Tag Archives: housekeeping-maintenance

June 7, 2024 · 10:46 am

Is This OUR Driveway?

We have had to wait so long to have our driveway repaired that we got USED to bumping up and down, trying to drive around the worst spots, etc. We also got USED to the greenery almost forming a tunnel overhead, scraping the sides of the truck as we went up or down. The driveway was getting narrower by the day. We finally saved up the money to get the repair done, and then couldn’t find anyone to DO it! :0(

“Big Joe” and “Little Joe” Comer work together in Greenwood and the surrounding area and have for years. Our friend Bud Nelson recommended them and they did a fine job, even having to work around Mother Nature, who was constantly bringing not only rain, but severe weather. We now have a really good base of the chat the city uses on the streets.

When we got that done, Little Joe told us about a man who works with them, Johnny, who calls himself “The Tree Man,” who could help us with all the greenery that was trying to bury us. He came, gave us an estimate, and was here the next morning working. He brought another man the second day (yesterday) and they finished.

I can’t believe this is OUR driveway. It looks so civilized! You simply drive down or up without bumping or being jostled from side to side. There is nothing scraping the truck on the sides or on the top. HOOORAY!

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May 19, 2024 · 3:41 pm

Unexpected Job Today

GE Profile French Door Side by Side Fridge with bottom freezer

We bought this in 2007 and have loved it. I like the fact I can move some of the shelves up or down a bit to accommodate a weird size of something. It has two pull-out bins for produce and one full-size ‘deli’ pull-out tray with a lid. Each of these has a separate temperature control for those who know what they are doing – or THINK they do. (Like me :0) )

Lately we’ve been having trouble pulling out the deli-tray bin. It’s like it was STUCK on something or had something behind the tray.

We went grocery shopping earlier today. As always, I tried to do at least a quick clean out of the fridge, adding things to the shopping list as I do. When we got home and were putting things away, I noticed water in the bottom of the two produce bins. I pulled them out to dump the water out. When I did that, my husband decided to see if he could pull the top off the deli tray and get the tray out. He did get the top off, but couldn’t figure out how to get the tray out.

I pulled the tray part out as far as I could and we could then see that under the deli tray was ICE – a THICK layer of ice from one side of the fridge to the other. I couldn’t find an ice pick, so took my hammer and used it and the claw part to loosen some of the ice. I then spent about half an hour chipping, hammering and clawing ice out from under the tray. I cleaned the bottom as well as I could and dried it, and the tray now slides easily. We got the top back on, and the produce bins back in. I started the dishwasher and announced I was going to take a break and relax and drink cold water. I’m STILL over-heated from all the labor involved. It’s amazing how hard it is to loosen a thick sheet of ice and that many, many trips back and forth with bowls of ice and then the clean up wears an old person to a frazzle.

We have no clue why we had the problem, but it looked like it had been building up for a LONG time.

Now the afternoon is half gone and all I’ve done today is hard boil some eggs, get the fridge cleaned out of the ice, put the groceries away and run the dishwasher. I haven’t touched my to-do list for the day or done any exercising, other than standing on my head to clean the ice out of the fridge.

I’ll rest a bit and see if my energy comes back as my temperature decreases.

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May 11, 2024 · 12:51 pm

Help is on the Way!

Green Driveway

This image gives you an ‘idea’ of our driveway, though this one only shows what amounts to 1/4 of the length and steepness of ours. Ours also doesn’t have any of the egg crate stuff shown here. Ours is STEEP, 650+ feet, gravel, rutted from all the rain, worse and worse as you get closer to the street, etc.

Last year we got an estimate for repair. We had a couple of people who worked together. The guy who would have done the work had his equipment burn up – down to the ground. So the project was essentially delayed until further notice. Well, further notice never happened, so we have started over.

At the beginning of the week a friend of ours recommended a guy and his dad. He said the younger man did the hauling of materials and his dad did the actual work. I called and left a message on his home phone – the only number I could find for him.

Today he called my cell and left a message that he had just gotten the message. I now have his cell phone number, the one he uses all the time. :0)

He and his dad – BOTH named Joe Comer (they are called “Joe” and “Little Joe” in Greenwood) texted me that they could come today. They have just left.

It looks like they can help us! We accepted the estimate for the materials and the work. They will try to be here next Friday, May 17th, (weather permitting) or the following Monday to do the work. HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!!!

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August 9, 2023 · 11:54 am

We Prevailed!

Vintage Hardware and Lighting

We just finished changing out the fluorescent tubes for LED T8 tubes and rewiring the fixture in my art room. We had the easiest time yet, with absolutely no problems – no accidents, no harsh words, no bloodshed. :0)

I spent yesterday afternoon moving stuff out of the way and putting the ladder under the fixture so it would be ready. I did well because the ladder went right where he needed it to work as comfortably as possible.

After we did that – in record time – I showed him one of the lights that is attached to my drafting table. In moving the table a bit to get it out of the way, I broke the plastic thingie that the light fits into in order to attach to the table. :0(

Thankfully, we had another one in the shop. I was able to put the replacement part on myself – with some fumbling around – but he doesn’t need to know that.

This afternoon I’ll work on getting my art room back together. If I can get that done, I’ll continue working on the Christmas presents for my friends, sort my new marker collection, and more!

Since it’s raining off and on, this is a good ‘stay-at-home-and-be-happy-we’re-dry’ day.

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November 22, 2022 · 9:16 am

One of Today’s Projects 11-22-2022

This pile of bricks is part of a big group that we bought when we needed to replace two brick planters that were failing. These are the leftovers from that project and have been sitting here for several years now. We weed whack around them. We mow around them. They are an eyesore – one of the first things you see when you get to the top of our driveway.

True to form what bothers one person doesn’t bother another. While this pile of bricks has been grating on my nerves for quite some time now, my husband doesn’t even see it anymore. When I talked to him about our relocating the bricks, he was totally uninterested. Since I’M the one this bothers, I’ll do something about it – TODAY.

There is a spot between the far end of this trio of brick planters and one of our firewood holders. This would be out of the way and mostly out of sight. I’ll use the wheelbarrow and see if I can get these moved this morning.

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August 30, 2022 · 3:43 pm

One Fridge Clean

itsokaytobeweird

I’m feeling pretty good right now. I just finished cleaning my kitchen fridge.

LG Fridge

This one looks a lot like ours, except the outside of ours is black.

I took everything out, took out and scrubbed all the drawers, wiped everything down with a bleach-based cleaner, then went through everything, throwing away outdated stuff, ‘old’ stuff, and – I have to admit – stinky or gooey stuff.

I’m now using the pull-out drawer that runs all the way across the bottom for the few meats and more cheeses that we have. I’m using the two drawers above for fresh produce – one for salad and cooking veggies and the other for fresh fruit.

It’s easy to see where things are without having to dig down, and – nicely – it’s easy to reach things and get them out without any difficulty.

My husband came in to get a drink while I was working and said, “Wow.”

So – YEAH. Wow. (It’s about time. )

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September 17, 2021 · 12:47 pm

The Agony of Defeat

Healthshots

We had carefully scheduled for the garage door technician to come between 12:00 and 2:00 today to install the door seal we couldn’t install ourselves.

JUST as we were getting ready to leave for Lunch Bunch, the tech called, saying he was on his way. My husband said he would stay home to meet him.

When I got home after Lunch Bunch and errands, there was no seal on the garage door. My husband said the tech was unable to install it but said he could order one for us. It would be $354 plus labor plus tax. My husband said, “No,” and paid him the $50 for the service call.

I have now written an email to the online store from which we got the door seal, asking if we can return it.

So we’re wincing a bit from

  1. the fact we bought the wrong seal from Yeagers and had to return it,
  2. couldn’t install the seal we ordered on the net,
  3. may be out the $75 we paid for the Internet seal,
  4. paid $50 for a service call that had no results
  5. and have decided that we will try to ignore the fact we have no seal on our garage door.

Definitely a case of one hesitant, but well -meaning step forward and SEVERAL irritating steps back.

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September 11, 2021 · 12:11 pm

Housekeeping

Rebel Circus – Amazon.com

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January 16, 2021 · 9:24 am

Clean Digs

I finally took the time needed to clean out the aquarium yesterday afternoon, providing a huge sigh of relief for my fish. I was a couple of days late this time and their water and tank really needed my attention.

When I got everything back together – all squeaky clean – the fish checked everything out avidly, noting the differences in decorations, but mainly looking to see if I gave them extra food. They got in the corner, blowing bubbles at me and wriggling their bodies, and I caved, as usual, and gave them a bit extra.

I have decided that the AquaClear system is the best filter system for my 5 gallon tank. I use the ’20’ size. I’ve tried all kinds of things, since I was having to clean out the tank and provide fresh water WAAAAAY too often – my research baldly stated that gold fish take pride in being champion poopers and messing up whatever container they are in.

The AquaClear system is a 3-piece system with the large part of the filter hanging outside the tank, giving the fish more room to swim around unimpeded. There is a block of foam, a charcoal filter bag, and finally a ‘bio bag’ that fit together to filter the water. I think I average once a month now on cleaning out the tank – a MUCH better thing than once a week!

I smile every time I go past the tank, with the happy fish and sparkling clean water…

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