Pre-Oscar Function

Prior to enjoying the Academy Awards, Susan and I did some actual home remodeling stuff. She has been working for three weeks now on the ceiling in our main hallway. If you look back only a few entries, you'll see us scraping the textured crap off the ceiling.

Since I have been down with the Shingles for the past four weeks, she has been continuing the work on her own. Today, she painted. That a good sign because it's the last thing to do. She has to put up one more coat as you can see some of the touch up areas didn't get completely covered by the paint.
I am still not feeling very good but I am uncharacteristically tired of being useless. So I went to work on the new bookcase upstairs. It's been several months since we stained it. Even more months since we had it installed. It has now cured well enough to varnish.

With these two projects complete, we can now do a thorough cleaning of the house, which has been infested by dust from the endless mudding and sanding process on the aforementioned ceiling. It got so bad it even bothered me.

The big snowfall from Thursday has started to melt and is creating wonderful icicles all around. I'm taking pictures of some of them before I knock them down. I'll have more sickles to show off in the days to come.

And now, it's off to the Oscars!

Overnight Snow Fall

I got up at 6 and went out to start removing the eight inches of snow that fell over the evening.

I managed to get the whole block blown before heading off to work. I had more clean up to do when I got home. Everything is cool and I'm ready for the next storm. And if I know more Spokane Winter Storms, the next one will be in November.

Rare Mid Day Comment

I don't usually take time out in the middle of my day to blog but there appears to be a significant snowfall coming down today and I thought it required a comment. Last night, the TV Weather peoples where working every angle to talk about the impending storm due to hit anytime between now and a point in the future with one inch to 27 feet of snow. I got up this morning to no snow and what looked like a pretty decent day. It was cold but the skies were clear and it didn't look like anything was threatening to dump on us. The snow started falling about ten or elevenish and it's been going steady since then. It looks like I'll have at least one more opportunity to ply the sidewalks and alleys of the neighborhood with my Snow Machine. It has been a wet snow but it is starting to stick. I expect there will be a couple of inches on the ground by the time I get home. I hope I'll get one good snow blowing out of the way tonight and perhaps another quickie in the morn. Ah, I love a good "Quickie in the Morn!" Later that day: I arrived home to two and a half to three inches of light fluffy winter upon the driveway.

I fed the cats and went immediately to the task at hand, getting a beer. Then I went out and started the snow blowing. Here is how things looked before I got started.

It took me about 50 minutes to get everything cleared. that's a little longer than usual because I had to stop after my first few swaths because I discovered I had a broken shear pin.

I don't want to get into it too deeply because it is technical, but a shear pin is the thingy that goes in the dealie on the shaft of the roundy thing in order to keep the scoopy thing twirling. If a shear pin brakes, it's bad. If you don't have one to replace the broken one, that's even worse.

Fortunately, who the hell do you think you're dealing with here? Captain Shear Pin, that's who!

I quickly (and surprisingly) located my one extra shear pin and replaced it with alacrity. Then I finished my beer. Then I finished the snow blowing.

This is how the driveway looked approximately one and half hours after I finished.

Those bright, shiny balls are snow flakes. Again. it was clear skies when I finished clearing the snow. This shit is invasive and quick.

They say we'll have eight inches in the morning. My alarm will be set for 6 and we shall see what sort of quality weather casters we have.

Stand by for "Quickie in the Morn!"

The Importance of Being Christian

On our way to church this morning, I was crossing the Monroe Street Bridge behind two cars going about 22 mph. To be fair, the first car was going 22 and the one behind it was matching the speed, which forced me to do the same. I could have changed lanes and gone around but that seemed like a lot of extra work. At the same time, I could see the approaching green light was becoming stale and in danger of turning. Yet, I stayed my course and allowed my temper to build on the first Scum Sucking Slow Ass driver.

The light changed but not before the two cars in front of me sailed on through. Several expletives coursed through my sub-conscious but did not escape the filter to my mouth. I simmered at the light and let it go.

On our return trip home I was driving down Illinois Avenue and came up behind an SUV doing 21 mph. This time, I did not have the option of changing lanes. I was forced to lumber behind this Dumbass, Shit for Brains, Loser Dumbass. We came to a stop and D.S.f.B.L.D. sallied through the intersection with trepidation. I had no intention of staying behind this Asswipe so as we approached the light, I was heading for whichever lane this person didn't pick. As she played guess the lane, the light changed and she sailed on through.

Again the expletives exploded through my head and I was about to let the onslaught loose when Jesus spoke to me. I remained calm, prayed for the Loser Asswipe souls of both drivers who had vexed me that morning, and forgave them.

So you can clearly see, it's good to be a Christian.

Mild Progression during a Recession

I don't have my usual array of progressive pictures so one would have to refer back to other posts to see the progress here. Or I could point it out.

There is now trim arond the new door and the door knob is installed. It's not much, but it's not regression.