Snead’s Blogging

And this a new ring of my home improvement hell. Windows.

The window guys screwed up the order, installed broken windows and two that don’t fit, had to leave them installed (with the gaps plugged with wood) to go get NEW windows (meaning they are searching down warehouses in the state because they had to order these in the first place), finish the windows that do actually fit and endure my husband’s wrath.

The local district bigwig from Home Depot (where we contracted to get the windows) is on the jobsite today. I feel so much better. Not. Hubby wrathing at him as they tour the damage. Pray the bigwig’s other job isn’t working for FEMA.

(Actually that is a cheap shot. Home Depot is being very responsive. I just know that responsive doesn’t always mean fixed. We’ll see.)

This one day job is now on day two with signs of going on tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Dude is NOT happy that he has no curtains and can’t shut his bedroom door. Let’s not talk about the stress factor there.  And I am sure Maddie has a sinus infection after a week and half of drainage and pain so I am taking her to the doc at 3p.m.

Tomorrow: the Garage Door Installer comes. Now, I say this won’t affect anything, but really, I just don’t want to tempt fate.

Now, I want someone to remind me WHY it is that owning a home is “The American Dream” ? And WHY in a housing slump contractors are so crappy?

I find it hard to be believe that the nation is consumed by the breaking news that a two time presidential wanna-be, John Edwards, had an affair in 2006.

I mean — it’s just not news. Men have affairs, even while their wives have or had been stricken with fatal diseases. It’s not unheard of.

The thing is, he isn’t president now, nor a congressman, nor a governor. So, what’s the point? He isn’t going to be VP for Obama. He doesn’t seem to be aspiring to do anything but just hang out after this last presidential bid.

So, can somebody tell me why we should care about this? His wife has forgiven him. I don’t have to because it doesn’t affect me.

Does it really affect you?

Renovation update time!

The windows are scheduled for replacement Monday. In one day I will have modern, airtight, caulked windows that will not allow air to flow into my abode unless I choose to open them.

Here is the current list of renovation doom:

1. Replacing electrical wring in house. Going from aluminum to copper.
2. Reroof
3. New garage door with automajic opening one. (Yea a use for those buttons in my car!)
4. Replace attic insulation
   
5. Help sick tree in front yard
6. Dry wall family room, taking down dark 70s paneling
7. Replace wall trim throughout the house
8. Paint.Every.Single.Room.
9. Fix outside front yard light.
10. Replace the windows.
11. Resod the yard.
12. Put a shed in the backyard so we can reclaim the garage to use as a.. um.. garage.
13. Make the driveway bigger.
14. New backyard fence
15. Get a dog. (This has nothing to do with the house. I just want it.)

So, no we haven’t painted. Here’s why. After watching an episode of Holmes on Homes where they redid a master bath after realizing that it probably has  a massive leak (it did) hubby decided to look at ours.

Our grout was cracked at the bottom, meaning water could be seeping into places that water shouldn’t be causing mold and rot.

So, then he regrouted, after he cleaned and scrubbed, bought a tool to do things with (’cus there is always a tool at the hardware store that must be bought). Then while the grout set up, he decided to replace the seal on the toilet. Then he decided to rebuild the inner workings or our toilet.

Then the other toilet ( in the other bathroom that everyone in this house is sharing at the moment) broke. So, he had to fix that.

Days have gone by now. And Hubby now realizes that he used the wrong grout. And must regrout.

And this is the project we decided we didn’t need help on. (Take a moment to let that sink in….)

Here are some good things that are happening in the house:

1. Dude has NOT freaked out about all the changes even when he had holes in all his walls,
2. We are nearly done. I can see light at the end of my renovation tunnel, and
3. I’m ready to start thinking about new furniture. Going slow, and getting pieces that reflect me.

So, after three years of wishing we could do all this. We’re almost done. And still married.I think that says a lot, too.

“If there is a can of whoop ass out here, I open it.”
— Brian Williams to Jon Stewart, The Daily Show.

Posting has been sporadic. My bad. Kids coming and going, getting ready for back-to-school, and a sinus infection has slowed me down a good bit.

I hate being immune-suppressed. You know, when your doc tells you that these drugs are going to help one disease but cause you to get other things, you just look at him like he’s nuts.

Years later, I am finding I really shouldn’t be kissing my day-care bound granddaughter so much. Sigh. Kids are germmy.

And Dude keeps saying, “Mom you are not sick!” I wish I wasn’t sick. I wish I could think clearly.

Suddenly, the Dude’s room can no longer hold him. He’s bored. He goes outside and sits on the porch, talking to himself. A neuro-typical kid would call friends, but, Dude hates the phone.

I need to provide him with more outlets, but, I also have to work. I don’t know how to do both. So, I am going to take his Medwaiver coordinators advice and start interviewing companions for community outreach work.

Having a stranger come in and be with my kid to learn the ropes of being a teenager and developing interests is so foreign to me. But I know that raising a child with autism takes a village.

More on this later.. right now.. sinus pain.