Hi Everyone: An incrediable day here, 70+ and sunny and we have 3 days of this weather. This I can take. Aleka the rain was very heavy, but no docks are under water so we have had worse. I too am watching Ivan it is supposed to hit Jamaica head on. Ivan is so BIG, it is scary what damage it will do. Yeh Nikki what about your tank? Did you get it before too much damage was done? Well I am off to enjoy my day. Take Mya for a walk. Talk to you tomorrow. Hi Anne how your week is going ok. Stay out of your work emails!!!!!

Hi,
Well, it's all over and the plumbing is working again. DH was teasing me, saying we should just start to use a bucket and throw it in the field. I think he was 1/2 kidding. I think if I said build an outhouse, he would be all for it. He is an old river rat, just like me, so he's wouldn't care. (In case that is a term that is just used around here, a river rat is a person that was raised or lives on the river. We both grew up in cabins along the river, without plumbing. A great place if your a kid, hard if your the adult that has to figure out how to get water.)
DH found and uncovered the tank without any problem. After he opened it, he realized it was working ok and not full, so that wasn't the problem. We had plunged the toilet and since we never put any paper in it, we didn't think that was the problem. Still, he plunged the toilet again, this time so forcefully that water was going all over the bathroom (ah, what a lovely site ) finally, he got it unplugged. We finally thought about Stripe, our cat. He must have put one of his toys in the toilet. He loves to put them in places, he hides them in our shoes, puts them in his food bowl. He likes to play in the toilet too, so we figure, it had to be him, he's the only other one that would put something in there.
DH spent today fixing the inside of the toilet, it needed some work and then he dismantled the pipes that come from the tub and sink and cleaned them out. They are not designed right, so they get clogged up and need a good cleaning. He should really put in new plumbing, and he says he will, one of these days. Well, we all know how soon that will be (never ) Now he's mowing the lawn. He took the whole thing pretty well. He's usually much grouchier when he has to do stuff like this.
I had to move a ton of stuff from under the pipes, so they wouldn't get soaked. I think before I move them back, I'll sort through them and get rid of all the extra clutter that is building up. I still have to vacuum more in the basement, but thought I'd wait til I get the decluttering done first. I got 3 spider bites the other day when I vacuumed.
Aleka, sometimes I get disgusted with stuff that happens here, but all I have to do is look at the poor folks in Florida and realize I don't have it that bad. I hope your house makes it ok. I haven't looked at a map, is it more in land? Does that make any difference with a big storm? You must be worried sick about this. Hang in there, surely Ivan is the last storm of the season.
Lynn, do you know when you'll get your pup back? We are having the nicest weather here too. I can't remember it being this nice for such a long time.
Hi Anne, hope you have a good weekend.
Take care, Nikki

Saturday!

The burner guy finally showed up about 3:00 pm. He and DH got here about the same time. But...it's all taken care of now.

Nikki, so glad that everything turned out well, other than what your little did, with your septic. That must've been a relief to you and your DH. You have led an intersting life, you should write a book about it. DH & I are really concerned with Ivan. It's in the back of our minds that the possibility is there that we'll be sticking around NH for a while. We haven't stopped packing yet because if everything goes well, we've only got next week to get everything done before the movers arrive. Thankfully we do have insurance on the house, so if any major damage is done, we'll at least get something back. We are somewhat inland, more so than Port Charlotte, the ocean is about 15 min. away from where our house is. We watch the WC a few times a day to see of there are any updates.

lynn, you're going to have some lovely weather. It was awfully cold and windy here yesterday. But, today and the next few days are supposed to be sunny and gorgeous. It's supposed to get cold overnight. Are you still going to your trailer on weekends? That was good your dock did not go under water with all the rain. How was your walk with Mya? All I have to do is put on my sneakers, which are my everyday shoes, and Lacee thinks she's going
for a walk.

Hi ANNE

Have a great weekend everyone.
Aleka

Nikki, I forgot to ask. What river did you live on?

Aleka

Good morning,
I'm having coffee, putting off the job of cleaning. It's starting to loom over me like a dark cloud. Seems like a massive job. I guess, I'll do like Flylady says and just take it 15 min at a time. It seems to work.

Aleka, that is good that you got the furnace working again. Ours has to be a million years old, so every time it breaks down, I'm wondering if we will have to replace it. I saw on HSN's bb that the price of propane is over $3 a gallon in some places. That's what we use for heat, to dry the clothes and for the water heater. Right now, I have a contract for propane and will pay 1.08 through the winter. If it does go to over $3 a gallon, I think we will have to rethink our heating. We use wood in the garage and even though it's a job to get it, get it in there and clean up the ashes after, it seems to really warm you better. I know the new furnaces that use wood are much better designed than our stove in the garage. On the other hand, we aren't getting any younger and marching up and down the stairs to put wood in a furnace might not be very practical in a few years.
I've had a long life. I've had people tell me that before about writing a book. I don't think it's that much different than anyone elses though. I think DH would have a more interesting story to tell. I can listen to him talk all day. It's like living with my own Mark Twain. I get frustrated with him sometimes, but he's my "favorite person" in my life. I don't know how I got so lucky. Of course, when I'm having my TOM, then I might have some other things to say about him
Speaking of DH, he wants to go to a car show today. I would normally not want to do that, but it's going to be another nice day and getting outside and doing anything beats the heck out of cleaning the basement. Better get my day under way, take care, Nikki

It was the Des Moines river in south east Iowa, Aleka.
Lynn, I should probably clarify that our river is not like yours, anyway, I doubt it. I've seen rivers in Wisconsin and they are clear and clean. I imagine yours is too. Ours is dirty, full of all kinds of pollution. When we were kids, only the poorest people lived down there. I had friends that were even poorer than we were, they didn't even have wood floors in their houses, it was hard packed dirt. The people that could afford to live on higher ground where it didn't flood, were better off.
Now of course, river property goes for a mint. Still, our river is heavily polluted. They were finding frogs a few years ago with many more legs than 4. I won't even think of eating anything from there, let alone swimming in it.

Hi Everyone:
Its a hot one today. Started out lovely and autumn like, now I feel like
its July again!!!!

Nikki, so glad your plumbing is working again! Hope you enjoy your outing
with your DH!!

Aleka, I doubt I will get any time off during Christmas. I had a couple of
weeks off last year so it is not very likely. My big problem is this......I need
time off to go to visit Davids teachers and his doctor. I hope gets
a replacement for Tanya soon. I have had several years of perfect attendance, but this will change if I become too stresses out!!! I am
certainly not getting any younger and this office is a sweat shop.

Aleka everytime I hear an update on that bloody Ivan I think of you and your
new home. I am hoping it goes off into the sea without anymore damage
to Florida. This is too much.

Hi Lynn, Hope you are having a good day!

Anne.

I just saw that SS is coming out with a new book. It's called Somersize Chocolate and will be released Oct 26th. You can preorder it on Amazon for 11.67. She has another recipe book coming out the beginning of next year too. I probably won't get the new chocolate book. Just thought I'd let you guys know, before I forget, Nikk

Good morning,

It's Sunday, so I'll start another thread.

Aleka