Sunday ; Sunny and cool.
A night’s sleep helped sharpen my problem solving skills. I resumed working this morning on mounting the reverse osmosis water system faucet on the edge of the sink. I had it installed by 11 AM. Much of the problems I had with this faucet mounting job and with the previous job of removing the garburator and rebuilding the kitchen sink plumbing has to do with incompetent “professional” renovation work done in the past. Oh, sure, some clown managed to get the work “visually” completed to the satisfaction of an elderly woman in her 90’s, but ... there were a lot of “renovation sins” hidden underneath / behind the pretty facades ! I suspect that happens a lot in the home construction and renovation trades. But then again, perhaps it’s just because I’m OCD.
After lunch and a nap, I began working on the installation of the main parts of the reverse osmosis system. And as I had hoped and expected, the rest of the installation went smoothly. I had done it before, a couple of years ago, at Dugald Estates. I was completely finished the installation of the entire reverse osmosis water filtration system by 5 PM. And we had reverse osmosis filtered water in the three gallon storage tank underneath the sink by 7 PM. Well done, Daniel !
When we were planning our move here I had hoped that in the month and a half between moving here and leaving for Victoria for the winter I would accomplish, amongst other smaller projects, the re-installation of the bidet system in the ensuite bathroom and the re-installation of the reverse osmosis water treatment system underneath the kitchen sink. Both projects are completed, and none too soon. We have a very busy schedule for the next two weeks before we depart for the winter.
Both Joanne and I have sore shoulders from yesterday’s flu and covid vaccinations. I have a headache that has lasted about 24 hours. And a mild sore throat. Joanne feels weak and tired and vaguely ill.
The sun was shining and there was no wind, so at 5:30 PM I decided to go for a long, slow bicycle ride. This is such a lovely neighbourhood for cycling.
Monday ; Raining all day.
Worked at my desk much of the day. Had a (father & son) painting company come over to provide an estimate. Another one tomorrow. We want to have the entire suite repainted, either immediately upon our return in the spring, or perhaps even while we’re gone for the winter.
Tuesday ; Sunny, cold, windy.
Had another painting contractor over early this afternoon to provide an estimate / quote. Both contractors impressed us enough that we would hire either. Both quotes in the same ballpark. Both very reasonable. HMPH ! Makes us think we may have overpaid for painting services in Steinbach four years ago. Both contractors have excellent reviews / ratings. Made our (probable) decision this evening.
Joanne went for a haircut and other errands this afternoon. She has always been reluctant / hesitant about haircuts / hair stylists. Except in Mexico ... <shrug> ! She often asks me to accompany her to help “translate” her desires to the stylist. Not today, I said ! Well ... today’s haircut, achieved without husband “translator” is just fine !
Wednesday ; Sunny and cold, but no wind.
After an early lunch and brief nap we set out to run errands. First stop was Steinbach Credit Union to sign some documents, then Wal-Mart for Joanne while I went to our insurance agency to submit forms to allow them to renew my driver’s license and vehicle registration this winter while we are away. This is the second time I’ve dealt with this agency in the month and a half that we’ve lived here. First time went smoothly. Today was a disaster ! Three agents serving me, acting like Larry, Curly, and Moe, acting like I’m the first client they’ve ever served that goes away for the winter. Looks like I’ll be searching for a new Autopac agency in the spring !
Joanne met me at Home Depot where I bought more needed hardware, then we rushed home to be on time to meet our selected painting (& renovations) contractor to firm up our contract and ... for me to assign more work to him. More painting, and some minor electrical and carpentry work.
Joanne has been persuading me for quite some time now to be more willing to pay others to do work that has become more difficult for me, either due to age or danger or time constraints or whatever. Well ... OK ! I’m a wealthy, old man living in Tuxedo. Time to start acting the part ! HA HA HA !
While having supper we watched tonight’s episode of Survivor, recording Amazing Race to watch another time.
Thursday ; Sunny and chilly, sunlight intense enough to make it seem warmer than it actually was.
At 11 AM we departed home, heading to Dugald Estates to pick up our friend and former neighbour Glennis, owner of Gracie the Toy Poodle that we walked twice a day for 2½ summers. On the way to lunch at L’Arche Tova Café in Transcona we went to Oakbank to pick up a prescription refill I had ordered from Pharmasave, then to Mission Thrift Store in Transcona to donate a large, mirrored jewellery cabinet that I removed from our bedroom wall yesterday now that we have hired a painter.
L’Arche Tova Café is a “charity” restaurant operated by and for the benefit of a developmentally challenged community. Open every day for lunch only, great “home made” food, profits for a good cause. We had a long, leisurely lunch and visit with Glennis. When we took Glennis back home to Dugald Estates after lunch we visited with Gracie, who misses us a lot apparently. We miss her too. This may have been the last time we see them both.
HA HA HA ... without us walking her twice a day, 2½ year old Gracie is ... “thickening”.
On the way back home I had to stop at the local insurance agency AGAIN ... to pick up from where we left off yesterday, when I stomped out after about half an hour of watching the three stooges try to compile the right forms to renew my driver’s license and vehicle registration when they both expire next February ... while we are absent from Manitoba. I told the agent serving me to phone when she had finished finding the right forms and filling them out, and only then would I return to sign them. She phoned a few hours later yesterday afternoon, to advise that everything was complete and ready for my signing.
<sputter> NOT SO ! When I arrived today the three stooges show began anew. Two agents/stooges today instead of yesterday’s three agents/stooges ! I grit my teeth and endured another half hour of their gong show, finally leaving with signed copies of driver’s license and vehicle registration renewals prepared and ready for submission by them next February.
Only after I arrived back home and was at my desk did I notice ... <sputter> <sputter> <sputter> ... they had entered my previous (Dugald Estates) address on my renewal forms. I phoned and left a message, and a few hours later a manager phoned me. I relayed my tale of woe, emphasizing my dissatisfaction with his agency’s ineptitude. He asked me to return tomorrow and he personally would fix things.
NO ! ! ! I am NOT going to come back and sit at a desk for half an hour or more and watch YOU and your stooges “fix” your errors ! YOU and your stooges don’t need me there to watch your antics of ineptitude any further. If and when you finally get all the I’s dotted and T’s crossed, double checked and triple checked for accuracy, phone me and I will return to sign forms. If I have to be there longer than 30 seconds ... I’ll walk out and take my business elsewhere. “Is there any part of that you don’t understand ... sir ?”
He seemed to understand !
Over dinner tonight we watched last night’s episode of Amazing Race. Joanne has been mastering the process of recording TV shows on our new to us TV service provider’s system.
Friday ; Sunny and cool. No wind. A nice day for this time of year.
So ... the manager of the insurance agency phoned this morning to tell me my driver’s license and vehicle registration renewal documents were corrected and ready for me to pick up. He offered to serve me personally when I showed up, and we agreed to meet at 3 PM.
GOOD NEWS ; I was in and out in about thirty seconds, as I had demanded. So ... apparently he DID understand ! ! !
BAD NEWS ; He chickened out on meeting / serving me. He was nowhere to be seen, and sent one of his underlings, a seemingly competent young woman to bring documents to the counter for me to sign and take. <me making chicken clucking sounds>
On the way back home I stopped at Kal Tire and had the air pressure adjusted in all of the minivan’s tires in preparation for upcoming Winnipeg to Victoria cross country trip. And I refilled the minivan with cheap rez gas at nearby Oodena Gas.
At 7 PM we drove to nearby St. Demetrius Greek Orthodox Church to pick up our order of parishioner prepared home cooked Greek food for supper tonight, the second time we have done this recently. The sale of home cooked Greek food is a church fund raiser activity that takes place every Friday evening during October. The first time we indulged in the church’s “Greek Food Night” a few weeks ago it was ... superb.
Tonight was ... even better than that ! ! !
Saturday ; Sunny and mild, a nice fall day.
We have begun fall pre-departure preparations. We’re departing in a week for Victoria, BC, for the winter.
I watched the Blue Bombers game this afternoon, the final game of the regular season. The Bombers will be in the playoffs which start next Saturday. I wonder if / hope that I can listen to their game against either Montreal or Calgary as we are driving the first leg of the trip, from home to Moosomin, Saskatchewan.
DSK
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