Wednesday, March 24, 2021

This has been a cloudy, cool day on the prairie. We didn’t get any more rain but it looked like it was going to rain most of the day. The sun broke through the clouds occasionally but it never cleared up completely. It was only in the low 50’s today so it was damp and cool today.

I went into town and painted for two hours today. I got the first coat of the kitchen walls done. I really like the color and will be anxious to get the second coat on it. It felt good to get some more painting done today. I need to get a better ladder – the one I am using is too short and the paint bucket is too far from where I need it to be. The other ladder we have is too tall and heavy.

I took a nap this afternoon and when I got up we went into Emporia and delivered cookies that I had made this morning to Tagen and Jason. Jim stopped and got a replacement windshield wiper for the rear window on the Mazda while we were in town.

I fixed Jim burritos for dinner and I had a hamburger. I am still feeling a bit tired and needed something that was quick and easy to fix. Although most nights I only do quick and easy these days.

The furnace guy came and he discovered the leak is from the water booster pump and not the furnace. Damn. I get to pay the furnace guy for a service call and now get to pay the plumber to come out and fix the booster pump. The booster pump is two years old so hoping it is still under warranty.

The door guy texted me and let me know he has ordered the heavy screen for the screen door at this house. He is going to be in Cottonwood Falls on Monday so will stop by the new house and check out the door to the metal building then.

I called the electrician and we are on their pending list. They will call the day before they can come and couldn’t give me an estimate as to when that might be. Guess it will happen when it happens.

I have a shift on the hot line tonight. I was too tired to get on it last night. When I was up in the middle of the night for three hours I checked the hot line and they had 20 volunteers working and 125 people waiting. I didn’t get on and should have.

Tomorrow I take my car in for an oil change at 10:00. If it is nice I will walk to the new house and paint while they change the oil. If it is rainy I will just wait and then drive to the new house and paint for a bit when they are done. I need to be home before 1:00 as Jim has his class and he likes me here in case he runs into computer problems.

Our internet cut out again today. Damn it anyways. I will have to call them tomorrow and see what they want to do. I don’t think he tested the new router after he discovered the other one was bad. Not impressed with their routers.

We don’t have anything on our schedule for the weekend so hoping I can get lots more painting done. I need Jim to come down and take off the upper level kitchen cabinet doors so I can get them painted and get the inside of the cupboards painted. I think I have decided to replace all the hardware and get some that will all be the same color. They have four different types and colors of hardware on the cabinets now. I may also add cabinet knobs to give the cupboards a fresh look. I was looking on-line and got too confused with all the different choices. I may have to go shopping in person to find what I want.

I also decided to add a tile backsplash above the kitchen sink and two sets of cabinets. The wall is in bad shape and the backsplash will cover it nicely. I need to call the tile company and get on their schedule to get that work done.

I sure would love to get the kitchen cabinets and kitchen woodwork painted by the end of the weekend. Not sure that can happen but that is my goal. The other rooms will go much faster – cabinets take a long time to paint it seems. I also realized today the ceiling will need painted. I hate painting ceilings but it needs done.

Jim wants to come up and make a room-by-room list of things that need done. That will help both of us organize the work and decide who is doing what and I can get outside help for some of the projects started. It sure seems to take a long time to get contractors in to do the jobs.

The keys I had made did not work. I need to go to my key people downtown and get a key made. I should have done that today when we were delivering cookies and didn’t think about it. I need to get my handyman a key so he can get started.

Jim got both cars unloaded this afternoon. Not sure where he put the treasures he brought back with him. I think most of it went down in the basement. His other house is starting to look a bit lighter but there is still a lot of stuff left to bring here yet.

We got our stimulus money as promised today. I put it in savings so I will have the money to pay the state estimated tax later this year. It is nice to have the money come in to cover that tax bill. Still waiting on the OK state tax refund. There was a change in the tax law after our accountant did our taxes and we will be getting an additional federal tax refund too. The accountant was waiting on the software update before he can amend our tax return file for that refund.

I got the final invoice from the dumpster people and we did not exceed our weight limit so their was no additional charge. That was good news. I can finally cross that item off my to-do list. It seems most days I add to my to-do list many more items then I get to cross off.

Tomorrow afternoon I need to bake Jim some more cookies. His supply is low. Maybe I can do that while he is teaching his class.

I can’t wait until Easter and being able to fix a Thanksgiving Easter dinner for two of my three kids. It will be such a delight to have them here for a meal. It has been over a year since we made that happen.

Grateful for the painting that I got done today, grateful to get to see Tagen and Jason for a hot minute today, and grateful to cross something off my growing to-do list.