So I know I told you about the Foamy Elmo Soap and the dog bed they used as insulation in the attic at one spot, but I think I can top that now! Anyone feel like bowling?!
There are bushes outside of the kitchen window, between the house and the patio leading up to the pool. They are green, but other than that, they don't really do much for me. Mostly they just grow and are starting to get high enough that I can't see the pool when I am sitting at the counter. So the choice then boils down to trimming them down so I can have smaller, still nondescript bushes, or taking them out. So of course in my "go big or go home" motto, I decide it's time for them to go. There are a million things I can see there next year - an herb garden, a flower garden, maybe even nice, tidy cuter bushes that stay small. But step one is to get them out and I will figure out what to plant next spring.
So armed with an electric hedge trimmer, some pruning shears, a small chain saw, a shovel, a rake and a pair of gloves, I get to work. Decided that if I take them out low and more intact that they will be easier to cart off than if I have a million small pieces. (Had my first trip to the local landfill yesterday!!!) So I am working, working, working....... stop to drink a Gatorade .... work some more, and suddenly, there is an unidentified strange blue object just barely visible next to the base of a bush. In this house I have learned to expect the unexpected but this one is strange. Heck for all I know it's an unexploded bomb! (maybe that wouldn't be so bad and we'll just start over!). So after clearing away around it, I grab the shovel and gently get underneath it. No ticking sound ...... no explosions ...... I get it out only to discover it's a bowling ball! Are you kidding me?! Just how on earth does a bowling ball get into the middle of a huge area of bushes. Oh yeah - they had a whole flock of boys who lived here, that's how! I sent a text to a friend with the comment that I wished these walls could talk, but she answered back that it probably wouldn't be rated G! I told her that my guess is right about now it's actually breathing a sigh of relief!
So yes, we will add a bowling ball to the list of continuing oddities about the house! It's blue, kind of lightweight and judging from the finger holes, belonged to someone small. There's even an "extra" hole so either the owner had an odd hand, something went horribly wrong or one of the boys grabbed it out of a dumpster. Any of those three are possible! I cleaned it up and I will be keeping the ball. No, not to bowl with but as a conversation piece! I think it should fit nicely on one of those gazing ball stands!
So let's see, ..... what else. I got back from Mom's in time to get a call that they wanted to come over and reconnect my broken duct in the attic! Hooray! So it's hooked back up now and they added a relay switch to the fan that was running 24/7 so that it SHOULD now only run when the heater is on. I am officially done with trying to cool down Wichita singlehandedly! It's not like I was doing a very good job of it anyway. The new compressor got put in the freezer side of the fridge. Hooray! My roofers finally came over and took out the old non-working attic fans and put in two new ones the electrician had left. He comes Monday to hook them up. Hooray! The trash compactor got delivered and I am just waiting for the technician to come take out the old nasty one that scares me in a really horrible way and put the new one in. Hooray!
It was actually nice for several days, so I was able to get out in the yard and do some yard work! It's definitely good for the soul to get dirt under your fingernails! Pulled tons of weeds, cleaned up some flower beds. Hopefully this weekend I can get some mulch added to some of them and the place can at least look a little better! I am not going to plant anything, just perk it up.
So everything is looking up, right?! Well, not so fast! This morning as I am getting some hot water from the instant hot water dispenser, the handle comes off in my hand and I can't shut off the scalding hot water! Luckily there was an easily accessible shut off valve under the sink. After a little detective work on my part and a phone call to the company, turns out the unit is new (Feb. 2011) and still under warranty. They gave me a number to call and no more than an hour later a service man was at the door. Looks like I will add "hot water dispenser" to my list of new stuff!
Still feeling good, I go outside to check the progress of the installation of my new garage doors. I must admit, they are beautiful and it is money well spent on this! Went with a steel door that looks like wood, so you get the look and no maintenance! Love, love, love how it turned out! But wait, what is that awful sound around the side of the house?! Yup ..... it's the air conditioner. It sounds hideous and is so loud that if I were to try to carry on a conversation I am not sure I could! I go inside, it's a bit warmer than I expected in the house but not awful so watch it for a few hours. Sure enough..... it's not cooling well. At 6 p.m. it was 105 degrees outside and 84 inside the house. "Hello?..... Home warranty?......... I need someone to come look at my air conditioner!!! Again!" Hopefully I won't have to wait TOO long.
So I spent today finishing cleaning up the aforementioned bowling ball flower bed. Hey, if it's warm in the house I might as well be warm outside and get something done! All deep roots and minor stumps are gone, years of decaying leaves are bagged and all that awaits is whatever I chose to do to it next spring. It will give me something to plan this winter when I am in the house - probably freezing and dressed in layers because the heater won't work!
And on that note, I will close for tonight. The other major event for the week was an energy audit that I had done on Tuesday. Three super nice young men spent a couple of hours at my house going over the whole place and checking out all kinds of things like insulation, energy usage, outside construction, etc. While I don't have the full report yet, it should be very enlightening. Probably in a very scary sort of way, but enlightening. I will save that for another day to try to explain to you. First I will have to figure it out myself!
So happy weekend everyone! Here's to cooler temperatures, no surprises and time spent with those you love!
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