Little project: the stereo cabinet

Last year I opened up this stereo cabinet and decided I would work on it.  Then I got nervous about the wires behind the components and the cabinet itself.  What a tangled mess!  In the back of my head, I could hear Mark getting very angry about me messing with it.  All I purged was the turntable, then I lost my nerve and closed it back up.

I guess I just wasn't ready to actually dismantle the whole system.  But he's never coming back to use this stuff, right?  And no, the kids do not want it.

Fast forward to Friday, when it was too hot to do anything outside.  I decided to finally remove all of the outdated electronics from this area.  I carefully pushed the cabinet away from the wall.  Unplugged everything from the TWO outlet strips, then went to town cutting wires and freeing things. 

Many electrical cords and wires were snaked down the wall from the attic, then attached to various things.  I cut all of them off short enough to stick back into the wall, and I will put a blank over it.  I'm not climbing around in that attic hunting for wires. The cable plug will also get a blank. And the wall will probably get a fresh coat of paint.

A whole lotta cabinet for not a lot of items. (it used to house a TV, too)

I had flashbacks to when I got rid of ham radio equipment. Not gonna lie, some tears were shed.

Off to the side of the record player I could set something to hold a few LPs. And I will go through those 72 cassette tapes and make decisions (most will go), as well as the 200 plus CDs. (I still have to pull them out of the carousel in the CD player)  All of the child-safe locks came off - why did we still have those on there? This cabinet will hold games and puzzles, and whatever else I need to store here.  Some day, I will just let the whole thing go. Maybe get something smaller.

But for now it fits right here.  Keeping this room from looking empty, I guess.  Between this project and the photo project, I am on emotional overload.  Goodbye, August!

Gina

5 thing Friday - kimchi fries, dead lawn, pop-ups project, empty fridge, pecan tree

I've been eating most of my meals at home, but I do take myself to a new-to-me place now and again for lunch.

There is a tiny restaurant near me that makes kimchi fries with bulgogi that I enjoyed yesterday. Looks like it is family owned and the lady working there with her daughter were very friendly.  Customer service goes a long way with me, so I will go back and try some other things.

Most people's lawns in my neighborhood look similar to mine - struggling. The heat here is terrible - temps over 100 every day and no rain. I don't even know what I am watering.

For some reason, the backyard is doing much better.  Both of them could benefit from the sprinkler system being back on line.

So today I need to get out there and begin the process by marking all of the pop-ups with flags.  I also want to rig a sort of flow thru for a spot near the front door that floods when it rains. (which seems ironic) 

Have you ever done a deep clean on your fridge, tossing out things that you know you won't get to and ruthlessly culling through the condiments, then stand back and think "well, I have nothing to eat"?  I mean I do have Coke Zero, eggs, and bread, so there's that.  Today I need to visit Ye Olde grocery store and prep meals for work.

The pecan tree that the neighbor and I share got a big chop. It needed it, and now my oak tree will not have to fight so hard to get some sun back here. This pecan tree was planted by a squirrel, right on the fence line, many years ago, from some pecans my mother sent home with us to shell.

It produces many nuts, which the squirrels love to eat under my table.  I think they were doing the same to the neighbor, so he screened in his patio.  I would be cleaning this every. single. day. so I'm just not stressing it.  There's no one here but me anyway.  And now I'm off to buy food! Have a great Friday!

Gina

What the week holds and a bucket list re-cap

Well, I ended last week feeling just a bit tired (which is an understatement) because Saturday morning felt a little rough.  So, at work I sat with my planner and decided that this week will be easier!  I am close to finishing out my summer bucket list with just a couple of small items.  And the big things that didn't get done will slide to the fall list.. 

And that will likely include:

*paint office furniture

*make a plan for replacing the carpet

*clean the gutters

I will admit, it was an ambitious list for summer - other side projects kept popping up, throwing me off track. But I do feel proud of myself for getting some projects done, some books read, some naps taken, and some dinners cooked. (can you believe it?)  And we are almost at the end of August!

What does your week look like?

Gina

5 thing Friday - fence, flowers, muffins, small tasks, photo album project DONE

When the tree trimmers left, I noticed that the entire length that included the gate was barely hanging on to the post.  I thought it was post rot because its so moist back here.  Now that the canopy is higher on these trees, it can dry out a bit.

But. It was termites.

 

My favorite fence guy came to replace the post.  And this was what it looked like on Thursday morning.  Fence fixed, just needs a clean up.

I straightened out those edging bricks and the red rocks, then I power washed all of it.  I will probably seal it like I did the deck. I bought some red rocks to fill in, and will treat for carpenter ants and termites.  Never a dull moment.

While Charlie was here he replaced a random picket. Ha. (the whole fence should be power washed but I'm not gonna) Then he told me that he also repairs sprinkler systems - WHAT!  So next week I will survey all of my pop-ups and he can cap them or replace the heads and help me program the watering.

A late afternoon (dark) photo of my weekly small bouquet for the kitchen.  For $3, it is a visual reminder to show myself love. This can come in many forms: taking a long nap, eating lunch out, laying on my couch with a book, sitting on my deck with my morning coffee...all because someone loves me - ME.

While I waited for Charlie to finish the post, I made some banana muffins with mini chocolate chips for my breakfasts.  This is mainly why I don't buy bananas. Probably I should just buy fewer.  I froze most of them and will pack them in my work breakfasts.

after

A quick-ish project: clean your A/C coils and remove leaf debris from around the unit. I guess its been 2 years since I have. The hardest part was holding the fan up with one arm, doing everything else with the other. I ended up getting a bruise on my arm from I-don't-remember, and a burn on the inner upper arm.  Plus, yes, I should have done this project earlier in the day.

before

But its done now.  Off the list. Always - turn off the A/C, turn the HVAC breaker off, unplug the unit, lift the grate being mindful of not damaging the fan blades, clean out leaf debris from the unit's pan, spray both inside and outside of unit fins with the "shower" setting of your outdoor hose. This time I also used a Simple Green spray cleaner I found in the garage and I let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Making my yard 1% better when I can - cleaning out under the crepe myrtle.  I demolished a bunch of overgrown tradescantia (Wandering Jew).  I sprayed the rest of a bottle of weed killer back there, too.  After the pop-up back there is fixed, I will add some sod, so close-up views to come.  Another 1% item - I distributed a bag of mulch under the trees and such out here.

That photo album project is underwhelmingly over and 10-12 photo albums have been condensed to a little less than a full 5 and are in their new forever home.  Its going to feel so great not to see this on my to do list!

Have a good weekend,

Gina

What the week holds and its still full-on Summer

Other than the crepe myrtle and the fig tree, nothing much is blooming in my yards. We need a really good rain! Since its the hottest time of the year here, fall seems very far away. 

Its going to be 5 days off in a row for me, which will feel like a mini vacay so what's on the agenda?

*water and mow the backyard

*get the back gate repaired

*go to book club on Tuesday

*learn a new CE compliance tracking system via Zoom

*power wash the back patio

*re-set the sprinkler system

*clean outside of back house windows (super easy)

*rest, read, relax

I mean, its nice to get things done - it feels very satisfying. I have a tough time just doing nothing. But I also maybe want to go see a movie, eat a lunch out, read a new book, sew something.

What does your week look like?

Gina

When you lose your momentum

We're at that part of the summer where I feel like I kind of fell behind in what I wanted to accomplish.  But I know in my heart that isn't 100% true since I have cleaned and sealed the deck, had mower maintenance done, made progress on the photo project, took a vacay, arranged for the trees to be pruned, visited the dentist...and a whole lot more.

Step 1 - gather your supplies

Along the way, mini projects cropped up: rebuild paver steps, buy a sprayer and learn how to use it, clean out the tool chest, re-weatherstrip the front door, build another gallery wall, deep clean the garbage and recycle bins, got rid of some china, get a mammo, arrange a bulky item pick up, spray for ants, replace the bulbs in the garage door openers, blah blah blah.

A clean deck makes the patio slab look grungy

The deck cleaning and sealing took less time than I thought it would.  Now to clean the patio slab and give the furniture a thorough spray down, too.  And I need to mow. But I will wait until the tree crew finishes today.

the patio set got a fresh coat of paint and is waiting to be replaced

Yes, it makes me feel capable to handle things. No, I would not have otherwise chosen to learn and do all that I have without becoming a widow first.  And yes, I have tried to keep a balance of caring for my home and caring for myself.  But my goodness - there's just so much to do.  We are halfway done with August and I have only 7 items left on my summer list.  Can I get them done in 2 weeks?  

We'll see.  Not today though.

Gina

You don't know what you don't know if you don't know it - the mower edition

 After the mobile mower repair guy left, I sat at my kitchen table with my mower's owner manual and wrote down every thing he told me, and then some.   Truthfully, it was like talking to a father figure - one who shares his knowledge in such a way that you "get it". And I've been using the mower, but I didn't know:

*use non-ethanol fuel

*don't buy more than 30-60 days worth of gas at a time

*after mowing, turn the fuel knob to off and let the mower run a couple of minutes

*pull the air filter out and slap it across the handle a few times to dislodge the dust; never let it get wet

*replace the air filter once a year

*top off the fuel after each time you mow

*check the oil often, change it every 6 months (then he showed me how)

*at the end of the mowing season, put the container gas into your car

*if it hasn't rained in a bit, water the grass the day before you mow, then mow in the early morning

(dust can get around the filter and enter the engine)

*do a once-over on the mower every time you mow - check its condition

*use a pressure nozzle to clean the lawn clippings bag every now and then

Then I went onto Yelp and wrote him a stellar review!

Its good that Mark saved the instruction booklet for everything he bought.  I filed the paperwork for items I still have, and I'm reading as I buy things, like the pump sprayer I used on the deck last week.  Because when you know a few things about how to use what you have, life seems easier. (wink, wink)

Gina