It feels that way when you recover from feeling punk and a bonus to have the house to myself this morning.
Kept the a/c on all night and only got up once.
I didn’t have to schlep my computer downstairs and I don’t have to make nutritious meals that no one but me will eat.
By end of day, I’d started painting the kitchen and primed the rest of the staircase.
Full Saturday, starting with the hallway carpet installation, the first meeting with an interior designer and a cookout in the afternoon at Sheep Hill.
We enjoyed the idyllic property and meeting the dogs and people from Williamstown Rural Lands.
I couldn’t find my to-do list so leapt into unloading the sunroom of our detritus.
We brought the three file cabinets upstairs. I unpacked and found places for my collection of vases and ceramic ware.
Next we’ve moved three trunks that will eventually be stored in the part of the attic that is not insulated. Ron also has some boxes to go through.
I set up the dehumidifier; it’s working great!
I started painting this week: the new wall, the downstairs bathroom door. The latter is a priority so Ron can re-hang the mirror to check himself out before leaving the house.
Ron has been busy; trimmed a bunch of branches overhanging the shed on the South side of the yard and did a couple of transfer station runs yesterday.
Yesterday I picked up a bunch of two-fers at the organic market and more painting materials at Carr’s.
It’s been hot, heat index over 90 degrees. Sitting on the deck is not bad except for Ron’s jabbering after a couple of beers.
I watered three areas yesterday and woke up worrying that Ron had left the water on. He hadn’t, to his credit.
Figured out that the IKEA bookcase will not fit downstairs but there’s plenty of wall for it in the third bedroom.
Moved three file cabinets and Ron’s nice little end table out of the solarium/sunroom.
We binge-watched “The Hour” and ate well: vegetables and rice, Ron’s quiche, salad, good cheddar cheese, chocolate cake.
Jim installed carpet and pad in the third bedroom! He plans to come back this Saturday to do the hallway.
Ron and I hauled the remaining carpet roll into the living room.
It’s gray and overcast this morning.
We thoroughly enjoyed the Knights Orchestra and their performance of music by Edvard Grieg, Antonín Dvořák and Frederick Delius.
The weather and setting were perfect: the Clark’s Fernández Terrace overlooking the reflecting pool. Ron fussed for a bit about being Stage Left instead of straight on but mellowed once the music started.
Prior to the concert, we made a quick trip to Pownal for cheddar cheese. We’d been to Carr for Ben Moore and a roller, getting ready to paint the new wall in the living room.
Earlier I treated us to vegan tacos from a new vendor at the Williamstown Farmers Market, ice cream and frozen yogurt to go.
All in all, a full Saturday.
Unexpectedly but fortunately, we had help yesterday from Jim, the owner of plumbing company Williams FixIt who repaired our downstairs sinks, and Richard, tech from HelloTech who explained how to connect our one working CD player to the TV and corrected our ROKU pairing problem.
The poor kitchen was in shambles for lack of a sink; can’t imagine how difficult it must be to do any kind of cooking in Third World conditions.
Ron and I finished cleaning, folding and storing the giant tarp today.
Ordered an RCA to HDMI adapter.
We’d foolishly piled sod, soil and worm castings from the garden expansion on the big tarp, and with great difficulty hung it on the fence yesterday. Ron hosed it and me off.
Afterwards I went for a drive in search of the super moon, which seems to have been hidden by clouds. Views to the East are tough around here. Found a nice spot for sunset photos in North Adams on the road to the Greylock summit.
It’s pretty clear today, maybe I’ll have luck tonight.
Both downstairs sinks are leaking badly. Made calls to plumbers. I’m hoping the plumber who canceled yesterday will show up this morning.
The carpet installer who’d been suggested by James called a couple of times, and I’m hoping he’ll be available soon. Still waiting to hear from the other company.
Stopped by Preite. Met the family dog, Ford.
Yesterday, the painters finished the third bedroom, hallway, bathroom and top of the stairway. They did a number of extras, including varnishing the new railing and patching a wall. Great people!
The electrician was also here and busy. He moved and replaced an outlet, reattached a ceiling fan that was ready to fall off (and remarkably hasn’t), showed us how to change the recessed light color setting, installed two junction boxes and wired a new breaker. He’ll be back to install a ceiling fan remote.
He also helped me move the couch and freed a worklight in the basement.
Ron did a round trip to Albany for a useless appointment at Beltone.
I met with a carpet installation company franchiser and made an appointment with a plumber for today.
The kitchen sink is leaking like a sieve. Poor Ron struggled with cleanup last night.
Wild thunderstorm this morning. Betsy’s birthday is today and she’s planning a day of frolic with friends and family.
Ron and I dug out more rocks and planted the Sedum and Montauk Daisies.
I did more de-cluttering of the living room. Removed the last of the CD cardboard boxes, vacuumed the big closet and fit in the recycling (now two big bags), vacuum cleaner and pictures. Put the dolls back. It’s better.
Changed sheets. Installed plate covers yesterday, one to go. The outlet is in a bad spot, hoping the electrician can move it.
Gorgeous late Summer day. I’m enjoying a glass of wine, an open window and the BBC series “The Hour”. Ron found his stash, I found his passport.