Healthy Living Thread

[Rod]

Marcy, I hope the repairs you're going to do to the Audi will net you more $$ on the trade.

I love Carbonite as a backup/storage option. It took about a day for my laptop to backup completely, but if it ever dies, all I have to do is get a new laptop, log into my Carbonite account and tell it to download my backup to the new system.

Yes, new stove day is Saturday. And I may have sold our current one. I'm not likely going to get what I wanted for it, but hey, we didn't pay for it directly as it was already in the house from the builder.

I've never tried a Windows 10 Tablet. I have my iPad as my tablet, but my laptop with Windows for most everything else. I'm actually very happy with Windows 10.

DeeJay, fingers crossed for you to close tomorrow.

Yay to tomorrow being Friday!

 

[Dee*Jay]

OMG… you guys are not going to believe this whole story.

Let me start by saying I am now the owner of a boathouse. Now here’s the rest…

I came over this morning and had the inspection. The owners were here too, as well as my agent and their agent, and of course the inspector. We turned everything on to make sure it worked. There was what the owner and inspector thought was a small drip from behind the washing machine (which couldn’t be pulled out because the toilet is in the way now) because a metal connector wasn’t crimped far enough closed. The CB said not to worry about it and he would take care of it. OK.

And the HVAC is in and it cooled the place down nicely. Great. So we go to the closing, everything is perfect, my agent takes me to lunch and I come back to the unit… where water is running right out of the A/C mounted on the wall and forming a big puddle on the floor. So I called the HVAC guy and he came over immediately. There was a crimp in the condensate line down in the crawl space, which he fixed in about 10 seconds, and the thing was once again working like a champ.

A little while later I go to the bathroom and I hear dripping. Of course my first thought was that it was the A/C. I turned off the A/C but I still heard the dripping, which I finally realized was coming from behind the washing machine. Keep in mind the laundry is in the bathroom and the A/C is mounted on the bathroom wall so all this stuff is very close together.

This morning the owner and inspector thought the drip was when the water was exiting the washing machine, but now there was obviously no water draining out so it had to be a problem with water coming IN. I turned off the water to the whole unit and confirmed this.

So I texted the inspector to see if he could come back. He was way downstate at this point. I texted my agent and she did finally give me a name of someone, but her reply came quite a bit later. I texted the HVAC guy to see if he could recommend a plumber but the company he gave me was closed already. Note I keep saying TEXTED… because my reception here is terrible. I pulled up a list of plumbers and headed outside into the driveway to see if I could get a better signal. AND THEN, at the unit literally right next to mine, two guys pull up in a construction van. I kid you not!!! The owner of that unit owns a bunch of restaurants and these guys do all the maintenance for him. They came inside, moved the washer/dryer out far enough to see what was wrong, and fixed it!!! And there were actually TWO dripping issues, not just one!

I could have dropped to my knees and kissed the grille of the construction van! It’s like the sky opened up and dropped two guys who know how to do plumbing ten feet from me. I seriously still cannot believe it. I owe so much good pay-forward karma!!! I only had $63 in cash on me and I had to BEG them to take it. I finally told them to do something nice for their kids with it so that was how I convinced them.

I am so exhausted now after all this it’s not even funny. My plan was (and is) to stay here tonight, and possibly tomorrow night too. It’s a double edged sword now though – I’m afraid to be here if something happens and I’m afraid to NOT be here if something happens.

Anyway, sorry for the novel but I had to share with you guys what happened since you’ve been with me every step of the way on this!

 

[Dee*Jay]

I just realized I forgot to tell you an important part: the CB is up in far northern Wisconsin fishing so I am on my own!

Yes, that's right, my boyfriend The Plumbing Contractor, who could have fixed all this in his sleep with one arm tied behind his back is not here, which is why this was all such a problem...

 

[Rod]

Oh my DeeJay, I hope our closing drama didn't transfer to you off the pages I wrote about our messed up first few days? I hope not.

First, congratulations on closing. Second, like how incredibly lucky was it for those construction dudes to magically appear when you most needed some help. And third, CB's fishing? Really? Didn't he maybe think something as big as you closing on a place that just had A/C and plumbing done that it might have been super helpful if he'd been there for you?

Still a big and heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS! Still waiting for (fingers tapping impatiently) pics!

The new stove arrives between 8 AM and noon tomorrow morning. AND, I sold the current range (for much less than I hoped) and the buyer will pick it up on Sunday. All in all, with my little bonus, some Best Buy rewards and what I sold the current range for, it really didn't cost that much to get a much much nicer range. Most importantly, a range the kitties can't gas us to death with.

 

[marcy]

Hi Kids!

Congratulations to Boat Owner Dee Jay!!!

Rod, I may be ahead $400-$500 for getting my car fixed. I’m starting to wonder if it’s worth it. I am glad to hear you like your backup system. Our Macs have the time machine that backs up every day. I actually used it once; it was slick. That’s great you have your old stove sold and I know you are excited to get your new one. The Windows tablet seemed like a poor working cheap imitation of the iPad; I really disliked it.

Dee Jay, I am so excited for you. I bet you were having a bit of deja vu with having water issues at the boathouse but I am glad to hear you got everything fixed. What a deal the construction van pulled up in your moment of need. That was nice of them to fix your leaks and not charge you but I would have insisted on paying them something too. Enjoy spending the weekend in your new boathouse. I hope CB has a great time on his fishing trip. I’m with Rod - pics please.

Work seemed to go on forever but 5 pm finally arrived. The cleaning lady was here today so it’s nice to come home to a clean house.

I talked to the wheels guy today. He said that Ding Monkey never pays him for his work. I am meeting him at the dealer on the 21st and I assured him I’d write him a check. Then I’ll submit my receipt to Ding Monkey for a refund. He estimated about $65-$75 per wheel which was less than I expected. Marty says after they get fixed I can’t go anywhere in the car but to work and back. Ha!

Have a great weekend.
Curby

 

[Rod]

Marcy, if you could be guaranteed the investment would pay for itself, it's worth it. I've found that often it doesn't actually make much difference.

I thought the 4 day week was one of the longest weeks ever. Like you said, it took forever to get to 5 PM yesterday. I spent half the day reading customer reviews of the new stove. Not a great way to make any money, but I was just burned out by the afternoon. Yes I was.

Look what showed up first thing this morning. They said between 8 and noon, but they called at 8 AM and said they were two minutes from our house. The installation guys did an amazing job and made sure they used a blanket to ensure they didn't scratch the new wood floors. The stove is even nicer in person than the pics we've seen of it. We had never seen one in person as no one who carries it had one of the showroom floor to see. The stove also comes with a griddle for the middle elongated burner and a wok ring. We haven't used a wok in years, but we may have to go get one.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Happy Saturday kids!

Rod, you new stove is just fantastic and I am sure you and Charlie will love cooking with it!

Currby, I hope you really do get the benefit of having all that work done on the Audi before you turn it in. It’s such a PITA to do something like that and then come up net even!
This has been quite a day! I woke up this morning and had coffee looking at the water, took a shower (fortunately there were no issues with that), went into “town” about 12 miles from here and stopped at Walmart, Lowes, Culvers (for some ice cream!) and Walgreens (for some wine!) and generally go the lay of the land. I’m glad I did it on a day when I didn’t need to actually do anything because I had time to look around and not feel rushed. When I came back I saw a little water on the floor at the base of the pedestal sink. I think the trap is dripping a tiny bit so I McGyvere’d a cup there to catch any water and verify my theory. Then I took a nap and now I think I’m going to have an early dinner (I picked some stuff up while I was out and drink a glass of wine on the dock). So glad today isn’t as stressful as yesterday, and tomorrow I will head back into the city.

 

[marcy]

Hi Kids!

Rod, your new stove looks wonderful. Did you cook on it yet? And of course it will keep the kitties safe too. We have a griddle for our center too but I’ve never used it. The difference they quoted us on trade was $2000 more if we got the wheels and scratch fixed so it may only save us $400-$500 but since we spent my down payment on vacation and other things I’ll take all the help I can get.

Dee Jay, I am leaning towards this being a total PITA fixing my Audi. When we go get the wheels fixed I may cry and whine and see if they’ll give me a rental for a week. It sounds like you had a nice relaxing day and got to check out some of the local places to shop and hang out. I am sure CB can fix your little drip right up.

We went on a road trip today. I checked out every rest stop along the way. Ha! We are looking for a spot to observe the solar eclipse next August. We found a few spots we really liked and will have to see if we can get permission to use them. One is a department of transportation rest stop and another is a camp area at a lake. I prefer the rest stop - it’s closer, has running water and is very easy access. I pictured myself driving there in my Porsche.

Speaking of my Porsche the ship is almost to NJ - it’s first stop. Sweet.

We had popcorn for supper. Mm.

On our trip I had a continuation of the chills (they started last night). I had on my sweatshirt zipped up and had 2 of Marty’s fleece jacks on me as a blanket. I get those sometimes when I am getting sick or getting over something. I feel fine now.

Have a great evening and Sunday!
Curby

 

[Rod]

I hope the little leak from the pedestal sink isn't much of an issue. I'm sure the CB can fix it. I hope you had a great dinner and glass of wine on the dock.

We had a great day actually. Since the stove was installed early, we were able to go out and do some shopping at Home Depot (our normal Saturday visit there), then we used $80 in Norstrom reward certificates at the Rack, then we found a great crystal lamp for the table next to the chair in the master bedroom at HomeGoods, which is a pretty cool store. From there we went to Hyde Park Village, which is very near our home, but we hadn't been there in years. It's undergoing a major transformation as it was once a great place to shop and dine, but as is so common over the years, it fell out of popularity and went downhill. It's coming back big time with new shops and restaurants. We were going to eat at one of new places, but the wait was well waaaaaay too long. We put our name in then you download an app to see where you are in the queue. When it started, there were 41 in front of us. They told us it would be an hour. At the 1.5 hour mark, our number somehow went from 15 to 18, meaning it was going in the wrong direction. So we stopped in and the cute (NOT) girl at the desk couldn't explain why our number was going the wrong direction, but said it would be at least another hour before our table would be ready. Now mind you, this is a hamburger joint. We're not talking gourmet food. So, I cancelled our reservation and we went to a restaurant we hadn't been to in years and it was such a nice dining experience. I had jumbo shrimp and scallop scampi. It was simply amazing. Pasta was on the side and they baked the shrimp and scallops in a dish with lots of butter, garlic, red pepper and crispy bread crumbs. It was yummy to the max. Charlie had pasta with pesto and grilled salmon.

When we got home, our next door neighbor, the one who mows our teeny plot of grass in the front yard, came over for some wine and we had a nice visit. He left to walk up the street to meet friends at a place called World of Beer for some drinks. He's young and can stay out late. We're not, so we're heading to soak in the spa and then up to bed.

 

[Rod]

Marcy as you likely saw, we didn't cook on the new stove tonight. Since we were out shopping, it was too late to get something cook worthy, so we ate out. But we will definitely cook at home tomorrow night.

Woo Hoo for your car close to NJ. Does it get trucked from NJ all the way to WY? That's quite a long truck ride if it does.

I hope your chills aren't the sign of something not good brewing.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Happy Sunday kids!

Curby, it's so cool that you can track Blue's journey to this country! The longest part of the wait will be once you know he's in the US but not to YOU yet!

Rod, I can't believe you actually dropped LOWER on the reservation list...? Can you go on yelp and do a review or something? I know it doesn't go you any good now but I think it helps for people to see the bad as well as the good when they're considering where to go.

So I'm home now! I woke up early again, took some pics from my bed (I will post a few, I promise!), cleaned up and headed home.

And for TODAY'S leak... I realized as I was standing on the dock having coffee that my dock faucet was dripping. I tightened the knob as far as I could but it didn't make any difference. It did stop when I turned off the water to the unit (which I'm now an expert at...) but I pay for water and I wonder how much dripped out into the lake over the past few days. Nothing's ever easy, is it?!

OK, off to try to post a few photos for you from my phone!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Sea gulls

 

[Dee*Jay]

Ok... Nothing I do can get the other photo to go upright -- sorry!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Here they are looking at me -- I find this hilarious for some reason!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Pic of the unit from the dock across the way. I'll post a closer on too.

 

[marcy]

Hi Kids!

Rod, that is kind of crazy you were going down the list rather than up in the reservation list. I don’t think I’d wait that long for a burger either. It worked out well anyway since you and Charlie ended up with a fabulous meal. I am glad you had a nice day of shopping and got a new lamp for your bedroom. I am so glad you have wonderful neighbors. That can make a big difference. They will truck my car to Colorado from Houston. I know I have weeks and weeks to go but it’s getting closer. Sadly my chills manifested itself as a sore throat this morning. I cranked on my electric mattress pad, got out winter PJ’s and slept with an extra blanket and woke up at 2:30 in the morning way too hot.

Dee Jay, I hate to hear you found another drip; CB will fix it all up for you I’m sure. I am sure my patience will be tested once the ship docks in Houston. I should send one of my nieces to the dock to find it! Ha! I am thinking of naming my car Ceylon. Great pictures. That is a lot of sea gulls. That is pretty funny they were looking at you. That looks like a very big lake out your door. Nice!

I slept in until about 7. I am getting a cold. Rats. I am not feeling very ambitious today. Laundry and dishes is going to be the extent of my activity list. I wonder if I can talk Marty in to ordering in pizza today. He did eat popcorn with butter last night.

Have a great day.
Curby

 

[marcy]

Pic of the unit from the dock across the way. I'll post a closer on too.

That is a lot of boats. Are you and CB going to get a boat?

 

[Rod]

Beautiful DeeJay! Thanks for posting pics!!

The stove was just picked up. Such nice people! The husband grew up very near where Charlie's twin brother lives in Buffalo NY.

I think we're just going to grill burgers on the grill tonight.

 

[Dee*Jay]

This is from the end of my own dock. The unit is on the left. That's my sliding glass door and the stairs go up to the roof deck.

 

[marcy]

Your place looks wonderful Dee Jay!

Rod, I am glad your stove got picked up and it was going to a good home. Small world the husband was from where Charlie's twin brother lives.

 

[Dee*Jay]

This morning sunrise, taken from the balcony door.

 

[Rod]

Such nice views DeeJay. I know you're going to love your weekends and time off at the Boathouse!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Big willow tree on the grounds of the complex.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Sorry those all had to get posted separately (and that one is upside down!). There isn't really anything to see inside the unit... think two car garage with drywall and ugly berber carpeting... But I'll definitely have pics to post once it's done!

The beach is about a mile away. Actually it's much closer as the crow flies (or the sea gull, as the case may be!) but you have to make a big "U" to get there from my unit.

BTW, what you see in my pics is actually the harbor. From there you go down a small inlet that opens to the lake.

The grounds are really pretty and very well kept. I have some other pics of that but they are all “upright” and for the life of me I can’t post them correctly – as seen by the sideways sea gulls at the beginning of this…

Curby, I bought the PLACE, the CB is responsible for the BOAT! Frankly I would rather not have one there though because it will ruin my nice view straight out the sliding glass door, ha ha!

Rod, I could conceivably spend five nights a week there. If I stuck to my three day a week schedule I could go up on Wednesday night and come back on Monday morning with the CB and he’d just drop me on his way to the office. I doubt I will really do that though, but it is a possibility!

 

[Rod]

DeeJay, if you're taking phone shots, you HAVE to take them horizontally (sideways), not vertically (not up and down). i.e., your home button would be on the right hand not the bottom when you snap the picture.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Rod, I never remember that when I'm taking pics so then I'm left only being able to post the ones I happened to take that way! Now that I'm going to be posting things for you and Curby as the renovation goes along though I'll get in the habit I'm sure.

 

[marcy]

Dee Jay, the sunrise picture is fabulous. I know you’ll enjoy many quiet days and evenings there. Good idea to leave the boat to CB. You guys will have fun naming it anyway. I am looking forward to your renovation pictures.

Rod, I took a picture yesterday and I heard you say in my head “home button to the right” so I took it correctly. See I’m learning.

Marty is washing cars. My Audi is all pretty. Awe!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Happy Monday kids!

Last night I slept like a rock! After the past two nights I was just exhausted, spending the whole time with one ear cocked for the sound of dripping water. My closing went off with one small hitch (on the part of the lender) this morning, but everyone left the closing table happy so that's the important thing. I spent some time going over the accounting for the roof project this afternoon. We are right now 0.67% over the original budget. That's right, less than 1% over! We have two more bills to come in but they are for some air conditioning repair work and for some ancillary electrical work, so I don't think that will affect the final outcome much (I hope!). I can't wait to go home tonight and have a nice dinner and glass of wine and go to bed!

 

[Rod]

Sigh........ever have one of those days you truly shouldn't have gotten out of bed? And certainly if you did, definitely NOT go to work?

Well, today was one of those days. I had made (notice the past tense) a huge placement with my best client. She was supposed to start this morning. The fee was going to be huge. She wrote me in the middle of the night to say she wasn't starting today as she has a friend who is ill and she's going to fill in for her friend for 3 months while her friend gets medical treatment. What? She's not going to start a great full time position, with fabulous benefits to fill in for a friend for 3 months, to likely be unemployed in 3 months. She said "God" told her she had to do this. I don't buy a single word of this, but have to give her credit for creativity. So, I had to call the company who was expecting her to start this morning and let them know what happened. It makes me look bad to my client and after 3 months of searching for the perfect candidate, I have to start the search all over again.

DeeJay, I hope you enjoyed your wine this evening. I'm not a drinker. I'm not, but I'm on my 2nd glass of wine since getting home from work. Charlie thinks I should find something else to do besides recruiting. The highs are great, but the lows are simply too low. And it's been a year filled with a lot of lows at work.

 

[marcy]

Hi Kids,

Dee Jay, I am glad you slept well. Ugh to listening for the sound of dripping water. That is great coming in that close to the original budget for the roof project. You keep up such quality work they’ll keep voting in you as president. Did you get your nice dinner and a glass of wine?

Rod, sorry to hear your day was awful. I hate to hear that lady bailed on her position with your best client. That would be rather unusual to pass up a great new job to fill in for a friend. I can see how your job would be very frustrating.

I am feeling better today. The lady I met for lunch on Thursday got sick this weekend - same days and symptoms as me. The restaurant we go to is a family owned business and the waitresses all have their little kids there. I remember she was messing with her daughter that day so we probably caught something from her (you know those little petri dishes are carriers.) We might try DQ this week instead.

My boss and his boss were both gone today so I had a peaceful day at work.

Take care.
Curby