Did the new picture throw you for a loop?

I figured I might as well show you what I really look like.

Where to begin…

Friday, the church spent the day adapting the garage area of the parsonage at the new church property to hold service there until the new sanctuary is built. This included patching, painting, and my favorite, hanging six – count ’em – six ceiling fans, four where no electrical existed. This meant running new power from an existing light fixture. In the attic. Well, more of a crawlspace above the garage, than an actual attic, but there was loose cellulose insulation, rough timbers, no headroom, and lots of dust. I loved it. Meeting a challenge of this type head on and conquering it is so darn satisfying. Plus, the fans look really good. We start meeting in the parsonage the first Sunday in January.

Saturday – out to a potential client’s home, to measure for an entertainment center. She has a picture of what the model home looked like, so I can base my drawings on that. Talk eventually got around to pricing, and in the back of my mind I’m in the neighborhood of fifteen, maybe sixteen hundred, depending on the wood and color selection. I asked her if she had a budget figure she had been kicking around, and she cringes a little when she says the words “maybe a thousand?” Keeping my best business face on (similar to my poker face, but I haven’t used my poker face since I quit gambling many, many moons ago…) I say “Well, I’ll take a look at materials, and I’ll be able to give you an estimate on Tuesday or Wednesday, OK?” My gut feeling is that the materials alone will be around 750, so the profit line may be a bit too thin there…

After the estimate visit, I go back to the house I’ve been working on (the one that belongs to the parents of my friends) and the hall bath is ready for paint, a vanity, and the toilet to be reinstalled. Have I mentioned how much I love plumbing? No? Hmmm… must be a reason for that. The vanity was all of eighteen inches wide (this is a small bathroom, in a bungalow in a very tony neighborhood. the parents have lived here for over thirty years, and the area dollared up considerably since they bought their little house. we are pretty sure that when it sells, it will be a tear down, so there are no walls being moved in this remodel) and little ol’ me has to stick head and shoulders inside to connect the fixtures. I’m not bragging, but my shoulders are a bit more than eighteen inches wide. Once I’m squeezed in there, I have to maneuver my arms to turn the wrench. After thirteen and a half years under the sink, I finally manage to get out and turn the water on – to discover that the hot water line washer is no longer viable. After mopping up, I get to squeeze back under and try again. Success on the second attempt, and it’s on the the toilet.

I don’t know if you’ve ever removed and replaced a toilet in your life; I really don’t wish that kind of work on anyone. Helpful hint – while the toilet is off the pipe, place a rag or wad of paper towels in the opening to keep -uhm- things from surprising you, the least of which is the odour emanating from an active sewer line.

Anyway – during the removal process, before the tile floor went down, it was discovered that the feed valve for the toilet was defective. OK, it leaked when in any position except full on. When you are planning on removing the line, this present a problem, since you can’t have the water flowing while trying to tile the floor or paint the walls. Kinda defeats the purpose. The line was capped, and replacement parts for the valve were searched for. Remember, this is an older house, and the plumbing hasn’t exactly aged gracefully. The end result was a replacement valve scabbed onto the old feed output, with a brass cap on the old valve housing. Any other solution would have involved “sweating” pipes and “cutting” pipes and “replacing” joints – did I mention how much I love plumbing? No? Well, there’s still a reason for that.

I think I am pretty much finished with that project, and the final invoice was presented. Good to know there is money coming in.

Sunday – church in the morning, at the present facility. After church, TMBWitW and I head for the Land of Red Aprons (as opposed to orange – I don’t like the land of orange aprons, and only go there when absolutely necessary. like when the local Lowe’s burns to the ground. which hasn’t happened, explaining why we were at the Land of Red Aprons.) to pick up a few pieces of backyard foliage. By a few, I mean about 33 Italian Cypress, two Golden Arbovitae, two Italian Stone Pine, and two Chinese Elms. Yes, it’s fall in Phoenix, which means it’s planting time! After seven years with no shade in the back yard, it’s time to get some trees growing. Slight glitch develops – a friend calls, and begs me to help him during his last week with my former route. Since I know the vendors, and the route, I figure why not – plus, he’s meeting me at the base of the route, so I don’t need to go all the way to the dock. And the pay is very good. The hours – still in the middle of the night, but I am able to get home in time for TMBWitW to get to work. Now, I just need to get in the back yard and start planting some trees so they can start rooting in. This might be a long week. I’ll post pictures!

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!