Tool Time - How hard can it be? (thanks Mag Ruffman)

How hard can it be to use a drill if you've never used one before? It's yet another one of those things that as a separated, independent woman with no SU around, I have to educate myself.

I need to hang curtains and I need to mount the curtain rods before the curtains will hang. I've never done this before so I watched about four Youtube videos to figure out what I needed to do. Doesn't seem too difficult except for the part about using a drill. I have never used one before. Can't be too tough, can it?

I found a drill in the garage. I think it must belong to Rebel's BF. It doesn't look like anything the XSU would use. Not very heavy. Kinda girly even.

Okay. No power supply attached to it. Must be one of the cordless variety. Yep.... there's the charger right next to it.

Hmmmm nothing fits into the charger. I can't figure out how to charge the darn thing. I went to the Internet and found the Makita website and found a diagram of the drill to figure out how to get to the charger and battery. Okay..... looks like this little plate at the bottom of the drill comes off. Screw driver, I need a screw driver to unscrew the plate to get the batter out to charge it.

Yep, that works. Plate comes off, battery comes out - into the charger.

In the meantime, I went into the dining room and marked the wall next to the windows where I wanted to put the curtain rods. That was step two on most of the videos I watched. Step one was to figure out if I had studs behind the wall or just the gyprock.

I couldn't find my level. That darn thing was everywhere - whenever I didn't need it there it was in front of me, and of course, when I finally need it - coulnd't find it anywhere. Luckily, I had this teeny tiny level that I got at a conference - it's only aobut 10 cms. long but it did the job. Slowly, but I got the lines I needed.

Back to the drill. How do I get the drill bit to stay inside the drilling thingamajiggy? Doesn't snap in. There doesn't seem to be a way to pop it in. Now WHAT? Back to YouTube. Thank goodness for You Tube. I found a video that shows how to pop a drill bit in. Okay... try and turn that round part. Oh wow! It works! Cool!

Okay... drill bit in. Give it a shot.... this. baby. has. no. power. none. Figures, since it belongs to Rebel's BF. Weak. It works *just enough.* Not well, but it will get the job done. Probably just as well, as I will no doubt make a mess of the wall if I try and use some Tim-Taylor-Tool-Time-More-Power kinda drill.

It's now or never. Popped that drill into the wall. Made a hole. Popped one of those plastic anchor thingys into the wall, popped the screw back in, did it a second time and LOOK AT THAT!

It worked! Now, gotta do it all over again. BEvERage.... I *need* a BEvERage.

side remark - I now understand why men need BEvERages with their drills. Although it's probably NOT safe to drink and drill, I had to do it. Besides, it was a Bud Light - left over from the NASCAR race - barely a real BEvERage.

OKAY Round 2! One more side to put up there. Wow, did this one in half the time I did the first one. Learning curve achieved. Drill sucks. I need MORE POWER!

Ironed the curtains. Hung them up. Next window. Do it all again. I want my own drill.

13 on Thursday

What's left in the house now that the ECO-Audit is done
1 add cupboards on one wall in kitchen. Glass doors
2 change the door pulls and drawer pulls in kitchen
3 light ballasts under cupboards up graded
4 paint the kitchen
5 paint powder room
6 refresh paint in bathroom
7, 8 re do bath room counter tops both bathrooms
9 new faucet in kitchen XSU took the one he planned to put in with him. seriously.
10 buy curtains for living room
11 get the dining room table re finished.
12 new chairs for dining room
13 have dinner parties.. 1st one? perogy party with grad school friends in town next weekend.

Wordless Wednesday

Sunday Snippets

Rebel and I were supposed to go to an Alumni Dinner for transplant patients.  Her dinner was even paid by the Heart Institute.  She called me this afternoon and sounded awful.  Flu - upchucking through the night she said.  So far... no other symptoms... but I am a tad freaked... I told her if she felt anything in her breathing to get to the hospital ASAP.   She's living way the hell out past the other end of the city so I can't even get to her all that quickly.  I hope it doesn't turn into any thing else.

I've paid - post dated paid for Scrap and Spa ... first weekend of March.  Yippee.  LOVE my Scrap & Spa annual weekend.

Alouettes won the Grey Cup... whatta Game.. typical Canadian game, it went right to the last two plays.  OMG!!!  The Riders got called for too many men on the field. - HOW does that happen in a championship game?!?!  Als  missed their first field goal attempt at 38 yards,  Riders got the too many men penalty and  The ALs tried again at  33 yards - 28-27  a heartbreaker!   I NEVER thought I could go for an eastern team, but I just can't make myself cheer for the Green Machine.  It's a western thing.   AMAZING game  I might even get an Als t-shirt now. Why not! Until my city has a team I can sneak around on my Bombers.  

My high school is going to have a 50th reunion in 2011.  Right on my birthday and over the May weekend.  I am signing up to go!  I think it will be great fun. Now there's a good reason to work out, deal with the flabby thighs and keep colouring the hair!  botox?  face work?  hmmmmm

XSU has agreed with me - for once - that RJ needs to get the H1N1 shot.  I am going to go this week at some point.

WHY ever did I sign up for the cookie exchange at work?  I am SO NOT good at baking cookies.  I can't roll dough for the life of me.  I did find some easy drop cookies on Epicurious so I am going to have to get on that and hope to goodness I create 3 dozen of something.   The good thing is, I'll get back 3 dozen cookies from those who do bake.  I guess there is some method to my madness.

 Roof is reshingled.  Bank has been semi sorted.  But next go around on my mortgage I am going to shop it around a little more.  As much as they've been good about the financing, the service is not where it should be.  I shouldn't have to be calling every other day to see what's going on with my file.

So... I am offically in reno fatigue.  Bathroom counter tops, fans, paint, changing the outlets and switches, kitchen paint, counter and back splash is just going to have to wait.  I am done with this for now.

Sunday evening.  I think I'll just crawl into my bed with a little glass of something and finish reading my latest book. 

Taped up!

Thank goodness for duct tape.  And it now comes in a gazillion different colours too. My recyle boxes are both cracked and looking pretty "ghetto" as the kids say.   I am too cheap to go out and get some new ones.  So I thought to myhself. " If I was the cheap SOB XSU what would I do in this situation?"  And of course the answer came to me pretty much instantly - duct tape.

So I have duct taped the box up and ya know... it does look even more ghetto and RJ sat there rolling her eyes as I put the boxes together.  I just wish I had hot pink and lime green rather than your industrial black. But at least I don't have to go out and buy a bunch of new boxes for garbage day.

My main floor is so close to being finished.  But I think I am hitting reno fatigue.  A few things to move back to the basement, plus two big moving boxes full of stuff that I have to figure out what to do with, and it will be mostly done.

I am bringing my grandma's table up to the dining room but I have to keep a table cloth on it because it is so badly stained it needs refinishing.  I've never done that before and will get a friend to help me with it.  The chairs need to be re upolstered too and I think the same friend will be able to help me do that too.  That will be pretty easy to do I think.  I've watched the youtube how to videos.

It took RJ two days to clean up her mess from her party.  Her laptop has viruses on it she doesn't want to use it until we do a full clean up.  I told her she could use my laptop - AFTER she cleaned up.  She didn't bother until late afternoon and by then I had left the house and put the lofk on the laptop so she couldn't use it.

She says she's going to her dad's for the week but I haven't seen any evidence of her packing her stuff yet.  A week off would be nice.  I have to say I am not missing XSU's presence at all.

I am now heading to look around the house to see what else needs a little duct tape. 

The Buck Stops Here

I have spent the weekend schelpping stuff either up or downstairs.  I am trying to empty the dining room of stuff from the basement and then shifting other stuff around in the other rooms as my windows are finally being replaced this week.  I don't like the idea of these *guys* traipsing through my house - every room in my house - but how else are they gonna get the job done.   My main floor is slowly getting back to being a real living and dining room.  I need to have a garage sale but the season is done.  So the stuff in my garage might just get hauled away by some charity or other.  I don't believe I'd make much money.  I am going to post a few things on our employee forum for sale board at work and see if I can unload a few things.

I called XSU to find out if or when the girls were coming back.  I asked what consequences he imposed on RJ over her skipping classes.  AS expected - not much of anything from his blah blah blah.  "I told her she had to go apologize to the history teacher."  big whoop.  I told him I left a message for the history teacher and the Athletics Assocation teacher and that they were to throw the book at her.  No more leaving classes to take photos at sports tournaments, no skipping classes at all, or her trip to France would be jeopardized .  He told me that was too "harsh"  My eyes are rolling so hard I am getting a head ache. 

Of course the girls didn't get back here til after 9 PM and sure as heck were not in the mood to help me at that time of night.  As expected RJ was going on about needing the laptop.  I told her sure, after she tidied up the ktichen that was spotless until she walked into the door and had to have a snack. Well, she never came back for the laptop so I am just guessing when I go downstairs my kitchen will still be a disaster zone.  sigh...

And yes... point well taken, when RJ is at his house, I have zero control  But when the calls from teachers come to my house and I have her during the week, oh baby the buck will stop with me.

I curse you XSU!

The girls - RJ and Frenchy - are with XSU this weekend.  Thank goodness.  I needed the break and it couldn't have come soon enough.  I don't know how single parents with little ones who demand attention manage because two 16 year old girls and I am crawling by the end of the day.  There is something to be said for having babies at age 21 instead of a career.  That way you're not in your 50s going through perimenopause and dealing with a hormonal teen too.  Too many of the wrong kind of hormones mixing together.    I digress.....

Rushing to get dinner.  Getting things done after dinner.  Taking the dog out for a walk.  Hopefully things will calm down a little once Frenchy heads home.  I have tried asking RJ to do more to contribute and I am not getting too far.... yet.   Again her father's legacy. I continue to demand and every now and again - when she wants something - I manage to get some cooperation.  I am not like her father and I won't end up giving up and doing things myself.  I don't have that energy.  The girl needs to be responsible and contribute to this little household. 

She pulled a couple of fast ones this week with Frenchy and I let XSU know I wasn't impressed and he shouldn't be either. By Sunday afternoon her phone - and life line via text - will be turned off for a few days and I have hidden her laptop - again- until I see a few changes.  Though I have to admit her not having cell access ends up disturbing me almost as much as it bothers her.   I am already gearing up - ear plugs please - to deal with her whining and yowling about her phone and blah blah computer for homework.   Talk to the hand I say.

I have to call XSU and see what he's decided to do - if anything -  I suspect his gum surgery will be making him stupider than usual and he won't be doing much of anything in the consequences of your actions department.  Can you see me roll my eyes.

On the reno front - The HH informed me that I had better get a new roof on the house.  I had a roofing company come in and sure enough he said from the look of the thing I should have holes in my ceiilings by now.  One more thing that XSU let go. I have put such a big Ukrainian curse on him it's gonna be more than gum surgery inconveniencing him for some time.  I had planned on the roof for next spring, but both HH and the roofing guy - the husband of a woman I work with so he is trustworthy - have told me NOW.  Oh well... new roof or basement furniture... not much choice.

My House. My Rules.

The lovely Red Dell laptop has cut out on me at the same time as the home computer died.

XSU waltzed once again in my home and helped himself to the desktop while I was away.  While I am happy he's dealing with the problem, he still doesn't seem to understand that walking into my home while I am not there to invite him in isn't an option.
 
Ah well, soon enough he won't recognize the place any way.  The painting is coming along beautifully.  My furniture has arrived and is almost in place.  The piano needs to be moved again, but I need a stronger back  particularly because the poor piano is falling apart and the legs are tottering. 

I have a dining room and garage full of stuff I am not sure I want back in the basement but I do need to get everything off the main floor again so it is livable.
 
I've sent XSU two emails asking about upcoming appointments and things that RJ needs to get done as she prepares for her trip to France - passport stuff, medical certificates, upcoming scheduled vaccines etc, and I've had zero response.  Can you see the eye rolling?

Meanwhile RJ and Frenchy are living in the newly renovated basement. She's been leaving a mess down there.  I've asked the HH - Hunky Handyman to put a lock on the wrong side with a key for me.  That way if RJ doesn't clean up after herself, I lock the basement with a key and she can't get down there.  It will make her crazy.  No doubt when/if I sell the place potential buyers will wonder why there is a key on a door going down into the basement.   Serves my purposes though.

Meanwhile, Rebel tells me that the people living in their house are moving out.  They are renting the basement and now think they will leave as well.  Guess what?  She wants to move back in with me bringing along the BF and her crazy half dachshund half Jack Russel dog.  I told her fine for her and BF no to the dog. And they would NOT be living in my newly renovated basement.   The basement is my family room and not a bedroom.  And I am NOT interested in having her dog in my house, and gee... she  could always go live with her dad in his empty house.   Evil grin and maniacal laughter ensues.

Of course the BF can't stand the XSU so not sure if that will work, but I have told Rebel emphatically - no dog.  My house my rules.  She is telling me she will come and take my little Buttons dog away.  While this will hurt me, it will ultimately cause the little guy more grief I think. So I called her bluff and said so be it.  Take him. But no coming back to my home with the crazy noisy puppy.  I am not interested in having him back.

I don't think it's supposed to be this way, but I have to draw the line somewhere for my own piece of mind.

Restructuring: Life after marriage ends.

The end of the marriage has begun. It would seem that I really should move on and the spousalennuie needs to be done. From now on it is restructuring time.

And wow am I restructuring. I am starting with foundations. The basement rec room. I've had it completely gutted and and am rebuilding it from the cement walls - got rid of the nasty panelling and it is being replaced with gyprock. Rebel Junior would like the walls painted a shade of yellow. I can go with that. I want her to be able to spend time here with her friends and be comfortable and if the colour of the room helps make a difference so be it.

My personal restructuring has also begun. I've changed all my " emergency contacts" at work. I have a good friend from church up on first and and she has my two brothers up on her list. I've kept them all in that loop. That was a big one.