Finally, warm!

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Now just wait, it will end up getting too hot!  But not yet, for sure.  I am still doing well, awake and aware.  Now that I am warm though?  Well... I'm... dragging my feet.  I'm ascared, a bit.  Oh, fine... I'll get to it before too long.  Another cup of coffee and some more heat first though.  Gosh was it chilly this morning!  In the meantime I will look over some YouTube vids on the topic too...  Just to... I don't know... steel my nerves.  To be sure.  To see if there is something I am missing.  Should be easy enough, painless really.  I have the tools.  It's just copper.  The chances of a real fire are quite slim.  But like jumping into a body of water, I just wish someone (I trusted) was already in and saying that it wasn't too cold.  Odd what can strike fear in a man's heart?

Never mind... coffee!

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Yeah, well... of course.  I was sure I had everything I needed.  No elbows, not a one.  As well, while I had some 3/4 inch pipe, and a bit of 1/2 inch pipe, I didn't have enough for the bigger heater.  I had, basically, planned to put a similar sized heater back in there.  Another trip to town.  It wasn't a waste though, I needed milk and soda.  Soda is good for when I don't want to mess with coffee and just for a change.  Coffee all day can get heavy.  Straight water causes me to cough.  No, it isn't the local water.  Bottled, through my water softener then r.o., it just doesn't matter.  It's probably something to do with the odd fluid flow in my body due to my heart... that's my guess.

I really want a nap.  But I would like to get a mockup dry plum in, then braze it.  Then take a nap.  That should give the solder time to cool and set up, or something.  Then to check water tightness and... yeah, I had best put in those unions...  In case it does leak.  Now, I don't have to do a complete plum, not with the shark bites.  My worry is with the pipes being so close to the wall, if they aren't clean enough, or cleanable enough... a hole in the drywall, probably back to an elbow.  It all gets tricky then, and I just have to hope the elbow is cleanable.  Though, that isn't too bad if not.  I can just cut a bit below the old elbow and put a new one on clean pipe.

There were three elbows on the old pipe.  But in deglazing them, they pretty much fell apart.  It was a lot of work for no gain.  At least I feel a little more comfortable working with the kit.  Blathering because I am tired, again.  Later.

By the way... you should have seen what I saw coming home...  Miles and miles of... bikers.  Girl bikers.  Pedaling girl bikers.  About that?  I'm pleading the 5th.  God either loves me or He hates me.  I'm... never absolutely sure... in the fleshly way.  Oh, I know, I just think He has a funny way about it.  Not even the X'ters air filter spared me... Oh... the 5th... Hushutup...  *mum*

Oh, that's not right!

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I couldn't get going!  Ah, it's cold, I realized.  So, I turn the furnace on.  An hour passes and.  It's still cold.  Ah, the windows are open.  I close those and turn the furnace up.  It's STILL cold!  Ah, the f$@^*#& back door is open!  Okay, well, that should fix it.  Gah!  I just can't, today anyway, get going... not without some heat.  Great, now I am hungry.  I am not sure I have anything reasonable or... wait... chops?  I think I thawed some.  That might work just fine, if I have a clean pan.  Gah!

Oh, I am pretty sure I will get to it.  I just really have to warm up and put some food down my throat.  I'm feeling good, better now that I know the water heater fits.  I'm a little anxious about sweating pipe for the first time, and for messing with the electrical.  But basically the big things are mostly done, the more physically demanding potentials have been handled.  Now it is just... new stuff.  Shouldn't be too bad, when I can get to it.

I don't know how much cleaning I will get done.  I want my clothes washed along with the bedding for my mother's room, the (her) bathroom cleaned, the trash and recycling policed and out (what of the recycling will go out... too many big boxes), the dishes done, and maybe her bedroom steam-vacuumed.  That on top of finishing the water heater installation and putting in the other new toilet.  I am sure there are other things...  Like putting in the air conditioner.  But as cool, and as wet, as it has been and continues to be, that isn't an immediate concern.

Wow.

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I have no idea what time I went to bed.  All I know is that I hurt for sleep.  I couldn't have stayed awake for love nor money.  I was literally flashing to sleep, having to jerk myself awake just typing that last post.  I was fine in the drive home, oddly.  And I got everything in and sorted.  I knew I was tired, but I hadn't started nodding in and out.  I sat down to type and got going on it and...  I remember it though.  I do not remember what time it was, at all.  My guess... ah, right, the post was timed at 17:41.  I doubt if I more than walked into the bedroom, undressed as quickly as a zombie can, got the fan blowing, then was asleep in no more than a minute.  I might have preferred a little more sleep, and may still go back... Just don't know.

I know what my plans are, once I wake up for sure.  Sweating some fixtures off the inlet and outlet, then figuring out where, exactly, I want the water heater... with a dry plumb enough in place to know my full limits, then to sweat the dry plumbs into wet handling plumbs.  I'll have the, maybe both actually, fire extinguishers on hand.  Hmm, and the axe too.  Some of the area that is at risk to fire, even with that shield I bought, is behind a wall...  Better to lose a little drywall than the whole house.  I'd be mightily disappointed.

Assuming that all goes according to plan, and after a bit of cooling, if those seems are holding, then to change the drain plug with brass and fill the water heater.  Then I have to do something new... actually I have never sweated a fitting, on or off, before either.  I will have to figure out which of the wires is hot, which is ground.  I may see if the wires are far enough apart that the non-contact voltage checker can differentiate them, first.  If that fails, I may try to test one of the closer outlets, make sure it has power and ground (hopefully, hard to tell with this wiring), then use the ground from that to check the other wires for continuity?  I saw something like that listed.  D.C. suggested another way, but... I didn't quite know if there were limits and haven't see that way explained well though I have seen smidgens of it, so far in my digging.  Actually, I will probably do a bit more checking online... just... to double check whether the ideas I have seen are... reasonable, and again, and probably triple check.  I'm not in the mood for one more major catastrophe.  And it won't kill me...  If anything it would freeze me in place long enough to light my whole home, then let me go just in time, if with a bit of a limp just to be a jerk.  :p

I have been collecting bits and pieces, for the trip, in a box.  Every time I order from Amazon, a few pieces are added to the cart.  Occasionally but not every time, while in shopping, I see and snag something.  This last trip saw to me buying disposable ear plugs.  Beside buying a box of MREs, I bought a survival whistle with a mirror, compass, and a compartment (which I filled with water/windproof matches), those matches, another waterproof container for those matches, 'churchkeys', little smiley-face buttons for gifting, personal lighting, and a dozen other things that work well for both BMan and typical prepping but that I didn't have.  Little tidbits are coming together for the trip.  In that box were the 2-way radios.  Yes, waterproof.  I haven't had time to open the plastic monstrosity of a shell they were in.  How the... are you supposed to open those?  I was almost thinking the chainsaw would be the only way!  Ah, but the machete worked splendidly, after a few opening cuts with the axe.  Well... maybe I fib but hush up, twice.  I got them, put the rechargeable battery packs in, then set them to charge.  I should have checked.  I think the batteries were up to full power.  Ah well.  I turned them both on, just because the red light was still on, as when I put them in.  Those will be checked once in a while, and tinkered with a bit while looking the "manual" over, or finding other easier to digest sources of usage guides.

Oh, some good news.  It seems I have overpaid one of my utilities to the tune of $$$.  That... might put me back to zero, or close, regarding my recent home repairs and upgrades.  Well... something anyway.  While not the greatest of savings plans... It was a nice little surprise.  Then again, like I'm earning interest at the bank.  On top of having little there, ever, I'm probably more at risk of having little electronic fingers filch from my banking accounts... both unofficial and after recent EU attempts, official.  I simply think, if they did such a thing, they would do all in their power to keep it secret if done here...  Assuming it hasn't been done already, under the guise of some fake fee, fine, or such.  We honestly cannot trust our government, at all, on any thing.  While these employees are honest, hard working, and decent... these over here are doing everything in their power to hurt America, Americans, the law, the constitution, and us personally.  And they have a LOT of power now.  Something has to give.  Now, a week, a month, a year, three...  Our government is bankrupt in every way that it can be.  Never the mind.  Just that some good news, finally, a bit, in the small way that it is.  I won't say God provided, He already did that.  And while this might constitute burying a talent, I like to think, due to my inability to keep up, that this wasn't so much burying as being unable to keep up, so losing, then finding, a talent.  As I suggested, like I'm earning anything in the bank.  Actually just having cash is losing wealth, a form of burial, at this point... if there are reason for it, too, potentially. 

What the... did I just write?  Never mind.  Time for me to decide whether to stay up, and then either get some coffee or go back to bed.  Oh knose!  My shadow!  Nope, not back in the hole like a ground hog...  I'm contrarian that way, so... coffee it is.  Later or something.

Oh, yeah, I got it, and some extras.

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I didn't want to go in the first place.  I didn't want to go when I went, either.  The post office had called and asked me to deal with my post box.  I had just laid down to rest at 14:30, and set my alarm for 17:00, when I realized they wanted me in today.  Okay, so no nap.  A quick shower, a bit of hunting and pecking for clean clothes, and on the road by 15:00.  I headed right east.  I got four or five miles out when I realized I had to stop at the post office, which would just as likely be closed as not, depending on how many stores I hit.  Enervating, in the bad way, but it's about getting things done.  So I did that.

Back into town.  Running down a seven piece list... or more... in a big store where anything could be anywhere if you don't know where anywhere or anything is... can be taxing.  I got everything on my list.  The last few items I almost skipped.  I am zapped.  But, no, I wanted the concrete screws, plumber's banding, and vent pipe.  I had to have help finding the banding and the vent materials, which ended up being very easy and quick, actually.  I went with a $100 or so DMM.  I didn't like what they had for higher end, mostly name price thing (though not Fluke).  Everything else was standard.  Oh, I did buy pipe and thread glue for higher temps and pressures, as well.  I suppose the other stuff will work... for a while.  But I wanted to be sure and I wanted the right stuff for when, or if, the other type fails.

Dinner on the way home.  I really wanted to grab and go.  But I didn't want the girls all over me when I brought it home, either.  So I ate in then headed out.  So... very... tired.  I have everything sorted.  The stuff for up here is there, the stuff for the basement is on the freezer (but that is all that is there... oh, wait, the insulation for when it dries out enough to risk putting the ac in the window.  But, I mean, nothing non-essential is up there.  Tired.  Screaming tired.  Now I get my stinking nap!  I can work on what I can do when I wake.  Good night, sort of.

I wasn't sure anything I planned...

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I made plans as if I was going to get to them.  I had no idea if I would, could.  While stumbling around I made it to the basement for the hose, got that up here, and... figured out part of my problem with lifting the old water heater.  Oh, it has plenty of water in it.  And it does have some heft all it's own.  But too, and primarily as it turns out, it has a vent that goes through the floor.  It isn't just passing through, though, either.  It was pretty much wedged in that hole.  So... after trying to cut the pipe, and that failing, I couldn't get the clamping pipe cutter close enough or a hacksaw in there, a closer inspection showed that the pipe was bolted in.  Now, getting a wrench in there was a trick.  And it was one slow fifth of a turn per run... after I figured out, mostly, which was was tight, then which way was loose.  I just don't get that natively yet.  Done.  And the thing is draining as well.  In an half hour I'll check it.  If light enough I will remove it.  Then to get the new one unpacked and in there, to just see if it will even fit.  Gosh I hate this not knowing part.

I will have to go to town.  I need a multimeter.  While pricey, this one or this one looks about right for my needs, and is class IV, true RMS, and a few other tiddlies, just in case.  Are they the best?  Look, I tried to dig into the topic and came up with a bunch of suggestions that don't exist on even $400 devices.  Either that or I am told the cheaper the better.  When you do just a bit more digging, you find out why the "cheaper the better" will just as likely get you killed as not.  Many of the cheap ones do not even have fuses for the 10 amp.  What?  Never mind, just... look... if you are a pro, and doing little stuff, then you know what you are doing and can probably get away with some of the safety features.  Or if you are working on battery powered things, where you won't blow your hand off accidently.  If you are a noob, you wear the good, and right, armor.  N'kay?  I had planned at starting looking in the $100 range.  I looked on Amazon, and other places.  But I need this now.  At least with this store, they might have it in stock.  Or the other big box might have similar or better.  Amazon has lost it's price edge, in many areas, as well.  It's great for those things that are hard to track down, or an occasional deal, but... 

Yes, I'm... most likely... going to get some things done today.  Although I've got to admit, if I have to take this water heater back, I might be in energy exhaustion again before I can get the one I buy to replace it in place.  That is a beast to haul around, especially being... oh... so... careful!  Argh but I hate that part.  Updates later.

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I did get it drained.  I finally got it out.  It was pretty nasty, so I put cardboard underneath then backpedaled the thing through the whole house and out the back door.  I tipped it so as to let anything remaining drain out, or so I hope.  Next, to get the new water heater carefully unpackaged and in there, oh so carefully.  But first I want to clean that area a bit.  Someone was saying they had helped install it twenty or thirty years ago, and I think they were right.  This thing is truly ancient.  I wondered why I couldn't find even the make and model, let alone the company names on it... now I know.  All good though.  It did not have an anode, and was a small cheapy, essentially a smaller tank size but similar price range of the replacement.

See, this is the part I hate.  I know I have to do all this work just to see if I can fit the thing in.  And I really can't know until it is in.  Measurements just aren't enough with the experience I have to know, or figure out how to measure accurately enough to know.  Trial and error.  If it does fit, I still have to go to town for a few things.  What was it again?  A dmm, strapping wire and concrete screws...  milk but that's something else... wasn't there something(s) else I needed from the hardware side of things?  Ackh!  Whatever the case, after towing the thing in, fit or not...  If it needs to go back I may try to box it up.  After fit and rebox if necessary, a nap I think.  I just hope I wake in time to make it in to town yet tonight.  They are open until 22:00, should work, if I don't tarry and my nap is short enough.

Hey, at least I'm back to work.  I'm not moving fast, but some movement is better than none.  I'll take it.  Later.

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Yes!  Eureka!  

The water heater fits, and well.  I think I was way over worrying.  It might actually fit just as far back in.  I was thinking it had a larger diameter, by just a bit, than the old one.  Regardless of what my measurement of the old one and the box of the new one indicate, I think the new one is slimmer.  Now, as I was putting it into the bathroom it seemed... almost too snug to get in.  Oh was I sweating things at that point!  Yes, yes, I put the cinder blocks down first.  Though I may have to adjust them a bit.  I think the whole thing can go back another six inches.  But I haven't dealt with removing some fixtures and refitting for the height of the new water heater.  I actually feel better just having that major concern lifted.

I did clean up the bathroom, as well as I could.  I'm just a man, and maybe not even that.  Ogre, nephilim, giant... it's not our area.  Oh, and the other toilet just arrived.  As soon as the water is flowing in there I will be able to install the new toilet post haste.  Yum!  Then I can shower, shave, and do my duty, free of any entanglements with guests.  I know I can do that part, assuming the toilet is whole, intact after shipping.  The water heater, though, is what was giving me motivational constipation.  I just... didn't want to know... in case... or something.  I am sure I can get the sweating done, too.  The one thing I need to add to the shopping list... well several things... is galvanized pipe, two pieces which I will need measurements, and an elbow join for those.  That will be my new vent.  I will also need to drill a new vent hole.  The old water heater required a 1/2 pipe, this one, if I had to guess, will require 3/4", though I will at the manual first.  Now I am quite disappointed about one thing.  The box said 40 gallon.  I didn't notice until I got home, but someone had penned "50 gallon" on the side of the box.  I did not see this until just today.  Sure enough, I have two 50 gallon water heaters.  There wasn't that much extra cost, or electric per year, but enough.  I am going to check the receipt and raise a little heck if they charged me for what was written and not what was printed.  A little peeved, I am...  But I'm not taking the damn thing out, boxing it, and then taking it back.  I will simply expect them to make good on it.

I feel like a king!  But, yeah, a shower then a nap, or such.  Hopefully up in time to get my shopping list filled before the stores close.  Hmm, I'll skip the shower until after my nap, actually.  Never the who.  Later!

Yeah, well, okay. I had to hit it sometime soon.

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I've been in the dirt all day.  I don't hurt, so it's not that.  My batteries simply did not charge last night.  I have been trying to sleep, mostly uselessly most of the day.  When I try to wake, mostly, I end up back in bed pretty quickly.  If nothing else I don't have the energy to simply sit.  Seriously, I can't even sit for very long.  After a ton of sleep off and on all day, then dinner, I have been awake a little longer this evening.  I did bring the cinder blocks in.  And I am about to get the garden hose connected to try to drain what I can with the water heater as it sits.  I just don't have the strength to deadlift the 200-250 pounds of water and heater.  Then again there really isn't anything with which to safely get a grip on it either. 

I don't know.  The one good thing about today?  I get to see what happens when I seem to be fine and then get hit.  I get to realize, first hand, that it isn't just laziness.  My will, and want, was good... right up until it all failed.  No push or shove or lift or anything can move the mountain when I settle.  I had hoped showering, shaving, and dressing a bit nicer for dinner would shake me.  It just made me a bit more tired.  Tomorrow.  That is the catch-all for days like today.  At least now I know there will be a tomorrow... if I don't always know... which tomorrow will be the one.  I've got to get it going... time... tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.  Ugh.

On the good side, I think I am voided out!  I'm actually a little on the dry side.  It may take a bit for me to find balance on that again, but it will happen.  Restarting meds, or being off them perhaps, might be part of the problem.  But I don't think so.  I believe I just pushed so far past what I... can do in the time allowed that I must now just take a short break.  I could definitely get the next toilet in.  But the water heater is both a technical and, well, multipronged mental, physical, and perhaps financial difficulty.  I need to get a good quality multimeter, I'm thinking the one's I want for safe use are in the $100-$150 range.  Eventually I will want two, if I am going to try to dig into the electrical a bit more deeply... and I will try.  But, for now...  And that is just for starters.  Which means another trip to town, during their hours of operation, on top of some... other things.  I want to see if the new water heater will fit first, in any case.  If it doesn't, my trip won't be totally wasted.  Tomorrow?  Maybe.  Either that or the more general "tomorrow".

Never worry kiddies.  I'm impressed I have done what I did do.  I am impressed I haven't quit from the pains, both felt and not.  I am pleased that I am still struggling to get up so quickly after this fall.  Just... just hold on.  I'm on that, I really am, if I might not quite do everything on my list beyond a few niceties.  Amen.

A very pleasant dinner.

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While tonight is not a feed night, one had been missed.  This is never an issue, sometimes I miss, sometimes they miss, life is messy.  So, to make it up, I was invited to a party.  One of the young ladies graduated tonight.  So a dinner was being held for her.  It wasn't extremely packed, but there were a number of folks there.  I know the primaries, holding the dinner, which helps.  I met several families and members of each of the couples family, in-laws, parents, a nephew, and such.  I won't remember names, but I might remember the associations.  His sister and brother-in-law, her sister, their parents.  The Mr. knew how to do the introductions, from a male perspective.  The thing I love about hereabouts is that, when invited to a family gathering, people are just... how to put it... real.  And they are quite open.  I'll bet the brother-in-law, for example, is a hoot, and yet a practical friend to have.  And my friend's father is... just plain father.  You can tell he has raised em', and now is comfortable just being grandpa.  But he is a patriarch, have no doubt.

It was good to get out and meet real people.  People who know people I know, and vise versa.  Generally when I meet people, neither of us know the other from Adam or Eve.  And, with my sleep cycles and blue periods, it's difficult for me to maintain the sorts of relationships most folk take for granted.  In some ways it is like being banished to being a city-folk!  Of course, being who I am, and while I like male companionship, the thing I miss the most are womenfolk.  Not just for romance, just for the shy appreciation of the feminine and loose civil companionships.

Just not moving fast today.

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I may yet need another nap before I get too much more done.  I will put, or try to put, the water heater up on blocks before I rest again.  I have been leaking fluid like an old car with oil!  I must have had a lot of fluid built up.  Meh...  It'll settle in a day or two.  On the good side, I have finally been looking over my blog rolls again today, and I added a newcomer to the haiku thing.  She does really good poems, and I told her so.  Serious.

Oh, but looking at Ace's place, I noticed a picture that... well... made sense to me.  Now it has been a year or two since I have played.  But I still know everything the guy is talking about, oddly.  When you get vested in a game and several additions, on to soloing old campaigns to learn them, soloing the new content for better drops, but still having enough high level 'toons' to DPS, Tank, and heal... well... even in randoms, you learn the game well.  That's all I'm saying.  Oh, and about the sports?  Right.  Exactly right.  I don't care for any sport.  As I was becoming jaded by the offsets and rigging, I got down to liking two of them.  Boxing and rugby.  Well, and women's beach volleyball, regular volleyball, and gymnastics if I think my interest in those was somewhat less than about pure athleticism...  just being honest.  But I finally gave up on boxing.  If you are a pure ignorant fanboy, you won't notice how rigged it is.  I simply am not, can't be.  And rugby?  Well, I simply couldn't find it regularly enough to keep the interest.  I don't even know if I would enjoy watching anymore.

Whatever.  Just goofing.  Thanks for the chuckle... and memories... Ace.  Oh, and I would recommend Dragonblight... Grizzly Hills just wasn't my preferred cup of tea.

Oh, D.C., as for the water heater?  There are two wires coming in (both red, not black as I had thought).  They go to a 30 amp switch in the electrical main.  As for what else you might want to know?  Nodes or something?  you'd have to tell me where to look, unless that is more for a fuse type box?  The main switch for the water heater is open (off, not sure if I'm writing it right).  Open is off, in electrical... closed is on... if I remember rightly?  Anyway...  That is all I know.  As for checking for ground versus live?  I have a (copper) pipe that goes down into the ground a pretty good bit, and of course out to the main water, which is rather deep as you remember.  Does it matter that the pipe might be attached to/touch walls and such for testing?  I'd be curious as to the process behind testing and anything I should... keep in mind.  I'll have to get a new multi-meter.  My old one is pretty much shot.  Any suggestions on that?

Later.

Oh, well, at least I am used to surprises.

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I did get into the spare bathroom this morning.  I had to remove some attachments.  Even if earthquakes are rare here, they are a part of the history of the land... and technically (wild assed guesses by pseudo-scientists, really) we are overdue.  In any case, the water heaters are strapped in for a ride.  No, no, I haven't strapped the one in the basement in, or back in.  I keep forgetting the strapping... and concrete screws.  Yes, those make a difference.  Standard steel will rust out very quickly (as was obvious by one used downstairs).  It's, yes, it's on the list... mother.  Then I had to undo the hot water out line.

I'm a bit worried.  The new water heater is much taller.  Which, generally, is fine, mostly.  The thing is, the pipes come out of the wall where it would be more space-wise economical to put the water heater.  Every inch in there is precious, and this could cost too much.  I will be unpacking the water heater with care, in case it has to go back for an exchange, I'll say that right up front.  I may end up having to spend a little more for a little less.  Then again, the problem with the 'shorty' that particular store had was that it was too broad, had too large of a diameter, for the space.  I am hoping to make this one fit.  Strapping it in won't be that much of a problem, either,  I will simply have to use studs on the side wall instead of the back wall.  The question is, will there be enough room?  Another problem?  I was sure I had drained the water heater.  I know we ran water a time or two, even with it spraying out, but I didn't think it would fill that much that fast.  It looks like I may have been wrong.  It must be half full.  It is far too heavy, in that little space, to get it out without a lot more water out.  No problems.  Actually, this time, in case it was a minor height issue keeping water in the tank, I will bring in the cinder blocks to make sure elevation is on the side of water vacation versus retention.  Though the outlet could be blocked by sediment...  Just don't know yet.

All good.  A few problems to consider.  But I'm on my way.  Not really as awake as I was a bit ago but I want to get through this, or on to figuring out my next steps, and have this done today... or at least return this one and begin looking for another.  We will see shortly.  Something I notice was... my ability to turn a bolt by hand has greatly improved already.  Where I might otherwise have needed a wrench or socket I can now just grip those little bastards and twist like I meant it and get them out.  Skin, it seems, and muscle, toughen very fast for me.  Almost scary fast, in my opinion.  Then again I can wash my hands in boiling water, so...  Wth, eh?  Never mind.  Later.

Sleep was to die for.

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Oh, I'm still vacating water like a fire hydrant cut loose.  I must have been awakened by the need four or five times.  No problems, I can stumble around dumbly with the best of the sleep walkers.  And still I got in great sleep.  Even more?  All night, women.  As I have said, I have had, perhaps, to this point now, maybe eight erotic dreams.  I just doubled that.  All night, every time I'd roll over in my sleep it would be some other naked woman.  Naked woman key-lime pie, naked woman double... no... triple chocolate cake, dessert after naked dessert.  If God wants me to stay perfectly celibate until I marry... He is going to have to... give me more than just prayer.  That's all I'm saying there.  Though coming back to medicines... does sometimes trigger this.  Even so, waking this morning is pretty darned good.  It is as close as I get to being awake and well rested.  And the thing with body pains?  Amazingly, they really are gone.  I had thought, perhaps, waking pain free yesterday afternoon, that maybe I was simply retaining the effect of the aspirin and valerian root.  That isn't possible now, the doses would have to have passed, especially as much fluid as I have and continue to pass.

Today?  I don't know.  I literally just climbed out of the overboard titillating dream-scape and haven't even had my first cup of coffee yet.  I'd be good to spit out my name right off hand.  I had to grind coffee, first.  Which, probably, will help me wake quicker.  While it is a pain, I do hand grind my coffee.  It's less noise, it requires a little physical effort...  I dunno...  It means coffee isn't just a given.  It puts a human capital cost on it.  It makes coffee more real.  I'm not, absolutely, sure women can even do this.  It isn't that it is a huge strength requirement, it's just, on an everyday basis, it becomes a bit much over time.  She will have a grinder.  My last was one of those anti-tech, anti-electricity, green all the way girls, and she just would NOT grind by hand.  Nothing, from offers of praise, to buying the kit, to castigation, would get her to do it by hand.  Eventually I actually think I saw fear in her eyes when she was cornered by her own arguments, so I relented.  While not a big woman at all, she was strong and had a powerful work ethic.  So...  But for me it is great.  Then again, it would be nice to get an electric.  For those days, and for when my mother is here.  But I do like to hand grind.  Oh, right, blathering again.  And, don't take it personal.  Women simply aren't as strong as men.  And each little physical effort chips away at a woman's life.  And grinding does take a bit of work, unless you like very weak coffee!

Well... on to... something.  If I could paint, the images of those women in my dreams would become classic art as fast as I could paint them.  Clouds, boobs, expressions of various sorts, thighs, beautiful cloth upon which they sometimes reclined, or flowers, and... oh my...  Later.  Sugar plums were never so sweet.

Just a little nap, I do believe.

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Then again what do I know?  I am ready for sleep again.  It should be a beautiful sleep too.  No alarms, no hurry, most of the work is done.  At least the heavy work.  If the toilet comes later, that isn't a problem.  They simply aren't that difficult to install.  At this point I am totally geared to getting that last water heater in and then getting the cave in some kind of order so that my mother doesn't just scream and run for the hills!  After the water heater, the first thing will be to finish the bathroom.  Then to do the dishes, all of them.  Then round up trash and recycling and get that out.  And finally the floors, in every room.  Her bedroom will be the last to be done.  Everything has to be washed, even the clean bedding as it is probably dusty.  Then I will be ready.  Can I get it all done by the first though?  I think so, or close enough so that the last days will be very light duty.

I'm glad I hit the medicines again.  At first I kept wondering what all I had been drinking.  Then I realized my body had been storing up a lot of fluid.  It is just very lucky for me and my efforts that the water hadn't started to crush me.  It can.  That extra water does a lot of damage sometimes.  If something ends up killing me, it will be that diluting my ability to simply live, or fight off an infection or such.  I must have just vacated two gallons since taking my morning dose.  Never the mind, just... note to self... Take your medicine!

Good night.

Absolutely weird?

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After all that work, I thought I would... sleep for a long time.  Then I remembered dinner would be arriving.  For those of you who don't know, because sometimes I get so bad that I can end up not eating for a week or two at a time, local folk have gone in to helping me get fed.  I have to admit, this has been, and is, probably a big part of how I am getting back on my feet.  It means I never have to go more than a few days without food in the worst of times.  And in the best of times I get at least a meal a day.  That and medicine is what is helping me turn a... pretty much medically... impossible corner.  Anyway, so I set the alarm for 17:30, so as to be awake for it.  I wasn't sure that would work, but I wanted to try.

I woke, to turn off the alarm, and rested for another half an hour.  I thought the pain would be back by then anyway, so would need another shot of the stuff.  As it turned out, I am fully rested and in no pain.  Well, mostly.  A rough patch on the right elbow from one of my crab-crawls under the sink.  A very minor muscle soreness in my left thigh oddly, very minor.  The rest?  It seems it is... healed.  Oh, I'm probably not going to do anything for a bit.  I will be up for a few more hours, then take another nap, most likely, before... beginning on the last water heater.  After that, until the other toilet arrives, I will spend my energy on cleaning.  Hmm... I... prefer working on water heaters, to be absolutely honest.  But an ogre must do what an ogre must do.

Oh, and the plants are doing very well, very well indeed!  I have gone ahead and trimmed some of the first leaves on some of the plants, to... what?  establish more bulk rather than pure height?  Something.  I waited until there was enough second growth to sustain the green critters, and then more when I noticed again.  I've been keeping up on watering, but there isn't much else to do with them.  I could have trimmed more, earlier, but that wasn't a primary concern and I do have a lot on my plate... not an excuse, just a reality.  I should have some fine peppers and tomatoes this year.  And maybe a few other things.  Not bad, not bad at all.

I'm almost alive again.  I won't lie to you.  It is murder hard for me to be doing these things.  I am doing them when and how I can, at odd hours, without concern for anything else.  I realized today that I have missed my medicines for almost three days!  Sometimes that can be brutal on me all by itself.  Yes, yes, I have restarted them.  I guess I am amazed at... how everything is working, regardless of what could or does go wrong.  As I suggested in a comment, I haven't been/felt fully awake for over 30 years now.  Not one day, not one moment, I haven't been haunted by exhaustion, a sense that I need more sleep.  Sleeping a full year did not fix that, nothing has.  I am still that way.  Try getting only three hours of sleep a night... forever.  This isn't easy.  Maybe I will work my way out of it, in time?  When I say I feel rested, just... understand... that is a relative term.  No pity, don't need it, can't use it.  I just want these efforts framed in the right perspective.

Later.

One last thing...  I have finally... christened the loo... in the way that is important to me.  And, if that is how it always works?  I'm in love.  I have dubbed her the U.S.L. (U.S. Loo) Skitterbottom!  Probably best that you missed the christening ceremony itself, per se.  :)

Flush!

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I wasn't actually sure I was going to make it to town.  As a little trick, I ordered a bucket of chicken.  Both as an incentive in the first place and a stock commitment.  As it turns out, it was Walmart that was off the mark.  Their sole offering for a toilet water line was wrong.  I took in the original line, to big home box(tm) which they compared.  The guy double checked, then said their standard and what I brought in were the same.  Then he tried to hand me one of the same length...  Oh, I caught that one.  A bit surprising for as tired as I am.  I slipped that into place, ratcheting it down well.  No leak, anywhere, so far.  Probably more work than it should have been, but it is (almost) done.  If no leaks appear in the next two days, I will tighten things just a smidgen more then use silicone calking to seal the deal.  And, yes, the old toilet has been moved out to the shed, intact.

I did take aspirin, and what D.C. had recommended and I found that I had... valerian root... in some sort of compound.  That eased things enough, over the time of going and returning, that I should be able to sleep.  A couple pieces of still warm chicken, the rest up, a bit of milk, and it's almost bed time.

I have to wonder, for those of you who read here regularly...  Did you think I would even get this far?  Did you think any of it would be successful.  Be honest.  Oh, don't think you are alone.  I haven't read my blog, I've lived it.  Think about that for just a second.  Then blow it off as the writing technique fluff that it is.  But that's why I get the little bucks.  Seriously, did you honestly think I would, or even could, do even what I have done?  I still have one more water heater to rig, and another toilet... but I'm pretty sure you, and definitely I, believe that will be done.  The toilet can't be installed, of course, until it arrives.  But when I wake, this evening or tomorrow morning... Or the day after at the very latest if I just can't, the water heater will go in.  I... may be asking D.C.'s help on that.  He wrote something about nodes and switches and the number of wires, or some such, but that was too far ahead and I was too far behind.  I'll try and find that.  But... it will be done, soon.

No, I didn't finish cleaning the bathroom.  And I have mucked it up a bit with all the doings, if it is still much closer than when I started.  Yeah, I'm... I'll... right on that.

A kitchen faucet, sprayer, and soap dispenser, plus one toilet all but in.

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Oh, wow, okay.  I thought that would be a lot easier than it was.  It isn't the weight though, it's all the kneeling, bending, fiddly work, and whole body up and down.  No matter how many tools you have right there?  The one you need is... over there?  No, no, it's... under... in the... FUCK!  Oh, there it is.  Oh, yeah, right.  I put it there after cursing while looking all over for it last time.  You don't need a tape measure to install a toilet, do you?  Well, yes, you might need one.  Even after measuring it's print.  The water hose, you see.  It was... a little stretched.  But I thought it might work anyway.  Nope.  At least not too much water spilled.  And the floor has been mopped, so not muss or extra fuss.  I planned on mopping again after the final parts, probably after the silicone dries.  Or... something.  No, I didn't put the silicone down yet.  I won't until after a couple of days have gone by with no leaks.  The scary thing is not knowing how much to turn the various bolts.  I wish they would quantify that.  I would buy a torque wrench JUST FOR THIS.  Although, like buying a new tool, especially a torque wrench, is twisting my arm.  Next thing you know, someone will be forcing me to eat ribeyes!  But no.  They just tell you to "be careful".  Thanks, jerks!

Okay, so I needed to go to town anyway.  I was correct, there was no seat.  So getting an extra water line is no problem.  After a few choice words o' magic, I found the tape measure and know to get about 15".  Might even go 16" ffs.  I am extra glad I bought the plumber's putty though.  The flange had nothing under it.  I have no idea how they put the last toilet in.  Or, actually, how it stays in place.  Though it is solid, somehow?  What amazes, and saddens, me is that they had to have taken the thing off recently.  They tiled the floor in there, and the tiles are under the toilet.  They had to see that there was nothing supporting those bolts, no flooring at all.  Now I can't just cut out the area without messing with the tiles.  Gah!  Plumber's putty... though I may, in time, see if I can add wood from underneath somehow.  Not really soon, but... just something to put on a growing... now shrinking... list.  Now that things are making sense and I have the access and eyes to see.  No problems, I... am beginning to know what it is like to open something up and... have no time or money to fix.  Still...  They were right there...

A shower first.  Gosh it's nice to have hot water, the shower, nearly a toilet that won't stink, and a sink!  Wow...  I'm amazed what I have been getting done.  Oh, the old toilet?  I don't think they even put a new wax ring in after removing the toilet for the tile installation!  There was no seal whatsoever.  No wonder it stank.  But I didn't know any of this back then.  How simple a wax ring is, by itself...  To be honest?  I was... I shouldn't tell you but...  I was afraid to put my hands... in the toilet.  Shut up.  You KNOW what I am talking about.  Still... pretty petty.  *sigh*

Ah, I best get going.  For my evil deeds I shall treat myself to breakfast.  Nothing fancy, if a full plate.  Hmm... I might as well take the old toilet out on my way.  The boxes are outside, for now.  Damn though!  Yeah, I'm happy.  I didn't... until I helped with those barrels, I honestly didn't know if I had the strength.  Then again, strength is only a part of it.  Bending, flexing, up and down, twisting and using strength on a twist.  That's how I hurt my arm... should have backed off and... done that with finesse, or with my muscle more relaxed, not used brutishness.  I knew that, it's just been so long...  How long?  Longer than the lifespan of children who have produced grandchildren.  And longer yet maybe.

Later.

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 Back.  The seat works perfectly.  I bought a slow close, easy to remove for cleaning, if plastic seat.  Installation was a snap.  I think there were instructions but, uhm, okay.  Next, the water line.  Nope!  It has a sink valve and a toilet connection, meaning...  Meaning standard lines won't fit.  I am not sure they even make a line with those connections.  Probably, but who knows!  And, yes, that means another trip back to town.  It won't be at Walmart.  I looked over their complete selection of one choice.  There might be a fitting, something to connect two lines.  But, yeah, that isn't optimal.  The big boxes don't open until 10:00 though, I think.  Yes.  I am going back, today!  I would be going in now but I don't feel like waiting in a parking lot for an hour. 

Hmm... Coffee!  I did have breakfast.  A Spanish type omelet, change out the green peppers, add in mushrooms.  So I didn't go big.  I just didn't have the hunger.  I had wanted to get a bucket of their fried chicken.  It's the best in town in my opinion, and yeah I am picky.  Hot or cold, they are hands down the best.  On the good side, now I will be able to pick up a bucket.  That will simply save me trying to push through dishes, and keep up on those, while cooking, on top of the next few installations. 

I did measure the actual toilet, then the space in the en suite bathroom.  It fits.  Side to side it is the same dimension.  It sticks out an inch or two more, but really just to flush with the little walled toilet area.  So, I will be keeping both toilets.  Assuming, when this one works, if it works when everything is hooked up, that is flushes worth a darn.  If it's a weak flusher I will look elsewhere, maybe go to one of the double flushers, though I have been warned off of the push-button among those.  Nothing but trouble, if there happens to be trouble.  Most people probably have zero issues.  It's just that those who do have a huge headache.

When I finish with this last bit, I do believe I will need some pain killers or I just won't be able to sleep.  A handful of regular aspirin, non-caffeinated though.  Yeah, I'm too battered to sleep well.  If I wake too soon, it will probably be from pain, so I will take another handful and try to get back to sleep.  I really need sleep with this work load, and with more to come.  I am amazed at what I have been able to push through.  I literally couldn't have done this most of my adult life, not this much, this fast.  Lordy I hope this impresses my mom enough that she is gentle on me.  *grins*  A little cleaning, a little gardening, a trip into the mountains or two.  I just wish there... hmm... there are parks.  We could always go up for a cookout.  I bet my friend would know of a more scenic spot, too.  And for a meal, he might hand over the good dope for easy.

Later.

Hah!

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Don't tell me I have no mechanical instinct!  What I had envisioned regarding the kitchen faucet was correct.  Now, probably, there is only one option.  However, there are many options that won't work.  And the differences are very slight, meaning it would be reasonably easy to miss one of the correct steps.  It IS very simple, when you know.  But it isn't fun to tinker around, on your back, in a cramped space, tinkering.  The faucet is in, the hose is attached, nothing seems to be leaking, and I have a sink full of hot sudsy water working on the first sink of dishes for quite some time.  I couldn't believe how... fast the sink filled.  I am going to time it, then learn to really watch it.  The last faucet took over an half hour to fill!  I will need to tighten things down, after a day or two of checking to ensure there are no leaks.  But everything is rather well connected, just a bit more.  I also put the dish soap dispenser in, filled the reservoir, and checked that it is indeed working.  Splendid!

As for anything else?  I am honestly thinking of just installing the toilet tonight, cleaning around and under the old toilet while I work.  I just hope the flange is in good shape.  That is the one thing that, if it's broken or simply in poor repair, might... put a kink in things.  Then again I can always just use the en suite toilet by hauling water back, if pressed.  I would probably make a trip to Walmart though, in the hopes they might carry a replacement or even a repair kit.  I wasn't going to work today/night but... This will put me a bit ahead.  As for using the Amazon toilet?  They matched prices, and it's here, now.  On top of that, I can measure to see if I need to stop order on the other one.  First come, first served?  Something like that.  Hmm, I may have to go to Walmart either way... I don't think they come with toilet seats.  The toilet seats are one of the reasons I am replacing.  The old ones are round, and from looking around a bit, almost all 'antique' toilets have round seats.  Those things are murder for me.  I'm not just giant from head to toe, you know... for dimensions too... size matters!

Not bad, especially if I actually get the toilet in.  That will leave one toilet and one water heater to put in, assuming the toilet fits, two water heaters and one or two toilets to remove.  And, the last of the cleaning of this bathroom, plus a cleaning of my spare room with new sheets and such, and whatever else I can get done in the rest of the cave.  If I get that done, I may just go ahead and remove the water heater from the second bathroom and the old toilet that I am replacing yet tonight.  The water heaters might be taken for scrap?  The toilets?  They work.  I simply won't pay to "throw them away", knowing darn well someone will be making money off those, coming and going.  Hmm... I'll think about that.  But for now, the tool shed will house the toilets and I'll leave the water heaters under the open porch.

Who knows what I will get done tonight, actually, considering a trip to town will be required.  Ugh...  I'm still feeling rather sore and beat up, and I'm still loving it.  Gimme some more, punk!  Oh yeah.  I am hoping, however, to get a couple of days of real down time before my mother arrives.  Which means I really have to push to get done AND do some cleaning.  But I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.  What day of the month is it?  I'll check shortly.  I have to be done by the 1st to get my two days in.

Later.

Yes, yes. I am finally awake.

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On the good side I got in more than a nap, I think?  Waking some time shortly[?] after 15:00, but... sore.  Every muscle, several bones, ribs for sure, and my back generally, plus my legs, feel like they have been stretched, beaten, and tumbled.  Actually... it feels pretty good.  Yeah, I know folks, but this is how I used to live.  If something didn't hurt, life just wasn't good.  It's probably why I survived the lethal heart condition.  I had learned how to... deal with hard things?  Just because I literally couldn't, for example, use my left arm due to it being... nearly broken... didn't mean I stopped and waited to heal.  No time, and sometimes... no way to heal.  To stop meant death.  So, I learned how to use my knees and right arm.  Wasn't always perfect, but I did live.  So, no, not whining...  Bragging, boys and girls.  I love this feel, now that I am awake enough to remember it.  Actually, right now, my right arm is nearly useless.  The elbow joint and tenons running into my upper arm are sort of shot, and left-to-right motion is weak.  I can still use it a bit, I just know not to trust it with too much weight... it will fail... at certain angles.

The extra toilet arrived.  It arrived faster than they said they would even be processing the order.  They had suggested the thing wouldn't be here for another month or two.  I guess you now know how to get fast processing... try to cancel the order.  Never the mind.  They rejected the return, too, but did issue a reimbursement for the cost difference.  I'm... thinking... that's all.

I do not think I will be doing much today.  While I like the sensations of being alive, bruised and battered and all, if I don't have to at times, I might not.  Then again, you never know.  I will finish cleaning the bathroom, though, for certain.  And while I don't really feel like calling about the faucet...  I may at least see if my mindsight about the thing is true.  If it works I will finish that.  I may even see if the toilet I ordered fits in the en suite.  If so, I may just replace both toilets?  It's over my plans of expense, but was needed.  If it fits.  Gah!  Ah, but that should have my home fitted and refitted... until the furnace dies.  Bleh...

Well... on to other crap.  *broken-toothed smiles*

Haiku - Aquatic Life

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Fishy is holding the contest this week.

She was a bit late getting up... like... I'm going to judge her on THAT.  It looks likely to be quite a contest.  I may have to skip this one, with so much going on, so little time, and running on fumes too.  Still, I will be watching.  It looks like she is taking the thing back to it's roots, and providing a history lesson on it.  All good by me.  I am not just a neophyte, I'm a dull one, regardless of appearances.  I hope you all put something in, so I can learn.  And the Lord knows, I have truly come to enjoy this craft, even if forced to be a spectator for a bit.  Oh, fine... I'll try to get something put together and in.  It's just that my mind doesn't have much to work with, the body is stealing most of my mojo.

Good luck fishy and all!  Travel safe, enjoy, and have fun.

Urhm, okay, maybe one.  They just slip out of their own accord.  I may or may not do another.  I may or may not do more to it, with it.  Tired... still have to get the water heater going.  And... the rest.  *blink*  Tired, sore, tired, rough, tired.  *blink blink*  At least it is proving to be a nice spring... until it disappears?
 

Spring fever of want.

It is here, it is there, now.

Go leap the wall- Gone.

Hmm, way off topic somehow...  Never mind, I'll scratch that and see if something else arrives.  Brain just isn't tracking.  Oh, how about this.  I won't bother putting it in, it's not what she seeks.  Still, it's technically on track and fits my bill.  I am otherwise too dissociated with other watery creatures myself, save of the edible sort, and even those are quite distant and rare to me.  This one though...

Reckoning

 

Season of design.

Jormungand knows his task, does.

An end- Beginnings.

Well...  I was looking over at fishy's contest.  And if it was a minor plea, it worked.  I was just going to add my odd one above, but then in explaining why I couldn't get on track this week I realized there was an aquatic beasty I could figure.  And, in a flash, it came.  Not great, probably late, but there it is.  Hot off the presses.  Now, would someone catch me and eat me, I'm not sure I'm going to make it to the 'splodey spot!  Urhm, you best have a big frying pan though. 

Damn the Torpedoes

Slip the stream, fly water.
Over rock, up the mountain, swim-
Live hard to die well.

Almost time for another nap.

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Hungry, I am.  Not much to do about that though.  I did get a good start at cleaning the bathroom.  I decided against doing a load of laundry, I simply would have had to leave it in overnight and that is never a good plan for me.  While straightening, and more clearly when showering, I think I might have figured out the faucet.  I think the pipe the pieces fit has to go in the other way.  Then the brass bolt that I had thought would act as a counter thread brace at the top would push those pieces up, together.  The bottom piece, with the two screws, would go in at a cant, with the nuts holding the angle, and allowing an easier tightening once the brass bolt was generally up and holding the rest of the pieces in place.  Now, what I see in my head and reality can diverge at times.  I am too tired to tinker more on the project.  And, I don't have enough energy to keep trying merely potential methods.  I will just call tomorrow and find out for sure.

I don't know that much will be done tomorrow, either.  If I can finish those two projects, and do the sweating of pipe that is necessary, I'll be good with it.  Actually if I get just those two projects, putting in the faucet and cleaning the bathroom, I will be fine with it.  Slowly but surely even these little projects eat me out of energy and quickly.  Tired.  Good night.

Tinkering with the old faucet.

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A few new bruises, a busted knuckle or two, and a slight stab wound.  I got to a certain point, and from the looks of things, thought I had to do something I know believe I can bypass.  That is, remove a snap-in coupling that connects the sprayer to the faucet assembly.  Don't ask me why I thought that had to be removed.  A bit of thinking, and pain, and I now thing Just disconnecting the sprayer handle and running the hose through the hole is the easier of ways.  The water is disconnected and the hoses are sitting in a basin in case they leak a bit.  No, I'm still not all that awake.  I just thought I would be awake enough to push this through.  Now to figure what is holding the faucet assembly in place and how to undo that.  As I thought, it isn't so much the physical labor as it is trying to hold a basin wrench at the right height, turn it the right way, keep it attached, while negotiating the mess of hoses and such, all on your back.  It's the combination of very fine motor skills with just a bit of over-the-head tool work that makes the task draining.  Well, and trying not to demolish the plumbing pipes.  Oh, I suspect I will have it in before long.  If I can do it in the next hour I may try to clean the bathroom, or at least give it a spot touch-up in prep for a major cleaning tomorrow.

Either way I will most likely take another shower tonight.  It feels so good to get in there and drench the body.  I feel like I still need to wash after a week or two of improvising.  Actually, at BMan, I will have a shower available.  I'll have to find out the flow rate and water capacity, then how the landlord(tm) thinks he wants to allocate things.  A pea-bottle will keep trips to the port-a-potties to a minimum at night, while also limiting water use.  Short showers, stopping the flow during lather, and washing very fast, will also help.  It should be interesting figuring some of these things out.  The difference there is, with it being in the hundreds, a "cold" shower will feel much better.

I am starting to loosen up a bit.  I think though, really, I won't get a little down time until after my mother leaves.  Which is fine.  Even then though, as I suggested, I don't want to mess around and get too lax, if I can avoid it.  I need to keep the pressure up.  I hope to do as much of the hand tilling as possible to that end.  A walk to the reservoir, and a swim, a few times a week and as I can, might just do.  Yes, just like with the other stuff, remember... what I write about life, on the realer side, is just a story too.  But then you never really do know.  Sometimes I almost do something like, in a very diminished way, that which I suggested.  It COULD happen.

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I did get the old faucet out.  I got the new one together.  Between the instructions and the parts, there seems to be a major problem.  Simply put, as they have the parts ordered, the part with the screws that needs to fit under, thus through the next piece, has no way to do so.  The bottom part has two screws, the top part has three holes, only one of which is big enough for the screws.  I have played geometric circle games trying to find some way for the various configurations to work all with no luck.  Further, even if i found a way to get the two screws through the plate?  They don't actually attach TO anything.  There is a number, I will call in the "morning".  They are in California and 8:00 to 17:00 (5:00pm).  I should be able to make that, probably.

Ah well, a bit of cleaning in the bathroom would be nice.  Maybe a minor load of laundry after that, if a another shower before laundry.  It's not what I wanted, but then I wasn't sure I was going to get anything done.  I'll take it.  And I still don't feel like I pushed things too much.  Mostly.  Just that aggravation.  I spent a little extra so I wouldn't have to deal with 'teh stupid', and yet right there it is.  Oh, fine, do something unique, engineered.  That's fine, complexities sometimes really do at to function.  But if you are going to do that, then for the price, explain it.  A business that doesn't bother to bring it's product to the consumer is going to find out what being a techno-snob gets them.  *grumbles*

Later...  Actually, since I have work to do, probably good night.  Or just good nap? 

Naps?

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It looks like naps are just the way of it, for now.  It is difficult to get to sleep.  When I sleep I can't sleep for long.  My body just won't let go.  Naps are fine though, if it might slow me down a bit.  It will take several naps to get in shape to do parts of the projects.  After my first three to four hour nap I was okay, but in no real shape to even mess with the faucet.  After waking from this last one I might be, if I can stay awake long enough to wake up before nose-diving again.  Or as someone has said a thousand times... Oh?  Playing THAT game, are we?  Well, yes, we are.

Dreams, and many of them.  The sounds of children, all day, too.  Those I think were real.  One girl was bleating for her brother, cousin, uncle, or such for seemingly an hour.  She didn't seem to move, just stood out there calling some name I couldn't catch.  Move, honey.  If you want to catch a man, you gotta move.  In all the ways that could be construed.  Trust me.  Either that or find out some place he will always go and be there.  Don't just stand there.  Just... laughed at her in my dreams, save for the annoying repetitive nature of her call.  At least I got some mock in.

In one of my dreams, I was herding goats.  I saw part of a shell on the surface of the ground.  I reached for it, a walnut but so big that my hand barely would encompass it.  Part of it would not come out, but I got a large chunk up.  I had initial meant to get the goats to eat it, but after smelling it and it having that musty smell that causes one to question whether a nut is good, I then intended to shoo them away.  Luckily they had chosen not to eat of it on their own and had backed off and gone to grasses a distance off.  The rest of the walnut, or something else in the earth near it, started churning.  Very odd, I never did find out what the situation was all about.

If I can get to it, I will be putting the new faucet in before long.  It shouldn't be too much of a job.  But it is enough that I don't have it right now.  Bumps and bruises, who knows how much muscle on the bolts, and just as difficult is details and coordination.  With the drain plumbing in, I have to be rather careful.  That reminds me, I didn't get an auto-vent.  Yet.  *shrug*  I'll have that, and installed, before my mother arrives.  Yes I will.  That just makes using that sink, or hopefully, a thousand times better.

Later.

A nap?

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It looks like it.  I didn't make it to bed until at least nearly 10:00.  I wasn't very conscious when I finally did sleep.  For all I know a hurricane could have been blowing outside.  I heard some hellacious sound coming from somewhere while sleeping.  It didn't exactly or really or truly wake me.  It drove me deeper down into sleep.  I couldn't make head or tails of what would make that kind of sound, though it really sounded like kids playing on a pullcart or something.  Down into sleep I drove.  No choice.  Down.  And yet, here it is, 13:00 and change, and I am awake.  It doesn't feel right though.  I shouldn't be awake.  I am still tired.  It might be the weather, the temp?  On top of the burn feel anyway.

Ah, but I remembered, the fellow that was going to plow the field had thought he would do that Monday.  Being pretty sure it was Monday, though thinking he had meant to do it in the afternoon, I decided to check the garden.  Yep!  Plowed under.  My other neighbor seems to think that next it needs to be hand tilled.  *crosses eyes*  Well, okay.  :p

While I still think more sleep would be very delicious, I think I am stuck where I am at with what I have, for a bit.  Maybe a nap before too long.  What I can get to today is simply unclear.  A day of rest might not be a bad idea.  But if I feel the energy, and seem awake enough, I will put my hands to it.  I want these things done, but then I want them done as correctly as possible.  We will see.  I feel better, anyway.  I am amazed at how fast my body is shifting from empty battery to even a little juice.  I still have some issues with keeping the mind and body both in operation at once and for long.  But that I am continuing to work while zapped... is a really good thing.

Later.

No sleep.

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I've been trying to get to sleep for hours now.  I had thought to do so before a shower.  It just wasn't happening so a shower seemed like a just dessert.  I've tried several times.  I did clear out the area under the sink.  I am tired.  I am really tired.  I just can't sleep.  My eyes almost hurt for want of sleep.  I'm not sure what the problem is.  Then again, when I first started swimming I believe I may have gone through something like this?  My body has that burn going.  It's much more low level this time.  I don't think it is lower level due to less muscle stress.  I think that is at least equal.  It is lower level because my body just went through it not so long ago.  And I maintained it as long as I could afford to swim... or until I realized I couldn't afford it, that is.

It is a beautiful feeling though.  I'm not even exactly sure, metabolically, what it is.  Since I am not cramping it isn't acid build up.  Though maybe it is there, just being tended and taking time to do that?  Body wide, my legs are finally in on it, I have a low grade muscular fever.  I at least feel warm everywhere.  My muscles are taught, allabout.  In a few places they seem to be too taught, but that is mostly a rarity and very hit or miss.  Ah, I remember a bit more.  When swimming, if probably because of the muscles I was using, my back was really pulled up, and the worst of it.  This time it is generally well distributed.  I used the massage chair last time.  Hmm... I may try to change the faucet, then sit in the chair for a bit...

Later.  Or, hopefully, good... well... good night... from my perspective.

Almost human.

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Clean, top to bottom, left to right.  My feet and back are what loved it the most, both were as dry as toast.  But having hair that is washed twice and then conditioned...  Actually, the shower helped me realize I am becoming less human though.  I really shouldn't be getting better.  Not this much better.  Not this quickly.  I should be down, not getting better and building up to more.  Then again, I'm still a weakling compared to a healthy man.  All I know is, while washing, I noticed how strong I am becoming.  A simple shower has drained away the pains and aches, too.  I'm ready for more.  I would do more but I am bodily getting ready for sleep.  I have never healed liked this before.  When my mother was here last time...  I started to fail hard, quickly.  I didn't drop like a rock when she left, I eased down.  But then I hit it pretty hard if I remember right.  I ought to check...  Curious now, but pretty sure.

Yes, if this holds, tomorrow I should be able to get the bathroom cleaned.  But first the new faucet will go in.  Much of the time of the work will be clearing the cabinet, if the hard part is messing with bolts on my back.  Hmmm...  I might just empty the cabinet before going to bed.  That and checking, policing, the pipe sweating kit.  I have decided to wait until I am done with all else before bringing the old water heater up.  I have to get the en suite one out first though.  There isn't room for two in there.  Then again, that is on the first floor.  No troubles there.  I do think I will have it all done, and then some, by the time my mother is here!

Something I realized is that the main bathroom... the wax seal is probably broken on that.  I get sewer gasses in there, I would presume.  I had thought... well... I had no idea to be honest.  Once in a while it just didn't smell the best.  I just assumed, I think, that it being an old house, smells just were part and parcel with the thing.  I can't wait for the new toilet to arrive, to see if that was the problem.  The toilet had been loose.  It was that way when I moved in.  I just... never got to tightening it.  Then again, the odor was there from the start too.  I must admit, I was afraid to mess with it, the wax ring, and all.  After seeing all that can go wrong on a small project, digging... is spooky.  But as experience grows, fewer things are quite so fear inducing.  With some familiarity, a little new on top of it isn't so bad.  Live and learn...

Good night.

Oh, right, yes. The water is heating, I hope.

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Okay, the trip to town... I needed a little recovery, and some food!  Well, and after food, I need rest.  That is just how that works.  I was down until about 21:30.  Then it all started to flow.  I grabbed the part I needed and headed down the steps.  Connecting the water line, even with a much longer twist-o-pipe, took a bit of wrestling, some adjustments, and... really, it was another workout.  But I got the damn thing together.  Then I opened her up, before connecting the electrical side.  I set the lower thermostat to 130(ish) (they aren't exact).  I then set the top thermostat to 140(ish)... just a bit more.  It... well, there is a reason for it, and I understand it, I just don't have the energy to put it in words.  It's just, as I have it, how you do that.  Then, finally, I checked upstairs.  I had the bathtub valve open so as to fill the tank.  It was running heavy and hard.  Now it was time to hook up the electrical connections and hope nothing 'sploded.  Well, okay, it looks like... who knows.  Nothing exploded, fizzed, snapped, or burned.  In about five minutes I will check to see if I have hot water.  But first, a quick trip downstairs to see if it all looks good.

I am sweating it.  After as much trouble as this has been, I just wonder what else could go wrong.  Well, no, I don't wonder.  I know.  I just... keep hoping nothing has gone wrong.  A flooded basement, a fire, both, hard to tell.  I'll let you know in a bit.

No flood, no fire, and hot water is flowing.  I visited all of the water outlets and let them run clean, while I was doing rounds.  If I can, tonight, before I go to bed, if I have enough time to dry off, I will take a nice long hot shower.  I will scrub and bubble and might even sing or hum.  Places that just didn't get hit because there wasn't enough water will get soaked clear through, washed twice, maybe three times, and rinsed until I think they have had enough, and then maybe once more just for general purposes.

Tomorrow?  I am going to go light.  The two goals I have are to install the kitchen faucet and to clean the bathroom from top to bottom.  If that is light enough I will get to the other water heater Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest.  If that works, I will move my stuff back into the en suite and leave the big bathroom clean and ready for the mom type.  Then I just have to wait for the toilet to arrive... I think?  Oh, there is a bit of cleaning to do.  And maybe just a bit of this and that.  The scary thing, for me, is that I will have to do some sweating for the next water heater.  It's a first...  Before I go to bed I will collect the items I will need for that... torch, starter, flux, solder, pipe, valve, shark bites...  Hmm.  I think it is all in there, I just have to check.

For all the fuss...  I simply can't believe how much can go wrong on such a simple system.  Was I too picky?  Then again, I only got picky when I had to go back in anyway for something else.  I don't think that was the problem.  Yeah, I know... either you are motivated and able or you aren't.  Still, I got one part of it done.  I simply hope the last bits will be a little more straightforward?  Bleh...

Absolutely no way.

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I kept thinking about getting to town today.  I don't know exactly the time, but I know the stores close early.  I just...  Actually, while thinking about it, I checked.  I don't know if it being a 3-day weekend makes a difference, if I doubt it.  Seems to be open until 20:00.  I am sore, tired, everything is out of place, and I don't want to go, which means after a cup of coffee and a phone call, I will be heading in... on top of a phone call to check if they are still open.  If they are open, fantastic.  I was starting to think it wouldn't be happening until Monday... or Tuesday.  When you are this bent out of shape no promises can be kept.

Just keeping the water jugs full is a heck of a chore.  A jammed toilet can end up sucking a lot of water, by the way.  I filled the wash basin and tea pot first, then filled all my containers.  It's more than you think.  I'll sure be ready for real showers whenever they start up.  You just can't get clean this way.  The soap doesn't rinse completely, the soap doesn't take all the dirt off, it just isn't the best.  I am going to suggest we take as much water as possible.  Too, when I get a shower back, on days I won't be going to town?  I may practice sit-showers.  I need to figure out how to minimize soap, water, and all.  I guess you just can't use enough soap to get a great lather without needing too much water to rinse?  Same with shampoo.  Which means, essentially... you won't be even as clean as I have been if you wish to be... economical.  Ugh.  It's been a long time since I had to play being a dog.

Coffee, phone calls, need it, got to get them, later.

And, yeah, it's brutal.  My ribs are sore.  Every muscle in my upper body is used right to the burn.  My back has seen every angle it is possible of seeing under load.  My legs are fine though.  Yes, I use them, it's just they are in better muscle shape, I think?  But?  It actually... feels pretty good.  When I was a kid, I lived like this.  I didn't always like getting in this shape but I did like being in it once I got there, or the like.  Sometimes I just sweat as my muscles burn to heal, or just try to burn off any extra 'something' running around my system.  Love it.  I've become a bio-hothouse.  Just letting you know, no sympathy is needed.  Heck, if you can think of more to do...  that would be good.  Plus, I think I have coughed all the cotton shit out of my lungs, finally.  It's like working the old oil fuzz off a previously mothballed engine.  Yum!  If I can keep this up, BMan should be... more a vacation than a workout.  Double Yum!

Best get going.  Later.

Alway something.

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The cinder blocks were brought in and placed, the water heater was opened and set into position.  The hot water outlet was attached, I then changed out the drain fixture replacing plastic with brass, and then I went to attach the cold line.  With the blocks it is too high for the connector.  On the other hand, since this one is a wee shorter, it wouldn't have reached without the blocks.  Bleh.  Now, I do have several shark bites, but they aren't directly compatible with what is there.  Actually, I don't have a way to make them compatible, with galvanized pipe being the delivery inside the home.  It's copper outside and to the home though, oddly.  They keep changing code, mostly just to screw with diy'ers I think.  Never mind.  Another trip to town tomorrow.  *le sigh*

On the good side it looks like the electrical connections will be a cake-walk.  There is a large, double opening, screw open panel into which it will all go.  The last one had a crooked-necked wire housing.  I suppose there might have been a way to detach it, but I would guess that would take a special little tool, sort of like wire snips/needle nose pliers but with spurs... something.  I don't have that tool, I think?  On the bad side, the tank has some skin wrinkles.  No, don't even look at me.  I was tender as if handling a baby... which is why the work was so hard.  The weight, if something, was nothing compared to the care.  I have some doubts if the lower end water heaters are treated gently at the store and in shipping though.  And packaging was wysiwyg.  There was zero packing material.  I'm going to have to make sure it isn't broken up in there right away.  Oh, and while they have a hole for a anode rod, they didn't drill the rest of the way or put in a fixture for one.  When they say six years, they mean it if they have to fuck you.  Then again, I have read that soft water sometimes makes an anode more of a problem than part of the solution.  I guess I will find out.  I might just crank the softener just a bit more.  Not a good plan with an anode, not a bad one without it... or so my research has suggested.

Well, at least it is set up, stacked, partially connected, and with the new drain fixture sealed and in place.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  It's getting there.  I will probably take out the old water heater tonight, and maybe the one in the en suite.  It has been empty for... over a year now?  Should be pretty dry.  I am hoping to use the container for the new one to drag the old one up, and perhaps the other old one if that works well.  It sure beats trying to hand over hand them up stairs, around corners and such... I hope.  I can't believe how many things can and do go wrong on one simple job though.  Never mind.  This should be my last difficulty, unless those crinkles are an indication of a broken lining.  I didn't hear any rattling, but it's not like I shook it.  And cracks might not even sound off.  Gah!

Later.

Oh, sleep! Wonderful.

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I needed that sleep something awful.  I was in pain, tired, sore.  I have some notion of what a returning salmon must feel like.  Now, to blow a cloud and die?  *laughs*  I think I went to bed before 20:00 and I woke just a bit after 1:00.  After a bit of waking I will begin seeing about the water heater.  I brought everything but the cinder blocks in.  I didn't even put the X'ter away.  I didn't have much left to drive the machine, and eating pretty much finished off the tank.  Odd how eating can be a coup de grace, isn't it?  I think I dreamed but I don't remember what.  Several dreams, if I had to guess.

Aye, a nap.  And I feel a thousand times better.  I'm still sore.  My bruises will be here for a while too.  At least I can catch a breath and kick up a little dust again.  A couple of bagels, a bit of coffee, and my night medicines to start out.  An hour or two of vegging.  Then on to the heater.  I suppose I might be a bit picky.  And I might want things just so.  But... well... it just works better in my mind if I do as much of what I think should be done, and how it should be done, as possible.  There are too many times where I don't get to choose.  I will take that extra sitz bath, even cold.  I will go a little longer without convenience.  I will pay a little more gold out.  I don't want to have too much trouble later.  I know I will have some, so I want as easy a system to work with as possible.  A raised heater and a brass coupling for monthly draining makes my life a whole lot simpler.  The right sealants for various tasks is required as well.  They say a couple of quarts a month out of the tank.  Can do, at least to check it for a while.  I am curious about what the water looks like anyway, and how much sediment is being pumped.  I also need to keep a close eye on the rod, to see if it is what I want and is working as it should.

My arms, body, are as tight as they ever were while swimming.  I have a lot more to do.  The thing is I might be pushing it a little too much.  But I am on the clock, and the tasks are one timers.  There is more work to do when my mother arrives, but food will be easier and more plentiful.  And she will do the thinking when I can't.  Plus, what is on the schedule is a lot easier than what I am doing... if there is more of it.  Just... I don't think this year will be quite as rough as last year, especially if I do a little up front on top of what else I am doing... if I can.  Yeah, I'm going to be pushing though.  Right on through.  But more, when she is gone, I am going to try to push right on up through to Burning Man.  A walk to the pond, with a gear pack, and a swim two or three times a week, at least, is the hope.  And maybe trying to keep up on the house.  The week before BMan I might just take as down time, as long as the cave is in order for company, though I am not sure that is the wisest?  I really can't tell, don't know.  Sometimes a break works, sometimes it leaves me flatfooted until I can get my wind back.

Later.