Tom's Diary

Today’s Activities

• Shower. DONE.
• Cat duty.  DONE.  Cat duty involves cleaning the litter boxes, bagging the excess, feeding, and house cleaning cat dirt of all types.
• Wash (4) loads of pending laundry.  DONE.

Log

06:50 AM: I’m up.

07:10 AM: Facebooked for several minutes. Friend count: 606 (down one). Fan count: 114 (unchanged).

07:40 AM: Leaving now with sister Jojo for my semi-annual oral checkup and teeth cleaning.  Emmy is still sleeping.  Back later.

09:40 AM: I’m back home.  No cavities found, and Jojo says that the daily flossing I’ve been performing has made cleaning my teeth much easier and, pardon the graphics, less bloody.  Jojo also gave me some birthday cards to deliver to sister Mary Ann and her daughter during our upcoming NYC trip.  She also gave me a bag with a new Oral B toothbrush, Oral B floss, and two small tubes of Colgate Sensitive Pro-relief toothpaste.

10:30 AM: Worked out on the treadmill for a half hour, walking and jogging approximately 2.1 miles and burning off roughly 340 calories, for walk 102 in 2011.  [Emmy]   Kept me company while I exercised, and I was actually able to carry on a conversation with her without feeling too out-of-breath.  So, given how easy this workout was, I think I’ll bump up the speed from 3.7 to 3.8 miles-per-hour.  I’ve read that for the workout to be most effective, one should be winded enough that conversation is uncomfortable.  My heart rate peaked this time at 157, at 27 minutes into the walk; much better than last time a couple days ago, when it peaked at 165 at 25 minutes in.  So yes, it’s time for a slightly more taxing run.

12:00 PM: Rooted around in the attic to locate my favorite pair of long underwear for the upcoming New York City day-trip.  However, after a half-hour of freezing my baguettes,   [Emmy]   located them in one of the dressers in the upstairs bedroom.  I’m grateful to her.  But grrrrrrrrrr to me.

01:00 PM: Walked to Sheetz to get lunch some snacks to take with us on the upcoming bus trip to New York City.  We got some power protein bars, krimpets, and cinnamon danishes.

02:15 PM: Watched today’s episode of   The Young and the Restless   via the DVR.

03:55 PM: We continued packing for our upcoming New York City trip.

04:00 PM: Nap time.  Back later.

05:00 PM: I’m awake again.

06:55 PM: Made a big batch of buckwheat pancakes.  Mmmmmmmm!  We had enough for the meal tonight.  Plus, we froze a serving for each of us to eat later this month.

07:00 PM: [Emmy]  is listening to the Penguins Vs. the Flyers hockey game on my Internet radio.

07:05 PM: Gripe: One way they definitely could improve this technology is to significantly shorten the time it takes to connect to each station.  With this Sangean Internet radio, it takes close to a minute.

08:00 PM: All laundry folded and put away.

10:15 PM: The Pens lost to the Flyers tonight, 3 to 2.

10:30 PM: Watched tonight’s episode of   NBC’s Nightly News   via the DVR.

11:00 PM: Tagged, normalized, added, and updated approximately 313 songs from this and previous years to my music library from Promo Only throughout today.  I now have 2931 songs from 2011 cataloged.

11:10 PM: We’re heading to bed.  Good night.  Come back to read more tomorrow.

11:30PM: Watched the second half of the Steelers Vs. the Browns game.  The Steelers won after some doubtful moments, 14 to 3.

11:35 PM: We’re going to bed.  Good night.  Come back to read more tomorrow.

12:05 AM: The daily traffic stats from yesterday for my blogs.  The monthly keyword hit count for this run is 810, up from 801 at last check.  The record high for this dimension remains at 1788.  The next goal: 2000.

Tom Hesley

Received Mail and Shipments

• Natural gas bill.
• Misc. bank papers.
• A Christmas card from   [Ron].
• Ad from Fiore Toyota.
• Catalogs from PowerSource and InterPower.

Related Posts and Links

• Today’s Diet: 2011-12-08

Today’s Activities

• Shower. DONE.
• Cat duty.  DONE.

Log

07:00 AM: I’m up.

08:00 AM: I may go shopping today.  That will depend on when my new computer arrives.

10:20 AM: I’m still coughing, but very little.  I feel almost fully back to normal.

10:50 AM: Filed perhaps 15 papers of Mom’s in the front office.  Almost done with this project.

10:55 AM: The new computer arrived, finally.  The delivery woman said she had no problems finding my place.  Hmmm.  I wonder why the people who tried to deliver this on Thursday couldn’t find me.  Oh well.  It’s here now, and that cancelled any irritation I might have been feeling.

12:30 PM: Spent the past hour and a half setting up my new Dell XPS 8300 computer.  No difficulties encountered so far.

12:35 PM: Leaving now to go shopping with sister Jojo and to visit Mom later this afternoon.  Back later.

04:00 PM: I’m back home.  Light grocery load this time (less than $50 worth).

04:15 PM: Nap time.  Back later.

07:00 PM: I’m awake again.

10:00 PM: Spent much of this evening installing software on my new computer (Quicken 2011, MS Office 2010 Home and Business, Winamp, et al), and customizing MS Outlook the way I like it.

11:00 PM: Talked with   [Emmy].

12:05 AM: Reviewed the daily traffic stats from yesterday for my blogs.  The monthly keyword hit count dropped again this time, and now stands at 1745; down from 1746 yesterday.  The record high for this dimension remains at 1747.  The next goal: 2000.

12:30 AM: Bed time.  More tomorrow.  Good night.

Tom Hesley

Received Mail and Shipments

None today.

Related Posts and Links

• Today’s Diet: 2011-07-09

Today’s Activities

• Shower. DONE.
• Cat duty. DONE.

Log

09:15 AM: I’m up.

10:20 AM: On excessively biased and one-sided news reporting: Well, I guess it depends on the venue as to how “slanted” the reporters typically are.  MSNBC or Fox for example offer very slanted, passionate, and often one-sided reporting IMHO.  But NPR, CNN, CBS, and NBC news?  Far less “attached” on the whole to particular political or religious views, and typically more balanced besides.

10:55 AM: Heading out now to visit Mom.  Back later.

04:00 PM: I’m back home.  Nap time now.  Back later.

06:40 PM: I’m awake again.  Long nap today.  I’ll probably pay for it with problems sleeping tonight.  Grrrrr.  But for the moment anyhow, I feel quite refreshed.

07:30 PM: Facebooked for an hour roughly.  Friend count: 481.  Fan count: 108.

08:00 PM: Watched the 2011-03-20 episode of NBC’s   Meet The Press   broadcast via the DVR.

09:05 PM: Watched today’s episode of   The Young and the Restless  and tonight’s episode of   NBC’s Nightly News    via the DVR.

11:15 PM: Electricity supply rates are on the upward move once again here in PA. Last November: 5.83 cents per KWH. February: 7.03 cents per KWH. This month: 7.68 cents per KHW. Well? So much for any savings from that new Energy Star compliant washing machine. Grrrrrrrrr.

11:00 PM: Talked with   [Emmy]    on the phone.

11:50 PM: Watched the 2011-03-27 episode of NBC’s   Meet The Press    broadcast via the DVR.

12:20 AM: Headed for bed.  So good night and I hope you return here tomorrow for more of my unfolding life story.  Take care.

Tom Hesley

Received Mail and Shipments

• Weekly coupon mailer.
• Offer from Verizon of telephone and Internet for $49.99 for two years.  Not a bad deal.
• Misc. bank papers.
• Talking Book Topics from NLS; the March-April, 2011 edition.
• Promo Only’s Country Radio music series; the 2011-05 edition.
• Coupon for Wolf Furniture.
• Hearing aid offer.
• Advertisement from Fiore Toyota.

Related Posts

• Today’s Diet: 2011-04-05

Today’s Activities

• Shower. DONE.
• Cat duty. DONE.

Log

09:20 AM: I’m up.

09:50 AM: Shoveled the sidewalk and ramp again.  Looks like an additional two to three inches fell overnight.  So all told in this storm, we probably got seven or eight inches of fresh snow.

11:55 AM: Read through all the admissions papers we signed to get Mom into her new nursing facility.  She switches over to private pay mode later this week.   Le’s see: She can have some of her own things in her room with her but records of all that must be kept in an inventory list by the home staff.  Her new home will not take her old home.  The home reserves the right to move her from bed to bed and room to room if necessary to match her (perhaps changing) level of need to the correct level of care.  But they assured me that they will not do this without compelling reasons.  Some of her expenses required to maintain her old home are deductible, and we will not have to sell her car; at least, not while she’s alive.

12:00 PM: Made an eye steak and asparagus for lunch that was pretty tasty but none too filling.

02:00 PM: Watched today’s episode of   The Young and the Restless   on the DVR.

04:00 PM: Talked with   [Mentat's]   sister on the phone.  When the weather breaks, she’s going to take me shopping for an HD TV.  Sweet!  The brand I prefer at this point is Vizio, because for one, I have the most experience setting up these TVs, since Mom has one, and so does friend [Pink].  Plus, many of their newer units come Internet-enabled with Netflix, Twitter, Facebook, and other apps already installed.  I would not buy a non Internet-ready TV anymore.  I like the Sony Bravia models.  But they tend to be pricier than Vizio.  Still though, I ought to be loyal to Sony, as I’ve owned two of their SD TVs over the past 21 years, and was quite pleased with their reliability, performance, and durability.

04:30 PM: Nap time.  Back later.

06:30 PM: I’m awake again.

07:15 PM: I need a haircut.  #2 clipper on the back and sides, and scissor-cut the top, please. I like the scissor-cut part because that makes the haircut last longer.  Tried all #2 once, and the job was finished before I could even fall asleep once.  But the scissors add five to ten minutes to the experience, and while this isn’t really enough time to catch 40 winks, I do feel curiously refreshed when the barber wakes me up to tell me that he’s finished.

07:30 PM: Now that WOULD be a horrific sort of jolt, wouldn’t it, to wake up to a temperamental child yelling at you, from this peaceful, haircut-induced slumber while enjoying yourself in the barber’s chair.  Gives me chills just thinking about it; like fingernails on a chalkboard.  Put the kid to bed early for a week, for that.

07:40 PM: So how many times can I afford to listen to   Tubular Bells   tonight?  Let’s see, I could listen more times if I hear the short version.  But I’d get more enjoyment if I play the long one.  Hmmmm.  Decisions decisions.

07:45 PM: I told a friend about Mom as follows: Yes, she required too much care to keep her here at home any longer.  she needs near-constant supervision.  It’s indeed a beautiful place.  In fact, we felt much better about leaving her at this home than at the other place, as this facility seems to be much better managed. She’s enjoying it too, especially the food.

09:05 PM: Watched today’s   Consumed With Jealousy   episode of   Dr. Phil.  A husband was insanely jealous of his wife, fearing that she’d cheat on him though he had no evidence (at least, none that he brought to the show anyhow) that confirmed his suspicions.  Another couple also appeared.  In this one, the wife was the one consumed with the jealousy. From the outside, those jealous folks looked   really   crazy. Now that I’m older, I think I’d leave someone if I couldn’t trust them, rather than try to convince them to behave in trustworthy ways. But in my teens, I was a jealous boy. So I can relate to how jealousy can cripple a young person.  Nowadays though, I just say, if you want someone else, go ahead, because I’ll either be okay alone or find someone else too.

10:20 PM: Talked a bit with   [Emmy].  She still has that bad cold, and was feeling pretty lousy — stomach queasiness.  She sounds a little better however — not quite as congested and voice not as deep as yesterday.  She’s starting to sound more normal again.

10:25 PM: My only gripe about the Pandora Internet radio station (the one that tailors what it plays to the listener’s preferences), is that you can only skip five or six songs ahead in its play list.  Then, it forces you to listen to what it chose for you.  Grrrrrrr.   But that’s better than not being able to skip songs at all, as it was with traditional radio.  You had to listen to what the station played, period.

12:05 AM: Reviewed the daily site stats for my blogs.  Monthly keyword count: 255.  That’s up 2 from yesterday.

12:10 AM: Headed to bed.  Good night, and there will be more to this story later on.  Take care.

Tom Hesley

Received Mail and Shipments

• Promo Only’s Urban Radio music series; the 2011-03 edition.
• Credit card / balance transfer offer from City group.  Not at this time, thanks.
• Information card from Mom’s medical insurance provider about wellness programs they offer.
• Reminder card about the Chase Freedom credit card 5% back deal.  No thanks.
• Balance transfer offer from Chase Bank.  No thanks.
• Co-payment bill from Mom’s eye doctor.
• Auto insurance offer from Travelers.  No thanks.
• Monthly sewage bill.
• Misc. banking papers.
• Auto insurance offer from Liberty Mutual.  Not at this time, thanks.

Related Posts

• Common Cold: 2011-02
• Today’s Diet: 2011-02-22

Brrrrrr. This month’s heating bills are chilling me! Gas: $428, Electricity: $266. I envy my brother-in-law, whose back yard adjoins a forest, and who thus, heats his house with two wood-burning furnaces and all that surplus wood. God, my teeth are chattering. Time to break out the long underwear.  This has been an unusually cold winter this year, and the power and gas consumption show it. We don’t like a cold house either.  So the heating costs tend to be elevated here.  But a thaw next week should give our bills some relief in March. 

Tom Hesley

Related Posts

• Today’s Business: 2011-02-11

Today’s Activities

• Shower.  DONE.
• Cat duty.  DONE.
• Process at least ten grocery and other store receipts.  IN PROGRESS.
• Change and launder all bedding in Mom’s bedroom.  DONE.

Log

08:30 AM: I’m up.  Mom called me, needing assistance.  

09:15 AM: Helped Mom do her morning chores and dispensed her morning meds.  She complained about having to take them at this time (on schedule).  But I insisted because I don’t want to have to remember later on what she did and did not take, and to adjust her later scheduled doses because she started out so late this morning.  It’s just easier on me if she keeps to the rhythm we’ve established, and besides, it makes it harder for her to stay in bed too long. 

11:40 AM: Completed this week’s system backups and posted the    Weekly Backups: 2010-12-11   piece, that gives the statistical results of this effort.

11:50 AM: Upgraded all blogs to WordPress 3.0.3 from WordPress 3.0.2.  So far, every thing’s working great.  No problems encountered in this update so far. 

12:00 PM: Posted the   Disabling Post Revisions: WordPress 3.0.3   piece.

12:30 PM: Posted the   Shopping Trip: 2010-12-10   piece.

12:45 PM: Mom wanted to get up.  So I helped her into her wheelchair and gave her her lunch time meds.

12:50 PM: Put Mom’s bedding in the washer.

02:00 PM: Researched a school tax bill I received today.

02:47 PM: I think they should put a “use by” date on shoes, because if you buy them too far in advance of wearing, the trim and soles on them come unglued quickly, as the glue has dried up “on the shelf”. No bargains in new old stock (NOS) shoes I’m afraid. Grrrrrr.

03:30 PM: Watched the 2010-11-23, 2010-11-24, 2010-11-25, and 2010-11-26 episodes of   NBC’s Nightly News   on the DVR.

03:40 PM: Nap time.  Back later.

04:30 PM: I’m up again.  I looked into this school tax bill I received today.  I don’t think I owe anything, as I had no W2 income last year.

04:50 PM: Tallied up Mom’s share of the grocery bill from yesterday. 

06:00 PM: Sister Jojo arrived to help with Mom. 

09:30 PM: Worked the Christmas Lighting: 2010   project.  Put new multi-colored incandescent lights on our indoor Christmas tree. 

10:30 PM: Talked with   [Emmy]   throughout the evening.  We listened to the Penguins hockey game and chatted while I worked on the Christmas tree. 

11:30 PM: Watched the 2010-11-27 and 2010-11-28 episodes of   NBC’s Nightly News   on the DVR.

12:15 AM: Dispensed Mom’s night meds.  She did not want to go to bed however because she wanted to finish watching some movie on TV.  So she opted to sleep in her easy chair tonight.

12:30 AM: Bedtime for me now.  Good night.

02:15 AM: Mom called for help.  Her blood sugar fell to 49.  Gave her some orange juice and a sandwich.  Back to bed with me.  Good night again. 

Tom Hesley

Received Mail and Shipments

• School tax bill.  
• Promo Only’s Modern Rock Radio series; the 2010-12 issue.
• Hillside Community Church advertisement.
• Coupon book from Kopp drug.
• Two Christmas cards; one for Mom and one for me. 

Related Posts

• Christmas Lighting: 2010
• Disabling Post Revisions: WordPress 3.0.3
• Shopping Trip: 2010-12-10
• Today’s Diet: 2010-12-11
• Weekly Backups: 2010-12-11
• Weight Loss: 2010

Today’s Activities

• Shower.  DONE.
• Cat duty.  DONE.

Log

08:45 AM: I’m up.  Mom wants to wait until noon to take her morning meds.  She’s none too eager to get up today.   No wonder.  It’s a dark and dreary morning here in central PA, and I hear that it’s supposed to rain all day steadily.  Grrrrrrr.   I had hoped to hang some Christmas lights today.  But as wet as it is, that effort will probably have to wait a couple days at least. 

09:20 AM: Mom’s home nurse arrived to check her overall health status and to take blood to measure its clotting ability; very important for heart patients like Mom. 

09:45 AM: Mom’s physical therapist arrived.

10:00 AM: Mom’s nurse asked me numerous questions about Mom for her files.  Mom is “down in the dumps” today but nonetheless, her strength continues to improve. 

10:30 AM: I assisted Mom’s physical therapist (and she taught me to)  help Mom perform her exercises. 

11:00 AM: The physical therapist left.  Now, I’m blogging to get all of this down. 

12:30 PM: Helped Mom into and out of the shower.  She got lots of water on the floor (the whole floor) and a good deal of it ran down into the heat duct work.  I worry about the furnace.  So we must devise a better shower solution to prevent the sort of  “flood”   from occurring again. 

02:00 PM: Mom’s foot doctor arrived to trim her toenails.  [Emmy]   is in the shower now, and I’m washing the load ot towels Mom used in her shower. 

02:10 PM: [Emmy]   just emerged from her shower, looking for the bathroom trash can.  Oh yes, I had to move it elsewhere while Mom showered. 

02:15 PM: Mom’s occupational therapist just arrived.  He’s having her do arm exercises with an elastic band; she stretches that repeatedly with her arms and hands in various positions.

02:50 PM: The occupational therapist just left.  He’ll make his last visit this coming Thursday. 

04:35 PM: Watched today’s episode of   The Young and the Restless   and yesterday’s episode of   Dr. Phil   on the DVR.

04:45 PM: Debbie arrived.  We’re going   shopping   tonight.

08:15 PM: We’re back home, and all groceries have been put away.  I also replaced all burned-out three-way light bulbs in our lamps throughout the house. 

10:00 PM: Watched   Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer   TV special on CBS tonight; always an effective way to stoke those good feelings of the holiday spirit. 

11:00 PM: Watched today’s episode of    Dr. Phil   on the DVR.

11:45 PM: Wow, it’s really warmed up outside, to around 56 degrees, and the wind is howling and spattering the window in the office here with raindrops.  Minus thunder and lightning, it’s still going to be a stormy night. 

12:05 PM: Helped Mom to bed and dispensed her night meds.  Now, we’re going.  Good night, and I’ll have more tomorrow. Take care. 

Tom Hesley

Received Mail and Shipments

• Christmas card for Mom.
• Weekly coupon mailer.
• Toyota advertisement. 

Related Posts

• Shopping Trip: 2010-11-30
• Today’s Diet: 2010-11-30
• Weight Loss: 2010

Today’s Activities

• Shower.  DONE.
• Cat duty.  DONE.

Log

10:00 AM: I’m up.  Got Mom up and about.  She’s now sitting in her easy chair.

11:15 AM: [Emmy] is watching the 2010-11-22 through 2010-11-24 episodes of KDKA TV’s   Pittsburgh Today Live   variety show on the DVR, and I’m looking in on it in between blog posting and Facebooking.

04:25 PM: Watched the 2010-11-21 and 2010-11-28 episodes of CBS’s   Face The Nation   news show on the DVR.

06:05 PM: Watched the 2010-11-21 episode of NBC’s   Meet The Press   news show on the DVR.

08:15 PM: Helped Mom to the kitchen, where she’ll make herself some supper.

08:30 PM: Watched the 2010-11-24 and 2010-11-26 episodes of   Dr. Phil   on the DVR.  Both shows focused on drug interventions and / or helping addicts realize that they need help to get sober.

11:05 PM: Watched the 2010-11-19 episode of NBC’s   Dateline   news show, that covered the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  Since I was out of the frey during the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana some twenty-nine years ago, I thought I’d follow this royal event a little closer.  Of course, the fact that   [Emmy]   wanted to see this show pushed me strongly in this direction. 

12:00 AM: Enjoyed a bit of a midnight snack (cold pineapple soufle’ and cranberry sauce), dispensed Mom’s night meds, and helped her to bed.

12:15 AM: The radio station we’ve been listening to holiday music on throughout this Thanksgiving weekend (WALY) has switched back to regular (non Christmas music) programming.  Hmmmm.  The past couple years, they played all Christmas songs throughout the rest of November and December.  I suppose thye didn’t get the ratings they wanted with all those festive tunes.  Well, there are plenty of Internet stations that are still in Christmas mode; some of them do it all year round in fact.  So I’ll catch them when I need the uplifting effects of that sort of music.

12:20 AM: Bedtime.  More tomorrow.  Good night.

04:55 AM: Bathroom break.  Should I see if Mom needs to go too?  No.  She’ll call if she does.

05:57 AM: I finally feel like I can get back to sleep.  I so hate these middle-of-the-night awakenings because they typically leave me wide-eyed for at least an hour before sleep returns.  Grrrrrrr.

07:20 AM: Well, I should have checked on Mom.  She just called, wanting my assistance.

07:45 AM: Okay, I’m heading to bed once again.  Good night again, or should I say, good morning.  The sky is light.

Tom Hesley

Received Mail and Shipments

No mail delivered on Sundays.

Related Posts

• Today’s Diet: 2010-11-28
• Weight Loss: 2010

Today’s Activities

• Shower.  DONE.
• Cat duty.  DONE.
• Vacuum upstairs.  IN PROGRESS.
• Make sure all of Mom’s borrowed books have been returned to the library.  IN PROGRESS.  All have been returned except one.
• Watch all pending episodes of   NBC’s Nightly News.   IN PROGRESS.
• Request disbursement on behalf of the   WPSBC Alumni Association   in order to fund the braille printer repairs; per the organization’s wishes.  DONE.

Log

09:05 AM: I’m up.    

11:05 AM: [Tad] called to provide me instructions on who to send the money too for the braille printer repairs that the   WPSBC Alumni Association   voted to fund at the 2010 convention.  But, as it turns out, we haven’t enough money in checking for this.  So I’m requesting a disbursement from our investments firm now. 

12:00 PM: Talked to Mom’s dentist about the partial she was having made.  I explained that she’s in a nursing facility for an indefinite period and so we don’t know when or if she’ll be able to continue this project.  So they placed her account on hold and said that we need to make no more payments on it until such time that Mom is ready to continue. 

01:25 PM: Left message with the   WPSBC Alumni Association‘s   financial advisor, requesting the disbursement.  She’s always quick to return my calls.  So I hope to hear back from her in the next day or two.   

02:00 PM: Continued rounding up Mom’s library books.  As of today, all books, including those borrowed through her friends,  have been returned to the library, except for one:  The Proposal    by Lorri Wick.  I’m continuing to look for that one. 

02:40 PM: The    WPSBC Alumni Association   financial advisor called me back.  The disbursement I’ve requested has been initiated.  Nice!

03:15 PM: Holly dropped off some blueberries.  They’re getting expensive now that they’re going out of season, so it seems.

03:55 PM: I wrote change of address letters to businesses we do business with, per the E911 project.  Yes, we’re still trying to get our address updated with all interested parties over a year later.  But, they don’t accept these requests over the phone anymore.  Grrrrrr.  Seems like we must spend too much overhead for security. I mean, I had all the information they would have cared to ask to verify my identity.  But that didn’t matter.  They still demanded letters be sent.  What a pain. 

04:15 PM: Left a message with Mom’s financial planner.  He was supposed to call this week to schedule an appointment to discuss Mom’s health care and her money.  But he must have gotten busy or something, as I’ve heard nothing from him.  Hopefully, he’ll call back tomorrow. 

04:55 PM: Found a refund check Mom received last October from a department store credit card company.  Unfortunately she did not cash the check before it expired 180 days after its issuance.  So, I called this company’s customer service department and they instructed me to sent a letter and a copy of the expired check.  This effort is complicated by the fact that I’m acting as Mom’s power of attorney, and this requires that I provide them a copy of those papers as well.  More grrrrrrrr!  Well anyhow, I FAXed the letter and check, and will follow up with another call tomorrow afternoon.  Boy, this is sure a lot of effort just to get $52 back.  But I just hate that this company will get this money, which belongs to Mom, if I do not act.  So, here I am, acting, and liking it none too much.  Gripe! 

06:10 PM: Watched today’s episode of   The Young and the Restless   on the DVR. 

08:00 PM: Discovered a drawer full of loose papers, bills,  and manuals in the downstairs office.  So I spent the past couple hours filing those and pitching what’s no longer needed. 

09:20 PM: Talked with sister Diane, and I told her about the letter I received today from Mom’s medical insurance company.  They’re not going to cover a run through an intense physical therapy program for Mom at Health South.  They feel she can get effective care where she is right now. 

10:00 PM: Talked with [Emmy] on the phone.

10:45 PM: Well, I’m getting warmer.  I located an estimate for the replacement of both the furnace and water heater after the 2004 flood.  That company actually did the work back then.  So my case for warranty replacement of the water heater just got a little stronger.  Darn, if I could just that sales receipt (the smoking gun), I’d have a rock-solid case.  It must be nearby.     

12:20 AM: Watched the 2010-09-13 through 2010-09- 20 episodes of    NBC’s Nightly News   news show throughout the day on the DVR.

12:30 AM: To bed with me.  Good night. 

Tom Hesley

Received Mail and Shipments

• Gas bill ($26.57 this month).
• Mom’s pension pay stub.
• Misc. insurance papers for Mom. 

Related Posts

• Today’s Diet: 2010-09-29
• Weight Loss: 2010

Today’s Activities

• Shower.  DONE.
• Cat duty.  DONE.
• Vacuum upstairs.  IN PROGRESS.
• Pay all pending bills.
• Balance all checkbooks.
• Have new water heater installed.  DONE.

Log

06:30 AM: I’m up.  This is the thirtieth anniversary of the break up with my first love, and I sense today that sometimes, time really does heal some of life’s most painful wounds.  It took lots of time to get over   [First Love].  But I’ve been over her for at least a decade now.  It helps too that I’ve not seen her in twenty years, and haven’t talked with her in nearly twelve years.  Now, instead of pain when I think of her, I feel thankful that we got a chance to try a relationship, and I’m thankful that we didn’t stay together any longer than we actually did; though at the time, I was devastated that our love time was so unfairly short.  So this is certainly one area of my life where I’m glad to be thirty years older. 

08:00 AM: Noticed an acrid smell of burning plastic and / or electronic components at the top of the stairs on the second floor.  So, thinking that the odor was coming up the stairs from either the first floor or the basement, I went down there to investigate.  Found nothing out of the ordinary on floor one.  So I proceeded to the basement.  Surely the foul air must be originating down here; especially given that our water heater is leaking.  But I found nothing overheated or steaming anywhere near the water heater.  In fact, I smelled nothing bad down there at all.  Yet when I returned to the second floor, the smell greated me with the same ferocity as some of the bullies I remember from third grade.

Upon entering the office, I noticed that the compact fluorescent night light I always keep on, was not working.  Ah, that must be what was burning.  Indeed, upon removing the bulb, I noticed that same strong smell pervading from its base.  Further, the smell out by the stairs has grown weaker now that this light is no longer energized.  You know, I like the ides of these CFL bulbs.  But so often it’s the supporting electronics that go bad as opposed to the bulbs themselves.  But I can’t complain with much legitimacy about this particular bulb because I’ve had it for easily seven years, and it’s been operating for practically all of that time.  So I’d say I definitely got my money’s worth from it.  Hmmmmm.  Now, what to replace it with.  Perhaps I’ll find and LED bulb.

08:45 AM: Recorded audio journal episode  AJE-2010-09-21-08-28.

12:05 PM: Worked the   Water Heater Replacement: 2010   project.  Now I’m having lunch.

05:40 PM: Worked the   Water Heater Replacement: 2010   project. The water heater has been successfully installed and is functioning well.

05:45 PM: Heading up to visit Mom.  Back later.

07:45 PM: I’ve returned home.

08:45 PM: Watched today’s episode of   The Young and the Restless   on the DVR.

09:30 PM: Talked with sister Mary Ann and gave her an update on Mom.

10:40 PM: Talked with [Emmy]   on the phone.  We’re both tired.  I never realized how exhausting it can be to observe another person install a new water heater.  That’s what I did most of today, and I’m bushed.

10:55 PM: Briefly Facebooked, and now, I’m going (definitely not so briefly) to bed.  Now that things are back to normal here at the house, I can get back to my routine tomorrow.  Emergencies are not fun when they arise out of the blue; like most emergencies do.  But the water heater one is over now, and at least it didn’t flood the nearby furnace.  I’m thankful for that.  Good night.

Tom Hesley

Received Mail and Shipments

• Weekly coupon mailer.
• Confirmation from our gas company about the gas supplier I selected a week or two ago, in order to lock in a pretty good rate for gas for the next year.
• An advertisement for the EdenPURE quartz infrared portable heater, as recommended by Bob Vila.    But we already have more heaters here than we can use.  So, not at this time, but thanks anyway.
• Personal checking account offers from First Commonwealth Bank.  Not at this time, thanks.
• Balance transfer offer from Capital One Bank.  No thanks.

Related Posts

• Projects Page
• Today’s Diet: 2010-09-21
• Water Heater Replacement: 2010
• Weight Loss: 2010