leaving. LOL. Another thing to check and possibly fix this evening. She has a key to a different door. I don't. So, I may end up sitting in the drive for a while until she arrives home tonight because she said she was going to the grocery store to pick up a few things after work.

Such is life.

Yeah. Last weekend I busted some major construction ass again. I framed in the door under the basement stairs, the door for the pantry upstairs, shelves for the pantry and also built several shelves and a divider in the walk-in closet, along with a tower shelf to hold shoes.

During the week, I managed to frame a wall for the bathtub from the floor to the ceiling. I built it out of 2x6 stock to eventually hide the plumbing vent. Along with a drop down wall on the ceiling for the area, to keep the moisture confined to where the ventilation fan will be most effective. The fan has a humidity sensor and will kick on when activated by the steam.

After going through some 2,500 nails.... I am getting much more comfortable with the big framing nailer. The scary air tool is still scary but it kicks ass as far as the time factor in construction. I have managed to accomplish a lot more than usual with it added to the pile of power tools. Driving nails like that manually is a bitch. Bonus is that the accuracy factor is right on when using the nailer. I've developed the feel for it and am rarely double firing it now. It took me a while before that happened. Yet, I have not lost an ounce of respect for the powerful and potentially deadly tool.

The builder did come by last weekend and installed the hurricane ties on the trusses. With him and two helpers it took about an hour and they were gone. He'll be back at a later date to trench the sump pump drain and to add permanately affixed ladder steps to the egress escape.

In other news.... M has been very, very sick again. Add to that she is dealing with some major depression and, well.... life has been tough for everyone. She now has an respiratory infection again and is back on the steroids. High dose today: 80 mg of prednisone.

According the link on this site it says: "Prednisone may increase depression and emotional instabilty and should be used with considerable caution in patients with these conditions."

OK then.... so what do you do? Breathe and stay alive or, live and feel like shit.
Not good no matter how you look at it. To say that I am concerned is an understatement.

It's tough on everyone in the household when someone has a chronic health problem. In the past year M has been sickest she has been. Being rushed to the hospital via ambulance twice in the first year she has been here. She's scared. I'm scared. The kids worry, too.

The stress meter is high. As a result, I am throwing myself into this big pile of work to compensate for my inability to change things there. At least here, I can see some positive results right away from any effort expended. The problem is that I can still somehow think about a zillion OTHER things while I am working. No matter how much I direct my focus elsewhere.... I still manage to find the time to dwell on things. I cannot tune out or turn off completely. Not ever.

Which, of course, is why I am plagued with frequent bouts of insomnia. My brain is going 2,000 mph.

Recent thoughts.... if only I could type as fast as I process....
Shit. Won't be long and it will be winter. I hope it isn't as bone chilling as the last. I haven't had any Crown Royal in quite a while. I need to get an oil change. Shit happens. Where is my proof of insurance? Will the price of gas drop soon? Is Bin Laden still alive? Why me? Why you? Why not! Why didn't I stop and pick up dog food tonight on the way home? What size anchors do I need for the cement board? What kind of tile should we get? I need a sharp pencil. Do I know what I am doing? If I act like I know what I am doing does that help? How am I doing? Don't dwell on that thought. Better yet - how is everyone else doing? Do we have beer in the house? I really should call my Aunt back. Where is that damn dog? Crank up the music. My co-worker Frank is an asshole. But, he's been very sick and that is not a nice thought. Nah. He's moved on to being a sick asshole. There is a spider in the corner. It's looking at me. Do spiders think? If so, what could it be thinking? What can I do to make the world a better place? Damn.... the moon is awesome. Mars is cool, too. The driveway needs more gravel. I need Mountain Dew. And, why do they call it that anyway? Especially when it would never actually be mistaken for dew on a mountain. The proof is out there.... somewhere. My boss is cool. Today she wore striped pants. She was casual and using profanities while talking to her computer. Strip the wires on the outdoor electrical outlets. My Mom is amazing. What was the measurement on that again? Why am I doing that anyway? What was I thinking? Where is my hammer? Tasha smells like a much bigger dog. Where are my fave holey jeans? My damn mouse is sticking. When will the universe respond? I am not used to the keyboard on the notebook computer. My feet hurt. The neighbor's had a huge bonfire last night. Do something nice for a stranger. Buy more nails for the big framing gun. Make a list of stuff to buy. When will M get well? Will they ever find a cure for asthma? Will the kids EVER remember to brush their teeth and comb their hair on their own? Take time to pray that George Bush does NOT get re-elected. When will the new addition be ready for occupancy? What is there to eat? Clean up the garage. Draw final plans for the kitchen counter construction. Vacuum the truck. Will I ever learn to relax?

Good grief!Shut the hell up would ya?

September 15, 2003

M went to work for a half day today. Kyle has a 2 p.m. appointment at the orthodontist. His first.
M took a breathing treatment this morning before heading off to work. I suspect she still doesn't feel well. Often, I get the feeling that she hides just how shitty she feels. Sometimes I can tell just by looking at her. At least this morning I could not hear her wheezing.

I am feeling down due to circumstances. Circumstances which are out of my control. The stress is getting to me.

It's funny how, given the situation, I find it relaxing in a sense to work on the addition. Normally, that in itself would be a HUGE stress producer, but.... I can see that keeping busy is one of my survival skills. Yeah, it is stressful.... but.... it is something that I have some measure of control over in comparison to M's fluctuating health. Whatever I accomplish counts. Whatever I accomplish there, for the most part, I can see. With M's health.... you simply never know.
I got the kids off to school this morning. It has cooled down today after some much needed rain last evening and this morning. Michael was going to wear shorts and was miffed when I told him to go put pants on instead. Then, he comes down the stairs with red pants and an orange shirt on. "You don't match.... go and change that shirt...." Huh? He looked entirely mystified. And all I can think of is, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy."

He expresses his obvious dismay with only an exasperated facial expression and an audible grunt. "Michael, go and change that shirt." Reluctantly, he tromps back up the stairs. This time he comes down with a royal blue t-shirt on and his pants unzipped. I didn't care for the color of that shirt with his pants either, but it looked better than the previous.

While Michael had his fashion fiasco, Kyle played Luigi's Mansion on the GameCube and beat the game.

They were both disappointed that I wouldn't let them vegetate and watch TV this morning before catching the bus. So instead, they played with Lego Motorcycles and fought like brothers will do. At one point, Kyle shrieked because Michael had decided to sit on his head. Trapped between the couch cushoin and Michael's ass, what else could he do?

Moments later as they stood at the end of the driveway waiting for the bus, I could hear them hollering from inside the house with the windows closed. About what? Only they know.

I spent the day working in the addition again. I put some 2x12's around the rim of the stairwell going into the basement. This allows me to cut some 4 foot pieces which will lay across the stairway so the insulation can be put in and, the light fixture put up. I am not interested in balancing on a single board with a bunch of sway and bounce in it while I work. I find that idea rather petrifying. I can induce vertigo with my imagination.

I worked on some of the electrical again today. It's been a while since I touched any of that. I began wiring some of the recessed lights and some receptacles. My fingers hurt from turning the wire nuts by hand and I am not even close to being halfway complete. The electrical inspector might give me some shit for wiring these prematurely. But, there will be plenty left undone, I am assuming, by the time he shows up so that he can see what it used to look like before I began tying it together. I'll gladly take the heat for that, considering the fact the asshole hasn't bothered to call me back and I have secured the necessary permit. Therefore, I will practice my feigned innocent look and pretend I didn't know any better. Deal with it.

Next weekend it looks like we will have my sister's two youngest kids here on Saturday, Saturday night and part of Sunday. They are going somewhere out of town and would rather not have them tag along. The boys don't know it yet.... but.... with my sister, you can never be sure. It's best not to tell them because it'll get their hopes up and they will be disappointed if she is a no-show. Well, if the kids don't show up.

Ahhhhhh..... back to the office tomorrow. Doing time on the four 10 hour work schedule.

Being home is like work release.

Hello ass. Meet your familiar office chair.

 
 

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