The Laughing Wolf

An Interesting Time

The work on the Lair proceeds, but there have been a few hiccups that are making me growl a bit. The first was a gamble on my part that I could sand the floors with just an orbital sander, and not a belt. Bad bet, which means a third again the cost but the good news is that the oak under the living room carpet is beautiful -- with the stain and such off.

Making it a very interesting time was discovering about 0500 Saturday morning that I had apparently gotten food poisoning somewhere in the preceding couple of days. Removing carpet, padding, staples,sanding and other work was stop and go, to put it mildly. I had a bit of help from a neighbor on Saturday with staple and tack strip removal, thank goodness. Sunday saw me feeling a lot better, even when I realized that a belt sander was needed. Monday, however, saw problems return with a vengeance almost before I finished eating breakfast. The yard and back pasture yard had to be mowed, however, so I did it. Not fun, but what had to be done was done. The house yard takes somewhere between a half hour and an hour, and the back between one to two hours to mow. Getting better, finding smarter ways, but doing so sick and in the hot sun was interesting. That which could wait, did. Even some that really shouldn't wait, did.

Monday afternoon found me in bed, running a fever, and not happy at being a true redneck. The sunburn, caused by feeling so bad and out of it that I forgot to put on my sunscreen, was minor compared to the rest. Today included a visit to the doctor, and some help. Not with the obvious, for one of the best things to do in such a case is let your body get stuff out, but with an antibiotic. Today has also included naps, and I feel another one coming on.

So, I am feeling better though running behind on things. I wish a couple more people understood that it is not the nice-to-do's I am sweating right now, but the have-to-do's. The floors have to be finished, pref. by this weekend. The remaining trim work in the bedroom, living room, dining room, and solarium have to be done now if they are to be done at all -- and that is a have to do in my book. Aside from some work in the kitchen, almost everything else is a nice-to-do and can and will be done in time. Quite frankly, I am about ready to smack the next person who complacently tells me that it can all wait...

Further good news comes in that I found someone who took all the carpet and padding. I put them out as a mock yard sale, and ended up agreeing to let them have it for free. Yep, they had to bargain real hard on that one...

Oh, I also got up a mailbox during all this as well. And tilled and planted a garden. Where once was lawn is now a 15x15 plot filled with herbs, tomato, eggplant, peppers, and more. Plastic chicken wire is up to discourage the bunnies too... Couple of other things got done, but those are the major.

Sorry to bore you, but this is about all (aside from eating yogurt) that I feel up to right now.

LW