Hot Weekend…Home Improvements…Flying Solo

It was another scorcher of a weekend. Taking the dog out in minute intervals so he doesn’t stroke out, taking the dog out in minute intervals so I don’t stroke out, keeping the blinds shut so the place stays cool,…you know, in preparation for the future when we can no longer go outside without PPP gear.

I’m not one of those “everything is cyclical” climate deniers. I absolutely, 100% feel that the extreme changes in our environment are because of the decisions we’ve made as a society over the last 50 years. We used to have four seasons here in the Midwest; spring, winter, summer, and fall. There were two whole other seasons in-between the only two we have now, summer and winter. And while it does get cold in the winter months, it doesn’t really start until December these days.

Back when I was a kid in the early to mid 80s we used to have snow on Thanksgiving. Not all the time, but it did happen. It was definitely winter jacket weather for sure. But now? I can’t remember the last time it was cold out while we were carving the turkey. It’s usually in the 50s, sometimes overcast and sometimes sunny. We did have the oddball Thanksgiving and Christmas where it rained or was in the 50s, but those were rare.

Anyways, it was hot as Hell this weekend. Environmental rant over.

I’m not a handy guy, really. I’m not a fixer upper dude. I don’t have those skills. I do the basics around the house. I do yardwork, housework, I cook and clean, and when the kids were little I was ‘cleaning vomit at 2am’ guy. I don’t do plumbing or electrical. Hell, I don’t even have a working power drill. I borrow from my dad when things pop up like that. I used to have tools when we first moved into the house in 1996. But nearly 30 years later things have broken, or ended up missing or lost, or I didn’t properly maintain them(again, a tool owning tools.) So when something is properly installed or mounted on the wall or ceiling it’s a point of pride.

Well this weekend we installed a hook into the kitchen ceiling so we could hang a hanging planter for some of our plants. Well, let me correct that…I borrowed my dad’s drill and my wife did it. I, of course, supervised and offered support where I could. And it wasn’t like a situation where I couldn’t do it. My wife jumped right in and I was happy to let her. That way if something went south I was just an innocent bystander.

Anyways, after a quick moment of panic we got the hook installed and the crochet hanger was in place with three plants in it. Saturday I rearranged the living room, which bled into Sunday. After the planter was done there was some hemming and hawing in regards to proper placement of a couple chairs, but in the end I feel the living room is now at maximum feng shui. To celebrate the wife and I watched a movie Sunday afternoon and generally zoned out. It was a pretty decent weekend.

Oh, and Saturday afternoon we headed over to my wife’s boss’ parents house for her boss’ youngest’s Open House. My wife has known her boss since high school, as she was good friends with her boss’ younger sister. So she’s known the whole family for a long time. I even went to elementary school with her boss’ sister. Long, storied history there. They live on Tippecanoe Lake and I was expecting a gross, hot time. But thankfully there was a lot of shade and a really nice breeze coming off the lake so it was quite nice.

I was introduced to the husband of the wife’s boss’ sister(the one I’ve known since I was a kid.) Honestly, I’m not sure if they’re married. But they are together and have two kids. The husband is from North Carolina and is most definitely what they call a “good ‘ol boy”. I was held captive most of the time we were there, hearing about how his spine is basically rubber and is deteriorating. He also told me he picked up a 1,000 lb rock and a truck motor and installed it by himself. Then I heard about him being a pool savant(and almost US pool champion), how he studied MMA and his hands and feet are lethal weapons, and that he was a bouncer in an Atlanta night club, and that he’s a tracker and that he’s pulled his own teeth out instead of going to a dentist.

Folks, it was a lot. Normally when I hear these tales I’m pretty skeptical of the validity, but I’m inclined to believe most of his tales. I don’t know why, but I do.

I’ll be working by myself this week. My work partner-in-crime is taking the week off, with him and his wife visiting their daughter and grandson in Tennessee. Then heading to Asheville, NC for the remainder of the week. I used to absolutely hate working by myself. It was pretty stressful and I’d be completely wiped out by the time I got home, not wanting to do anything. But last year my work mate was out from the end of January to the first of May dealing with neck cancer, so I was on my own for that whole time. I did get some help from other departments from time to time, but for the most part I was flying solo.

In those three months I found that I did enjoy the quiet and solitude. Not that my work mate talks my ear off. Nothing like that. But it was almost like being a monk sworn to a vow of silence. I could listen to my music or audiobooks without worrying about annoying anyone else. Everyone knew I was by myself so they left me alone, and if I did need some help my supervisor would make sure I got it. But really, I just liked the feeling of zero expectations. I just came in, did my work, listened to what I wanted, and got the hell out. It was pretty lousy at times, too. Not gonna lie. But for the most part, I didn’t mind it.

So the week will probably fly by as I’ll be pretty busy. And that’s fine.