The Day My House Fell Apart

This morning I had to get up and dressed early because the plumber was coming to install the new sink, fix a couple of leaky faucets, and rebuild two commodes--and he would turn the water off. So I disappeared to a breakfast meeting and some errands. Came home to find Lewis Bundock, the contractor who has kept my house together for many years, helping--or watching. His pesence was fortuitous to say the least. I discovered that my dishwasher has been recalled and should be disconnected from the electricity immediately by turning off the breaker, but as Lewis pointed out that might disconnect my entire kitchen. He unwired some part of the machine, and I'll call for a repair appointment tomorrow. Then my alarm system had gone bananas overnight--I called and learned that the battery (a 12-volt one up in the attic) was probably dead, but the technician talked so faintly I couldn't hear her. I told her there was someone there I wanted her to tell all that to. So Lewis took the phone, asked more intelligent questions than I ever would have, climbed up in the attic and brought down the old battery which was, he said, leaking acid. So we put it in a bag, I'll go get a new one tomorrow (taking the old one with me), and call Lewis when I have it. He'll come put it back in. Whenever I asked him what else could go wrong, he said, "Don't even ask!" But my new bathroom sink is lovely--smaller than the old one so it makes the bathroom a bit less crowded. The kitchen faucet doesn't leak, neither does the hot water in the shower, and the commode behaves properly. By noon Lewis and the plumber, Keith, were gone, and I had my house back, peace and quiet. Got a lot of good work done.
Then this afternoon, the owner of the a/c firm came by to measure for a new furnace unit, check the coolant on hand, etc. He said I'm fine and if they don't get a new unit in by Friday, they'll call and come check the coolant level so it will last through the weekend. It's apparently leaking at a good rate. He'll email me figures and choices on a new unit tomorrow. The new high energy ones save on heat but not electricity--and my electric bills in summer far outweigh my winter gas bills, so high energy may not be worth it, and since I don' have to replace the outdoor compressor, I may not spend enough to be eligible for a tax credit. All very complicated stuff. But for now my house is cool.
Colin got out of the hospital tonight, but he was so anxious to go home he didn't tell Lisa what the doctor said--just told her to get over there and pick him up and then he'd tell her. So we're relieved but anxious to know more.
Whoosh! What a day.

Hot day

Whoa! No a/c in Texas in July is NOT fun. Last night I noticed the house was hot, but when I went to turn the thermostat down, there was no cool air coming from a vent. So I did what my a/c guru recommended--turned the fan to on and the unit to off. He said it was probaby freezing up. One of his repairmen came out, added freon, and said if it happened again we'd have to look into it further. The bill I got said a new unit may be needed--oh, joy! Well, it's happened again. I turned it on about 6 a.m. and it lasted until about 9, when I could hear it begin to labor--the sound I'd heard yesterday. Turned it off until 2:00, turned it on again, and it cooled things--not cold but an improvement. I had to turn it off again about 5:00. Now I'm waiting to turn it on until I go to sleep. In the evenings I have to close off my office to keep Scooby in with me--which makes it hotter. I did just open the vent windows in the kitchen. For security purposes most of my windows won't open--a hardship at a time like this. I've put in an emergency call but of course nobody will be in the a/c company office until tomorrow morning.
A dinner guest tonight--a woman who's a good friend and has had a hard time recently with the sudden loss of her husband. Fortunately, we could eat on the porch, with the fan on. The fan in combination with a natural breeze made it quite pleasant. We chatted animatedly all evening until just before dark, when she said it was time for her to go home. I understand that feeling completely.
I fixed another good dinner, if I do say so--egg salad sandwiches with capers and tarragon from my front porch, plus watercress and smoked salmon--wonderful combination. Sliced tomatoes and avocado with more tarragon and a dash of vinaigrette, and a bowl of sliced fruit.
Finished reading a mystery I really enjoyed today--one of those I hated to see end. It is Judy Hyzy's new series, and the first book is Grace Under Pressure. I was reading along on my Kindle without realizing I was getting close to the end until I came to that climactic scene where the heroine is in real peril for her life. Also did some work on my Texas foods book. So it was a good, if hot, day.