Sunday, 14 February 2016
Thursday, 31 December 2015
A New Year
As 2016 is looming right around the corner, only about 13 hours away, I have been thinking on what things I need to accomplish. I've never been one to make resolutions. This is more of a list of Things To Do.
I have a Plan.
This Plan has a Timeline.
Because of my health issues, I must plan things out, spaced so that it is reasonable that I may accomplish them realistically. My energy level isn't the greatest, but it is a bit better since I surrendered Teak back to the shelter. (That was a very difficult thing to do, but I have seen him several times since then and he is doing well, although still not re-adopted.)
The 5 year term for my mortgage is up in September 2017 and I plan on selling the house so that I will not have that huge debt when I head into retirement. When I had first moved into this house, I had a lot more energy and thought I would stay here but I now know that is not possible. As I get older, I realize that the physical upkeep just isn't going to be possible for me, so my efforts are going into doing the renos that will be possible for me and to increase the value of the house in that time frame.
I need to finish the basement that has already been started: complete the drywall, then paint and put in some flooring. I may have to do a little concrete levelling as the 60 year old floor isn't in the greatest shape, but at least it is not cracked and leaking, just a bit crumbly and dusty in spots. I am going to leave the ceiling open and spray paint all the joists and ceiling a flat white. It is a low ceiling (only 7 ft) so reinstalling drywall just makes it even lower. So visually, it will be more open in all white. My electrician has given me the go-ahead to do so on all the wires and junction boxes. The little half bathroom down there needs a new toilet, sink and vanity. I have already bought the sink. That won't be too bad as I already know how to do all that. Where the shower stall was in that bathroom (torn out to repair that big crack in the foundation wall), will become a built-in work bench in the furnace room. I will just move the existing wall forward into the bathroom to make the bathroom smaller and use that space for a work space. Easy to build with plywood and 2x4s.
Because of the saggy main beam in the house, and the installation of steel teleposts to correct that, there are many cracks in the drywall upstairs that will need to be repaired. That of course means more painting to cover the repairs. After that is all done, I will install the rest of the new flooring (just like the laminate I put in the bedroom) but want the work on the walls finished so I won't ruin the floor.
The biggest project will be the kitchen. It is old. It is soooo inefficient. I have planned it all out and will take down the wall between the living room and kitchen to open the space up, with a peninsula counter that will have two chairs for eating. This house doesn't have a dining area and the kitchen is too small for an eat-in area, so this will give more space for that. The appliances will be relocated, and I will install an 18" dishwasher (yes, that is small but a full sized one won't fit here) that can have a front to match the cupboards. It will improve the house so much!
The bathroom needs a new tub and there is a company here that scans and measures your existing one and makes a new one that fits right over top, which means the bathroom won't need to be gutted to get a new one in. I've already replaced the toilet, and have a new sink and vanity ready to go, so that won't be too bad. They will do the installation of the tub so just the sink and vanity for me to do. Piece of cake!
I will look at the cost of new front windows, as the existing ones are original and crap! They are double pane but the seal is broken and so there is some moisture build up between the panes. Also need a new front door as the existing one is 60 years old and is quite warped. Very drafty in the winter! Brrr...
I am also going to be going through all my stuff and downsizing drastically. Once I don't have the house anymore, a lot of the tools will no longer be needed so I can sell those. Same with the lawnmower, trimmer, rakes and such. I am a bit (ahem!) of a pack rat and have accumulated all kinds of stuff that I just don't use anymore. Now that is going to take a lot of time and hard decisions!
I guess this is more than enough for one year, and I do have until the summer of 2017 to get it all done, but it is a plan nonetheless!
Wishing all of you and your families all the love, health and happiness in 2016 and always.
I have a Plan.
This Plan has a Timeline.
Because of my health issues, I must plan things out, spaced so that it is reasonable that I may accomplish them realistically. My energy level isn't the greatest, but it is a bit better since I surrendered Teak back to the shelter. (That was a very difficult thing to do, but I have seen him several times since then and he is doing well, although still not re-adopted.)
The 5 year term for my mortgage is up in September 2017 and I plan on selling the house so that I will not have that huge debt when I head into retirement. When I had first moved into this house, I had a lot more energy and thought I would stay here but I now know that is not possible. As I get older, I realize that the physical upkeep just isn't going to be possible for me, so my efforts are going into doing the renos that will be possible for me and to increase the value of the house in that time frame.
I need to finish the basement that has already been started: complete the drywall, then paint and put in some flooring. I may have to do a little concrete levelling as the 60 year old floor isn't in the greatest shape, but at least it is not cracked and leaking, just a bit crumbly and dusty in spots. I am going to leave the ceiling open and spray paint all the joists and ceiling a flat white. It is a low ceiling (only 7 ft) so reinstalling drywall just makes it even lower. So visually, it will be more open in all white. My electrician has given me the go-ahead to do so on all the wires and junction boxes. The little half bathroom down there needs a new toilet, sink and vanity. I have already bought the sink. That won't be too bad as I already know how to do all that. Where the shower stall was in that bathroom (torn out to repair that big crack in the foundation wall), will become a built-in work bench in the furnace room. I will just move the existing wall forward into the bathroom to make the bathroom smaller and use that space for a work space. Easy to build with plywood and 2x4s.
Because of the saggy main beam in the house, and the installation of steel teleposts to correct that, there are many cracks in the drywall upstairs that will need to be repaired. That of course means more painting to cover the repairs. After that is all done, I will install the rest of the new flooring (just like the laminate I put in the bedroom) but want the work on the walls finished so I won't ruin the floor.
The biggest project will be the kitchen. It is old. It is soooo inefficient. I have planned it all out and will take down the wall between the living room and kitchen to open the space up, with a peninsula counter that will have two chairs for eating. This house doesn't have a dining area and the kitchen is too small for an eat-in area, so this will give more space for that. The appliances will be relocated, and I will install an 18" dishwasher (yes, that is small but a full sized one won't fit here) that can have a front to match the cupboards. It will improve the house so much!
The bathroom needs a new tub and there is a company here that scans and measures your existing one and makes a new one that fits right over top, which means the bathroom won't need to be gutted to get a new one in. I've already replaced the toilet, and have a new sink and vanity ready to go, so that won't be too bad. They will do the installation of the tub so just the sink and vanity for me to do. Piece of cake!
I will look at the cost of new front windows, as the existing ones are original and crap! They are double pane but the seal is broken and so there is some moisture build up between the panes. Also need a new front door as the existing one is 60 years old and is quite warped. Very drafty in the winter! Brrr...
I am also going to be going through all my stuff and downsizing drastically. Once I don't have the house anymore, a lot of the tools will no longer be needed so I can sell those. Same with the lawnmower, trimmer, rakes and such. I am a bit (ahem!) of a pack rat and have accumulated all kinds of stuff that I just don't use anymore. Now that is going to take a lot of time and hard decisions!
I guess this is more than enough for one year, and I do have until the summer of 2017 to get it all done, but it is a plan nonetheless!
Wishing all of you and your families all the love, health and happiness in 2016 and always.
Happy New Year!!
Friday, 25 December 2015
Friday, 7 August 2015
The toll
I have mentioned in some past post that I have fibromyalgia. There is always some part of me that hurts, and all the current medications that help with that hurting... well, I get every side effect known and just can't take them. And I won't take narcotics because I don't want to be a basket case that can't function. So I put up with it.
But some of the hallmarks of FMS (FibroMyalgia Syndrome) are the tiredness and also trouble sleeping. And I have both to varying degrees on any given day. I am finding it difficult to sometimes get done what needs to be done.
Like when I have to work (say the evening shift which starts at 3:30 p.m.), and there is housework or yardwork that needs to be done. Plus I have to walk the dog, make my lunch for work, iron my uniform... all things that most people don't think twice about. I can get one of those things done, along with walking the dog and going to work. Because the dog comes first. So I can do some laundry or cut the grass or do the dishes. And walk the dog, get ready for work and then head off to work. But not more than that. It is not that I couldn't force myself to do all those things... I have on occasion done just that when the need has arisen. But then I am so tired and unmotivated the next day.
So, with the renovations that I am doing on the house, plus all the other stuff in life, I am thinking that having a dog is adding a bit too much to my plate. Because everything else will go by the wayside so that he gets his walks every day (he dislikes using the yard as a toilet, and I can't blame him, really). I haven't gotten back to sanding the drywall and it just sits there. I need to get it done. There are things that need doing that I just don't have the get up and go to do.
So I am coming to the realization that I may need to take him back to the rescue place I got him from and see if we can find him another good home. In all reality he would be best suited to one or two retired people who are experienced with dogs that have anxiety issues. Because he certainly does. (That is another issue: his terror of thunderstorms has actually caused me to miss work: if it is at night and I am supposed to work the next day but I spend most of the night trying to keep him from going absolutely nuts, I can't function and actually feel ill if I don't get enough sleep and so have called in sick a few times.) Today, someone started their car on the street and the fan belt started squealing... and Teak got freaked out for a little while. Any loud sharp noise and he has a meltdown. Not to mention the thunder and fireworks. I bought one of those thundershirts but don't think it does much. I also picked up some tablets with valerian root that make him pretty sleepy, although not while it is thundering, but he settles quickly afterwards.
So, as much as I love him, I may need to rehome him. I have some long and hard thinking to do on this. It is not going to be an easy decision.
But some of the hallmarks of FMS (FibroMyalgia Syndrome) are the tiredness and also trouble sleeping. And I have both to varying degrees on any given day. I am finding it difficult to sometimes get done what needs to be done.
Like when I have to work (say the evening shift which starts at 3:30 p.m.), and there is housework or yardwork that needs to be done. Plus I have to walk the dog, make my lunch for work, iron my uniform... all things that most people don't think twice about. I can get one of those things done, along with walking the dog and going to work. Because the dog comes first. So I can do some laundry or cut the grass or do the dishes. And walk the dog, get ready for work and then head off to work. But not more than that. It is not that I couldn't force myself to do all those things... I have on occasion done just that when the need has arisen. But then I am so tired and unmotivated the next day.
So, with the renovations that I am doing on the house, plus all the other stuff in life, I am thinking that having a dog is adding a bit too much to my plate. Because everything else will go by the wayside so that he gets his walks every day (he dislikes using the yard as a toilet, and I can't blame him, really). I haven't gotten back to sanding the drywall and it just sits there. I need to get it done. There are things that need doing that I just don't have the get up and go to do.
So I am coming to the realization that I may need to take him back to the rescue place I got him from and see if we can find him another good home. In all reality he would be best suited to one or two retired people who are experienced with dogs that have anxiety issues. Because he certainly does. (That is another issue: his terror of thunderstorms has actually caused me to miss work: if it is at night and I am supposed to work the next day but I spend most of the night trying to keep him from going absolutely nuts, I can't function and actually feel ill if I don't get enough sleep and so have called in sick a few times.) Today, someone started their car on the street and the fan belt started squealing... and Teak got freaked out for a little while. Any loud sharp noise and he has a meltdown. Not to mention the thunder and fireworks. I bought one of those thundershirts but don't think it does much. I also picked up some tablets with valerian root that make him pretty sleepy, although not while it is thundering, but he settles quickly afterwards.
So, as much as I love him, I may need to rehome him. I have some long and hard thinking to do on this. It is not going to be an easy decision.
Thursday, 23 July 2015
Disruptions
The new furnace and air conditioner are being installed as I type, and so the cats are safely ensconced in the front bedroom, with food, water and litter box near their cat tree (which is in front of the window), so they are all set for the day. They also have the portable a/c unit in there, so at least they are cool and comfy. The dog and I are on the warm and sticky side. At 10:30 a.m. it already feels like 31C out there. I think that is about 88F. It is overcast and there is the chance of afternoon thunderstorms, so that "feels like" temp may climb up to around 37C/98F. Like I said... sticky.
But, by the end of the day, there will be a brand spankin' new a/c unit cooling the house. I am getting the smallest one installed and it is actually huge for this size of house (624 sq. ft.). Doing his calculations, the mechanical guy said I would need a 28,000 BTU unit and the smallest they have is 40,000... so I could probably make the house into a walk-in cooler if I so chose! I think not... just comfortably cool works just fine for me, thanks.
And speaking of endings, the beginnings of things with that new guy are now over. I just wasn't what he wanted/needed and although we had a great time for the past few weeks, it was time to move on. I found him very intriguing and I know there was definitely mutual attraction and connection, but in the end, it has to 'feel' right for both parties involved and for him, it just wasn't quite there. So we talked a lot about everything and it's all okay. It would have been nice because he is an artist/teacher/musician and we had a lot of things in common.
I guess that leaves more time for me to get on with the taping and mudding of the drywall in the basement. I really do want to get that done this summer some time! I am very good at procrastinating sometimes...
Lila developed a bladder infection the other evening so it was a trip to the vet yesterday. She isn't the most compliant of customers, so she growled and hissed her way through the exam and antibiotic injection. Luckily she didn't try to bite, so everyone escaped the ordeal unscathed. Well, except the cat. I opted for the shot as I could easily see her becoming more skittish and hard to handle if I had to stuff a pill down her throat twice a day. Hopefully the shot does the trick. The vet said it is probably a bladder infection but could possibly be (1) bladder stones, which means the shot will help but the infection keeps coming back, or (2) stressed induced cystitis (inflammation of the lining of the bladder) in which the antibiotics do absolutely nothing, because there is no infection. The treatment for that scenario involved environment enrichment and behaviour modification. Considering Lila gets stressed just by the moving of the vacuum or a power cord... it better be a real infection. She is already noticably better, so I will stick with that one.
But, by the end of the day, there will be a brand spankin' new a/c unit cooling the house. I am getting the smallest one installed and it is actually huge for this size of house (624 sq. ft.). Doing his calculations, the mechanical guy said I would need a 28,000 BTU unit and the smallest they have is 40,000... so I could probably make the house into a walk-in cooler if I so chose! I think not... just comfortably cool works just fine for me, thanks.
And speaking of endings, the beginnings of things with that new guy are now over. I just wasn't what he wanted/needed and although we had a great time for the past few weeks, it was time to move on. I found him very intriguing and I know there was definitely mutual attraction and connection, but in the end, it has to 'feel' right for both parties involved and for him, it just wasn't quite there. So we talked a lot about everything and it's all okay. It would have been nice because he is an artist/teacher/musician and we had a lot of things in common.
I guess that leaves more time for me to get on with the taping and mudding of the drywall in the basement. I really do want to get that done this summer some time! I am very good at procrastinating sometimes...
Lila developed a bladder infection the other evening so it was a trip to the vet yesterday. She isn't the most compliant of customers, so she growled and hissed her way through the exam and antibiotic injection. Luckily she didn't try to bite, so everyone escaped the ordeal unscathed. Well, except the cat. I opted for the shot as I could easily see her becoming more skittish and hard to handle if I had to stuff a pill down her throat twice a day. Hopefully the shot does the trick. The vet said it is probably a bladder infection but could possibly be (1) bladder stones, which means the shot will help but the infection keeps coming back, or (2) stressed induced cystitis (inflammation of the lining of the bladder) in which the antibiotics do absolutely nothing, because there is no infection. The treatment for that scenario involved environment enrichment and behaviour modification. Considering Lila gets stressed just by the moving of the vacuum or a power cord... it better be a real infection. She is already noticably better, so I will stick with that one.
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