Right out of the gate I am going to admit that I have been An Utter Failure at participating in Elisabeth’s walking challenge. I have gone for… three walks so far this month. And I have no excuse! The weather has been peak fall perfection, I have had pockets of time during which I could EASILY slip in a 10-15 minute walk, I am in good health and all my limbs are operational.
Well. Today is a new day. I have an opportunity to change my ways.
ROOF REPAIR WEARINESS
Our roof has undergone a total replacement this week. The contractor originally thought it would take two days; it took four. I worried that the constant but irregular thumps and bangs and slams would stress out the cat, so I spent most of the week in the house with him, so we could endure the constant irregular thumps and bangs and slams together.
In addition to the noise, I felt the same kind of on-edge-iness I always feel when people are working in or on my home. Yes, the roofing team was outside, but also they were RIGHT THERE. It was weird to eat lunch at the kitchen table because they were right outside. It was weird to go for a walk because I had to thread my way under and around their scaffolding and materials. It was weird to leave to take Carla to school or for an appointment because it was weird to leave behind a passel of strangers.
I never know how to deal with people working on my house. (I am soothed to know I’m not the only one who feels this way.) I said hello and thanked them for being there. On the second day (what I thought was the LAST day), I brought the crew donuts. But then I felt weird about not bringing them treats on the subsequent days. Was I supposed to be outside, observing them? Asking for reports and updates?
The guy who was overseeing everything – which is a different guy from the foreperson, because he had to call the foreperson a couple of times – didn’t really seem to be overseeing anything. I didn’t see him, for instance. And he assured me that something had been done that clearly had not, and had to call the foreperson to ascertain that I was right. The big storm that caused all the damage to our house caused widespread damage. I know that the roofing people are overwhelmed and have hundreds of clients just like me. I know they are being pulled in multiple directions at once. I still feel a little like no one was steering the ship.
Even though the roofing team tried to keep things tidy, there was trash everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Scraps of roof tiles in the shrubbery. A plastic water bottle on the pool cover. Shreds of plastic flung all over the lawn. Flowers trampled beneath ladder legs and canvas tarps.
By the end of each day, my head felt full and I was snappy and impatient with my family. Unfortunately, this is not the end of the work. The vinyl siding will be replaced next, and then the wooden parts of our house will be painted, and I have no idea how anyone survives any sort of renovation, especially if it requires having people INSIDE YOUR HOUSE. This is all to say, I am pretty sure the entire process stressed me out more than it did the cat.
Anyway: it is blissfully quiet this morning, and we have a new roof, for which I am very grateful.
THE POOL STILL HAS A LEAK
This is the Champagnest of problems, and yet it is rapidly becoming a massive pain in my ass. I have contacted the leak people; they said they could come out. They never give me a specific day when they will come out. They want the pool clean, full, and 85 degrees when they show up. I am spending unknown quantities of money and resources keeping the pool full and heated. With the roof repair, they couldn’t have done the work had they wanted to. Not that they called me back after saying, yes, they could repair the leak this week! My regular pool maintenance guy keeps warning me how important it is to address the leak before winter, lest the water freeze and cause much more damage. It does not appear that there is an alternative leak company for me to use.
I rescued this frog from the pool, even though he may have not needed rescuing. He has, presumably, nothing to do with the leak.
GARAGE DOORS
This is not about how we also are replacing our garage doors, it is about the doors to our kitchen storage garages! In response to my recent post, Carolyn asked, “Does it have a door that goes up and down like a standard garage door?” Yes, kind of! The doors come out and then up. Here is the front of the garage I recently tidied (don’t worry, Lenny is not inside).
And here is the front of our other garage, this one an appliance garage.
I do love how these garages allow me to use what amounts to regular counter space – convenient, counter height, no need to lift or carry – without resorting to the counter clutter I resist with all my heart.
I did TRY to take these photos in a way that looked normal, but I am incapable of photographing anything straight-on.
ANOTHER KIND OF CLEANING PROJECT
I drink Earl Grey tea every morning in the cool months. (I drink iced chai in the summers.) While I have many, many mugs, I typically opt for one of three enormous mugs my husband and child got me for Christmas back in 2018. Over the years, the ceramic has become deeply discolored by the tea.
The stain doesn’t bother me too much, but I left my empty mug next to the sink last weekend and my husband was aghast at the state of the mug. He informed me that he had used one of the tablets he uses to clean his stainless steel coffee mug on my mug, which I thought was probably not going to work on the ceramic. Sweet of him to try, though.
BUT IT DID WORK.
No idea what these weird shadows are. That’s what I get for taking photos in the early morning hours.
CAT NAPPING
My cat is an excellent napper. That is all.
I sympathize about the having workers around woes. We recently had someone in to fix the doorbell, which is a short task, but I was torn between hovering and letting him do the work. (And then it turned out not to be fixed and I asked him to come back and he said ok but hasn’t and ugh. Another thing to Deal With.)
Can I ask what kind of tablets those are? Because I am impressed at how well they cleaned your mug!
Yes! They are called Bottle Bright: https://amzn.to/4rWuFjs
So frustrating that the work didn’t resolve the problem. Hopefully he’ll get back to you soon.
I have
ah what just happened
Lol, it’s like I have never used a computer before. Starting again, and hoping you will just enjoy that above comment in all its glory. I HAVE. The end.
Anyway, I have a solution to your tea stain problem, although you clearly already HAVE a solution. Another solution? BAKING SODA. Put some baking soda in your cup, like a tablespoon or more, and then add water and let it soak for a bit. Scrubbity-dub-dub, and it’s gone. It works a charm.
Reiterating my last (second to last, I guess, if we include I HAVE) comment about the marvel of the kitchen garage. I mean. What an age we live in. What a wonder of technology.
I have (!!!) lived through not one but two house renovations while living in the house, and it is a goddamn nightmare. Our last was in 2012 and it was terrible. I mean, I was happy with the end result. But weeks upon weeks of workmen in the house, and the head foreman was verbally abusive to his team, and I had a 7 and 8 year old in the house listening to “You fucking idiots, I told you to fucking *insert whatever it was* Fucking hell, why are you so stupid.” My skin broke out from all the stress. I’ve also had the roof replaced at least once and THE NOISE.
Workers. Our dog…does not like men, in general, and let’s be honest, most worker people are men. AND THEN! THEN! Imagine them being loud and bang-y. Hannah the Dog is the reason there’s so much “deferred maintenance” on our house. Anyone want a used, slightly neurotic dog with a dodgy back and a list of fears as long as my forearm?
Oof, workers around the house is not my favorite. Luckily our handyman is Phil’s cousin and I know him really well so he’s easy to have around. I am in my basement office so much that it’s almost like I’m not here at all!
Lenny is the cutest napper!!!
I officially love the kitchen garages and their doors.
The cat doing the napping is just the best thing I have seen all day.
And that first comment by Nicole is the best comment.
What a relief to have your roof done. We had our roof done a few years ago. It was astonishing to me how nerve-wracking and disruptive it was.
We are probably due for a new roof soon and I am already dreading it with my whole heart. But what are you going to do? You NEED a roof.
Lenny is a boss at naps. We can all learn from him.
I haaate having people in to work on the house. First of all, Doggo is not compatible with strangers in the house, so I have to shut her in the bedroom, and then I have to do the awkward dance of being within earshot but not hovering over folks. I don’t have a solution but I’m more than happy to commiserate over the problem.
The key to CBWC is not to fret about yesterday and focus on today. This is where those of us with dogs win, because we don’t ever have the option to take a day off, but I think you can rightly give yourself some grace for not wanting to leave the gorgeousness that is Lenny alone for one minute.
Baking soda soaks! That will remove tea stains for those care about pristine mugs. It even helps removed other dark stains like burnt oil and popcorn from pots.
I dont know what to say to workers- luckily, my huusband who is curious and knowledgeable, always cones home for that. The workmen earn their pay with all the questions my husband asks. I think they’d prefer to be left alone ( or donuts!).
Wow, this comment section is helpful- baking soda! I’m going to try it. My mugs get those tea stains too.
Like everyone else who’s commented I HATE having workers in the house. Well, also outside the house, especially if it involves a new roof. Our roof is over 20 years old (oh no) but I still remember how LOUD it was when we got it replaced. It was terrible.
I think those kitchen storage garages would be bad for me! I would let them get so, so cluttered, and then just shut the door and pretend that everything was fine. At least with a visible counter I’m forced to keep it somewhat organized.
My late husband, a building contractor, complained about roofers ALL THE TIME. In construction hierarchy, they’re not well thought of. He didn’t trust most of them such that he re-roofed our old house himself. The mess, the noise and the awkwardness are something else; however, as you noted, having the people inside the house for renovations and repair is much worse in every way. I loved my painter and he was neater and more of a perfectionist than I am! I’ve never heard of those kitchen garages but they would sure hide a multitude of sins.
UGH we are going to need a new roof any year now (the shittiest thing about building a house is that everything is ready to break AT THE SAME TIME). Let’s do a CBWC walk n talk one of these days– text me 🙂
The best thing I’ve found to get out weird mugs stains (coffee, hard water, etc.) is the Mr. Clean magic eraser. It works on wine and berry stains on the counter too. I live in fear of my roof!