New Skills I've Learned

The clouds have come and gone several times this morning. James came back in while ago and said that it was raining. It was light, but enough that the dogs didn't want to get out in it and play. It is also enough that I decided to work inside and put away the laundry along with a few other things. Since I decided that, the sun has come out and it is humid. Maybe I will want to get out and paint this evening.

As I was putting the laundry away that Kerry got done for us last night, I started running across the things that I had not done in any other home we have lived inside of the house. There's the water heater, taking out a wall, putting in a wall, rebuilding the front porch, rerouting electric plugs, and on and on it goes. In May, I was wondering if I was accomplishing anything here. As I think about it there were many things accomplished as the list shows. I've been highlighting some of the outdoor things that have improved on my website http://www.bradsoddsnends.biz. that also tells about some of the other things I have been working on besides working full time as a high school math teacher.

Installing the water heater was the most challenging. We had the gas line repaired and re-routed to fit the new water heater. The challenge was breaking the seals of the water pipes coming from and going to the old heater. When one finally broke loose, it went so fast that I trapped my thumb against the wall with the handle of the pipe wrench. That was a painful ugly site for a time. It did finally heal nicely, but it taught me to look where my thumbs and fingers are and where they might get pinned before I start pushing and pulling. Once that was done, getting the old heater out was easy. It was smaller and lifted right out of the closet. Placing the water heater went well, then connecting the pipes went well. And it worked!

The satisfaction of coming through the problems of putting the heater was great. The wall removal was the next most intense indoor project because it involved moving a plug and finishing covering up a door that once went into the living room before we put the wall in to make a bedroom for the boys. Kerry helped cut ship-lap boards and carry them out bringing the short hallway into the kitchen giving us room to have a kitchen table to have family meals around. That is satisfying as well.

We're just going to keep going. Little by little the projects will improve our living conditions. We will enjoy the satisfaction of seeing all that work we have put into the place. Oh, I'm hearing thunder again. I guess I'll go ahead and put a chicken on to stew for supper. I hope your days are going well. I'd love to hear about what you do that is satisfying. Please feel free to comment at http://bradspower.blogspot.com for those of you that are getting this via email or on this page for those that are reading on-line.

Have a blessed day!
Brad