Whatcha doing today?

[Mt_Rider]

Today DH had a great idea.  As my chiro...he's been working to put my back in place and it isn't staying.  Hip pain kept me up last nite.  Mid back gets arnica gel most evenings before bed...or earlier! 

 

So while we were "in town" he suggests that I really need a new chair.  We calculated the age of this chair I sit in....got it from someone who'd had it since college....  It's probably 50 yrs old.     I guess it's held up really well.  We've had it for 30 yrs.  DH is computing what it will cost to buy a new one....while we're saving $ for the car's transmission.  Then I said we should stop over at the thrift store on our way home.  He never thot of that.  So I popped in there and within 10 steps was my chair.  I checked all the rest they had but nope...this one fits.  The color will grow on me [rust and tans go well in a log cabin] and it's in perfect shape.  So I bought it.  Then dragged DH inside to see it.  He was thrilled with the price and we can come back on Sat. with an emptied car [no wheelchair/no dog] to pick it up!    I'm thrilled cuz it hadn't occurred to me to buy a different chair.  

 

Yanno....sometimes I think I adapt TOO well!   

 

MtRider  ....and there is hope for pellet stove repair soon.....

Edited January 13, 2023 by Mt_Rider

[Becca_Anne]

So glad you found a new chair MtRider! I hope it really helps you feel better and it does sound like you got your use out of your old one and then some!

[Jeepers]

Yeah for a new chair! I understand how it is though. My bedroom suite was my grandmas that she got in her younger days. My living room couch and chair are from the early 1970's.  None of it is antique. Just old and familiar.  Oh and my mattress is circa 1980's. I do flip and turn it though. Once a year whether it needs it or not.  

 

None of it is going to Indiana!  We deserve better. 

[Jeepers]

Guess what I haz?  

   HEAT!!!    

 

 

Just in time too.  I woke up to temps in the 20's with about 3 inches of snow on the ground. It's supposed to be 16 tomorrow night. Next Tuesday 50 degrees.   I heard a little tapping on the front door at 8:30 this morning and they were here until 5:00 pm. They just left. Nice guys. I let them in and about 8 hours they were telling me goodbye. I stayed bundled up on the couch out of the way. I already feel the difference in here.  

 

Contractor called and said he would schedule the water guys next. I'm thinking Monday at the earliest. I'm fine with that. I just needed heat to thaw myself out and to start drying the house out. I'm still open to a hotel if I need it. 

[Mt_Rider]

Yes, well, Jeepers.  AFTER my horse ride tomorrow, I will be sending our 50* weather eastward towards Ohio.  It's been nice while our pellet stove is still out.  Some progress with that...but no repair date yet.  But at least our furnace still heats the back rooms.  ....and certainly haven't had water spraying everywhere.  

 

Didn't do a lot today.  Except look for a paper that I've been writing topics to talk to Dr about.        WHERE did that thing run off to?  I had it yesterday.  Hope I didn't drop it.  Doan wanna start over.... cuz brain is not remebering things.  Thus...the LIST! 

 

MtRider  ....  hate losing things but got my purse sorted for the 68th time in 3 months.    { it wasn't in there!}

[out_of_the_ordinary]

MtRider,  with the pellet stove are you waiting for parts or a repairman?    I'm curious as we have a pellet stove and (thankfully) we haven't needed any new parts this winter.  

[Becca_Anne]

Jeepers so glad you have heat! I hope the rest gets sorted out soon. 

Mt Rider I feel you on the misplacing things. Since we moved to our new house I have the hardest time remembering where I have put things. Nothing has a permanent home yet it seems so I don't know where things belong yet. I'm getting there but I have to be so diligent about consistently putting things like my papers and other important items in the same place. I think the kitchen is the only room I feel confident about where everything goes at this point. One room at a time I'll get there I hope! It's been chilly here today we got a dusting of snow last night but hardly surprising for January. We have had unseasonably mild weather so far this year but maybe this is normal? Haven't lived here long enough to judge yet. It was over 50 the other day! I keep expecting it to be bitter cold like Iowa but thankfully it's really not. A few days here or there of truly winter weather and then it pops back up to mid 40's-50. I could get used to this. Oregon is having a much rougher winter!

[Mt_Rider]

OOTO....  Well the property manager spent hours trying to find someone to work on pellet stoves.  The last people went out of business.  Finally found one and they canceled the first appt. with no notice.  Then we got the young guy here...and he's had training but I told him how to completely dismantle the thing for him to clean it.  I also had printed about 15 yrs ago....how to clean and what this model needed, etc. 

 

He said [not a lot of experience yet]  that I'm the only one who actually cleans out the ash myself.  WELL, OF COURSE WE DO!  He also said he's never seen a stove this old.  WELL, NOT IF THEY AREN'T CLEANING OUT THE ASH REGULARLY!  

 

Anyway, they couldn't find the part # but he also didn't pull the stove insert out from the old fireplace.  I think part numbers are on a plate on the fire-box blower.  That's what isn't working cuz you must have a good direct flow of air  [like a metal-working forge] in order to burn the pellets in that tiny fire box.  The other blower is to move the smoke thru the channel and up the chimney.  It's working.  Fire box blower is not.  

 

I would highly recommend knowing how to completely dismantle the stove and clean it out regularly.  I use my mini fireplace tools.  A small spatula = shovel.  A wide paintbrush = the fireplace broom.  A coat hanger = the poker. 

 

I do not recommend using your own vacuum to clean out the ash.  Sharp bits are corrosive and will ruin it.  But just cleaning with the micro-tools into a bucket.  We keep the ash to spread on our steep icy driveway in winter.  METAL bucket with a lid -- rock on lid cuz our wind will blow the lid off and scatter ash where we don't want it.  It's good on driveway for sun-melting and traction.  [don't track into the house...ask me how I know ] 

 

We keep the windows clear ....cleaning them almost every time.  The yellow glaze will come off with steel wool and water.  It won't scratch the glass.  But wearing disposable gloves is highly recommended.  Ash is hard to scour off hands and I'd worry about putting too much of that in the drains.  So I wipe soap and soot off hands with paper towels first to capture most soot in trash.  Then wash the rest down sink. 

 

OOTO....if you've had your stove for a while, you probably know all this.  But I put it down for others who might need ideas if they are thinking of a pellet stove.  It is convenient for it to run unattended except for filling and pushing down the pellets in the hopper.  BUT....

 

I told property manager that I'd really rather deal with a real wood fireplace insert.  Cuz we have 3 forms of heating in this cabin...all electric-dependent.      If this new-to-us company knows what they're doing and replaces the fire box blower, I won't get my wood-burning stove.  Oh well.  Not my house.  Not my investment.  Just me    if we lose power in winter.  

 

MtRider  ...that's what the Mr.Heater Buddy is for...   Did that answer your questions?

[euphrasyne]

I may never buy a house vacuum again.  The shop vac has more power, is simple to clean, and needs no bags or whatnot.   Downside is it is huge and DH looks at me like I'm crazy, but I love his shop vac.  It is also easy to open it up and clean out any toys, earrings, or whatnots before I empty the bin.  Well, before I make DH empty the bin.  It is heavy.  

[Jeepers]

Mt. Rider, I didn't know your pellet stove was out. Dang. Must be the year for heating issues. Thank goodness we have had a warm-ish winter so far. 

 

I've been cold for so long that the thermostat set on 68 nearly ran me out of the house last night.  LOL  

 

I'm seeing just how much heat it is going to take in this 2-story house. A lot. Will be glad to downsize to one floor for more reasons than just heat. Like steps. 

[Littlesister]

Mt. Rider, I love the wood stove I bought. Have had a fire going past 2 days. It's going now as it is 38* outside this morning. It does heat the whole house and the boiler which is gas doesn't come on all day. House stays a comfortable 72*. Back of house stays around 68* which for the bedrooms I like better. 

 

Still working on boxes but getting there. I have vitamins, cold and allergy meds, my Rx meds I am going through now. putting them in better order in clear bins on shelve in closet. I have been stocking on sales and I have enough now to get me though a year to cover the shortages I have been seeing. My prescription meds. I am now up to 3 months ahead. Don't think I can get ahead any further than that. As it is one of my meds is always on back order and I can no longer get a 3-month supply. It has already caused me to go into my back up supply for that Rx. Most of my Vits. are D3, zinc and C. I do have some others that I take but these are the 3 I take Dailey.

 

Mt. Rider, I hope that just maybe you can get a wood burning stove. I do have to order firewood and stack it myself, but I just call it exercise. I made it easy on myself though. I have a cart that will hold a weeks' worth of wood that I roll to the wood pile and load it up. Then just bring that to the garage. I load the old log carrier bag up and bring in to fill up the wood holder by the stove and can put a few logs under the stove as well. After doing that I will go back out with the cart and refill it and keep in garage till it is needed. So far it is working well. 

 

Jeepers, I am so glad things on the house are starting to come together for you. I know all too well what it's like to go through all that. Doesn't matter how you end up doing it, it's still a mess to have to go through. It's good to have that new furnace so you can get things dried out now. And even better that the insurance paid for it. 

 

GS said he was going to help me with house cleaning today as it is his day off. Yep, he's really doing a good job of sleeping all day. Still hasn't cleaned his bathroom, bedroom nor washed his clothes. That boy will never learn. I would really hate to see his apartment when he gets one. I am packing up things for him as I go through stuff, I want to get rid of and putting his name on the boxes. They are going in a corner of garage till he is ready to move out which I keep hoping will be soon. 

 

Hope everyone is over their colds and such and feeling much better. My cold is better but still have a lingering cough. But it to will pass. I keep a cast iron kettle on wood stove to keep the moisture in house. So that does help a lot. 

[Littlesister]

Freezing cold outside all day. Now 37* Have seen some flurries come down. Hoping we don't get snow, but it feels like it might. Seems it's too cold to snow and too cold to rain. I have a pot of chili on wood stove keeping it warm. That should be good tonight with some cornbread or crackers. 

[out_of_the_ordinary]

MtRider,  our pellet stove is over 15 years old, and DH has changed the blower motors on it several times.   It has thankfully been awhile, but they are expensive to replace (last time was a couple hundred $).    Our pellet stove has a blower that blows the heat into the room and then a blower that sucks the smoke outside..exhaust blower, I think.   Always interesting with the exhaust one quits and it suddenly is smoking.   The worst is when we loose electricity and it starts smoking, and having to quickly open windows (always on an icy cold day) to get the smoke out of the house.   There was a newer pellet stove brand that had a battery backup pack to prevent that.   

 

Our home owners ins. does not allow regular wood stoves.  I'd rather have one of those as to not depend on electric, but not feasible while we are living here.   We have a furnace, but the pellet stove heats this old house better (unless it is really cold and we have to run both) and I like the "warmth" of the heat. 

[Mt_Rider]

Property Managers and I calculated that this pellet stove has to be at least 30 yrs old.  We've been here 25yrs.  But then, we've kept it cleaned.  I was so astonished to hear the some home owners don't clear the ash from the main firebox area EVERY time before they light it.  AND clean to glass so you can enjoy the fire - and watch to see that it's burning well.  So this model is more "primitive" than later models like yours.  Newer yet - they are all electronic and automatic this and that.  And more $$$ with parts. 

 

But I'm assuming that the part we need costs owners far less than installing a wood stove.      I suppose if worst came to worst...[ as in:  Hooey Hits Fan ]  ...we could pull everything out and use the old fireplace and chimney...after pulling extras out of the chimney.  The damper is still up there.    One of the reasons to grab my dad's extension ladder before house soldn. 

 

I rode today and it was a beautiful day.  Then went to fetch my chair...which didn't fit in car.  But it fit enough that I could tie off the hatch to keep it mostly closed.  The young guy trying to use either a rubber bungie or the wimpy other type.....  I went back and grabbed the rubber one.  MUCH stronger...the other would break easily.  He protested that it's too long.   

 

I replied....so make it shorter!  I tied a loose knot in the length of rubber and attached one end.  Then  pulled the other hook end thru the hatch latch and doubled back to the knot to hook it.  You can get any fit you want if it's too long.  Too short is more problematic but still..... 
 

Got it home.  Parked it outside to freeze any 'stowaways' for a couple days.  Covered it due to snow coming in.  Bringing it UP 15 stairs....does not sound like fun!  I'm thinking of the 2-wheeled luggage carriers [from way back before wheels were on suitcases] might help both DH and I pull it up the stairs without someone trying to push from the bottom.  IF it fits between the log railings on both sides of steps.  It's a bit wider than I thot. 

 

MtRider ....obviously more drama is possible until old is out and new is in....   

Edited January 15, 2023 by Mt_Rider

[snapshotmiki]

@Mt_Rider, I'm so glad you have a new chair and hopefully inside the house soon!

 

@Jeepers, I'm really glad that you have heat!  i hope the rest of your repairs progress quickly!

 

I re-injured my shoulder Friday, tripped and threw my arms out to balance. I felt it tear. I think I will do therapy at home for a while, now that I know the moves to do.

Today, I will set up my vities for the month.
Walk the dogs.
Make hummus.
Watch movies with DH. I thought I would have to take him to hospital Friday as he was having big problems breathing. Seems like the nebulized antibiotics have started to kick in now. Thank God!
Our Church as cancelled services again due to covid. Most of the members are older. So, I will be staying home all day, today. Yay!

[Littlesister]

Miki, I pray your shoulder will get better soon. You didn't need to trip and then mess it up again. But hopefully not much damage and it will heal.

 

Mt. Rider, glad you found a chair that won't hurt your back or hips. I am sure the old one has seen its better days. Hope it won't be too hard to get up 15 steps. Please be careful taking it up. Don't want any falls.

 

Had wood stove going for 3 days now. My gas bill should be really small this month. Guess I will find out when the bill comes later in month. Tomorrow will be warmer, so letting fire go out and stove to cool so I can clean it out. Need to clean the glass as well. 

Had a bad coughing spell during night last night so not much sleep. Throat is irritated from it today. I'm tired but did get a few small things done, but didn't go to church as with covid, they still look at you funny if you cough or sneeze. Seems everyone still thinks that if you have the sniffles, cough or sneeze you still get those looks. I assume that this will be the norm from now on.

Leftovers for dinner tonight. No cooking today. 

[Becca_Anne]

Had a good weekend.  I put together a bench upstairs and downstairs to hide the cat litter boxes which made me very happy as I have always hated having them in the tubs the litter gets everywhere and now they can be conveniently located but not ugly. Also cleared out extra shoes by the front door and sent them back to the various people in the house who need to store their extra shoes in the closet. Limiting each person to 1 pair of boots and 1 pair of shoes downstairs. Boots on the back porch and shoes in the shoe cabinet. So much tidier now. I need to buy a coat tree and then I think my entry will be exactly how I want it. I made one freezer meal today, and did laundry. I also went to Quilt Guild and Book club this weekend. Had a great time. My friend from book club is doing an event Feb 6 for a seminar on gardening and seed exchange so I'm excited to attend that in early Feb. There will be local garden experts there so I can find out what really does well here and hopefully get some fun seeds to try.

[Mt_Rider]

Awwww, Miki!  Youʻve got to be saying to yourself:  NOT AGAIN!  ʻfelt it tearʻ     eeew!  And.....isnʻt that the way of injuries.  One finger hurts and THATʻS the one you catch on things...repeatedly.     Praying youʻll not be tripping.  I canʻt give you martial arts falling-correctly lessons thru MrsS.  Seriously....is it an issue of poor sidewalks?  Or shoes  [I know youʻve tried many] Or eye glasses?  [bi-focals will definitely trip you if you arenʻt looking thru the correct lens...]  And....    will you allow me to suggest a cane?  Would that even help?  It would be something you have to get used to.  It gets better when you stop tripping yourself, I promise.  Ask Me How I Know That!    <--- THAT I know helps!!  And for your dh too.      {the prayer, not the hug...lol }

 

Hope your cough doesnʻt turn into anything more, Little Sister.  Take a break and rest for a bit.  Donʻt want to wear yourself down.    Guilt that GrS into serving you for a change!

 

Euphrasyne   -- I like my mini-shop vac too.  Tho Iʻve got a regular upright too so that I donʻt have to tow the barge behind me.  Best use for my shopvac:  Had a BAT flying around the living room/kitchen area.  Having rabies shots at 7 yrs old, Iʻm a tiny bit HYPER about bats!  So I was shooting BBs at the danged thing.  [Yes...INSIDE my log cabin.  He was hiding in the crack between the ridge line log and the wood ceiling slats.  After playing BB pinball for quite a while, I couldnʻt tell if he was dead or I kept missing.  Zero accuracy with that BB gun.  Did I mention this was after midnight?  So I brought up the ladder and mini-shopvac.  DH held ladder while I [dressed to cover skin/hair/etc] climbed far enough for the hose to suck that bat into the canister!  Left it outside with hose plugged.  Checked in morning...yeah.  Dead.  I like bats for their part in eating pond bugs.  I will even share the chimney with them...blocked at the bottom.  But some log house chinking let this one in.  Iʻm not the repair person so thatʻs now blocked with good ʻole steel wool. 

 

OK...check Streams for my post: Mom Fell Again.   

 

 ....waiting on an update on Mom from Bro....     

 

Just got update:  Laceration above eye and broke other hip.  Certainly not as bad as it cood could be.  Sheʻs not gonna like rehab!  

 

MtRider   

[Littlesister]

Mt. Rider, I am sure that will mean hip replacement.   for a fast recovery and that she does get through rehab without too many issues. Hopefully if this break is not as bad that all will go much better for her. 

 

Miki that tear is not a good sign. I just hope you don't have a rotator cuff tear.   have been going out for you to get that shoulder better soon.   

 

Seems we are all in need of prayers again for one reason or another. It sucks to get old, have falls or accidents and such.

[Jeepers]

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's hip!

Bless her heart.                    

[snapshotmiki]

Already walked this morning.
Laundry almost completed.
Made a couple of phone calls.
Have 2 sweet potatoes baking in the oven- turned the heat off in the house.
The rest of the day will be divided between sitting outside with pups and watching shows with DH.
Might make more popcorn.

 

15 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

an issue of poor sidewalks?

No, tripped over DH's oxygen hose that trails him all over the house 24/7.

 

15 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

will you allow me to suggest a cane? 

I might have to beat someone with it.  LOL

 

14 hours ago, Littlesister said:

I just hope you don't have a rotator cuff tear. 

That is what I was diagnosed with.  It is a small tear, not the whole thing.

 

Thank you all for your suggestions and comments.  It will just take time and some light exercise.

[Jeepers]

OMG!

 

The water guy was here today. THE nicest guy I've met so far and that says something. Anyway...

 

He found 6 leaks and some he couldn't even get to. He said the more he fixed the more sprung up. And one behind the shower, upstairs, that he couldn't even get to. I will need a new shower in there too. It needed replaced soon because there was an uneven lump on the shower floor that was starting to form. He also said the kitchen/hall floor needed to be replaced. I'm not sad about that. Hopefully some new carpet too. That would be nice but I'll probably do that myself if it isn't covered by insurance. Everything in here is 45 years old and right now all I can think about is resale value.

 

He gave the best hug and said it was nice to meet me even under these circumstances. He is the 3rd, person who said he would pray for me!  That alone gives me hope in humanity. People actually admitting they pray. EVERYONE has been so nice to me starting with the angel who dug me out of a snow drift in Indy. I will admit that as awful as this has been, it's also been humbling. 

 

Next I wait for the replumbing crew I guess.

 

Only complaint I've had is no one calls before they show up. I didn't know when the furnace guys were coming when they did and the water guy just showed up out of nowhere. I almost didn't even answer the door. Plus I don't have a doorbell so it's lucky I hear the little tap-tap-tap on the door from upstairs. All things considered...that's not much of a complaint!   

 

 

 

Forgot to say that the downstairs area will need to have all the pipes replaced.   

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Jeepers
Added Info

[Littlesister]

Wow!  Jeepers, that's a lot of breaks. I just hope he can find them all and get them fixed. 

 

Did some mending of some clothes for GS and myself. I found a new pair of jeans I had bought just before DH took sick and forgot about them. So, hemming those so I can wear them. There was a pair I had bought for DH that needed hemming but also never was able to get around to hemming them so gave those to SIL. DH and he wore the same size, but length was ok for SIL. 

 

Cleaned kitchen and then cleaned out the wood stove. Have it ready for next cold day which may be tomorrow. Will need to bring more wood into house and then go out and reload the cart for garage. About half of that cart is enough for 3 to 4 days. I try to keep the stove on slow burn to make it last longer and still it heats the whole house. 

 

Going through paperwork for taxes as things are starting to come in now for that and I want to be able to get them ready, done and out of my way. 

[Mt_Rider]

On 1/15/2023 at 7:55 PM, Littlesister said:

Hopefully if this break is not as bad that all will go much better for her. 

 

Yesssssss....you nailed it.  It was only cracked and they were done in 15 minutes putting in screw(s).   

 

9 hours ago, snapshotmiki said:

On 1/15/2023 at 6:48 PM, Mt_Rider said:

an issue of poor sidewalks?

No, tripped over DH's oxygen hose that trails him all over the house 24/7.

 

 

Ohhhh... I know that one too.  BOTH my folks had those things for a while.  We called it Dueling Snakes!  I hope the long hose is a contrasting color to your flooring.

 

MtRider   

[Mt_Rider]

So nice to hear that you've been treated well, Jeepers!  Gives us all hope for the part of humanity that isn't making horrific news or lewd pictures of almost dressed bodies.  We see too much of the awful and the good decent folks quietly go on prayerfully about their business.     More of us than we might imagine. 

 

That's a LOT of plumbing but you're right = house value going up!  That's a definite blessing in all your misery.  God's got your back and we're still all praying for you too!   

 

MtRider  ...are you feeling better?