Busy! Busy! Busy!

Lot's of things going in here this Spring!

We had the HVAC replaced last month.  The heating and air were pushing 25 years old and we were starting to have to replace parts/circuit boards every six months to a year at several hundred dollars a pop. Besides a 25 year old HVAC system isn't what anybody would call energy efficient, so both gas and electric bills have been going up and up and up.

We used Mooneyham Heating and Air. They were the folks that have been servicing the system for dogs years.  I'm happy with the job Mooneyham did so far, but, of course, this hopefully a decades purchase so time will tell.

A few days later I had a tree service company, Cody Dillard's Tree Service, out to cut down two really big oaks and a bunch of smaller trees/shrugs that were growing right up on edge of the house. He charged a reasonable amount, I think, and did a good job getting the trees down and out, however, his equipment really did a number on the yard so I'm going to have to replant grass sometime soon.

I've already posted about the dryer going out and us buying a new washer/dryer pair. As I posted, they came and went last Thursday. I wouldn't accept anything if any of it was damaged and one of the pedestals was, so it went back. This Thursday they'll be back, hopefully, with undamaged everything and can get the units installed and the old ones hauled away. Luckily, the old washer was still working so I was able to get Mom's clothes washed over the weekend...hung them on a clothesline and eventually they got dry.  Dang! I really hope the delivery and install goes right this time!

Today, I have a plumber out to repair several faucets: two outside and three inside that were dripping. While is at it, we're replacing the kitchen tap assembly with a new one. The one in the kitchen is so old it is being held together by tape, putty and glue. It's about time it gets replaced.

Next week, Ronco Generators will be here to install a whole home generator. I've been wanting to get one installed for years. When a storm comes through here our power goes out for weeks on end and I don't think Mom could survive without air conditioning, or  heating in the winter. She isn't on oxygen right now, but she might be before long, so that's a consideration as well.  IAC, we have gas heat, oven and water heater so we only have to have a big enough unit to run the central air, fridge/freezer, and lights. Again, I hope the install goes well. We'll be tapping into the natural gas line to run the generator, and I'm hoping with all the appliances we already have using gas our current line will be adequate without  needing to get the gas company involved.

After all that, I want to get someone out to look at our roof. Mom had it replaced in 2004 after Ivan blew through. That was 15 years ago and I think it needs an inspection and maybe some work.  I hope we don't need a replacement, but I wouldn't be surprised as the work was done by a group that came in from somewhere or other after Ivan and then went away again.

Down the road, I think we're going to have to have a ramp put in for Mom. She can still walk up and down the front steps...with help...but that may not continue. The steps do keep her inside more than I'd like as it's "an operation" to get her outside. If the ramp could include a small porch under our eves where a chair or two could be placed that would be really nice. I've pushed this down my list of things to do, though, as other things took priority.

Our front doors need work/replacement. The storm door is warped and the main front door is starting to de-laminate at the bottom. That might wait until we do the ramp...be part of that project.

Synde wants to look into a bathroom and kitchen remodel, has been talking about replacing/removing the indoor carpet, and brings up widening the doorways for a transport chair (if/when) Mom needs that.  Those are "in the future" and not soon...I don't think.

As I said, busy, busy, busy!

Tax Cut My ASS! Rant! Rant! Rant!

Pardon my French, but a pox on all Republicans and their contemptible billionaire owners...I mean donors, no I mean owners!

I'm not rich. I'm retired. I live off a pension and social security. I worked long and hard to earn both, so don't anyone try to tell me they are entitlements or government handouts!

I put off doing my 2018 taxes until April because I just knew Trump and his cronies were going to screw me and yes they did! Royally! I went from a thousand dollar's up on my 2017 taxes to two thousand dollar's down on my 2018 taxes. That's a THREE THOUSAND DOLLAR change...you bastards!

"Clearly you should have had more withheld monthly to avoid this bill. So it's your fault." say the parsimonious millionaire Republicans, while they get money back from the Republican Rich Persons Tax Cut law they rammed through Congress.

"Damn their eyes!" say I, "It's all us middle and lower class suckers fault for not throwing every one of those parasites out of office." 

Yes, I'm vindictive, but okay, it's time for retribution!

A 90% top marginal rate on the millionaires!

Close every loophole anybody making more than $1,000,000 can get, every one of them!

Make ALL income taxed for SSI and Medicare, all of it! Institute Medicare for All!

Corporate Welfare, shut it down, and don't let them move money out of the country to avoid taxes, make them pay!

Up the Unions! Down with Corporate Greed!

If we can't defend ourselves with half the money we're shoveling into the DOD, we don't deserve to defend ourselves...so cut defense spending in half!

Hell, go look at Andrew Yang's Platform. He's got...er...forgive me for this, but he's got a "Chinaman's Chance" of getting elected, but I can get behind almost all of his platform points.  I'd like to see almost all his policies implemented no matter who ends up getting elected to Congress and the Presidency.

I'm going to donate some money to his campaign!

Eris' Portal To Sites: Well, I guess I should have worried!

Eris' Portal To Sites: Well, I guess I should have worried!: The installers arrived yesterday about 6:00 pm and departed about 6:20 without doing anything but upsetting me. :( One of the pedestals wa...

Eris' Portal To Sites: If it's not one thing...

Eris' Portal To Sites: If it's not one thing...: ... it's another! Last week our clothes dryer died, well okay, it still ran, but no longer dried. :( So, the weekend was spent looking...