First Week of May

Monday, May 3, 2021 

 I took a trunk load to Goodwill: radio, clothing, foot bath, glass pitcher, glass globe from my bedroom.  Next to Office Max to shred my checkbook carbons. Finished my errands at Walmart on 27th, especially for hearing aid batteries.  While at Walmart I got a call from Jean Henning, but would not be able to converse in the loud surroundings.  When I got home her voice mail said the inspection report was in my email, also a document that I had to sign.  I was very pressured since I had to sign it by 5:00 pm agreeing to install GFCI protection in the garage, basement, kitchen and baths also repair double taps in electrical panel and correct kitchen garbage disposal wiring.  I also have to install a radon mitigation system, that I understand is going to be expensive.  Jean referred me to an electrician that agreed to take care of the problem, but didn't have knowledge of a radon contractor.  Now I'm getting advice from multiple sources.

Tuesday, May 4

I moved some things out of the way for the rug shampooer and vacuumed the living room and stairs.  The man came about 10:15 am and did a great job.  I had difficulty hearing the conversation of the book club because he was using some loud equipment on the stairs right where I was zooming.  We had a good discussion, whatever I did hear, and ended on a positive note, agreeing to meet at Clement Manor in June, with lunch afterward.

Wednesday, May 5

Nancy invited me to lunch at her lovely spacious condo.  She has a beautiful view of a park and walking/biking trails that she and Joe used to take even before they bought the condo.  She spends her time walking and reading, with no interaction with groups or organizations.  I would find that extremely lonely.  We had a delicious lunch and good conversation.  She related her own experiences with radon mitigation that they were forced to install at over $2000.

Melinda Myers' webnar on tomatoes in the evening.

Thursday, May 6

My appointment for an oil change was for 10:00 am and lasted 2 1/2 hours.  A tire pressure sensor had to be replaced, adding to the cost.

Keith from Accurate came to assess the installation of a radon mitigation system.  He talked with Heather to coordinate sealing up the sump pump in her basement, which would service the entire complex.  I have been in contact with condo manager Brandon Grosz, who has been very prompt answering my emails regarding condo regulations.  When I sent him the proposal from Accurate he said that the board will consider it.  I told him that I was on a timeline and this had to be done in a very short time.  He assembled the board via zoom and it was under discussion the very same day.  Mike Michaels asked for the radon report, also said that someone on the board raised an objection.  He said not to worry, he thinks it will be approved.

Friday, May 7

I did routine cleaning and packing the condiments from one of the shelves.  Peter thought the Austrian Club meeting was for tonight and suggested O'Sullivan's for a fish fry.  The meeting is next Friday, so he said we should go to Hob Nob in Racine, which was perfectly OK with me.  I was surprised they took reservations, but even without one we were seated close to the window in the sun room and enjoyed a very delicious beer batter cod with spinach salad with bacon dressing.  We finished with coffee.  Before leaving Peter had a little pot or mums for me.

Saturday, May 8

Mike came over to tell me that the board approved the radon work.  That was a big relief.  Brandon also confirmed the decision.

I will miss my birds.

I went to the 4:00 pm mass.

Last Lector

 May 2, 2021

I volunteered to lector before the schedule was published and told Pat Boyer that I would be leaving to join The Three Holy Women Parish when I moved to St. Rita's Square.  I received a lovely letter from Mary Werley.

It was an unseasonable warm, windy day today.  I lectored at the 10:30 am mass.  I am looking forward to my new parish and I hope I can continue to be active there.

Another Load

 May 1, 2021

Jay and Anton were here to take the last load to the dump.  They were able to fit everything into Jay's SUV with no trouble since Claude had taken a pretty good amount.

They moved furniture into the garage to make the living room clear for the rug shampooer on Tuesday.  I'm sorry that I didn't schedule it for later in the month.  I'll try to keep off the carpet, which shouldn't be a problem because I have everything I need in the kitchen and dining room.

Moving out of the Village

 April 29, 2021

Rose across the street fractured her hip and is in assisted living and the house is being cleared out.  It is so strange that both of us are clearing out at the same time.  Jim is not able to help at all, so it is up to his wife, who has been so very friendly to me; I wish that I could remember her name.  A couple of men in a pick-up truck happened to be passing by and offered to take away what they didn't want.  They hauled two truck loads for a nominal fee.  They had a special pick-up last week and today.

Claude came in the afternoon to remove the legs off the workbench.  He had taken the top off and boards from below, but the frame was a problem because the legs were welded and the bench would not fit in his SUV.  He thought he'd have to saw off the legs, but he researched how to remove the legs another way.  It was a nice day, so I pulled up one of the patio chairs and read while he worked on his project.  He had to drill and somehow remove the rivets that held the legs in place. That must have taken him about two hours.  He then piled a lot of my trash  including the Weber grill into his SUV to dispose of it with his trash and take some to a metal recycling place.  Jay is planning to come on Saturday to take my stuff to the dump, but will have considerably less to take.  This is all that needs to be taken to the dump.

Condo Inspection

 April 27, 2021

Two inspectors plus the realtor, Lisa Pfaff, were here at 2:00 pm for the condo inspection.  The first thing they did was turn on the dish washer and let it go through its cycle.  I sat and read my Kindle and chatted a bit with Lisa.  There was a lot of moving about as the two inspectors did what they had to do.  As they were finishing I asked if there was anything I needed to be concerned about.  The inspector said everything looked in satisfactory condition.  Gary, the buyer,  came about 3:00 pm.  He works in medical equipment at St. Luke's, which would be a convenient drive from here.  He also will take the sofa bed and treadmill!  The sofa bed was the real problem; no one wants it.  But it will work out nicely for him.  He loved the layout, and that he did not need any dressers, also the built-in book shelves.

Monday, May 3, 2021

Jean called while I was doing errands: a trunk full to Goodwill, shredding checkbook copies at Office Max and shopping at Walmart. She said I had to download the report and sign the agreement by 5:00 pm.  I never heard of such pressure.  I was about to drive to her office with my signature, but I signed the document, copied and emailed it to her.  I need electrical work done, plus I need to install a radon mitigation system.  Jean gave me a name of an electrician.  I sent an email to the condo manager; hopefully, the association will take care of the radon.

I did some research and made an appointment with Accurate for May 8th.

Keith explained what has to be done: drill a hole in the basement floor and sink in a pipe that will go out the wall close to the rain pipe.  There is a unit with a fan that will draw out the radon into the air.  Radon problems are cause by gas coming from the sump pump.  He will need to go into Heather's basement to do something there also.  He wrote a proposal which I forwarded to Hunt Manager Brandon Goetz.  He said it would have to be approved by the board.  I explained that I am on a timeline with moving and closing.  I talked to Mike Daniels and he thought it shouldn't be a problem.  I couldn't believe how,quickly the board convened, even though there was some disapproval, but Mike assured me that it would be approved, and it was.

May 18, 2021

Mike and two other men were here at approximately 9:30 am and started drilling in the basement. A lot of noise, but it didn't disturb me too much.  All three were very pleasant and industrious.

 

They finished at about 2:30 pm.  Keith waited for the electricians, a husband and wife team, to install the electricity for the fan.

Red Hats

 April 21, 2021

Six Red Hats (Julia, Jane, June, Kathy, Terry and I) met today at Casa da Georgio for lunch at noon.  Julia thought it was at 12:30; it was really my fault for not remembering that we had previously met at the later time.  Snow was falling pretty steady and June and Jane had a difficult drive getting here from Hartford.  The big news was my move, but there was a lot of news to catch up on.

Afterward I stayed at Terry's to see her new kitten and visited.

Biggsby

 Today was opening day of  Biggsby.  I'm not a really big coffee person, but I do appreciate a good cup of coffee.  My breakfast was a toasted asiago bagel with cream cheese and a 16 ounce coffee.  It was crowded and noisy.  Now I know why I love eating breakfast in the quietness of my home.  There was a lot of loud talking and shouting among the staff, plus banging.  The acoustics of of the place didn't help, with all the hard surfaces.  It was good to see the support that the place is getting.  I read the paper and worked the crossword, read on my phone.