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I'm gonna try to get some room darkening blinds that are on the adjustable spring rods with a piece on the side to screw it into place. No screws or brackets. One room at a time.
 
MarciKS said:
I'm gonna try to get some room darkening blinds that are on the adjustable spring rods with a piece on the side to screw it into place. No screws or brackets. One room at a time.
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What??? I will (hopefully) be addressing window coverings in the next six months. Would you mind sending a link or pic of those blinds, please?
 
Here it is still February (barely) and the weather is more like Spring. High in the 60F's. So, I spoke with the guy who has done so much of the work on this house. There is still some work to be done on the eaves, fascias, etc., and I want one area of the roof to be extended to prevent snow accumulation against the wall below. He said he can probably get to it in the next week or so and is coming over today to measure and see what materials will be needed.

This was planned to be done this summer but right now he has some time and the weather seems to be cooperating so let's get to it.

If he can schedule it, we will also do the fencing, and maybe the bridge crossing the creek. Fingers crossed, although this may be hard on the budget to do it sooner than originally planned, but I am concerned he may get a job away from here and then what will I do??? Let's just get it done; I will figure out the finances.
 
Finally stopped procrastinating and removed the blinds over the kitchen window, without breaking the mounting clips, laid them in the bathtub, sprayed them with 409 cleaner, scrubbed with a brush and rehung them. Wow! I knew they needed cleaning but just Wow! They look brand new.
 
GoodEnuff said:
At age 46, 120#, I quit smoking, gained 78# over the next two years; then diabetes raised its ugly head. Joined Weight Watchers and that helped me get down to a healthy weight, along with smoking again. But no diabetes! They tell you "you may gain a little weight, 5-10#". Bull. And even after two years, I still had the cravings. They never stopped. (I have been smoking for 58 years.)

Quit for four months for a surgery, gained ten pounds. Started again after healing from the surgery, lost five pounds of it and held there until October, 2023, when I decided to quit smoking again. THIS time I was determined not to gain weight and be faced with diabetes; diabetes scares me much more than anything smoking can do. So out came the food scale, measuring cups/spoons, nutrition guides, etc. Limited myself to 1,000-1200 kcal/day. When I started, weight was 135#. Actually lost weight, to 113#, which was way too much. And started smoking again at Quit Day 70, after completely losing it and destroying some solar lights outside and did some damage to the fence with a galvanized steel pipe.

The medical community does absolutely nothing to help. Chantix turned me into a monster. Tried meditation, exercise, music, accupuncture, massage, hypnosis, the state quit-line program. I can recite in my sleep "Set a quit date; tell friends and family so they will support you (no, they won't); use nicotine replacements (here, have some of the drug to which you are addicted); chew gum; stay busy" blah blah blah. NONE of that helps! In fact, some of it actually worked against me. Tell someone and then when you slip up and smoke, they will smear your face in that failure.

The only thing that worked to help control the mood swings the first time I quit was ativan, an anti-anxiety drug that is very addictive. I don't want to do that again and possibly exchange one addiction for another. No thank you. Nothing helps with the extreme anxiety and anger brought on by quitting. I am thankful that I live alone.

So, today is Day 1 of another quit attempt. Five hours since my last cigarette, nico patch in place. The food scale etc is out on the counter. I do have two more pounds to lose from the last couple of weeks of eating the wrong things. Then back to normal-for-me meals, just to maintain.

I can already feel my heart rate increasing and the anxiety building as I sit here typing this. In reading over this for typos, etc., parts of it are confusing so now, enter the brain fog. Not sure if it's worth it. Because as so many say, it doesn't get better after a week or two. It didn't get better after two years! And I'm not sure I have the strength to go through this much suffering at this time in my life.
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Here Love, pounder this....
Cigarette smoking causes significant, long-term damage to mitochondria—the energy-producing powerhouses of cells—by inducing severe oxidative stress, DNA damage, and structural fragmentation. This dysfunction drives inflammation, reduces ATP production, and contributes to diseases like COPD, cardiovascular issues, and atherosclerosis.
ScienceDirect.com +3 Google Search
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Few things are more important than our mitochondria, and they are related to diabetes.

Mitochondria are membrane-bound organelles, often called the "powerhouses of the cell" that generate over 90% of the chemical energy (ATP) needed to fuel biochemical reactions in eukaryotic cells. Found in the cytoplasm, they are essential for metabolism, cell death (apoptosis), and calcium storage. They contain their own DNA, inherited only from the mother.
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) +7 Google Search
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Make friends with your mitochondria. Feed it CoQ 10 and Alpha-lipoic acid. Consider using a multiple vitamin along with healthy eating, exercise, and a good night's sleep.

I had a doctor who would say, " Okay, let's see how much damage the smoking did, before she sent me to get tested. I had no idea how much long-term damage smoking could do.

For me, it helps to think of my mitochondria as a pet I need to care for. If I take good care of it, it will take good care of me. Health problems motivate me to do the right things.
 
I once worked in an addiction unit with drinkers and smokers - equal billing imo? - but the chemistry of addiction to any substance was a fascinating journey! - stopped fags years ago but occasional cigar or pipe which I rationalize as less dangerous than cigs??
 
I don't know how people can afford smoking or drinking. I smoked from the time I was 14 until I was 20. My wife and I made a deal. I threw her birth control pills down the toilet and she threw my cigarettes down. Funny thing is that I have never missed them. I quit drinking Jan.2/97 and haven't touched one since and I still say that I never had a drink I didn't like. When I think about how much money they both cost me over the years I just cringe. Maybe that's why not doing either doesn't bother me is that I'm just that cheap.
 
Yesterday, besides cleaning the blinds, I removed an old under cabinet light that had been replaced with a new one. That's done.

The weather was gorgeous. So I grabbed a shovel and rearranged the gravel in the yard. Then I dragged out the garden hose and cleaned off a tarp that had been used in the sanding project and was covered in dust. Let it dry and put it away.

Today, I will clean this ceiling. I was burning candles for months and it never occurred to me that the burned wax has to go somewhere until I noticed it had gone to the ceiling. Looks Awful! Hopefully, it will come off without too much elbow grease. Edit: No more candle burning.

In the back of my mind, I know that painting project is waiting. All these other little things are just excuses to postpone that project, lol.
 
I tried cleaning the ceiling yesterday. Vinegar and water was a fail. 409 on a sponge mop just smeared it around. 409 on a rag was a little better. What sort of worked was 409 on one of those scrubby sponges but that also removed the paint. The ceiling will need to be painted but not any time soon.

Running out of small chores to do so psyching myself up to get back to the painting project in the small sitting room. The contractor wasn't able to make it here on Saturday to check out the eave project; he said he will come this morning to assess what needs to be done and materials needed. Certain materials will need to be special ordered. Hopefully, the weather will continue to cooperate.
 
O M G! The work has begun on the eave/roof over the wall with the bay window. Words cannot describe what we found. I spoke with my younger sister, who lived here when this was built, and our two brothers, Mom and Dad built this. Definitely done by amateurs. The structure makes no sense. He will do his best to make it right. Or at least better. I am so glad I decided to get this done. Just shaking my head.
 
The new eave, which has been extended out an additional 32" from the roof line over that bay window, looks really "strange", lol. This entire house footprint is strange as it was built to fit the topography. When the drywall guy was here, he commented that when you first arrive and enter the front door, you don't realize that some of the rooms are even there. I have a plaque (gifted by a friend) hanging inside the front door that says, "Welcome to the Crooked House".

Anyway, the reason for doing this eave extension is to redirect snow coming off the roof away from the wall. It is on the north side of the house, just a few feet away from a four foot drop down into the creek. The winter snow builds up there all winter and is very difficult to shovel away without falling into that creek. The strange look is okay with me; you can't see it unless you manage to walk around to the back of the house which isn't an easy thing to do, especially in winter. I hope this works, lol.

Today, I have to go to town to order materials: steel roofing and fascia covers, and another metal roofing part that I don't know the name. They should arrive Friday. Meanwhile, the naked roof area is covered with a heavy duty tarp. Pray it doesn't rain or snow this week.

This should be finished by Friday. Then I hope to start the fence, which should be a piece of cake compared to this.
 
Well, a probable change of plans. The existing roof on this part of the house was "replaced" about 8 years ago. They laid metal roofing over the old asphalt shingles. The layers, top to bottom are: metal, plastic sheeting, shingles, felt (aka tar paper), on top of the plywood decking. Most of the decking in that area was wet (thankfully, no signs of rot), although the insulation in the attic was dry. The top of the plastic was dry; the under side was wet. How? The metal is in very good condition, the screws were tight. We have come to the conclusion that the snow was backing up under the peak cap and melting under everything.

Another adjacent area was stripped and it was dry. I wonder how much of the rest of this roof has that same problem. It is very tempting, and I am seriously considering having him strip the rest of this roof (800 sf?) off, down to the decking, apply the ice and water shield and replace the same metal (still in good condition) back on. Most of the cost would be the I&W Shield and labor. At the same time, replace some of the fascia, cover it with metal fascia covers and add a second under eave vent to better ventilate the attic. I will sleep on that.

Meanwhile, we left it uncovered tonight to let the plywood decking dry. Pray it doesn't rain (forecast says 0% but in the mountains, one cannot rely on a forecast).

The big problem would be a weather change. A couple of inches (or more!) of snow would not be good on a naked roof. The contractor said he could do it a section at a time. We will discuss it further tomorrow after a (hopefully) good night's sleep.

The fence can wait.
 
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