Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Just running around.

Could have gone with the “Wordless Wednesday” option, but that would mean I’d need to have maybe a picture or two.  Or something.

I got nuttin’.

Some folks manage to get out for hikes and other such pleasures.  I seem to be missing that boat.  Not that I’ve ever been overly enthusiastic about hiking.  Well, at least not for the last twenty years or so. 

Today it’s a better plan to do any “running around” inside an air conditioned vehicle. 

She’s a warm one.

Even though I had in mind that I wanted to put more than one coat of finish on the kitchen window,  I re-installed the operator on Monday and sure enough,  by that afternoon I was starting to sweat buckets.  Closed up the house and pushed a couple buttons. 

Man, I love our air conditioning!

It wasn’t until I put the thing back that I realised just what kind of a difference sanding and refinishing had made.

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Whoa!  That thing looks brand new!

I’ll be tuning up that weathered one on the right in the next day or so.  Once it cools off a bit again.  It’s supposed to do that over the weekend.  I’m a bit of a sucky la-la when it comes to standing out in the blistering sun I’m afraid.  Not only that,  but taking out a window when it’s cool inside and hot outside? 

Not too bright.

 

So, today's list so far:  Breakfast, (the Wednesday morning group), Denninger’s, The Farmer’s Market,  Clegg Glass, (to order my little mirror) IKEA, (someone has gotten tired of the dollar store serviettes and IKEA has those big suckers) J.C. Bagels, Hamilton Builder’s Supply, Parker’s Cleaners and Lee Valley.   Oh,  let’s not forget Longo’s and Home Despot.  I did stop briefly at Canadian Tire,  but they didn’t have any mulch. 

The trip to Home Depot was because Clegg Glass wanted another TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS to drill two holes in the little mirror I ordered.   The mirror itself was sixteen bucks,  which I thought was bad enough, although I was willing to pay it.  No holes, thanks.   For eight bucks I bought a bit at Home Depot,  and I’ll practise on some of the glass I took out of the old window….

If I totally screw it up,  I have a back up plan.  But hey,  I might break a piece of glass or two.  It’s all going in the dumpster eventually anyway.  Might as well get in some practise.

 

Meanwhile,  this would have been the extent of any “Wordless Wednesday” offering,  but I though it would be too lame on its own.

We’re painting the bathroom.  (Um, you know who “we” is, right?)

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Since it started out as a burgundy colour,  I used some left over white paint as primer.

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And…this is the colour we ended up with, and that’s only one coat,  but I think I like it.   Not only that,  but this was a colour that was on the cast off table, marked FIVE BUCKS.   I always head to the table of screw ups first. I’m not sure if T.C. has picked up on that yet,  but sometimes there’s paint there that’s just what you’re looking for, or at least pretty danged close.  And the price is right.

And this stuff is good paint.

The painting won’t be the end of it though.  I want to change out the taps,  and sort out the wall sconce issue.

By the way,  it’s not a Chandelier!   That’s a whole other kettle of fish.  It just happens to be a wall sconce that incorporates Swarovski Crystal.  Gotta have a couple souvenirs of Vienna.  C’mon!

 

Oh,  I wanted to mention.  There are no issues with doing an inside job when it’s hot out.  I’m in no way being hard done by. 

And here’s what I’m talking about.

Remember the neighbour from across the way who is sorting out his house to sell it?  He had a renter in there who was a bit….well,  sloppy is maybe a good word? 

On one of my stops at the house (had to drop off those cold cuts,  since I had no cooler in the car)  he came over to ask if I’d help him move in a new furnace?  No big deal,  it was no bigger than a three drawer filing cabinet,  and it only had to go down five steps.

Now,  I had seen bits and pieces of this place,  since he had shown me the nicotine stains in the kitchen (just nasty) and the “entire cat” that was attached to the furnace filter.  Again…. nasty. 

“And I left him an entire box of furnace filters,” he told me the other day.  I guess his renter didn’t understand the concept of changing a filter on a forced air furnace.

But anyway,  we get the furnace to the basement, and the first thing I notice?  Two words.  Cat urine.  

*phew* Just about enough to make your eyes water.  Thankfully,  and luckily for me the Real Estate Lady came by, and although the owner probably didn’t really give two hoots if I was privy to whatever they had to discuss,  I made like I would be an interloper and got the hell outta there.  Said I had to do more running around,  which was true.   But really,  I just wanted to leave.  I was kinda glad that I hadn’t had my lunch yet at that point in the day.

Gah!

Admittedly,  there are times when I feel a bit sorry for the guy,  but wouldn’t you check in on your tenant once in a while over the course of eight years?  I know I sure would.    Our landlords did when we were in Vienna.   They have to give you some sort of notice (I think it’s 24 hours) but they have the right to check up on you.

When my sister left Kitchener and moved to B.C., she rented out her place, and had her son come up from London and check on the place from time to time.  Renters can be pigs.  She ended up punting out the last couple and selling the place.  Sometimes it’s just not worth it.  And giving notice and selling your property is just about the only way you can get rid of renters in the province of Ontario,  and that’s why she sold it.  She just wanted them out. 

That’s a WHOLE other story,  but we won’t go there.

 

So here I am,  in my little air conditioned world,  putting on a tiny bit of paint (and it hardly even smells!) every few hours.  So there won’t be any moaning or groaning.  We’re plum out of cat urine these days.  Thank-you very much.

I like to walk in our front door and take one great big whiff,  you know, just checking? 

Nope.  Nothing. Nada. 

Even when there was a cat living here,  anything of that nature ended up in the litter box.  Once in a while I’d have to turf that sucker out on the porch if it wasn’t getting emptied,  but at least then the smell was outside.  I don’t look good in orange,  but just the same, my kids pretty much knew that things wouldn’t go well if their cat started to do his business anywhere but where he was supposed to.

I probably would have needed a good divorce lawyer and defence attorney (why the two different words for the same type of Dude?) so it’s just as well that their cat was well trained.

 

Well,  I realise I didn’t have lunch until darned near three,  but my “lunch hour” has been over for a while.  Best go do something.  I’ll try not to break a sweat.

 

Keep that litter box clean!  And good luck with all that.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

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6 comments:

  1. Nice to see that you are staying busy. I don't think I would ever be a landlord. Just not worth it in my book.

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  2. not all renters are bad..it's just the bad ones that make the good ones look good!
    hope the 'litter box' stays clean!

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  3. I have had three rental properties over the years and had very bad luck with all the tenants, found it was just not worth the aggravation.

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  4. Rentals are a pain most of the time - especially if they are relations!

    You are a busy guy these days.

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  5. Well you sure had a lot of " nuttin' "! Plus you do pack a whole lot into a day. Keep us posted on the glass drilling.

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  6. Oh dear....much more fun than a Wordless Wednesday I must say. Cat boxes...sigh. Cat Jeremy is soon to be 18. So far no cat urine in strange places. You are right, it is the maker or breaker thing. as you say...gah...

    I had a rental once, inherited a funky house from my gramma. Meth is way worse than cat urine actually.

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Well, I've been getting too many spam comments showing up. Just a drag, so we'll go another route and hope that helps. So, we won't be hearing anything more from Mr. Nony Moose.
I guess I'll just have to do without that Gucci purse.