YELLED AT WITH LOVE

Yesterday, Richard went directly from work at 7:00 a.m. to the Speedway to watch qualifications for the Brickyard 400. It was overcast but not raining.

While waiting for him to come home and since it was around the time for Peaches to take a walk (about 1:00 p.m.), I decided not to wait for him to take her out but I’d do it myself. Since the temperature was only about 81 degrees and we would only be out for about 15 minutes I didn‘t see any harm to either of us.

We had just got home when Richard pulled into the garage and when he came upstairs, he was soaked with perspiration and red-faced hot (the truck‘s a/c is just about caput).

I told him he could go ahead and get cleaned up since I had already taken Peaches for her walk. He said “WHAT?? IN THIS GOD-AWFUL HEAT? YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS OUTSIDE IN THIS HEAT!!” I replied that I felt it was a little warm for 81 degrees and he then informed me that it was in fact, 89 degrees! I had apparently looked at a posted temperature that had not been current. No wonder I was very uncomfortable after only 15 minutes outside and Peaches was panting like mad. My bad.

Now, I don’t like being yelled at but if it’s because the person loves me and is concerned for my well-being, I can handle that!

Anyway, I had been unable to go to the Community Day celebration hosted by the Avon Marching Black and Gold the day before because of the heat. I understand that it was a huge success (even without me)!

So, be safe and stay as cool as you can!

THE LATEST

Thought I’d plaster the latest Goat photo for all of my misguided and disappointed oldnanny fans (and there are a bunch, poor sods). I also needed to do a little more grandparental bragging.

The reason for the big grin is that I have my left arm around one of my most favorite fellows; my 12-year-old grandson. We had just attended the final seasonal performance of the Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Greater Indianapolis in which he is a very gifted double bass musician.

By the way, he auditioned for and has been seated in the New World Orchestra which begins in September and is held at the headquarters of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Meanwhile, my 15-year-old granddaughter is starting another grueling season with the three-time Grand National Champion Avon Marching Black and Gold. It is her second season with the precision marching unit and is a gifted flautist and will start her Sophomore year at Avon High School this fall.

The foursome is looking forward to their trip to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl parade. It is Avon Marching Black and Gold’s first-ever invitation to participate. We are all so proud of both of these young people and the organizations they represent!

NEVER TOO OLD

I have been getting a real practical education this past week. Some of it has been self-taught, I might add.

My man B taught me the ins and outs of my plumbing/gas lines regarding the furnace, water heater and water softener. I now know what the five thousand valves are for and which lines are what and go where (not that I could ever repair them).

Since I had the compressor replaced on the refrigerator, the old gal just has not run the same. The periods of self-defrost were too long and the temperature controls had to be set too high in order to maintain the correct coolness inside. Something just was not right. I blamed it on the new compressor (they just don’t make things like they used to, blah, blah) and the owner’s manual they had given me had some very important sections missing which rendered it useless.

Yesterday, it hit me. I had read somewhere that if the OUTSIDE of the refrigerator felt warm to the touch, either the vents inside were blocked OR there was not enough air circulating around the outside of the unit. I put my hand on the outside top of the side of the old gal and she was cool to the touch where the freezer was but WARM to the touch at the middle and on down the side.

The certified yo-yo who worked on the compressor replacement had pushed her all the way back against the back wall and one side had barely ½ inch between her and the kitchen cabinets and counter. So, I put on my he-woman muscles and maneuvered her so that she now has at least 2 inches or more of space on all sides.

It only took me 2 or more years and plenty of chugging from her to find out what was wrong but she is now running the way Whirlpool had intended when she was manufactured. Sorry it took me so long, old gal!

By the way, I can also take a toilet tank off the stool, take it apart and put it back together. Learned that from my man B (or did I already know that from living in a cracker box for years?).

See, you’re never too old to learn new things (and my son thought I wouldn’t know who Amy Winehouse was)!

I ain’t as stoopid as I look!

THE INSTALLATION

Murphy has been hanging around the house since last week. Once the new water heater is installed, Murphy can get his butt on down the road!

Yesterday, the garbage disposal motor just hummed; not grinding anything. So, after locating the handy garbage disposal wrench and using it in the proper place, she was once again running and grinding. What next? I had a feeling that I shouldn’t have asked this question but at least, I knew how to fix that problem!

My man B arrived with my water heater at 10:00 a.m. today. We unpacked it only to find the top had been mashed on one side so back in the box it went and was taken to Lowes for an exchange. We unpacked the new one and it had not a scratch or dent.

The old heater had been placed on a four-legged sturdy metal stand which has to be hacked off 2 ½ inches since the new heater is too tall and this will be easier than relocating the pipes to the heater. The new heater sans the stand would have been too short. The old heater has been drained and disconnected and B is still hack-sawing away at the stand now so we’re not done yet! The outside temperature is rising as I write this and is supposed to be the hottest day of the week. At least, the garage is shaded and there’s a slight breeze.

After making a second trip to Lowes for some new washers and stuff I know nothing about, B is back at it again. The new heater is on the stand and is ready for hook-up. Looking good so far (quietly trying to stay out of his way, keeping fingers crossed and praying that Murphy has left the building).

It is 1:15 p.m. and the water is heating. The installation is 99% complete. The overflow pipe must be extended a few inches and then we can say goodbye to Murphy (hopefully). The old tank is on its way to the recycle shop.

BTW, Richard got the front brakes on the truck fixed this morning for half of what was quoted and was a reasonable amount. We are safe in that respect for the time being.

Thanks to my family and B, we can now breathe easy for a while.

BEEN THERE; DONE THAT!

Things break down, need repaired, replaced or just junked altogether. My list grows as time passes and it‘s just a matter of ‘what next?’.

The water heater has decided that she’s old enough not to have to work anymore, so she has developed incontinence. It started as a slow drip that will most definitely become worse over a short period of time. This started last Wednesday or so. This is positively the type of leak that indicates a new water heater is needed.

The stock we were planning to sell in order to put a decent down payment plus trade-in on a new vehicle has taken a nosedive. Now the front brakes must be replaced on the trade-in (Richard’s expense) in order to at least have safe transportation.

The heat wave we’ve been having has everyone praying to the a/c gods to keep the cool in our homes and businesses. My condo a/c runs almost constantly; the a/c in the truck puts out warm air at best. I went to the grocery at 8:30 this morning in order to beat the crowds and the worst of the heat. The store was practically empty but it was already hot outside.

In my earlier days, we went without water, sewer, electricity and transportation due to freezing and/or stormy weather. We have sweltered indoors without any a/c; just floor fans to shove the hot air around.

Now, I’m trying my hardest to look on the bright side. It’s not like things of this nature have never happened to us before and we made it then and we‘ll make it again.

Been there; done that!

SPIRIT LIFTING DAY!

Actually, I’ve had two spirit lifting days. The first was Saturday afternoon when for the first time, I had the privilege to attend a concert performed by the Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Greater Indianapolis of which my grandson is the youngest member and one of two double bass musicians. The orchestra is comprised of very talented young people from middle school age thru college.

The concert was held in the Arts Garden in downtown Indianapolis and the orchestra performed Mendelssohn - “Symphony No. 1, movement 1”, Bizet - “Carmen Suite No. 2, No. 11” and Brahms - “Symphony 3, movement III”. This is not your everyday ordinary rock and roll!

The performance was awesome, exciting and spirit lifting. We had a wonderful experience! We are all so proud of our young man!

In my last post I mentioned that we have been without a vehicle since Friday. Erin and Joe shuffled Richard to and from work for three days until we could get the truck into my favorite shop near home to let my favorite mechanic take a look at her today.

I’m a worrier and after much tossing and turning and half sleepless nights, we got the phone call I had been dreading this afternoon that the truck was ready to be picked up. When I asked what they had found, he said that indeed, one of the new plugs he had installed last November was miss-firing. When I asked “How much do I owe you?” he replied “Nothing”! Now, how often do you hear those magic words?

But that’s not all, folks. The airbag light that had been flashing for months was now operating normally and of course, the check engine light was no longer making an ugly appearance on the instrument panel and she was purring like a kitten! Another spirit lifting day!

So, a big “thank you” to God and the person(s) who walk in the footsteps of the Angels who watch over me. You make my spirit soar!

I HATE THAT!

Richard took the truck into the shop to get an O2 sensor replaced this morning. Accorging to the diagnostics run Monday, she needed the sensor to run smoothly again. So, that’s what she got. She is still running like she’s on a washboard surface and hasn’t enough umph to go on. Richard, meanwhile running low on cash, came on home with the truck doing a sick cha cha.

I kept praying that she would last just a little bit longer; to please not give up the ghost until we were in a better position to trade her in on a new SUV. The truck gods didn’t listen and she is on her last spark.

Richard needs a ride to and from work which is being provided by my son-in-law, Joe. My grandson plays a concert tomorrow afternoon in downtown Indianapolis and I have to grab a ride with the foursome. What is really bugging me about not having a vehicle is having to depend on others for anything. I hate that!

I guess I’m going to have to quit being so all-fired independent and learn that I have a family who will go out of their way to help me. For this, I am truly grateful.

Now, where did I put those money tree seeds?