Ron enjoyed his birthday for the first time in years.
I took us to Purple Pub for lunch and Desperados for dinner, the latter of which included a birthday gift of $14.95 toward his meal.
I did Ron’s chores: loaded the truck for a transfer station run, laundry and emptied the dishwasher.
He drove us to Field Farm but we didn’t do a walk. Did enjoy the views from Oblong Road.
The road was closed so we walked to the top of Natural Bridge State Park.
In 2004, local youth created an art installation called “The Guardian Project.” The concept for these art pieces was based on the individual youth’s vision of a “guardian”: a sculpture that would watch over, as well as honor and protect the natural beauty of the area where it was placed. iBerkshires
Fabulous visit to Naumkeag. Returned via back roads partly through NY State.
We picked up the truck in Pownal. Noise in front from exhaust pinhole?
Peter M was here and did a lot of attic cleanup in preparation for construction in the office, installed a fan in the upstairs bathroom and an outlet in the basement, fixed the switch for the basement lights and grounded the remaining upstairs outlets.
Ron did a second transfer station run with sticks and dug up bushes and got locked in. He was rescued quickly.
I’ve been working on ZAI Trust paperwork and “after” photos.
Ron got himself a very cute new piggy bank.
Got the okay from ClearResult for a no-interest loan application via Mass Save. Got a proposal from Ryan for the office.
A nice woman called yesterday from the company that is doing the insulation and sent a copy of the work order. I’ve scheduled it for mid-June.
Had Ron’s egg salad with mayo for lunch – not bad.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
Plumber identified yet more DIY horror. Around $4,500 worth.
New contractor did a walk-through and pretty much made the same observations and asked the same questions as everyone else.
Attended a recital for one of my favorite instruments, the bassoon – rigorous program, expertly performed.
We enjoyed performances by two Williams College jazz combos and the Terri Lyne Carrington Quartet. Ron was very impressed.
We went to Pownal to pick up the truck. I dropped by the Mini Market at the Mountain Goat and brought home Two Bear Bakery pastries.
After hemming and hawing about emptying the gas tank (we didn’t), dropped off the lawn mower to South Side Sales in North Adams. Nice people!
Schlepped the little vacuum to the Williamstown Rural Lands Repair Cafe. Turns out it was just clogged, duh. Wish I’d thought to bring a sweater that needs mending; maybe in October. Yet more nice people….
I planted 11 mail-ordered violets today.
Great band, Ron loved it, fine set at Goodrich Hall last night.
New person from Modern Pest, said there was only a slight evidence of feeding – good news.
PeterM did a bunch of work in the attic and cellar and didn’t need to run wire for the front light to get it to work. So we have illumination at both doors. He was back early this morning to fix a minor problem with the upstairs hall light.
I couldn’t get out of my own way yesterday, stayed in pajamas all day even when the visitors were here. I did hard boil some eggs and made matzo ball soup from a mix. The Joy of Cooking days are long-gone for me.
Bissons will fix the truck: front brakes, caliper, pinion seal, transmission line. Getting a price for tires. They are open tomorrow: who ever heard of an auto repair shop that works on Saturday?!
We really are on the other side of the rainbow.
Ron still having problems with his right shoulder. This morning, it was riding higher than his left. He made a batch of French toast with stale white bread: good!
Ron transferred $4,500 to my Greylock savings account as partial compensation for the grief he put me through around moving.
I dropped him off at the theater department pizza lunch. He walked home and enjoyed taking pictures on the way!
I stuffed two more bags with leaves, swept out the vestibule, closed the coal closet doors and put the little bench back in place. Evened out the mulch. Hollytoned the rhodie and the hollies. Turns out we have dozens of wood or wild forget-me-nots in the garden and the lawn!
After paying GEM and budgeting for the driveway, oil tank and truck repair, we have some left for the second floor work but probably not enough. I did catch up with Ryan on the road, hope he can send me a proposal for the ceiling soon.
Meanwhile, a new company is looking for work. Made an appointment for the owner to visit on Wednesday.
I enjoyed the Williams College Brass Ensemble end of year concert last night. Their performance of Mussorgsky’s “Great Gate of Kiev” was a particularly moving finale.
We had a hard freeze last night and the poor pansies were limp this morning. Fortunately, by noon they’d recovered. Tough little guys!
I finally put all but a handful of mulch on the garden that abuts the deck. Ron was too busy composing Great Thoughts to help until the very end. His “help” was minimal and accompanied by a lot of bitching and complaining.
The gentleman from GEM continued work. He pointed out that some of the wiring looks like it’s been chewed. Oh joy.
Electricians from Mass Save tried to inspect the wiring but were unable to get to the attic because of the toxic spraying – bad timing. One of the electricians came back today. As expected, they didn’t find knob and tube but did recommend other work that I passed on to PeterM.
The architect and two contractors discussed our second floor challenges this morning. Another two never showed up.
I was able to fit in a fine Stats colloquium on Shrinkage: Stein’s Paradox.
The plumber, who is also the Plumbing Inspector for two towns, finished up most of the sewer pipe venting. He needs a part for the rest and hopes to come back next week.
We went to Walmart for Ron’s meds and a few groceries.
We dropped the truck off in Pownal for servicing tomorrow.
Ron was a train wreck tonight, in terrible pain from a mysterious neck and shoulder injury. We both collapsed early.
GEM kicked off the project today. They found to their horror that the negative pressure machine they use pulled sewer gasses through the house.
The head of GEM’s plumping affiliate, who happens to be the Plumbing Inspector for Adams and Clarksburg, will return tomorrow to vent or otherwise make legal the not one, not two but three sewerage pipes in the attic. And by the way, he found that the roof rafters in the front of the house should be replaced. He will take a closer look tomorrow.
We got our Moderna Bivalent COVID shots today at Walgreens. We picked up lunches at the Senior Center: good today, baked meat substitute, corn and roasted potatoes.
Ron picked up his raincoat at the tailor shop and was well pleased and dropped off a couple of my articles of clothing for zipper repairs.
We think we straightened out a fitness membership he doesn’t remember taking out and hope to get at least a partial refund of two months’ charges.
We are also hopeful that his Tramadol prescription has been corrected. He stopped by his primary’s office to do that, and we confirmed with Walmart that they have the correct dosage and time period.
I got an increase in my credit limit.
We had a couple of conversations yesterday about how to knock down Ron’s balance at USE.