Shoes

Biking Dimensional Analysis

Given:

• bike price  = 500 dollars
• gas price = 3.50 dollars/gal
• gas mileage = 19 miles/gal (source)
• commute distance (round trip) = 10 miles

500 dollars * (1 gal/3.50 dollars) * (19 miles/1 gal) * (1 day/10 miles) = 271.4 days

Based on that, I need to ride my bike 272 days to pay for my bike.

Lambourne House Projects

My intention is to capture these things as they happen rather than having to think back to them years later.

1. Come to find out, none of the grout in the house had been sealed by the flippers.  Damn them!  Thanks to Madd Construction and $150 (plus the $90 for 5 years of sealer), the grout is now sealed.  Apparently, this is a project that they recommend (especially in the bath surrounds) that I do annually.
2. Kids bathroom didn't have a fan, which the inspector pointed out to his credit.  Called around and got 2 estimates.  K-Bar put the fan in (and moved the light switch into the bathroom) for $525 but left me with more of a project than I started with.  Now I need to have the plaster repaired around the new switch and the ceiling patched.  Even better, we determined the bathroom ceiling has painted-over wallpaper that has to come down.  As a side note, I went the rounds with the owner of K-Bar in regards to my servicemagic review.  Morale of that story, you do a C+ job, you get a C+ rating.
3. Inspector pointed this one out as well.  House didn't have any rain gutters, which was very apparent this Spring with all the rain we've had.  After consulting with a foundation specialist company (Intermountain Foundation Repair), I got 2 bids for this job and liked both companies (Ace Gutter and Rain Gutter Specialties), but decided to go with Ace for a few reasons.  They actually ended up having to cut out a section of my drive way so they could put in a drain system, but it was expected and I think it was the best decision.  All and all, the project ($1850) cost less than I had anticipated, and I'm happy with the results.

45 Lessons

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone
8. Its OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

 Friends are the family that we choose

House Projects Completed Over the Years

In no particular order and in addition to the ones listed here:

1. Kitchen - Replaced butcher-block counters in kitchen.  At the same time, replaced aluminum sink, crappy faucet, and garbage disposal (a couple companies).
2. Kitchen - Replaced the oldest dishwasher in the world (RC Willey guy).
3. Kitchen - Moved kitchen cabinet above stove up so that new microwave could be placed below cabinet (Dennis).
4. Kitchen - Removed half wall / old window seat in kitchen to allow walk through access from back door.  I did this one myself with some electrical help from Dale.
5. Kitchen - Added pantry, coat closet, and spice cabinet in hallway west of kitchen. Team effort here.  Mike Knodel (wouldn't recommend), Dennis, and I all contributed at various points.
6. Kitchen - Added spacers between cabinet doors (me).
7. Kitchen - Added cabinet hardware (me).
8. Kitchen - Replaced 2 drawers that were falling apart (Blair).
9. Kitchen - Added bar to hang towels and added curtain to hide crap (me).
10. Kitchen - Fixed bottom cabinet frame under the sink (me).
11. Master bedroom - Added new 3/4 master bathroom.  This cost us one of our walk-in closets, but it was well worth it (Kirk).
12. Master bedroom - Removed murphy bed, removed carpet, refurnished hardwood floors, added ceiling fan and new light fixture, and painted walls in north bedroom.  This became our master bedroom after this project (me and Jess and a palm sander).
13. Main level - Replaced pedestal sink with vanity and new sink (Jess - he wouldn't let me pay him).
14. Main level - Insulated under-window bench storage (me). 
15. Main level - added coat hooks by front door (me).
16. Main level - Cut vents in door to basement (me).
    
17. Stairs - Had open stairs closed in with custom plexiglass and balusters.  At the same time, the open shelving at the top of the stairs was also closed in (Scott).
18. Laundry room - Had flexible dryer venting replaced with hard-piping (Madd Construction).
    
19. Upstairs bath area - Removed carpet in upstairs bathroom and replaced with tile - we did this one ourselves.  We did it over Memorial Day our first year in the house (me and Jo).
20. Upstairs bath area - Replaced wall-mounted sinks with custom-made vanities (Blair).
21. Upstairs bath area - Stained loft ladder (me and Blair).
22. Upstairs bath area - Had new linen closet built and installed in the void next to the south sink area (Dennis).
23. South bedrooms - Replaced old ceiling fans with new ones with lights (me).
24. General - Replaced window coverings throughout the house (me).
25. General - Nearly every wall in the house has been repainted as well as a few ceilings.  We never got around to having all the trim and molding painted though (me & Jo did most of it; we hired out the entry way).
26. General - Replaced all carpet throughout (except loft and master closet).
27. General - Replaced high-flow toilets (2) with new low-flow ones (Kirk).
28. General - Added extra blown-in insulation to attic (Insulation company).
29. Outside - Added deck (me and dad).
30. Outside - Removed landscaping berm, old parking concrete, and backyard grass.  Replaced with new driveway concrete (stamped concrete including in the front yard off the porch) and auto pavilion. (Demo guy, Booker & Travis, etc)  Pics
31. Outside - Added soffit and fascia to auto pavilion (Soffit company).
32. Outside - Painted (sprayed) under side of auto pavilion roof (me).
33. Outside - Painted main support beams of auto pavilion (me and dad).
34. Outside - Added gutters around auto pavilion (Gutter company).
35. Outside - Replaced gutters around front porch (Gutter company).
36. Outside - Removed grass, bushes, and pine tree in front yard.  Replaced with bark and landscaping plants. (Me, Greg, Kyle, dad)
37. Outside - Removed HUGE cottonwood tree on the west property line.  Luckily, we were able to split the $1800 expense 3 ways with west neighbors and Greg & Kyle (Tree company).
38. Outside - Added mini-roof over back door awning (me).
39. Outside - Repainted entire area around back door and the columns next to house (me).
40. Outside - Refinished porch (me and Blair).
41. Outside - Added BBQ platform outside back door (me).
42. Outside - Replaced damaged soffit and fascia on roof (Roof guy).
43. Outside - Added vinyl coating to inside of swamp cooler tray (me).
44. Outside - Added brass kick plates on front and back doors (me).
45. Outside - Added rock groupings in park strip (me).

Planned Parenthood

 I'm sorry, but I feel I have to somehow respond to an email I just received.

Following is a list of services/information you can find on Planned Parenthood's website:

• Abortion
• Birth Control
• Body Image
• Morning-After Pill (Emergency Contraception)
• General Health Care
• Men's Sexual Health
• Pregnancy
• Relationships
• Sex & Sexuality
• Sexual Orientation & Gender
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
• Women's Health

You may or may not agree with the complete list, but I would argue that you cannot disagree with all of them and that you most likely agree with at least one of them.  Regardless, please do your own research and information gathering on any and all topics before forming an opinion and passing judgment.  In fact, try to beware judgment altogether.

Oh, and please take me off your mailing list.

Words of Wisdom for 350 Edith

• There are 5 smoke alarms in the house (the 2 hard ones to find are in the vaults of the south bedrooms), and they are interconnected such that if one detects smoke, they all go off. 
• Learn about and understand how the boiler works, and the manual adjustments that can be made if/when necessary.  Tingey Plumbing is a great resource and has worked on the system in the past.
• The easiest way to get on the roof is by using 2 ladders (or the same one twice).  Use one ladder to get on top of he porch.  Use the other ladder to get on top of the roof in the south west valley.
• The sprinkling system in the back needs some attention.  Since the carport was put in, I don't trust that the pipes that run under the driveway aren't broken.  I'm sure a sprinkler company could do something to determine the status of the pipes.
• When it gets really windy, you may hear an odd knocking noise that may concern you.  The first time I heard it, I was concerned and found myself outside at o'dark thirty investigating the noise in my pajamas.  I thought it was the gate on the fence backing against itself.  It wasn't.  The noise is the large blue spruce tree on the south east corner of the house bumping against the house.  I've asked a tree guy about this and have been told that it's not a concern.
• The upstairs living room has a set of double pocket doors that have been trimmed in.  "Trimmed in" meaning that a piece of trim was added to hide the pocket opening where the doors are.  We never, ever closed the doors when the opening wasn't trimmed in and so it just made sense to add a more finished look.
• When we had the carport and new driveway put in, we added a 4" conduit pipe that runs from the base of the utility pole in the back yard to the south west corner of the house.  Our intention was that we could have the power lines that hang in the air re-routed through the conduit.  We never got around to it, but always felt it would be a nice change to make.
• It was always our intention to have lights added to the carport.  With that in mind, we ran another conduit under the deck to the south west corner of the house over to and up the middle support column of the carport.  We actually ran the electrical line through the conduit at the same time, but I'm not sure we ran the proper electrical line.