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Musings of a bathroom remodel...going down the toilet

Musings of a bathroom remodel ...going down the toilet  - Copyright 2009 DSJ 

 

"Honey this toilet just isn't flushing every time, sometimes

not at all.  It's got to be as old as the house.

We need to get a new one."

 

"Let's think about getting the bathtub recoated  too . It

is such an ugly color, is really dull and it has never matched

the tile which has always irked me".

 

A few days later...

Asked hubby's friend who was replacing

a ceiling fan his opinion about it.  "If you don't use

the bathtub for baths, why not  rip it out and get a nice

shower stall put in. I  can do that work for you."

 

"That would be nice, to have a nice shower stall AND

toilet" area.  Hey!  What if we used part of our closet to

expand the bathroom . We can make the shower area

bigger that way. "

 

A few days later...

"Honey, I've been thinking that we

might as well get a new double sink and

take out the carpet and put down tile or laminates..

 The light fixtures look dated too...then we'd have a whole

freshly remodeled bigger bathroom!"

 

A few days later...

"Honey, I lost my job"...

 

..." We can use the toilet down the hall".

 

Rainy day...

Today started out well enough, in fact we went garage sale-ing since today was the neighborhood garage sale. I got a few treasures including a set of 10 lb weights.  Since I've been working on my arms to keep the 'droop' at bay, I've been using my 8 lb weights but that is the highest I have. Since they were selling for $2 a piece, I figured why not. Also got a bird (wren) small figurine made in china. I don't know that is worth any more than the $5 I spent for it, but the detail was nice and I liked it.  Hub got a few things too.  Oh and we got a wood bird feeder that someone was selling and would you believe the next house we stopped at, they had an entire bag of wild bird feed on sale for $2.  I hope it isn't TOO old, but couldn't pass up that bargain.  It wasn't raining then at all.

After that I wanted to replant many of my pepper and cucumber plants that should have been repotted a few weeks ago.  I ran out of potting soil but did get some done. It started to POUR right when I was done as far as I could go.  I really need to mop that balcony deck too, but won't be today. 

I'm going to start working in a few minutes. The system was down until now so I think I used my 'free' time well. Its work for the rest of the weekend, except I think we are going to see Angels and Demons if it is out at the theaters now.  We paid for some advertising for Wood Stock at the theaters that is to run for 3 months.  So we are planning to check that out as well.

Stac is in a parade this am for Miss Georgetown. Hopefully it isn't raining where she is. Based on the weather radar maps, I think it was pretty clear there until about now. So hopefully she's done her part.

School is winding down for both kids, in fact college may be over by now, not sure. One more short course and my oldest will have earned her Bachelors. Woo hoo!  And in a few weeks high school graduation for the youngest. Family is coming in for that so it will be nice!

Have a few small replacement/home improvement projects planned to happen soon too. The ceiling fan in the living room broke last year and ours upstairs is making noise off and on which irks me to no end.  So we got two fans to replace them and I think hub's lined up someone to come replace them on monday.  Then hub is going to pull the berber carpet from the living room and put laminates down. I'm thinking of a light wood color and a dark border to snazz it up some.  The carpet has several areas that are bare from the dogs playing with it. It will be nice to have that done so that the first floor can look pretty nice. 

Off to work now...

 

~ Mid May ~

Well almost mid may....nearly a month since I've blogged. Sorry!  Busy as usual between life and work...mostly work as typical for me.  But I have to say getting a huge handle on the debt situation and that is a great feeling!  I need to get to a doctor too, although not going back to the one I tried out last year -- he's too test happy. Wanted to do another echocardiogram to see if i REALLY have Mitral valve prolapse as it may have been misdiagnosed years ago, as he said many women were.  Why bother?  I don't take anything for it anyway unless I go to the dentist and that is something else I haven't done for a few years..that last crown I got that didn't feel right and still doesn't quite, has got me hesitant.  I KNOW I need to go at some point and I used to go religiously every 6 -9 months, but just not doing that anymore.  I make sure to brush twice (sometimes 3 times) every day and floss every other day, so it isn't like I am neglecting my teeth.

Okay so anyway back to the doctor thing.  Men are lucky!  They really only have to see a doctor if they feel ill, women, we have to (or should) go every year at least for our annual pap and mammogram.  That is the only reason I'm on the hunt for a different doctor.  Oh last year that new doc I tried wanted to take that battery of blood tests that are taken where you fast overnight...yeah...that lab paperwork is still here somewhere around my office. 

There is a female doc I took my mom to that she liked but was just too far away for her (about 10 miles out of town), but she liked her and I'm thinking of looking her up.  Need to see if she'll do the pap so I don't need yet another appt with a gyno. (That was one good thing about the doc went to last year, he did do the pap for me). And also due for mammogram which I think was last April.  I keep reading 1 year or 1-2 years for the mammograms.  No one ever tells me come back in 2 years though and since one of my sisters has had breast cancer, I try to be diligent and go every year (or year and a few months). So yah..that is on my mind and I probably should just make the call and stop thinking and now writing about it.

Two weeks ago there was a meeting for the senior parents of my daughters dance team concerning the banquet that is held the end of the year every year.  They want to make up a bunch of decorations and make it really special which is nice but I don't know why the parents have to do it.  To me, the seniors (gals) should do it.  Not that I mind, but I already stopped work to go to the meeting and now there is a saturday get together for making centerpieces, etc.  I am going to be working this weekend as always and am not taking off for that. May sounds harsh, but I have goals I am trying to reach and like I said, why do we have to do it?  My daughter signed up for this dance team and all that is involved, not me.   Oh well...they will probably be mad at me for not coming but they don't WORK on weekends so it is just taking their free time from them. For me it is taking income away! 

In a few weeks when graduation is done, all the school attending functions will be over too, unless there is an occasional college event to go to.  Bittersweet in a way, but I think I'll be okay with it when I don't need to sit on the metal bleachers at the fall football games.  ;-)

Well off to work for me..

~ Happy Tax Day ! ~

Just popping in to wish everyone a happy Tax Day! Did everyone do their taxes before today? Or are there some stragglers who are going to be rushing to the PO by midnight tonight? 

I got mine done last week and some of my family's too...well except for one my daughter's who had a hell of a time getting a measily W-2 form!  They gave her and me a huge runaround (who called them to say I was her tax preparer --hey it wasn't a lie...so I didn't tell them I was her mother too!).  They must have made it sound like they mailed at least 3 out!  But me thinks I smell a lie from them!  Anyway, luckily since i use an online tax software and all that is needed to E-file is the information from her last paycheck and the employer's iD #, we got it done. She was able to get their employer ID number from an employee, but wasn't until yesterday.  That's cutting it close!  Alot of aggravation but since she is to get back all the $$ fed tax taken out couldn't see any reason NOT to file.

Anyway that is done for yet another year. Happy to say we should be getting back a sizable refund thanks to the loss that Wood Stock took last year. That is all well and good but after reading the IRS's take on businesses, one must show a profit 3 out of the 5 years in biz and so far we are only 1 for 3.... Or may risk it being considered a 'Hobby', in which case from what I interpreted have to count all the income and can only take expenses on that Misc expense area of Schedule A that almost always gets drowned out by the % of income....so hoping this year will see a net profit, even if minor!

Well back to work for me...busy day as always.

 

Oh welll can't seem to get the picture to go in here :(

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