dalthauser

*  I got my estimate for Home Improvements today.  It wasn't pretty.  Siding (Vinyl - basic nothing fancy) whole house except back porch - $13,937 (this includes everything like window wraps and carport ceiling).   Replacing all my windows with the siding job $5,585 (but doing just the 6 I need most would be about $3,000).  This is a Home Depot installation.  He estimated payment of $106 for I think 88 months.... at 13.9% interest.  Not - I could put it on my credit card for 10% - but I'd get a home improvement or equity loan.  One thing I do have is excellent credit. :-)  Needless to say, back to the drawing board.  There's no way I can commit to that amount.  I'm going to get two more estimates - then rethink my plan.  I'll probably get some emergency siding put on the bad side of the house - then make a plan to save for the next year to pay for half of this in cash (or less if I can get a better quote)  I gotta say - while it was as bad as I expected, it was good therapy to do it.  I didn't turn into a stone and crumble into a million pieces when I saw the $$ amount afterall :-)

* The Main Mama Hen layed a torpedo yesterday.  Almost 3 ounces.  Here is a picture comparing it to what her competition is laying.  Today I got 8 eggs - all with good shells, so the embryo eggs hopefully are a thing of the past. I did pick up layer mash and oyster shell grit today though.


* Did anybody catch todays episode of God's Warriors on CNN?  They did the Jewish, segment, and it was enlightening (no pun intended). I'm glad to see this type of coverage. I was just glad to see someone put it out there - the fact that the settlements are basically illegal, that our government is sending billions of dollars to the settlements even when we officially condemn them, that all our congressmen and senators are afraid to speak out about what is right there out in the open for fear of being labeled anti-semite. 


* I found more cantaloupes hiding in the tomato vines.  When I try to grow melons I'm a complete failure.  I guess the trick is throwing out old moldy melon pulp and waiting for the bionic melon vines the following year.  I also harvested August tomatoes.  August tomatoes are better than no tomatoes at all.  See the dime in comparison with the cherry tomatoes - they don't get much smaller than that - and they are very sweet.



* Today the temperature was101F, so I got minimal stuff done outside.  I'm going to try and go to sleep now and get up super early so I can do some garden work.  Fall is coming!!!! - I have to get the garden ready for planting, and I want to finally level and laydown weed barrier around the perimeter of the garden (doubtful I'll complete that tomorrow with all the other things I have to do - but I can at least try).  I was wanting to see Dark Knight at IMAX tomorrow evening, but I don't know..... maybe I won't - such a long drive just for a movie.

* I had my eye on this rooster since it arrived at Walmart in the spring at $29.95.  I picked it us last week for $15 - it might go lower, but I didn't want to take the chance and lose out. It's metal - and it is really much cooler in real life. Yeah, it's tacky - but it's my kind of tacky :-)




* I grocered today.  Odds and ends because I'm pretty stocked up.  IDK why I'm posting pictures of my groceries ember999 's habits are rubbing off on me. 

*  I got gasoline yesterday -  $3.48 per gallon (well - 3 cents less since I used a Walmart giftcard).  I'm counting my blessings I work 8 miles from my house - mostly highway.  I feel a little guilty that I drive a V6 even though I actually use my truck (the dents and scratches in the bed prove it...hehehe).  My sacrifice will be to eliminate Austin/San Antonio shopping trips that I used to take for fun. 

*  I called and complained about my dental bill.  They took off the post-surgery "observation" charges, but said I had to pay the insurance part of the procedure since it wasn't covered (they said they called to verify my coverage - so I'd be fighting with the insurance company - and it's just not worth it since they will just say I should have put in a written request for approval.....which I guess is true)..  In the future I will be getting stuff in writing prior to anything being done.  Live and learn.  On a happy note - they ran my flexible spending card and it paid it even though the procedure was last year.  Just $$$ less I have available if I get sick etc. this year. 

*  I was driving home from Home Depot the other day with a load of stuff.  I had a Rubbermaid trash bin there.  It somehow managed to blow out the back - and I cringed as I looked in the rear view mirror to see motorists dodging it.  It lodged in the under-carriage of a Ford truck as I pulled off the road.  He followed.  He de-wedged it and handed it back to me.  His attitude was "no harm - no foul" and I went on my way.  I couldn't help but think how bad that situation could have been - not to mention expensive.  This made the whole dental $$$ think a little less painful.

*  I went ahead and drilled holes into the bottom of the hot  swamp tub on the patio.  There is always accumulated water on the bottom, and it bothers me (mosquitoes and unsanitary).  The wasps will need to find another source of mosquito larvae now I guess.  I plan to make it a kitchen herb garden next year.  Now that the giant hackberry tree is gone - there's sun in that corner.

*  I'm giving up Thursday and Friday TV shows.  Usually I tape 2 shows on Thurs and 1 on Friday while I'm at work and watch when I get home.  I'm going to try and read / write / clean or watch previously taped "educational" programing instead.  Once American Idol ends I'm going to drop Wednesday night TV shows as well.  Wish me luck....  :-)

To make my  bathroom bigger I took off the wooden door and put up a curtain.
Now it looks like the entrance to the circus - or a peep show.......



Privacy isn't an issue since I live alone.  There is always the back bathroom for anyone who might visit :-)