Best-Laid Plans of Mice and Women and Pineapples

IT'S HURRICANE SEASON - THE FISHING IS GREAT!

Saturday's plan to start the learning-to-sail process (see last post*) was waylaid by thunderstorms - my timing in the middle of summer rains and hurricane season clearly isn't the best. I worked at the marina and fished after work in the rain.

Caught a cute little sheeps head and a nasty ocean catfish

As for the sadness  - I have had a few extreme moments lately for sure - over B and other moments about life in general (money, messes, not being able to run or play hockey, missing family). I'm trying to always look at all I DO have and follow the pineapple way of thinking.

And with B -  "Hey, now you know how much you care about him," my friend Kim said Saturday night when I ran into her as I walked to the grocery store (forced myself out of bed because I promised Dougie and Kaylee I would make guacamole at the marina the next day).

Very true - I hadn't realized just how much. Another bright note - aren't I lucky to have B in my life to miss when we're apart. And he comes home Friday - yay!

 Other happy, lucky, blessed moments recently:

Dinner catch up with lovely Erin

Selfies with my nephew Max

With Grandaddy KenKen
at my nephew Josh's wedding in Kentucky

Seester time!

B's birthday dinner at Nobu

Reminder from sister Heather and her most awesome lovely daughter Ana

Jess and Chris's Finley turned 4

Finley's grandma Madame G was the star entertainment

New addition to Minke the Mini Cooper makes me smile

All this beauty and love around me. Embracing it and trying to be a pineapple.

*Last post: http://islandgirlsinkorsail.blogspot.com/2016/08/oh-messes-youll-make.html

Oh The Messes You'll Make

TRYING TO SORE TO HIGH HEIGHTS 

I'm making messes as I go to those places I'll go. Dr. Seuss knew I would. "The bang up and hang ups can happen to you," he wrote in "Oh The Places You'll Go."

Well banged up and hanged up I have been. But I'm finding my way and climbing my mountain - or one of them.

This week I have been battling my brain (Brendan has been out of town since Aug. 9 and I have been sad - I miss him. Jess is out of town too, and other friends are busy busy. :( And I'm pondering my place in this world); my inability to run (started P.T. for the strained calf and should be able to run and play hockey in a couple of weeks); and getting some things done - ya know all your basic daily-life first-world ups and downs.

What have I gotten done? Well, first I visited my sunfish and made a plan to put her in the water tomorrow.

Here she is, almost a year later still in Capt. David's garage (thank you David!) I think she needs a name.

As my friend Karl (who lives across the street from David) mocked me for not having found the time to get back to this boat or my wooden sailboat sitting in a parking lot, I caulked a few spots on my sunfish. I just wrote that like I caulk everyday - I watched four YouTube videos before I did this - ha. I drank the beer Karl brought me and we decided since I wasn't trying to make her pretty yet, possibly ever,  I should probably just put her in the water and learn how to sail her - if she floats.

So I have a plan, Saturday after I get off work from the marina, Karl and I are going to take her to a little beach nearby (this is not something I can do myself - I don't think she'll fit in Minke the Mini Cooper) and I'm going to start here - https://www.sunfishclass.org/documents/learn_2_sail_in_3_days.pdf

I suspect Karl will sit on the sand and laugh at me. That's ok, I'm sure I'm going to laugh at me too. Then the plan is to take the boat to my parents' house and see if she will fit on the jet ski lift. It's much lighter than a jet ski - I think it can work.

Stay tuned ...

Second accomplishment this week: I tackled another electrical project. This time I didn't have to be talked through it on the phone, though there was some text consultations.

The light in the main bath stopped working months ago - it flickers and produces about 1/16 of the light it is supposed to. At first, I stopped using that bathroom - the one with the good shower - in the dark and then I put a table lamp in there so I can still shower in the mornings.

Two nights ago, I decided it was time to see if the switch wiring was the problem - though now that I really think about it, I'm not sure why it would be. But this also would further my goal to change out all white outlets and switches to black with nickel covers.

Up to this point, I had only changed out two switches that were dimmers when they were supposed to be switches and J had already tackled the hard part of those. This time, I was going to change the receptacle too (you know, the outlets) and change it to a GFCI receptacle so it will switch off if water gets near it.

It started like this after I turned the power off:

Sometimes it felt like I might as well be reading this upside down

I studied the existing switch and receptacle and how they were attached vs the wiring book and the new switch and receptacle.  I text my question to Karl: only one of these has a ground wire- is that ok? Um, no. I was going to need a pigtail ground wire for one of these. I remembered I had done something similar in the downstairs bathroom, I took a new dimmer switch that had wires (why don't they all come with wires attached?!) and I clipped off the green ground wire and tied it to the bare copper wire (the ground) to then attached it to my new switch.

The old mess

Stolen wire

Pigtail

Ok, with wires attached and double checked with the wiring book, it was time to test my handywork. I put the switch and the receptacle back in the wall and attached the screws and went downstairs to flip the breaker. But first, I thought, perhaps I should take the fire extinguisher upstairs - since I'm alone doing this. I grabbed the extinguisher from beside the stove and took it upstairs while reading the instructions. And then I laughed.

Yep, that's the store tag that keeps you from trying out the merchandise first. 

I cut off the tag and went downstairs and flipped the breaker. Success! Well kind of. The switch and the outlet had power and worked but it didn't solve my flickering light problem - the bulbs are built into the light so they can't be replaced. I'll have to replace the light. Grrrr. But that will have to be another story. As Scarlett said "Tomorrow is another day."

Next was the bigger battle - positioning these guys so I could put on the cover. It doesn't sound difficult but I fought this for an hour before giving up, ordering dinner then tackling my cable box, Comcast and the remote for another hour ( I clearly like torture).

Here I am contorted in the sink trying to attach this cover. 

I spent an hour in this sink.

I returned to the bathroom outlet battle yesterday after visiting my friend Oscar for coffee. He told me to use a flat head screwdriver to move things around under the cover until they fit. Brilliant! Took me like five minutes! Yay Oscar!

This is the light that goes on, when the outlet switches off! 

Yes, so I have still have to use the table lamp. Don't judge me. 

                                                                                                                                                                And this is how I felt:

Like I had moved mountains. As Dr. Seuss said I would.

And Jeri, I still have the copy you gave me many years ago. Thank you, my dearest friend.

Check out "Oh The Places You'll Go" on audiobook and YouTube - John Lithgow narrates - I mean how fantastic is that? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGNdWNnFSxE

Trepedation

Always Waiting - Rather Be Moving

The frantic work for refi is possibly all for nought. The $700 spent for appraisal and condo docs may have just been thrown away. I'm still waiting and being asked to spend more money to improve that credit score just a few more points. Meanwhile I'm going broke doing it. This isn't helping I don't think.

So I wait - wait to figure out what to do; wait to win the lottery to be able to finish my home (of course one needs to play to win right?); wait to take a vacation; wait to buy a new air conditioner; wait to feel less financial stress. Thanks J.

Of course I know these are mostly first-world problems and I should be grateful I have plenty to eat, a safe and healthy environment to live in, anything I actually need and loving friends and family. And I am grateful.

Meanwhile I'm also waiting for other non-material things:

My health. My injured calf keeps me from running. I was able to do yoga on Marco but I'm in Kentucky and I'm going to have to make it up at home. Should be interesting. It's frustrating - but I AM getting more sleep. Normally when in my hometown, I would be up at 4:30 running with my sister Chelle.

My life. Still sort of waiting to see where it takes me and how it intertwines with other people's lives - my family, B, etc. I used to be able to look ahead in life and imagine my world - I don't now. I just live day by day. Maybe that's the best way? I don't know.


For now, I'll just wait for my nieces and nephews and other siblings to arrive for my nephew's wedding - and I'll enjoy every minute with them.

The Appraisal

Frantic Mad Dash to Prepare for Refi Appraisal

Let's just say I panicked when I got a call yesterday from an appraiser saying he needed to visit my condo to do his job for my refinance - I thought it was just based on comps of similar condos in the area - comps. I was sorely mistaken.

The madness began after work and after a doctor's appointment I couldn't change. I began with what I like to call my storage room - it just happens to have a guest bed and dresser full of linens. So many boxes - of books, pictures, T-shirts from running races and hockey tournaments that I really want to find someone to make them into a quilt - probably several quilts that I'll need more dressers or chests to hold them all. Or hey, perhaps I could hang one on a wall?!

I was straightening and throwing some things away and starting to move everything to the lanai when I decided to check in with a friend in real estate for decades in New Jersey. I text Stephen and asked if everything needed to be moved and the room a perfect bedroom for the appraisal - he said no, it's still a bedroom and I own it so I can do whatever I want to it. Phew! I got the room put together better and neater than it was just as Brendan came over to help.

We swept and mopped and moved wood and worms (millipedes!) from the house. We cleaned and moved furniture and took out garbage. Brendan vacuumed like a champ. He fought through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered to get through the mosquitoes in the dark to take donations over to a local charity consignment shop. No - the file cabinet didn't get put together - but all its pieces got put inside the skeleton of the cabinet and turned backward so that it looks like a funky yellow side table.

I broke a very nice glass 2-cup measuring Pyrex and spilled a large container of quinoa. Not too bad considering I didn't obtain any injuries in the process. I need kitchen shelves and a pantry!

We finished around 11:30 - exhausted and with more to do this morning. I left one of the more important tasks to the last minute because it seemed such a simple task - putting outlet covers on uncovered switches and outlets that I want to change from white to black but there was no time - that will have to wait. After I hunted down the lovely silver covers I have for the task this morning - and this involved moving lots of boxes in search of them - Brendan got after it, letting me continue cleaning and straightening all my clutter.

Unfortunately, without changing out the traditional old outlets to the newer rectangular "decorator" outlets, the silver covers wouldn't go on, though the switch covers worked fine. Brendan ran over to Ace and bought five or six traditional cheep plastic white covers for 50 cents a piece - and we set about covering all the outlets you could see. Open outlets are a big no no for appraisers and I would have been flagged - I think it's a fire hazard?

Finally, we tried for at least the third time to try to hang the flat-screen TV up in my bedroom - again, no luck. This time, Brendan and I discovered that there's a cross beam through the wall that throws off the stud finder - so the second set of holes I drilled also aren't in the stud and aren't holding despite the industrial metal anchors. Brendan spackled the first holes - we'll need to spackle the second ones, paint and re-drill. Saving that for another day.

I finished by cleaning glass doors, wiping down furniture, cleaning toilets (not that the appraiser cares but I read you should make your home as clean and neat as if you were showing it to sell) so aside from having the carpets cleaned and finishing the remodel I need the extra refinancing money to do, I did all I could. And I couldn't have done it without Brendan's help. He's a trooper. I'm currently doing his laundry and planning to cook dinner as repayment. :)

As I worked my job and waited for the appraiser to arrive I tried not to look around and notice anything else. Dennis arrived about 12:10 - I was his fourth appraisal today. We walked around and I told him about the improvements I have already made to the condo as he took notes. He said he would try to take pictures that only showed the finished parts and not things like the open back on the kitchen counters - but reminded me he will be making his appraisal based on what's done and not what is promised.

Dennis was here about half an hour. It seemed to go well. I hope so. More later.

Old kitchen

Today

Catching Up

Sailboats to Illness to Grumpiness to Feeling Better

It has been 46 days since my last post (hey - that's a Phish song - I'm going to listen to it right now! You can too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r35Ius6JPS8 - I was at this show).

I can't believe it has been so long since my last entry. Well I can - a lot has happened - not a lot to my sailboats or to my condo but in life I guess and too many horrible things around the country and the world.

How about just the headlines, highlights and pictures? I considered a haiku but there are more than 17 syllables to tell.

ENTERPRISE DINGHY CURRENTLY NAMED SLOOPY BACK ON MARCO ISLAND
Thanks to Karl and at least the third towing ball I have purchased for this trailer.

"No Facebook"

Tarp was shredded when we picked her up. New one on now.

ENTERPRISE DINGHY TODAY HAS LIABILITY INSURANCE TO SATISFY 'THE CLUB'


A LITTLE LOVE LIGHTS UP A ROOM

This was Quite a Kyle adventure - there are extra holes you can't see and a few marks from a thrown screwdriver

ASTHMA FINALLY CALMS DOWN AFTER LONG RUN WITH STEROIDS, NEW INHALER

THIRD ANTIBIOTIC PUTS SIBO AT EASE; FOSTER STILL ON WEIRD EATING REGIMEN

FOSTER STARTS RUNNING AGAIN AFTER SIX WEEKS OF ILLNESSES


VISIT TO NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY FOR WORK FRIENDS IS INSPIRING

And many more not pictured: Maeve, Evan, Kip, Annabel, Elizabeth, Sarah D., Lawrence, Johnny, Charlie, Coco, Robin, Jackie, Carol Ann, Trisha, Meghan H., Phoebe, Lizzie, Jon, Allison, John, Sonali, Frank, Meghan G., Rizal, Melodie, Erin, Damon, Edith, Kathy, Liz, Saldene, Jasmine, Megan, Melissa, Nick, Nicholas, and I'm sure I'm missing others. We had lovely skies, good runs, yoga, good food, good talks, lots of laughs - and oh some work and training too.

SHELLY, JIM, JESSE, JOSEPH AND PATRICK VISIT MARCO ISLAND, FUN ENSUES

         












AFTER 2 1/2 WEEKS APART, B-FOSTER REUNITED - HAPPY HAPPY GOOD TIMES
(Missed him).

KEY WEST TRIP, FIRST TRIP TOGETHER PROVES SUCCESSFUL, IS EPIC FUN
(Pictures lost on old phone that needed replacing but refused to upload anything beforehand but fun boat ride there and back, beautiful hotel on the water, nice catch up with B).

FOSTER CONTRACTS KIDNEY INFECTION TO FOLLOW UP OTHER ILLNESSES

FOSTER ON CIPRO -  YOU KNOW, THAT ANTHRAX-KILLING DRUG?

FOSTER FEELING MUCH BETTER, WENT TO BEACH YOGA TODAY

FOSTER FEELING MUCH BETTER, MAY TRY A RUN TODAY, SEE FRIENDS, FISH

*In other good news, I'm working on a refinancing of my condo to try to sort the mess J helped create. (Send positive vibes and luck please).

*It's amazing what some essential oils, a few sun salutations, some big puffy beautiful sunrise clouds, a laugh with your favorite coffee shop owner, some purple flowers and a short walk will do to your mood. Or my mood anyway.

*It's amazing what a hug from your pulmonologist will do - no really, not in a creepy way - he cares and that's good when things in your lungs get scary.

*It's amazing what yoga can do to the mind, body, soul. From the people who are present, including me, to the sights and sounds, smells, smiles and words of wisdom and kindness. I am always humbly reminded to Think, speak and love myself and others lovingly and truthfully. Thank you, Debby.

Note to self:

More running, more yoga, more music, more fun, more laughing, more family, more positive energy, more coloring, more dancing, more sunsets and sunrises


More memories like these:

Kate and Franco bought a house since this! Yay them!

   

  







AND

Run like an antelope out of control! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6A-cJr4Kpw
(and yes, I was at this show too).