All Is Well.........

Well, I did end up working today and will go back tomorrow to do the finishing touches.

It's going to be a really "HOT" week. 105-110 degree heat index for rest of week. Glad my customer had the a/c and fans on all day.

Also I got my phones programmed and working tonight. At least I think they are working okay. I get so paranoid about doing these things that I am stressed and then it is a feeling of great relief when it is over with.

Now I am in desperate need of a shower...........

Changes ! ! !

Much to my distress and angst, I had to buy a new phone today. I don't like change but the old phone was dying a fast death.

The main problem is that I don't understand the new technologies, so I am flying blind when I need some new equipment. Basically, I sound like an idiot in the stores.

This time I got a Spanish speaking (surprise, surprise) boy to help me with this decision. Nice boy but we were not understanding each other. Needless to say we were soon calling for backup from the English speaking pool.

After many questions that I was not even understanding the answers to in English, I just bought the one from the Sunday ads that drew me to Target in the first place. I have liked the Uniden phones for years so that is what I got. Two phones, base set and charger, 5.8 Ghz and digital answering, etc. They are on the chargers now until tomorrow night so at that time we will see if I can set them up.

Keeping my fingers crossed......................

The rest of the day was reading the paper, doing the wash, napping, playing on the computer, watching TV and staying in the A/C until it cooled down enough outside to go shopping.

Still have my ironing to do but will probably do that tomorrow night. Have to paper a kitchen tomorrow in Ashburn or should I say I hope I am. Have not heard from the woman as to whether the paper arrived. We'll see!!!

Problem Solved

I had no choice but to leave the left-over paper. The man stayed with me all day and his desk overlooked the parking lot. No chance to walk off with the paper. I guess I feel better about being honest.

Room looked really good.............and I finished today so don't have to go back tomorrow.

Met Susie for dinner at Texas Roadhouse again and came home and napped for an hour.

Just got off the phone with Butch. He finally caught up with me to tell me about his trip to China. Sounds really interesting but don't know how I would do in a foreign country. He has the advantage of speaking Mandarin Chinese so that made it easier for him.

DILEMMA

I have a "large" dilemma.............I took down 2 walls of string paper in an office in Reston today (Will finish tomorrow) and started to hang new paper. It soon became obvious that I had overestimated the amount of paper. It is probably going to take about 8 single rolls of paper and I had told them it would be 18. WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVER PAPER???

This is a major problem because they have used a decorator and the price was probably exorbitant. To return the paper they would have to pay 30% restocking fee, the designer would lose a lot of commission, I would have to admit that I was wrong and I wouldn't get paid as much as I had expected. ( I charge by the amount I hang)

The good thing is that I will be finishing on Saturday when the office is closed. The bad part is, how do I charge them with good conscience for all that paper that I walk off with????????? They have been good customers in the past and are very, very nice people.

How could I have screwed up so badly?????

Yuck ! ! !

Since we had the leak in the basement, there has been a musty, moldy smell that strikes you as soon as you walk in the front door. So today was spent unloading stored things under the stairs and removing the carpet. Then I took up the piece of carpet in front of the dryer, which is where the dogs used to eat and drink. That was worse than the one under the stairs.

Then I painted the floor black to make it look more inviting and maybe keep down the dust that comes up through the floor.

I also mowed the backyard and trimmed about 8:30 AM before the heat set in. Explored digging a hole before I buy a crepe myrtle to plant. Had to see if there were any wires or pipes or worse, roots from a tree that fell down a few years ago. Didn't want to buy it and then find out I had no place to put it. This will happen sometime next month.

Tomorrow I go to Reston to strip "string paper" from an office and if that goes well I will be rehanging paper on Saturday. Keeping my fingers crossed. Can finish on Sunday but don't want to drag it out.

Parallel Universe ???

When I am packing and unpacking a lot, I don't know where I am half the time or what I should do next. Thus the "parallel universe" feeling.

Friday I worked at Susie's and went on an estimate in Reston.

Saturday Mike and I went to St. Leonard's, Md. for a beach house party. Mike was a member of a group beach house when I met him and we enjoyed Dewey Beach many weekends for about 10 years. There were only 6 of us there from the group, including the woman who gave the party. Guess we have gotten too old and scattered around to attend these things anymore. There were other neighbors and friends but only 6 of our group.

Sunday I packed again and went to Deb's to pet sit while they were in Roanoke for a softball tournament. The boy they were counting on canceled at the last minute so I took over 3 days and a neighbor will feed them the rest of the week. (2 dogs, 2 cats, and fish) I also got some more of their woodwork painted to stay busy.

Monday I did a little side trip for a few hours and went to my dad's to change his sheets and chat a while. He is getting so old that I hate not going to see him as much but seems all we do is argue so I don't stay too long and I try to keep my mouth shut while there.

Back to work today ( Wednesday) on a powder room in Fairfax City. All went well there.

Supposed to go back to Susie's tomorrow but she scheduled some work so have to put that off till next week.

Will try to catch up on things around here. Nothing really important except will be nice to get them done.

Still too "hot" to think but I'm still glad it's not winter......

Home again..........

Wednesday went to Dean's in Thurmont and then we went to Totem Pole Theater to see "Lend Me A Tenor". It was very funny and I wish that Debbie had gone to this one rather than the one she did. Maybe next one....

Back to Dean's to get Ed, her 76 yr. old friend?, to go to dinner. Jeri, Dean's downstairs neighbor decided to tag along if we went to "The Ott House" in Emmitsburg. Then back to Dean's to play a card game with some other friends.

Today I went to the dentist to get my new partial and, as all things seem to go, it didn't fit. After trying for over 1/2 hr. of trying to shape it, the dentist decided to try over the next 2 wks. to work on it and I am to return for another try. Why does everything have to be a problem???? It's no big deal but it means I have to go back more times.

Planted some flowers in the backyard that I had bought on the way down Rte. 15 and now am ready for bed.

Back to Susie's to paint somemore in the AM.........

Hell ?!?!?

I'm adding a 4th "H" to hazy, hot and humid.

"HELL"

It has been so hot that I can't breathe. Seems the whole country has sunk to the deep inner earth area of fire and brimstone. Praying it ends soon.

I painted again at Susie's yesterday and today. At 9 this AM I reglued the bottom part of a mural that I had hung last year(for another customer). The basement had flooded in the same storm in which ours flooded. They were able to peel the mural up, replace the drywall and then we reglued it back down. Sure hope it stays.

Tomorrow is off to Totem Pole Playhouse again and staying over at Dean's in Thurmont to go to the dentist on Thursday. Then back home Thursday night and back to Susie's to paint on Friday.

Have to finish a movie (Failure To Launch) tonight to return it on my way out tomorrow. Should have watched it last night but I played on the computer too long.

Lazy Day

Well, this certainly turned into a long boring day.....

I started out strong with reading the paper, taking a short walk in the woods, mowing and trimming the back yard. And that is pretty much where it ended.

Then I took a nap and finished the movie I started yesterday. And I can't say what I did all afternoon other than put off everything I could and should have been doing.

Then I laid down to watch a tv show and naturally fell asleep again. I really think that there is something eating away inside me but I am feeling better after all the rest.

This morning I was having trouble breathing and I didn't know if it was the heat and humidity outside or my smoking. Then I talked to Debbie and she said she was also having breathing problems today. We both agreed that we were influenced by Linda having a heart attack this week. Sure hope that is it.........the mind can be very tricky!!!

Let's see how it goes tomorrow.

3 H's

Hazy, Hot and Humid

We are in the deep throes of a Washington summer with heavy thunderstorms this afternoon. It felt like a sauna after the storm.

Went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse with Susie and then to Ross to return things that didn't fit. As usual, I vowed to get the money and walk out with no new purchases. Well, 3 hours later, I had managed to find a brown pair of capri's, a white t-shirt and (believe it or not) an ankle length wool skirt. I worked hard to weed through other things that I found that I loved. It ended up costing me $2.00 more than the refund on the returned items.

Then we just had to stop at Marshall's to see if they had a broom for me like one that Susie had bought. No broom but I found a plant arrangement that I couldn't live without.

This is getting to be a real addiction and my closet overfloweth. The sad part is that I don't go anywhere to wear half the "bargains" that I find. But just in case somebody asks, I am prepared.

Yesterday I painted again at Susie's house and will be going back again on Monday to start the basement painting. It is something to do. Guess I could wear some of my bargains to paint. (lol)

Catching up..........

Tuesday I went back to my "dreamy house" to finish dining room and paper the powder room. Job went well and I did explore the whole house. Master bedroom suite on 1st floor, 3 bedrooms and baths upstairs and what looks like a small mother-in-law apt. plus 6th bedroom and bath in the basement. Beautiful, just beautiful but not opulent. More countrified.

Left work about 4 PM and was meeting Ashly in Sterling for dinner at Don Pablos. Problem-----my driver's side window would not go up. So I endured the heat (95 degrees) the rest of the day. Ashly decided to follow me to my house and go to a friend's house in Ashburn later. Got home, she did her thing putting on makeup and curling her hair to go get in a hot tub. Didn't make sense but guess I would have done this also.

Got a call from Debbie that her dad's wife, Linda had a heart attack that day and was in Winchester Hospital. They had put 3 stents in her veins and she seems to be doing okay. She is only 54 so this was a big surprise.

Ashly got off to her friends house and I took lawn mower upstairs to lend to neighbor and then I put plastic in my truck window just in case it should rain.

Wednesday it was off to South Springfield to paper a bath on the 4th floor of a condo bldg. Nice older couple and I actually offered to help out with some painting in the kitchen that she was having trouble reaching.

When I got in the truck in the AM, I automatically hit the button to raise the window and "Eureka" it went up. Now I am afraid to put it down again. Hard for drive-thrus but hope I'll remember to leave it alone.

Today I am putzing around getting laundry done and have to go to store for a few things (cigarettes) and maybe a movie. Could use a good escape for this afternoon.

Tomorrow I am going back to Susie's to paint some more .This is a painting job that will never end. Now she has decided to repaint her bedroom a different color. We just painted it last winter. Anyway we are down to the basement level now with the stairs so we will finish that first and then start the basement before heading back to the bedroom.

Not A Bad Monday

Another perfect weather day, although the humidity is creeping up. We have been so lucky this summer but we did have a week of rain in June. The heat hasn't been oppressive.

I worked in the most gorgeous house today that I am lusting after. Couldn't afford it nor could I handle cleaning it but the style and location are perfect. It overlooks the Potomac River (when leaves are off the trees you can see the river) and it reminds me of the summer houses built at Monterey, PA around the turn-of-the-century. Large porches all the way around and lots of tall windows everywhere. Not your typical tract house.

Have another day there tomorrow so will explore the upstairs also. Whoops, I didn't really say that, did I?
The people have not moved in so the place is bare and I hope to get back after the furniture is in to nose around then.

A Beautiful Sunday

I guess I am not taking this "blog" seriously enough to write every day. Or every week, it seems.

Could be that the weather is so gorgeous that it greatly cuts down on computer time. Any excuse is better than none. Could be that life is boring, but I refuse to believe that yet.

I will try to catch up here---------
June 30-primed/papered a bath in Dumfries
July 1- painted more at Susie's in staircase
July 2-so exciting that I can't remember
July 3- papered a bath in Woodbridge
July 4- primed/papered a room in Dumfries
July 5- Went to Thurmont and met Dean to go to Totem Pole Playhouse. Debbie met us and went along this time. Lunch and dinner out and spent night at Dean's.
July 6- Helped Dean with projects at her condo and came home late afternoon.
July 7- Paper was on B/O so couldn't work today.
July 8- Went to Felicia's softball tournament in Sykesville, MD. Three games starting at 2 PM. Back to Deb's at 7 PM. Stayed the night.
July 9- Went from Deb's to Pap's this AM and stayed an hour and came home. Not a long visit but not worth arguing all the time with him. Today he had the a/c and heat both on. He is afraid he will get cold. VERY FRUSTRATING to try and reason with him.

Took a long walk tonight because I feel that calms me down almost as much as wine used to.

Now I am waiting for a confirmation from my customer for my job tomorrow. Hope she calls soon.

Off to the showers and hope there is a good movie on tonight.