Daily Musings * Page 10

Spring is here. Went to some yard sales, which always makes me feel better. Got a metal garden chair with a cushion and some rust. a gas lawn mower for just Five bucks. It's going on Monday to our lawnmower/snowblower man for an overhaul. I hope it works. It had no gas in it and a few other difficulties but I think that I did well. the grass catcher basket was hardly ever used. This will give the lawnmower guy something to do between peak machinery seasons. I love yard sales! oh, and I got some little metal chairs to add to my plant chair collection.
I bought some Rustoleum in a nice brown to match my deck and I wirebrushed and painted the chair. The cushion is tan and white striped and will look good against the brown metal. I am going to paint a couple of metal plant stands brown also tomorrow. I will finally be color coordinated on my deck! It's only been 19 years! Hope the sun holds out for a while tomorrow.
Martha

Happy April Fools Day everyone!!!
21 years ago today DH and I officially started dating. He and I met at my brothers in late Feb. but it was on April 1st he first asked me out. Being that it was April fools day, I promptly said "NO".....you should of seen the look on his face!!! It took the poor guy almost 6 weeks to muster up the courage to ask me that and then I said no.
I thought I was being funny but the look on his face said it wasn't, so I quickly said "April Fools!" We have been together ever since and it was the best decision I ever made!! Hope you all have a wonderful day, I know I will as we reminisce about our younger days.

Hahaha pixie that is cute! I think the joke was funny but I guess he was so nervous he didn't even think of April fools day LOL.

I met my hubby on Halloween. I didn't have my glasses or contacts on because of the huge amount of mascara I was wearing. Well, he asked me to dance and then asked me out a couple of days later. He was taller than me but I didn't know for sure what he looked like until he showed up at my house for the date! I always tell my kids it was "love at SECOND sight!" It has been for 25 years, 24 years married last February. He proposed on 4th of July after a AAA double header in Columbus. There were fireworks too!
Martha

Another great story!!! I love hearing how couple of met.

Happy April Fools everyone! I got my son by telling him today was going to be an 'all-day-long-chores-day'. He believed me! I got my DH by saying that we won the lottery. Hard to believe, but the poor guy fell for it! I can see the gears in his head turning over how he's going to get me back. LOL!!

Pixie, your story about your first dating your DH is so cute! I'm glad you didn't leave him hanging too long!

Martha, congratulations on getting your deck color coordinated. I know what an achievement that is. My deck is half painted green and half red. I only painted the floor part last year. I hope this year I get around to finishing it so it will at least be all one color!

Carrie and Andy, your crocuses are beautiful. I saw two in my yard yesterday! Woo Hoo!!

Victor, your work looks so clean and professional. I hope it works well for you and returns your money fast - you give me hope!

Harper

Victor - you give me hope as well. I so long to live off the grid - but it will never happen where I live. Sigh!

I am going to bite the bullet and replace my oil furnace (baseboard heat) and 80(!) gallon electric(!) water heater this summer. (It all came with the house when I bought it.) I'm open to all suggestions on replacements. At the moment I'm leaning towards a gas boiler and a gas on demand tankless water heater. Bosch has a tankless gas one with a battery ignition system so even if the electricity is out - I can have hot water. Bosch also has reconditioned units with full warrenty at a reduced price. And their guarentee/warrenty is amazing. The furnace will go in a 5' high crawlspace and I think I can get the gas company to bring in a line for free.

Boy . . . when our current water heater goes for certain it will be replace with a gas on-demand tankless water heater. :-)

Yankee, I have a Bosch tankless water heater with battery and highly recommend it. In fact, now they have a larger version that was not available when I got mine. I can only have one hot water source going at one time. The bigger one can do two. The newer gas boilers are pretty efficient. Just do some homework. Good luck!

Victor

Yankee, Do they make gas furnaces that use baseboard. Hot water is supposed to be better than hot air for heat efficiency plus other benefits.

Yes - gas boilers that use baseboard. That's what I have.

I would think that is the ideal. I imagine you agree 'cause that is what you have.
I didn't have access to gas but the improvement we get out of our new oil burner is huge.

Well the ideal for me is to use the wood pellet stove I bought last year. It provided most of the heating last winter. Unfortunately, they gouged people this year, raising the price of pellets by 50%. And it all come from the U.S. and Canada so we can't blame any hostile governments, etc. So I didn't buy any this year and only used it occasionally while we were watching tv or something. We had some bags left from last year. Hopefully next year we'll be back to it.

Dave47 - I have hot water baseboard heat. That is why I need a boiler instead of just a furnace. I am going to have the underfloor insulated once I get the new heater. Part of it is already insulated - but not all of it and I have taken out the carpeting and had the beautiful (to me) grade 2 oak floors refinished in the biggest room and will do the bedrooms as funds permit - hence the real need for insulation under the floors.

Yes, Yankee, the under-floor insulation makes a BIG difference. I assume there is a crawlspace under it, not a basement. If so, use the insulation with the foil on one side and the foil side faces down - the source of potential moisture.

The crocus I have are from Michigan Bulb and I got them in 1981. They linger after all these years. I had yellow and white too, but only the purple survived this long.

Victorgardener, I envy your solar. What happens if you need to re-roof?

Martha, sounds like you did good!

Awww, wonderful " how I met" stories! Loved the fireworks comment :))

DD has the hot water coils under a cement floor. That is the best heat I ever felt! I barely notice the floor is cement either.

billy, now you tell me??!!!! Seriously, the system has to be dismantled. That's why you make sure the roof is in good shape first. Keep in mind that once the system is installed, it protects the roof from UV, weather, etc.

Laughing, DH asked me when I showed him the picture of the system going up. I relayed your answer!

Victor - my contractor (girlfriend's husband who does not give me a break - but having something done right the first time is pricele$$) says that he has subs who will do the insulation for about what it would cost me to buy the stuff and do it myself. The kitchen add-on which has only a 20" crawlspace already has insulation with the foil side down.

Sounds good!

Oh yeah, I forgot to comment on how nice those early romance stories were!

yankee I got the book.... I am so divided.... can't stop reading.... really interesting.... I feel like I am being validated!!!!

Mornin all. I think we have a nice day coming. I'll be outside working later. DH retires today, so we had to get up early - 4:30 am. Been a while since I've been up before the sun, but I like it.

I need to get out and take some pictures.

Billy,
I often get up before the sun and then wait for it so I can take a picture. It's really pretty and very serene at the time of the morning.
Here's one I took this winter before Christmas.

Ooohhhh, gorgeous!!! I love the colors of the sky. Especially the deep blues without a cloud in it. I just peeked at our sunrise. Nothing colorful yet.

Billy,

Congratulations to your DH on retiring! But why did you have to get up so early?

My DH and I are counting the days til we can retire, but he keeps moving it up. So we have several count downs. Bottom line--we can't wait!!

Yes, congrats billy. Sure you want him around?!!!

Kassia, do you mean 'The Earth Knows My Name'? I've got it on my wish list.

Beautiful sunrise Pixie! Sally, congrats on your DH's retirement. Got any plans?

Harper

Kassia - why don't you send the book to Harper when you are done? It can go around and around as long as it eventially gets back to me.

Yankee, I live across the street from the biggest library in the county. They have the book. I'll probably borrow it from them. My only problem is that I like to keep the books I read, but I can deal. Maybe I can start viewing the library as my personal bookshelf. My bookshelves here are overflowing anyway!

Harper

Harper, yes that's the one... I hope to finish this week because I won't doing much outside since it's going to rain and be glooooomy.... oh well.... at leat I have good books!!!!

I love books too... but I promissed myself that I was not going to add any more books to my shelves.... I have no more space... so I got some from Laura, gave her back and got some more... went to the library(not a very good selection) but could see a lot of pictures....

Anyone that wants after me I will let you know...

The end wall of my living room is one upright piano and 25 bookcases. Not really, but a lot. I have a new plan. Since my hostile DSD moved out (FINALLY) I have the dining room end of the room back. Just had a new idea!!! Make that room be the library. It has some built-in shelves but not built-in very well. Maybe we can move the existing shelves in there too. This is OT of wanting to keep books.

xxx, Carrie

In "Daily Musings" there is no OT. Wait. I'm lost. What did you mean? and what's a DSD? LOL! Now it's night and I can't make the excuse that I haven't had my coffee... instead I'll say that my brain is tired and it's time for bed. Yeah! That's my story!

Going to bed now.
Harper

While it's first thing in the morning, up before the dawn - what is OT? Over time? Occupational Therapy? Can you give me a hint? Yeah, and inquiring minds want to know what the DSD is too!

My guess on the DSD is Dear Step- Daughter, as for the "OT" your guess is as good as mine. But I'd have to go w/Ocupational Therapy. LOL

Hey Pixie - are you going to get snow this week?

Already got it! Last night, more due today and tomorrow. Yuky!!!

This is what I woke to today. Pretty for a second.....maybe.

I feel your pain. I will be good and won't complain about our cool temperatures - as long as it doesn't snow here in South Massachusetts.

On a cherrier note, I found these in the basement.