Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Cindy - love all your photos and travel posts.
betrayal - happy belated birthday. Your meal sounds divine!!
I come from Irish Protestant roots! Yep we were ousted! Back in the day.Yay. Much cooler today. A bit too cool but if it means rain I’ll take it. The forecast near Port Alberni ( inland Vancouver Island) is now at 3,406 Hectares and out of control. Desperately need a number of days rain. This fire started Aug 11!
Our air quality is still clear on the south tip of the Island but I know the smoke has gone over to the Mainland. Pray for lots of rain and no thunderstorms!
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Happy Birthday Betrayal!
Chris - you're on the money with the English and the Irish. When we were booking our trip, our companion traveler was fast to point out areas that we were not going to stay.
Today was check out and drive. We went into Donegal to spend a few hours - shopping, eating lunch, and touring.
I tried to show as much as possible. The Abby Graveyard and the Donegal Castle. I’m using WhatsApp and sending photos to family through it. Then I took screen shots to hopefully save me time and show you more.
The weather has cooled down to low 70’s. Which is good for traveling. We didn’t need a jacket today but will probably need one tomorrow with a high of 69.
Everyone be well!
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Cindy - love the photos. I noticed the town of Killybegs on the road sign. For some reason this name just makes me giggle. I had to look it up. Apparently the Irish name is Na Cealla Beaga meaning ‘little cells’, in reference to monastic settlements (source: Wikipedia). I am Irish/German Catholic. When we were in Belfast 3 years ago we took a “Black Cab” tour of the area to better understand the English / Irish and Protestant / Catholic divide. It was a fascinating tour.
Canarycat - happy to hear you are getting cooler weather. One can only hope it brings rain and can at least partially douse the fires. While ChiSandy has had torrential rains, I’m in the suburbs of Chicago and the rain has managed to completely miss us.
Carole - how is the weather in MN? Your bike ride sounded great.
Taco - is your weather blistering hot as well?
Betrayal - your birthday dinner sounds yummy.
A pretty quiet week in my life. Housecleaning, laundry, errands and some exercise. Worked out at the gym yesterday. School started this week so the gym seemed empty without the high school students. Just retired folks like me were working out. Today we went for an hour hike in a local park. Temps were mid 80’s and the trail is over 50% shaded. While the shade was wonderful, the plentiful trees hold in the humidity so we were drenched in sweat by the end. I finished the Portugal photo book and sent in the Shutterfly order. I’ve still got a 2019 trip to Iceland to do and then I will be caught up until the next vacation.
Happy Friday to all!
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Ziggy says what’s that noise outside?? It’s raining. ☔️
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Happy birthday, betrayal! Sounds like you had a great dinner.
Cindy, I actually dreamed we were talking and when you mentioned you'd be in the Cork area (which I don't recall you mentioning, since it's the opposite end of the country) I suggested driving to Kinsale and eating at Fishy Fishy. Dreams are getting more and more realistic!
Yesterday we headed over to the house to await the junk hauler. When the team arrived, they discovered that the old Norge was so big (even with the doors removed) they couldn't get it up the basement stairs and turn it so they could get it out the side door. We suspect that's why the previous owner left it (and perhaps it was from their previous owner)! Fortunately, about that time the contractor's liaison came over to collect the demo lien refund check, and our landscaper arrived to begin installing the LEDs on our backyard magnolia. Between the four of them, they finally discovered that if they laid the fridge on its side they could pivot it just enough to make it to the landing and out the door. Kept flashing back to that old "Friends" episode with the couch ("pivot, pivot, pivot!").
Carrie (my HK) really does know the house better than I do—she noticed several pieces of furniture had been tagged as coming from the wrong rooms. She agreed that rather than dry-clean the old drapes & swags, better to chuck them and shop next week for new ones, as well as a couple of rugs. She did remark, as I'm beginning to realize, that the contractor lowballed us on fixtures—especially the back door & its storm door. They discarded the old ones, including an expensive Pella metal one with blinds integrated into the windowpane and a storm door with sliding screen & pane. IMHO, they were salvageable. These new ones are flimsy builder-grade wood (I can't get a magnetic mini-blind for it like we have up here in the rental); the storm door barely latches, lacks a lock and is almost cardboard-thin; the kitchen door is actually splintering around the edge of the deadbolt! The kitchen cabinets are way too tall (upper shelves are useless) and lack the features my old ones did: no on-door spice rack, sliding drawers or trash-can holders in the lower cabinets. The faucet in the picture the contractor mailed me was a Delta; what he installed was a Glacier Bay copy; my garbage disposal had been an In-Sink-Er-Ator, (which could have been saved) but he installed a Glacier Bay there too. (I think he gets a discount or kickback from Menard's). The vented range hood is premium…but that's because I bought it myself. He installed tile backsplash behind only the sink. He had to re-hang my pot rack but it was still too high: the old kitchen ceiling had a fascia from which it hung but now it's just flat wall. (I had to spring for a lower one that hangs from it so I can access pots & pans without a ladder). The new tile in the first floor bathroom seemed "etched" because we tried but couldn't mop away what looked like tracked-in dirt. He also removed the switch for the exhaust fan and replaced it with a single GFCI. We have one fewer outlet in the kitchen than before. And for some reason, he didn't put a GFCI in the master bathroom—I had to buy a plug-in one. At least the countertops are real black granite, not engineered stone.
I didn't notice these things at first—I was too preoccupied with making the contractor & plumber fix the sloppy paint job and needlessly "switched" outlets (useless for plugging in TVs & electronics). Also, the delay getting everything done before 6/30 (when State Farm stopped paying rent up here, costing us $8500/mo for July & August). I could kick myself for not taking photos during pack-out, but the restoration company's pack-out crew did…then someone stole their camera! (And I couldn't hang around to document everything because my lungs couldn't handle the residual smoke smell).
When I kept mentioning this to the contractor liaison, he kept telling me to stop worrying, we wouldn't be homeless, etc. He originally promised us that the restoration would give us a new interior, but I noticed discrepancies between the proposal punch list and what was actually done (e.g., per code the deck was supposed to be replaced, but they ended up just painting it—one board that was loose pre-fire is still loose). They were supposed to paint all the exterior window trim and stucco on the damaged wall, but they claimed it wasn't included and I had to pay them for it. They removed the wallpaper in both bathrooms and just used the same color paint throughout the house.. True, we hadn't painted the interior or exterior in over 35 years, but some molding detail is gone and some of what had been plaster is now drywall. I sent a text to the liaison tonight and after he chided me for not complaining earlier (again, I had more pressing concerns with major infrastructural stuff), he promised to meet with me next week (I'll be there every day for more pack-in & deliveries). To add insult to injury, the contractor's crew chief (who speaks English) had to fly to Poland to attend to his dying mom—and the other crew members speak only Polish (the liaison can translate for them).
I suspect I will be retrofitting a helluva lot over the next year or so. I'm sure one of the factors behind being lowballed was that insurers are getting stingier and stingier after all the natural-disaster damage they're dealing with these days. We were able to renew our policy for this year but I wouldn't be surprised if we get blackballed afterwards—it's happening all over nowadays.
I unpacked and placed my musical instruments…but some are still missing, Major pack-in starts this morning, and rund Monday & Tuesday. Carrie goes home Thursday morning.
Bit of advice: document every room in your home before there's a disaster, so you can have an accurate picture of exactly how to replace it with stuff of at least as high quality.
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I am so shocked and saddened by the death of Jackie. She will be greatly missed.
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I bought a little cabin in North Carolina. I just now got the internet hooked up.
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The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
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Belated Happy Birthday, Betrayal. Your meal sounds like a great celebration. I think Jackie would love your quotes.
Congratulations on buying your cabin, Petite. I hope you have fun with it.
Glad you're getting your needed rain, Canarycat.
Hoping for good progress on your moving into your house, Sandy. Life is definitely an adventure.
It's yucky looking outside this morning. I can "see" the humidity. I plan to drive to town this morning to Hugo's Supermarket and buy ribeyes that are on sale. They will still be pricey and they're actually too large. DH and I share a ribeye and we won't be able to eat all of one of these. BUT we like thick-cut steaks and these are definitely that.
You're a good traveler, Cindy. Thanks for sharing some of your experiences.
I'm still missing Jackie. Her presence was quiet but strong.
Hi to anyone not mentioned. Have a good Friday.
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carole, I wish I had access to the sources Jackie had for quotes. I loved seeing them and while I am not her, I 'd like to try to continue her tradition in her memory. I hope they bring the same joy to others, as they had to me. It would be tough to try to replace her.
canarycat, love your photos and weather reports for Victoria. Our cruise to Alaska will take us there for a late day visit. I wish we had more time there since there used to be a shipping container shop that sold the best fish and chips. We will be having high tea at the Pendray Mansion. It is our next to last stop on the trip. We had the pleasure of visiting the Butchart Gardens there and they were beautiful.
petite1, thank you for the birthday wishes. I love your new cabin and hope you can enjoy your new hideaway. Can you tell us more about it?
intolight, thank you for the birthday wishes.
I was talking to my BFF about how we have fared with aging yesterday. She is lucky in that she has not had to deal with any major health issues, and sees a PCP annually as her only medical care. Her mother lived to be 97, and prior to a fall where she broke her elbow, was still driving and with no cognitive impairments. She's hoping she can do the same.
Sandy, I read the punch list provided to the restoration company (all 25 pages) for the details of what was being replaced, etc. I told them that the cost for some items was not sufficient to replace/repair according to what I had so they would have to make adjustments. An example would be the door knobs for the primary bedroom, the primary bath and its closet. I had replaced them with Baldwin Brass and they were trying to replace them with cheap brass looking ones from Home Depot. I squelched that and the same for the curtain rods for this room and one other bedroom. I was able to order exact replacements and was able to recycle one from the primary bedroom to another. I was reimbursed for bedding, and other items that I did not let them replace because I knew it would not be equivalent to what I had. Did you not have a say about the paint color(s) they used? I had to have several rooms repainted. I keep records of when a room was painted, the color and paint company #, so I was able to supply this to the painting crew and they bought the pain to apply. I only use Sherwin Williams or Behr for walls and Benjamin Moore white for window trim and baseboards (it doesn't yellow over time) and was able to get this approved. Benjamin Moore is expensive, but so is the labor and if it lasts, I don't have to repaint as often. This has been a real slog for you and I hope you can find new drapes and rugs to update your home.
harley07, your exercise regimen is remarkable. Love how you create books of your trip photos. DH makes DVS's and sets some to music.
Today is sunny, but hot at 83 degrees with humidity well into the 90's so no outdoors for me today. My medicine closet could use a cleanout which means I most likely will rearrange the large closet I have in there. When we moved here there was this tiny closet in the primary bedroom bath and the hall bath had only base cabinet storage. When we replaced the bathrooms we had large cabinets with 5 drawers that slide out in the bottom and the top has shelving to store towels, etc. installed in each room. Essentially they are pantries (closets). They gave us more space for storage, but also have a tendency to become cluttered. So it will be productive to sort through each drawer and declutter.
Waving hello to anyone not mentioned and hope everyone has a great day.
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Harley, one of our travel companions has a friend who was in prison, in H block. He gives walking tours, which we took in 2023. Quite eye opening.
Petite, I love your little cabin! Perfect to get out of the Florida summer heat and serious weather season.
Sandy, demand the Delta faucet. I had one of the other brand and within a year I tossed it for a Delta. Can’t beat them. For your back door - I’d see if any photos you have from grilling out there show your door with the blinds inside; proof that the cheap thing they’re trying to pass off is a hard no. The deck - hells bells, call the building inspector to see if it meets code; I’m pretty sure they said it wouldn’t. You’ll need a vacation on a deserted island when this is finished!
Today we went up along the Wild Atlantic Way. Another beautiful sunny day, about mid 70’s I’d guess.
There is water way out there, need to zoom.
Grianan of Ailigh is a circular fort - the views are spectacular, we could see for miles.
Inch Island beach. It was so warm locals were sunning themselves and jumping in for a swim. I opted for a walk and some sea shells.
This piece is in the middle of a rotary near where we’re staying.
And that’s it for today. Tomorrow I hope to see some waterfall on our way up to Doagh, a famine village. I think it’s going to be quite the drive up and back. Fingers crossed for continued good weather here and back in the states.
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In memory of Jackie:
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betrayal the Pendray is great!!! I take friends there when they want a fun high tea experience. Enjoy your Alaska trip.
We still have rain though it’s stopped for a bit. The Tour de Victoria bike race is on in this blah weather. Hope no one gets injured.
Miss Tipper is in the catio. She loves her fresh air but prefers sunshine. All the tents are in the no rain zone. Haha.
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Petite, gorgeous cabin! Enjoy it as the perfect escape.
Betrayal et al, I am beyond furious but it's partly my fault because I relied on our "public adjuster" (who swooped in even as the CFD was still on-site, but I didn't sign the contract with them until I checked out their stellar reviews on BBB). The public adjuster runs interference between insured and insurance company, as well as works with the restoration project mgr. and hires the contractor. I didn't know any better, and now I may have to sue (of course, I have no shortage of colleagues who do this kind of litigation and do it well).
I am indebted to Carrie, our ex-HK, who flew up to help with the pack-in—guiding the restoration guys as to what goes where. We still have two days (and truckloads) to go on that. I wish she hadn't retired and moved south a month before the fire, as she is extremely experienced with this sort of thing: in 2012, her house caught fire when the crack house next door did and the flames jumped the gangway, destroying that side of her house (structurally). She had to have a "gut job" done, but was back in only 9 months. She, like we, had State Farm—and her "public adjuster" was also on-site while the CFD was still working. BUT her public adjuster was on the North Side (ours is in Hinsdale, out in the west 'burbs) and her restoration company is up here in Glenview (ours is in the far south 'burbs). Her public adjuster & project mgr. kept her apprised constantly, having her meet with the contractor and architect. She & her DH were able to drop in unannounced to monitor progress. State Farm used direct-deposit to reimburse them, but our idiot State Farm adjuster insisted on paper checks (sometimes sent to the wrong address—we couldn't access our home over the winter—and one was even stolen and so had to be stopped, reissued and sent here to Lincolnwood). By contrast, our project mgr seemed AWOL and every time I asked him & the public adjuster for progress reports, all they could say was that city permit process was very slow (true) and they were "on it." As I mentioned earlier, the city inspector finally OK'ed the house and issued the Certificate of Occupancy in June—turns out, the house was still not habitable except as perhaps for "indoor camping." The paint job (even before I learned this week it was with the wrong type of paint) and some electrical work was, respectively, sloppy and incorrect.
The biggest mistake Carrie pointed out is the worst and likely to make us wait till mid-Sept to move back: they used flat paint for the walls & ceilings throughout—even in the kitchen and baths. I did not know this, as the last time we painted our decorator (who has since moved away after a dispute and gone under) knew exactly what type to use and who to apply it (the "Jesus People" who were far more competent than I expected)—and it lasted perfectly for 37 years until the fire. She had chosen Benjamin Moore inside & out, eggshell for kitchen, satin for bathrooms, which is why it held up so well for so long. The 3 Stooges (old Polish guys, not disparaging ethnicity or age but just inexperience and language barrier) apparently bought the cheapest contractor-grade flat paint in bulk. We were given the ability to choose paint color, carpeting, cabinet style ("white Shaker") and countertop (black granite)—but were not informed as to brand or type of paint, as it wasn't on our dime (like it had been 37 years ago) but on State Farm's. I was just so relieved that work was finally proceeding that I didn't think to question.
Flat paint is disastrous for kitchens & baths, especially baths w/o exterior ventilation like ours. It can't be wiped clean, and due to high-humidity environments like baths is prone to bubbling & mildew. Bob wants to know why we just can't move in, travel for a couple of years and then repaint—but we explained the damage would have occurred early on and maybe required re-drywalling (and mold remediation) before repainting (and the house would be unsaleable). Alternatively, he thinks we should sell & downsize—but with Chicago area prices still sky-high (and a shortage of available houses) we'd be paying as much as or more than we'd get for the sale, for a smaller home. Not to mention having to winnow down our stuff even more. Rents are also through the roof in Chicago, and I'm not willing to relocate.
I pointed all of this out via texts to our public adjuster (who, during the delays kept telling me I was worrying too much and that we "wouldn't be homeless," as well as not understanding what we deemed unsatisfactory); he replied "you should have complained earlier but I'm working on it." He said he will meet with us this coming week, and I elaborated further exactly what's unsatisfactory; he replied "what is your deal today? I said I'll meet with you this week." When I asked for a date & time, he replied "I don't know yet."
Now I know things are very different now than they were in 2012—exponentially more flooding, wind/hail/tornado damage in northern IL, and fewer available workmen (especially immigrant). But still, it shouldn't have taken this long. When I pleaded with our State Farm adjuster to extend our rental coverage (at the rate they pay, which is a $2K/mo "insurer discount" over what we're charged), he pointed to the policy language which states SF is not responsible for the costs of delays caused by us or the contractor, and said we should go after our public adjuster & contractor. It's my fault for not demanding to see the name of the contractor and its licensure (which I now know are nonexistent), but all of this was on me—managing the progress, dealing with all sorts of administrative shit including utilities, changes of address, and of course my own health challenges starting with my broken foot & ankle last fall. No help from Bob, who just takes out the garbage & recycling and knows even less about household stuff and construction than I do (and I had to educate myself over this past year). His folks, parsimonious as hell, were DIYers but knew squat about how to do it properly, which is why their house was such a pit by the time his mom had died and his dad moved from NY to here to live his final 2 years with us (another horror story I won't get into).
So I will have to insist on the right type of paint and the right brand—and refuse to pony up for it. At least with brand-new flat paint as the surface, no sanding or priming will be necessary before applying satin or semigloss; but latex paint (can't use oil based due to VOCs), even if it dries in 24 hrs, takes 30 days to cure properly (which is why I could still smell it after 6 weeks, likely because it was such cheap stuff). So even if we move back, we'd have to go to the gym to shower and continue dining out for at least a month.
And I never thought about stuff like doorknobs (which were not replaced).
Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
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Sandy, after dealing with restoration contractors from November of 2019 to January of 2023, I hear your pain. Fortunately, we were able to stay in the house and I was able to be an inside superintendent. I had a big argument with the owner of the restoration company when we learned that the delay in getting an onsite structural engineer inspection meant we were unaware that a major snow storm could have caused the temporary roof they erected could have collapsed and done catastrophic damage to the house. I threw him out and told him I would only deal with the project manager, not him.
We'd already had the attic and primary bedroom destroyed by the tree strike and the rain had damaged the living room and a small area of the basement. There was damage to other rooms but they were minimal.
Their decision to remove the gutters, which lead to an underground water mitigation system, before Isaias hit meant the basement, which had minimal damage to a small section of wall and flooring, flooded destroying the floor and several walls. We had enough flooring to repair the initial damage, but not after the flood. The water pouring off our roof looked like Niagara Falls and the tarps just flattened to the house causing the water to gain access to the basement. DH was no help with the contractors and it was more of a challenge to get him to participate than it was to handle it myself.
When I told them there were insufficient funds to return my house to its former state, they talked to SF and got an increase in funding. I also looked at their punch list, highlighted what they had not done and made sure those charges were applied to other costs that they were chintzy on. They never ordered the replacement basement flooring when I gave them the info and 5 months later I was told it was unavailable. So what I chose next cost them a fortune and they were unhappy, but you snooze, you lose.
Glad you have access to litigators. If you can open your bathroom windows during showers, you won't have to wait 30 days. We installed in floor heating, exhaust fans and a vent system when we redid the bathrooms.
canarycat, glad you gave the Pendray a thumbs up. We love high teas so we are looking forward to it.
cindyny, love the photos and the travelogue. We will head there next spring so I am really looking forward to the return. We always used B & B's and loved the experience. Our last trip there was a tour of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, so we stayed in hotels which were nice.
No gardening due to heat and humidity so focused on bathroom pantry closet and my DD's former room organization. Closet is done and bedroom still needs some attention. It has a tendency to become the dump room. I need to donate some of the stuff and give away some to DGD and DD (mostly jewelry I no longer wear).
Tomorrow is family birthday party at Bonefish Grill. Looking forward to it.
Hope everyone had a great day.
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Petite - you have an idyllic cabin! I hope you make many wonderful memories there.
Sandy - glad to hear progress is being made on the move in to your home, but you have my empathy for all the mixups you are enduring. A fire is such a stressful time and to be taken advantage of is unforgivable. I’m glad that Carrie is in town to help.
Canarycat - I love the catio. I do not have cats but I wouldn’t mind using it as a reading nook (if your cats would be willing to share with a human).
Intolight - thank you for letting us know about @kbl Kristine. I am holding her friends and family in my thoughts. It has certainly been a rough few months for the BCO community.Betrayal - enjoy your birthday dinner at Bonefish Grill! And thank you for the quotes. I keep expecting Jackie to pop in here with an update. Her kindness and strength will never be forgotten.
Volunteered at the food pantry yesterday. The air temp was 91 with a real feel of a few degrees higher. I felt sorry for our folks that were working in the parking lot under the sun loading cars. It was like a sauna inside, so I can only imagine what it felt like under the sun. After about 2 hours I developed a massive headache, in spite of hydrating, that I couldn’t shake, so I came home a bit earlier than normal.
Had a long phone call today with a gf that I have known since high school who now lives in Florida. It had been quite awhile since we actually talked rather than texted. Was wonderful to hear her voice and catch up.
I floated in the pool for awhile today to cool off as it was another 90+ degree day. Shortly after I got in the skies darkened and we could hear thunder in the distance. I decided to get out and about 30 minutes later the skies opened up. We badly need rain so I didn’t mind cutting short my pool time.Wishing all a wonderful Sunday.
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Cindy - thanks for taking us to Ireland with you! We didn't have nearly as good weather when we were there. So true about the English's treatment of the Irish - but then I don't think they treated any of their "minions" very well.
By the way Chris, thanks for the referral about New Amsterdam. Certainly true in Virginia too.
Sandy, don't beat yourself up about the "wish you had known." I think you have to go through it to know what to do. We were very fortunate that we have USAA insurance and if anything, we got upgrades with some of the replacement items. But still we had to leave the rental before everything was done and had clothes spread out everywhere because our closet wasn't finished.
Petite - love what you showed us of your cabin. How big is it? How isolated? Looks like lots of forest.
Betrayal - I know Jackie's shoes were big, but thanks for trying to fill them. Sounds like we all appreciate it.
It's been hot here but not nearly as many "over 110 degree days" as last summer. We also are having sporadic rain like the Chicago area is.. The east valley always gets more than we do but the next town over where I play golf got over 1/2 inch this week and we only got enough of a drizzle to make the dogs not want to walk. Almost like the weather was respecting the town boundaries. I've continued to play golf regularly but always early, only 9 and with an ice towel. Ken and the dogs walk over a mile in the morning but other walks are obviously not much.
Belle is still here. No discussion about her return home so who knows…. She's generally a good little girl although is more of a barker than Mutz ever was.
Happy belated birthday, Betrayal. Our 59th anniversary was the 14th. Talk about romance - we bought each other new lamps for our respective offices.
Haave a good week, everyone.
Marge
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Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us. Let's not be afraid to receive each day's surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity.
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We just authorized an expensive repair to our home to be done while we're up here in MN. Our ranch style house was built in the 1970's. The gas pipe from the meter out near the street to the house is deteriorating. So we're having a new pipeline installed and it's over 150 feet. We have used the plumbing company and dh thinks they're reliable. If we waited until we were home, there would be a couple of days without gas service while the work was being done.
Our roof is also getting old….
The joys of being a homeowner come at a price.
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Here's a laugh for today.
𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫!!! (𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥). 𝐈𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐎 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐓 𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐒 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐓 .....
𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐔𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐋!!! 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫! 𝐈 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫! 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐨 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠,"𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐑𝐀 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐄."
𝐍𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭! 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐈 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐚𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝.
𝐈𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬,"𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄." 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝! 𝐈𝐟 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫!!!
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Betrayal, funny!
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Betrayal, ROTFLMAO!!!
On the serious side, the only functional bathroom with a window (unscreened louvers surrounded by glass block) does not have a functioning shower: the riser is totally shot. There's plenty of pressure coming to the faucet cartridges, but that dead riser is what directs water to the spout & showerhead. To fix it would require either demolishing the tile on that wall or going in through the dining room (which was just restored). We will eventually replace it with a walk-in shower, but not for at least another year. There's a fan but the electrician replaced the switch for it with just a single GFCI receptacle. The other baths that have showers are in the basement—which has only a light switch, no fan, no window—and the upstairs master bath, which has a fan (the switch for which is open, without the switchplate) but said fan vents only into the walls. Decades ago, the wall on which the fan's located vented to the outside; but in 1979 the previous owner (a Loyola professor with 6 kids still living at home) had an addition built, which extended the guest room and created the office. So there's no way to vent that bathroom to the outside without running a duct through the wall into the office closet out to the exterior wall. There is a tiny bath in the attic, and has a window—but said window is unscreened and can't be opened, and the tub lacks a shower. That bath is located in a dormer, so any shower would have to be a hand-held attached to the tub faucet. The water pressure up there is very weak, just enough to flush the toilet and wash hands in the sink. And it's up a flight of stairs we'd prefer to keep the cats from accessing. Achieving a functional shower in a vented bathroom, therefore, would require $9-20K of work and another few months of time.
And more fun & games. Up here in Lincolnwood, after Carrie & I returned from Abt (where we bought surge suppressors) and Wayfair (where we bought faux-Oriental rugs for the living and master BR), it began storming; just as I was about to start cooking dinner…the power went out. Neighbor across the street said it was a blown transformer and took out the neighborhood (about 4 blocks in each direction). It has happened several times before (but not since we'd moved in), and that it usually takes 2 hrs. to fix. We have flashlights but no candles (lease forbids open flames in the house), but enough batteries. At about 9:30 we decided to get in the car and drive around to get the phones charged back up to 100%; the gas station had power so we filled up and went through Wendy's drive-through. By the time we got back the power was restored. Meanwhile I'd managed to rescue my Zepbound vials (2-3/4 months, $1375 worth!) from the fridge and get a couple of the dry ice packs from the freezer and stash them in a styrofoam mini-cooler. And we were able to feed the cats and scoop their litter by flashlight.
Went to brunch at Cafe Touche on the city's far NW side (where all the cops live) today. Meeting Carrie's nephew (one of my godsons) and his wife up here for dinner—probably go to Mia Francesca or Crosby's Kitchen. Pack-in resumes tomorrow & into Tuesday (Carrie will hold down the fort Tuesday afternoon while I go to UIC Health for my 6-month ocular melanoma scans, an appointment that is very hard to get). Wednesday is when the TV stand and area rugs arrive. She goes home early Thursday morning; the TVs, surge suppressors and headboard bracket installation will all be on Friday. I'm hoping if they repaint the kitchen and baths during the day on Wednesday, or even Saturday, we can still move back by the 26th or 27th so by the 31st, all of our remaining stuff is out of Lincolnwood and the place made broom-clean as per the lease. Last thing I want to have to do is fork over another $8500 for the month of September.
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The fire damage to my fence & garage, listening to Sandy, I don’t want to go back home to!! I don’t know where to start. We have professional restoration services but I think that’s for houses only. I think I’ll call the insurance company and ask where do I begin.
Taco, happy anniversary!
Carole, it’s best to get the work done before you return. And it is always something.Weather was beautiful once again today. It’s National Heritage week here and we got in for free - shuttle bus (to walk it is 2.5 miles) and castle interior tour. It’s fully furnished, but I didn’t include those photos. I thought you’d all enjoy the garden and exterior shots.
Then we drove over here, but the home was closed getting restored. But we were allowed to wander the gardens.
Then my SO was on a mission to get to the cross. We were on roads about the size of a single driveway. But we found it.
And that ends your tour for today. I feel like I’m bombarding you so if it’s too much, skip it. I won’t be offended.
Tomorrow we check out and head to Belfast. I think we’re stopping in Derry to use up some time before check in.
The end.
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Betrayal - thanks for the laugh. Since Dawn dish soap dissolves fat, perhaps I can drink it to dissolve my LDL cholesterol !?! 😜
Taco - Happy Anniversary!
Carole - the joys of homeownership! It’s always something and it always costs $$$
Sandy - same as I said to Carole above. There is always something to be fixed on a home. Crosby’s Kitchen sounds yummy. Have you been before? We don’t get over that way often but it might be worth a trip if you recommend it.
Cindy - keep the pictures coming! I am so enjoying traveling along with you.
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Glad the laugh for the day brought smiles to some of you. I found it posted on a local Nextdoor and had a laugh, so I decided to share it. Never knew Dawn was the answer to my weight issue, but now know why my hands are slim.
Taco, belated happy anniversary. I loved the "romantic" gifts and have to say that we also exchange more practical gifts for birthdays, anniversary's and holidays. I asked DH to spring for a car detailing as a gift. Haven't done it yet, but intend to do it.
Home ownership does come at a cost but when you look at what rents are these days and that money is seldom spent on upkeep, it is an investment in yourself. When I loved in an apartment they would only repaint every 5 years and it was with really cheap paint that was unwashable and dirtied rather quickly. By 3 years, I ended up repainting it, which meant the next renter got a freshly painted apartment, because we found a house we liked within 4 months.
Sandy, your bathroom dilemma left me confused. I am still trying to figure out where you have a usable shower? It's a shame you couldn't get the riser replaced before they repaired the dining room wall.
I am so glad I have a DB who is a general contractor and has done so much work on my home. He is sometimes obsessive about the caliber of his work and has been known to redo something multiple times until he is pleased with the outcome. The floor in my eat in area has a walnut Celtic knot design in the wood flooring. It was the first time he had ever done one and he worked so hard on getting it right.
cindyny, love the photos and second what harley07 said. You have been to some areas in Ireland that we have not seen on our many trips there, so it is nice to see them. As far as your fence and garage repairs, you may find that your insurance company probably hasn't done much in your absence. Hopefully they will go after your neighbor's to recoup your deductible. Better you are home so you can supervise the repairs and contractors that way when issues arise you can clarify what is acceptable.
Joint family birthday party at Bonefish Grill was really good. We know the manager from eating there and also we booked the back room last year. It was available when we spoke to him awhile back and booked it. It is quieter than the main dining room so we can talk without having to yell. We had 2 servers and they were attentive. We let everyone order off the menu so everyone was pleased with their entree. I ordered Bang Bang Shrimp and Calamari for a shared appetizer and they seemed to enjoy it. I don't eat either because I am very selective about which seafood I eat so it is limited in scope. For dessert a few of us had mango creme brulee, others had the cheesecake with strawberry champagne sauce, DGD had a brownie (sans bourbon sauce, but lots of whipped cream) and DD had the Key Lime cake. I like their Drunken Coconut pie but will have that on my next visit. I am a member of their Rewards program and today's visit gave me a large reward towards our next visit. My dessert was free (and had a lit candle on it), I had a reward credit and then they was a credit towards the Bang Bang shrimp. Not sure what the latter was about but that was fine. Everyone left full and had a good time. I brought home half my meal, so I have a dinner for later this week. Had a lovely glass of Prosecco that hit the spot.
Guess that's all for tonight. I hope everyone had a great day.
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betrayal your laugh of the day was fabulous. Maybe dawn can deal with my weight gain issues from Letrozole. Yay more pizza and cheezies are in store for me with a swig o dawn!
Super busy weekend at work. Always great when we are busy. But I’m exhausted now. Good thing I only work two days a week. Likely you will see this tomorrow so the photo is appropriate for the morning.
have a great week everyone.
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Lost my post (grrrrr). Cindy, you have the advantage of the passage of time to give you a cooler, calmer, more analytical head. Check with neighbors, "Angi" (formerly Angie's List), insurance commissioner, BBB, fire dept. for their recommendations as to public adjusters (who will be your advocate in dealing with the insurer and help coordinate the restoration process). My public adjuster (like so many) had a scanner and swooped in while the fire dept. was still on scene and I was in crisis mode. Had I the gift of time I'd have done a little research. OTOH, Carrie had the same insurer I do, and her public adjuster also appeared on scene (even before her fire was extinguished); but her experience was excellent.
Betrayal, the second floor bath is the one with the shower (the only place we showered) but neither a window nor a vent to the outside. The first floor bath hasn't had a working shower or tub faucet in 15 years, so we'd been using it as a powder room. The basement bathroom/shower is new, but the route down to it is not very hospitable (dirty painted concrete floor, grungy wood stair treads; we plan to have Empire come and install nicer flooring on the basement stairs & floors after we've moved in and cut our contractor loose). And it too has no ventilation.
About 5 years ago our plumber looked at the first floor shower and determined it would require either demolishing the tile or going in through the dining room wall and cost about $9K. So after the fire, it was not a priority. But we also brought back our own plumber to do annual maintenance on the flood control system and asked him (a new employee) to take a look at that shower to see what could be done about the water pressure. He was able to determine the water pressure was fine but the riser was so corroded that it couldn't send water to the showerhead or faucet. He confirmed what his predecessor had told us. But by then, the dining room had been drywalled and painted.
How could I have known our workmen would use the wrong kind of paint? Or if they even knew the difference? The crew was splitting their time working on several different houses across the Chicago area, and probably as cost-effectively as they could. When I asked them to bring in the mail lest we get porch-pirated, the crew chief (the only English-speaker) said "this is good neighborhood, no crime, not like South Side or West Side." (Both of which are horribly disinvested areas). So they were not used to working in "good neighborhoods" and higher standards. I hope there won't be a "next time," but…
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