Insegnante's life

Books (part 3) DONE!

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:24:12 GMT

So I finished my Algebra I for Dummies book then took a break.

Started back on the book addiction and have completed my 20th book for the year.

Silverhair (Mammoth, #1)
Manifold: Time
The Dungeon 2: The Dark Abyss (Philip José Farmer's The Dungeon, Volume #2)
Manifold: Space
The Dungeon 3: The Valley of Thunder (Philip José Farmer's The Dungeon, #3)
Q-Space: The Q Continuum #1
The Dungeon 4: The Lake of Fire (Philip José Farmer's The Dungeon, #4)
Lunar Attack (Space 1999, #5)
The Dungeon 5: The Hidden City (Philip José Farmer's The Dungeon, #5)
Space Guardians (Space 1999)

Not really pushing to complete 30 books this year but I am working on completing The Dungeon series and hopefully the Mammoth series as well so we'll see how many I complete this year by December 31st.

Darwin and I do NOT approve of one of my genetic ancestors...

Mon, 16 May 2011 23:57:42 GMT

Email I sent to my Manager.

So on Wednesday 5/11 while getting ready for work, I reached across the bathroom sink to get the hairbrush. While I was doing that I heard/felt a little Pop and a little Crunch. At that point, I had excruciating pain in my neck, left shoulder and left arm. I felt as if I had torn something. So I took the day off and spent the day on the couch with the heating pad and ibuprofens.

On Thursday 5/12, I was feeling a little better so I got ready for work and came in. After an hour of sitting in the chair my neck and shoulder were in pain again. So I made an appointment to see the doctor that morning. He gave me a muscle relaxant, pain reliever and an anti-inflammatory. Two of which cause drowsiness so I was asleep and off the rest of the day. I was given an absence note good through Monday.

On Friday 5/13, I called into the meeting and spent the rest of the day on meds. I remember emailing back and forth with a few techs about issues but not much else.

On Saturday 5/14, before taking my meds I noticed that my left thumb had lost all feeling and my left arm wasn’t as responsive as normal. A call to the urgent care and I was off to an appointment with them at 1pm. After consultation with the doctor and a couple of x-rays it had been deemed that I have a pinched nerve between my 5th and 6th vertebra because the disc between those two vertebra is thinner than the rest of my discs. (Darwin would not be proud of that genetic mutation) So I was given a prednisone prescription and some range of motion exercises to perform over the next 12 days and to make another appointment for follow up. Must watch for mood and eating disorders. Both of which I haven’t encountered as of yet.

On Sunday 5/15, I have some full range of motion and full dexterity in my left hand and arm but my thumb is still numb and I only have about 80% of my strength in that arm. It’s strange to have to have to put extra effort into lifting things. Plus I have this annoying pain in my left arm that isn’t really there it’s in my shoulder but it’s manifesting in my arm. If you see me with either of my hands behind my head it’s the only relief I have from that pain. The pain isn’t constant it’s just there when I move my head in certain ways.

On Monday 5/16, I’m here typing out this email to catch you up on what’s been going on with my absences. The good news is that mentally I’m ok as there are still several treatments to go through before even discussing surgery, (Exercises, Massage, Traction, Chiropractor) and if it comes to surgery, the new process is to replace the disc instead of fusing the two vertebra together.

So how was your weekend?

Apparently her weekend was great compared to mine.

Taxes question

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:34:28 GMT

Just repeating what I have posed on Facebook:

Tax question for those in the know of such things.
If I were to put $1000 into an IRA.
A) Would my taxes be calculated based upon my salary minus $1000?
B) Would I be getting $1000 back in addition to my present tax return?
C) Is there a third scenario I seemed to have missed?

I've been toying with some interesting scenarios on how to make this work but I need some key information.

Books (part 2) DONE!

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:18:33 GMT

I just finished book #10 today. I'm done with my list of books to read this year. I've had a little extra time on my hands and my reading speed seems to have increased a little.

Space 1999: Planets of Peril
Star Trek: My Brother's Keeper book 1: Republic
Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime: Book 3: Hide and Seek
The Last Theorem (Don't bother if you're a Clarke fan, he didn't really write it and it's not very good)
Star Trek: My Brother's Keeper book 2: Constitution
Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime: Book 4: The Medusa Encounter
Star Trek: My Brother's Keeper book 3: Enterprise (This'll finish the series)
Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime: Book 5: The Diamond Moon
Star Trek #84 Assignment: Eternity
Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime: Book 6: The Shining Ones (this will finish the series)

I have quite a few still queued up but now that I've accomplised the 10 books this year goal anything else is just bonus.

I didn't really start out to read 10 books in less than 3 months, it just kind of happened. (It's been a little slow at work which is where I've done most of the reading. At least 3 hours a day some even more.

So now I'm going to try and dive into some of my Dummies books to finish getting through them. (Gotta finish up my Algebra for Dummies and Algebra I workbook for Dummies books)

Books

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 23:16:34 GMT

So I've been trying to make a goal of reading 10 books this year. For entertainment so I don't count the dummies books I've been working through nor do I count any reference materials or magazines.

So far as of today I have read 6 out of 10 books. Wow, it's middle of February and I'm more than half way done. Not going to just stop reading once I reach #10 but I thought I would have taken me about 2 weeks to read each book so I would have been through the list by August.

So far what I've read:
Space 1999: Planets of Peril
Star Trek: My Brother's Keeper book 1: Republic
Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime: Book 3: Hide and Seek
The Last Theorem (Don't bother if you're a Clarke fan, he didn't really write it and it's not very good)
Star Trek: My Brother's Keeper book 2: Constitution
Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime: Book 4: The Medusa Encounter

The next 4 books will most likely be:
Star Trek: My Brother's Keeper book 3: Enterprise (This'll finish the series)
Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime: Book 5: The Diamond Moon
Star Trek #84 Assignment: Eternity
Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime: Book 6: The Shining Ones (this will finish the series)

The Venus Prime series although not written by Clarke is another Author's interpretation of some of Clarke's books rewritten with the addition of a story arc. The first two books took a bit of work to get through but by the third book the author finally got really interested in writing the stories. I've had these books for several years now but never got around to reading them. Going to finally get through them.

Hopefully by the end of the summer, I'll have quite a few books to take to the used bookstore to trade in for some more books on my good reads list.

Books read up to now.

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 02:16:52 GMT

Completed the list of books I can remember and added them to Good Reads
Just some recent books that I've added.

2010

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:50:57 GMT

It's the end of the year. It's the end of the decade.
I have gained much and left much behind.
I am happy to be where I am and am getting used to looking forward in life again instead of wallowing in what could have been.

Party tonite to ring in the new year and just small simpler resolutions to my health and personal growth.

That's my 2010 memories post.

Short, simple and sweet.

Making Whoopies

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 21:22:09 GMT

When sister and I were kids, mom used to make Whoopie Pies for us. Something that we have not been able to replicate for many years. Earlier this summer it came up in conversation with mom but nothing came of it. Although the cake part is easy, the filling has alluded us for years. So after coming across the book Making Whoopies I finally broke down and started making some of the recipes.
I made one set with what seemed to have the consistency of the filling but it turned out to not be thick enough. I made them for Thanksgiving and brought them with me as a surprise for my sister. We got back on the topic and it turns out that in late summer sister was at a shower with mom and mom let her know that back in the day, the pies were really just left over cake and her decorator's frosting. Mom used to make tons of cakes, wedding cakes, holiday cakes and birthday cakes and there was always left over frosting in the fride and freezer. So the cake part has become easy.

The filling is the problem. Mom used to make some weird kind of frosting that wasn't royal icing nor butter cream frosting. It was the most amazing dessert when it was frozen. Mom is unable to locate the recipe in her recipe box and thinks I have it. I definitely don't have it I only have the Swedish apple pie and Terraki chicken recipe. So now I'm on a quest to find this mystical frosting recipe that has alluded my sister and I for years.

So far, the first filling was a marshmallow Fluff based filling. That wasn't it.
I'm trying a secret recipe given to me by someone who got it from her instructor in the decorating class she took many years ago. Gotta test it once the pies are cooled.

UPDATE: The second attempt seems to have been a bit of a success. I need to test it again with a different whipped cream just to see if it wasn't an accident.

And another book done.

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 01:30:09 GMT

Finished Venus Prime book 1 today. Eh. I think Clarke would have done a much better job had he actually written it instead of the story being based on one of Clarke's short stories.

Gonna get started in the second Khan book. If it's as good as the first one, then I should definitely be done by the end of the month.

(Just catching up on some over due reading and trying to break my brain of the habit of falling asleep while reading habit.)

Yet another book done

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:20:56 GMT

Finished Star Trek: The Eugenics Wars. Volume One: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh in record time.

Less than 2 weeks. That's a great record for me.

Gonna finish off Venus Prime book 1 before I start another book.

A site Good Reads was recommended to me.

Signed up and entered a good amount of my library of books that I have, have read, am reading, and will read.

Found out that several of my friends are already on that site.

Thanks for the site recommendation pyroguysr

Spirit Day

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 20:55:38 GMT

Originally posted by neo_prodigy at Spirit Day

It’s been decided. On October 20th, 2010, we will wear purple in honor of the 6 gay boys who committed suicide in recent weeks/months due to homophobic abuse in their homes at at their schools. Purple represents Spirit on the LGBTQ flag and that’s exactly what we’d like all of you to have with you: spirit. Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality. Please wear purple on October 20th. Tell your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and schools.

RIP Tyler Clementi, Seth Walsh (top)
RIP Justin Aaberg, Raymond Chase (middle)
RIP Asher Brown and Billy Lucas. (bottom)

REBLOG to spread a message of love, unity and peace.

Another Book down for 2010.

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 21:58:38 GMT

Just finished Arthur C. Clarke's Earthlight. It's from 1955.
I've always liked they science fiction that the writes.
Clarke is the author got me into reading. If it wasn't for 2061 then I would probably not be as much of a reader as I am today.

That makes about 3 books in 1 month. (Would have finished it yesterday but too many interruptions stopped me from finishing it yesterday.)

So I won't count that one for October.

Next up is Star Trek: The Eugenics Wars. Volume One: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh.

At 520 pages, it'll be the second longest book I have read. The longest book being Red Mars at 572 pages.

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm still an amateur what with reading books less thatn 1000 pages but hey, I has to hold my interest. (Have never stopped reading a book just because I don't like it. It's just not right to leave a book unfinished.)

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 23:47:07 GMT

Finished both Code of the Lifemaker and The Immortality Option in less than a month. (actually finished Immortality Option in less than a week.)
This reading thing is really starting to get interesting. Trying to get through a few books I've had sitting on the bookshelf that have been waiting for me to read them. Had to find a new author now that Clarke has passed. So far I'm enjoying James P. Hogan and will be trying some Stephen Baxter as well. But I do have a few other book series to complete as well. So no real new books until I get through some of these other ones.

Green Mars, Blue Mars, Deep Range, Stainless Steel Rat, The Eugenics Wars, The Dungeon and Venus Prime that should catch me up on my collection. Mind you some of those are series of 3 to 6 books.

So I have some reading to catch up on.

Tomato Soup Part 2

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:46:29 GMT

So this time it was Roasted Tomato Soup.
I also used up all the tomatoes from the garden.
Here's the recipe with a few exceptions listed below:
Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe

Problem is that I tried to roast frozen garlic which had crisped to a nice blackened state of charcoal and stupid me, I tossed some of the bigger ones in thinking they would be fine.
I also didn't have the bell pepper so that flavor was absent.

Note: This is one to be put through the food processor due to the amount of solids to be blended.

Result: It was a pretty good soup except for the burned garlic aftertaste.
I did like the fact that this soup that eventhough it had the same amount of tomatoes from the other recipe, the tomato skins weren't as prevalent in the solids of the soup than in the other one.

Will definitely have to try this one again.

Now I must find a local gardener to supply me with real tomatoes that have real flavor not the genetically engineered ones to be big and flavorless in the store.

Blood testing

Sat, 18 Sep 2010 02:46:39 GMT

So a few weeks ago, I changed my Primary Care Physician to one that actually is located in one of the facilities that my healthcare provider runs.

Apparently physicals and annual tests are free as they are considered preventative medicine.

Even got tests for a whole bunch of stuff.

Results:
No STDs. (Started Hepatitis vaccination process.)
No Diabetes. (Great! Still have to watch my diet for other reasons)
Only the Triglycerides were high. Everything else was normal.

So it's time for more exercise and watching what I'm eating to figure out where the high Tri's came from.
Doc says that the exercise should lower the tri level quite a bit. So it's time for the Wii and me to become friends again and get the butt (everything else will follow) back to gym for some treadmill, cycling, and eliptical along with some weight training.

So, who wants to join me? Misery loves company! I hear rumor that it can actually be fun.

Homemade Tomato soup. Attempt 1

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:22:43 GMT

1 lg Onion
1/4 cup Olive Oil
3 lbs of fresh garden tomatoes quartered
1 tbspn Fresh Orange zest.
2 cups Heavy Cream.
(no sugar added. natural sweetness only)

Saute Onion in 1/4 cup Olive oil over Medium High heat. (approx 10-12 minutes)
Mix in Tomato quarters and Orange zest. Allow to cool stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
Pure soup with stick blender (cause I happen to have one)
Directions say to put pure through strainer.
Blend in 2 cups of Heavy Cream.
Heat on Medium low heat and serve.

Results:
A sweet spicy soup with a heavy cream after taste and bits of skin and onion.
Temporay fix: 2 cans of tomato paste.

Thoughts for next attempt:
Let onions cook for at least 15 minutes to remove the bite. (will increase sweet)
Let tomatoes reach room temperature before adding to onions. (reduces reheat time)
Reduce amount of heavy cream to 1 cup instead of 2. (thicken it up without the heavy cream after taste)
Might try with Yellow tomatoes to make it even sweeter.

Stupid Liberals. What have they ever done for us?

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 03:17:53 GMT

So after reading about the Glen Beck Civil Rights copycat not a political rally article, I always like to scroll down to read the most entertaining part, the comments section. It's where the dumb is strongest. Especially when it comes to the conservatives.

I read this one post from the Beck article and had to share it here.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A TEABAGGER

THE TEABAGGER gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards.

He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised.

All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now THE TEABAGGER gets it too. He prepares
his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. THE TEABAGGER's bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

THE TEABAGGER takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.

THE TEABAGGER dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree-
hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air.

He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

THE TEABAGGER begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards.
THE TEABAGGER's employer pays these standards because THE TEABAGGER's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union.

If THE TEABAGGER is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn't think he should loose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

It's noon time, THE TEABAGGER needs to make a Bank Deposit so he can pay some bills. THE TEABAGGER's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect THE TEABAGGER's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression.

THE TEABAGGER has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that THE TEABAGGER and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime.

THE TEABAGGER is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dad's; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal
fought for car safety standards.

He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electric until
some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republicans would still be sitting in the dark)

He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so THE TEABAGGER wouldn't have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home.

He turns on a radio talk show, the host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good (He doesn't tell THE TEABAGGER that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit
THE TEABAGGER enjoys throughout his day). THE TEABAGGER agrees, "We don't need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have.

Funny part is that you can comment on comments. No one seems to have commented on this comment.

Interesting

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:29:36 GMT

Today I now fully understand why some people my age can snap and go on a killing spree.

That is all.

Faire starts this weekend!! Woo HOOO!!

Dear (John) residental fat in me.

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:19:34 GMT

I'm afraid that after contemplation and meditation, I have reached the conclusion that our relationship must come to an end.

Granted back in the day you used to keep me toasty warm in the winter and kept my heat source running most powerfully. However, you also kept me way too warm in the summer and thus turned me into the incredible sweat machine soaking much of my clothing over the years and making me feel like crap on humid days.

You armored me from many emotional and psychological issues throught my childhood and into my 30's which was never good for me and and held me back from a good amount of my life, but I am now in my 40's an I have no reason for such armor anymore as I am a big boy now.

Speaking of being a big boy now. So you are familiar with all of those clothes hanging in my closet and in the lower drawers of my dresser that I don't wear? That's all your fault that they don't fit. They did a few years ago when you first went on vacation but since you have returned, I just can't quite seem to get into them anymore. (It was a great feeling to walk into the store and actually purchase a shirt that said Medium and it fit well.) And my chest seems to have become a little floppy again, this makes me most unhappy.

You've also been doing a great job at holding me back. Yes, holding me back. I haven't been able to run at all because of the extra weight you've been putting on my knees and walking winds me sooner than it used to. You have been affecting my presentation of my in the world, yes I seem to have faded back into the background again. I really don't like the way you just kind of spill over my beltline and I have resorted to growing a beard to hide the second chin line.

As for hiding, I have yet to not be self conscience of my body when contemplating taking off my shirt or even when tucking a shirt in for that matter.

You are also not good for my health. You stress me out too much and cause a chain reaction of events that result in me sitting home on the couch stuffing my face when I could be out enjoying the warm weather or just being outside. I have yet to make it back to the doctor's office for the diabetes test which I'm sure it'll show I'm either still borderline or type I, again something that you have brought upon me. I even find myself contemplating my demise (not suicide) being somewhere in my 50's or even my 60's. Just so you know dear fat, you are not set to inherit anything cause if I go, you'd be going with me.

I am fat. Yes, I am fat. I have an issue with being fat. I used to be really fat, then I lost a lot of it and wasn't a fat but now I am fat again. My weight has been fluctuating for the last couple of years but it has been slowly creeping upwards on me. I have trouble staying below 210 let alone below 200 or getting back down to my 190. I'm not obese (eventhough the Wii seems to think so but then again its information is based on a 1917 report), but I am fat. Don't tell me otherwise until you've stood in front of the mirror with me naked. (that's me naked you don't have to be)

So it is with with some regret but only for having not known what cold winters were that I am breaking up with you...Yes, I can no longer go on living like this. You have to move out and get on with your life and I have to move on with mine. Since I'm the one with the job and paying rent, you're the one moving out. No, there won't be any other chances, you had yours twice and all three times it was a very bad for me so I am done with you. I have already started packing your bags for you. I don't care if you don't have anywhere else to go, just get out of my body and yes, I never want to see you again. Don't even think of showing your face around here again.

I have decided that it is time to go back to the year of ME and I'll live my life without you.

Breaking up is hard to do, there is much of our lives that have been intertwined over a very long time but we'll work them out and you'll end up with your share of this breakup.

Good by fat. This was a long time coming but I'm glad I finally got it off my chest, abs, butt, legs, arms, neck, face and other areas. Oh, and I faked all my foodgasms.

Now bare witness to the power....

Sun, 30 May 2010 16:42:37 GMT

Of this fully operational shower station!!

First we shall shower the planet of Aleraan then we shall move on to cleansing the planet of Dantooine where the dirty rebel scum is hiding!

A Pox upon HGTV update update

Sun, 23 May 2010 19:53:07 GMT

Finally after much hunting and shopping, we have tiles and they are on the wall now too!
The surround is finally up!
Now to let it dry so it can be sealed.
Had to order some special tiles to match the ones used to tile to the floor.
But hopefully by Tuesday we'll be able to experience the full power of our fully operational shower!

Pox upon HGTV update

Thu, 06 May 2010 00:42:19 GMT

Ok so we have a possible recipient of the tiles. Just waiting for him to return my email.

We went to Lowe's for some more drywall. Once that's installed we can install the bath fitting and it'll be good as new.

We are still at Redneck...er Southern Ingenuity tub.

Should be back to normal tub by the end of the weekend. (Just a lot of other stuff going on.)

Day 2 of Poxing upon HGTV and DIY

Sun, 02 May 2010 23:19:22 GMT

So here it is Day 2.

Tile hunting... So today we set out to actually purchase tile. Stopped at the local tile place to see if they might have tile that came somewhat closer in color and style than Home Depot and Lowe's did. No luck. They're not open on Sunday. So instead we stopped at Lowe's to pick up the tile that was the closest matched to our tiles as we could get and we would have actually purchased it too if it weren't for those pesky customers who thought it was a good idea and tore open all of the boxes of tiles and broke/mixed tile types up in them. Thanks. But there's a good side to this...

While was poking around the shower wall to test for damage, he discovered that the main wall in the shower was in just as bad shape as the wall on which the faucets are. So that now tripled the size of the project.

Called mostest bestest Landlady in the whole wide world...actually renniecub did the calling and talking to her.

She approved us going in, tearing out the tile, replacing the drywall and putting up tub surround instead of re-tiling. That will save us all time, money and frustration in the long run. Problem is, we can't get it done in a day. So the shower is still not done.

So as of today, all of the tile that is to be removed has been removed. All of the moldy rotted dry wall has been removed and properly disposed of. All of the tile that came down and isn't damaged which is a lot of them is stored in several buckets waiting to be dropped off at Second Chance Inc. The shower has been kind of reassembled ... Ok, so the shower has gone from a white trash shower with the extra plastic sheet to Southern Ingenuitied. Yep, clear shower curtains now surround you almost completly and you can get a great view of what a shower looks like when there isn't any tile or drywall to make walls...

This is only temporary for the next few days as tomorrow night we go out and purchase the rest of the needed supplies to finish up putting up real walls in the shower so we can put the shower inlay in.

So hopefully by Wednesday we'll be able to witness the power of our fully operational tub and shower!

Stay tuned.

Business opportunitey idea based on previous post

Sun, 02 May 2010 01:12:29 GMT

So in this Going Green world, are there any businesses that would reclaim used tiles, clean them up and re-sell them to people? I'm sure there's money in it somewhere.

A pox upon HGTV and DIY. It does NOT take 30 minutes to re-tile one wall of the bathtub!

Sun, 02 May 2010 00:55:35 GMT

So this morning started out pretty early for a Saturday. Had to get up to take renniecub's car into the shop for some routine maintenance and a rattling problem. Stopped at a local Flea Market on the way home and looke around. If you're interested in instruments, one guy seems to have quite a selection of wood winds and brass.
Got home and the real project began. For those who don't know, the shower has had a plastic curtain over the wall where the faucet and Shower head are due to the board behind the tiles getting wet, swelling and starting to push the tiles off. This has been like this since we moved in and discovered it 2 years ago.
Decided that this weekend would be THE weekend to get it done and out of the way before it got too hot and we had to close up the house again for the A/C.
So after breakfast was made and eaten, the preparation for demolition began. The plastic liner was removed along with shower curtain. A blanket was duct taped in the tub to lessen any damage to falling tiles and the tub for easier cleanup. Then demolition began. Now my part wasn't easy . My job was to not be present in the area unless needed. That way more could be done without me being in the way. So while that was going on, I got a lot of house work, laundry, dishe,s and other little things done, including some gaming time in on the let laptop.
Start time was about 8:30am. By 11:30 the dealership had called renniecub to let him know his car was ready for pickup. So we went out to pick it up and came back. Some more demolition was done. There are now approximated 5 buckets of demolition debris sitting out front waiting to be taken to the dump.
Tiles...Let's talk about tiles for a minute. The house was built in the 1950's and I believe it still has the original tiling considering the original water heater is still in the basement working away like new. Just so you know. If your house was tiled before 1980 and you have to retile a single wall in your bathroom, you're doomed. Around 1980, tile sizes were changed. So now the tiles that we are trying to match are slightly too large by 1/8 inches. Which means more grouting between the new tiles to make up for the space difference. Oh Joy!
Tiles... The other problem with tiles now is that they don't seem to come in just matte white and flat white...Oh no, they come in White-ish, Not Off White, Not Quite White, Not Really White but it's close, Close But No Cigar White, Not Even White Like, Off White, White-Like But Not, Bone, and Donnie and Marie Smile White. All in both matte and flat, oh and Earthenware style too which is just a tile that wasn't pressed hard enough into the mold to make it flat. And we checked at both Home Depot and Lowe's. Note: Home Depot has a lot fewer selections when it comes to white tiles that don't match the one that you have in your hand.
We were able to find the drywall and other implements of destruction that will be necessary to put up the walling and the tiles. However, with the whole Tiles out of size and not quite the same color we hit a bit of a snafu but will manage.
renniecub returned to the demolitions after our first trip out to the local hardware store for supplies.
Several hours later, it is 5pm and we decide to stop for dinner. Went out and explored the other Home Depots and Lowes' in Glen Burnie and found less of a selection at those stores. So far the big Lowe's near us is the winner for having a good selection of supplies.
Got home around 8pm and as of 9pm, the demolition has been completed. I have stayed out of the way all day making his job much simpler. Drywall has been hung, front light bulb has been changed, plants have been watered, laundry has been washed and folded, dishes have been done twice, games have been played, new hose has been hooked up (Needed it to clean the buckets for the demolitions) recovery discs have been crated, games and other applications have been installed, wet/dry vac has been tested, much measuring has been done, and the house has had the windows open all day to let in the nice warm air.
Tomorrow we have to go tile shopping. Now mind you, eventhough we may get the tile tomorrow and get it put up on the walls, it's still got to dry, then grouted, then the grout has to be sealed, and that's got to dry for a few days. So the shower MIGHT be available on Monday..Hopefully.
So I say again. A pox upon HGTV and DIY for making it look like retiling a single wall in the tub can take only 30 minutes... Fah!