My morning online news sweep starts with The Guardian, Reuters, and CBC. The Guardian and Reuters come up in America-centric editions, but the Canadian site is Canada first … a refreshing change from the constant drumbeat of Trump this and Trump that. I’m reminded of the year we lived in Montana, tucked up in the northeast corner with our neighbors Saskatchewan and North Dakota, the strongest radio and television signals coming down from Moose Jaw. Another great news site with a decidedly non-U.S. bent is The Barents Observer, reporting news from the Nordic north, where Russia is the neighborhood bully.
Getting old and facing it head on: we hired a handyman to install safety bars in the master bathroom: one on either side of the throne, one in the shower. We’re not at the slipping and falling stage, but it seemed like a prudent thing to do given our age and the likelihood we’ll continue to live in this house a few more years. Feeling like candidates for assisted living, we texted a couple of friends our age about the new grab bars, and they texted back to say they’d done the same years ago … we’re feeling better about it now.
Took Donna’s car to the state emissions testing facility this morning (she passed) and stopped at In-N-Out for a to-go cheeseburger on the way home. In-N-Out has been talked about to death, but IMO it lives up to the hype (if you don’t count their fries, which are below average). I treat myself to a cheeseburger every other month or so, animal style with grilled onion and green chiles, yum.
A few years ago water condensation from our heating and cooling system backed up in a standpipe and started dripping on the furnace room floor. By the time we noticed what was going on, the carpet and one of the walls in the adjoining home office were damaged. Along with water damage repairs we installed a float valve on the furnace room pipe, so if the water ever reached a high level again it would shut the system down. Two days ago our air conditioner quit working and what do you know, it was water buildup again. The float valve did its job. The far end of the drain pipe extends outside the house onto the dirt. Apparently it got plugged, probably by bugs. The service tech applied air to the pipe under pressure and blew it out, so we should be good again. That’s not to say we don’t need a new air conditioner … we’re hoping to squeeze one more summer out of the one we have, more than 20 years old now, and budgeting to replace it this coming winter. One damn thing after another, this home ownership racket.
Really not much else to pass on today. Polly continues looking for work and has actually gotten an interview or two, so keep those fingers crossed. The dogs are happy, and so are we.
Stay fresh, cheese bags!
Sometimes I listen to Radio Free Moscow from Moscow, Idaho. Great community radio station. Loved some shows that have disappeared: Car Talk, Prairie Home Companion and one that’s still around E-Town.
I’d really like to see some Olympics coverage that doesn’t focus on US 99% maybe a CNN Olympics version, and BTW doesn’t cost $49.99.