Busy few days, although I admit that I spent only a short time at the old house for the past two days. At times all the tasks yet to be done seem overwhelming, and I have to get away from there. Working on the weekends is just enough time for me; then I have the whole week to get back to a 'normal' life here at our house in town. I've always been a neat, tidy person, and like order in my household; naturally, being in the process of a renovation, it's messy and disordered, at times bordering on filthy. When it seems to much to bear, I simply LEAVE. :-)

At any rate, Tuesday I went with DH and he'd just started tearing off some old painted, warped paneling in what will be our living room when the central heat/air crew arrived. With a bunch of men traipsing through the house, DH's loud banging, tearing off the paneling, the massive dust-storm was nearly enough to make me wonder what we'd gotten ourselves into! I decided to come back home, since there was nothing I could really do at that point. DH stayed and finished tearing off the bad paneling, and framed up the closet we're building in our bedroom. Oh yeah, and under that paneling we'd thought had sheetrock? Nope. Turns out it was just some wafer-board, so we'll now have to buy sheetrock for that room. Sure seems as if this is turning into the "Money Pit." [Yes it IS a hilarious movie, but in real life...well, not so funny!]

Bad news as I expected from the dentist: need to have a crown put on a bottom tooth. I did make an appointment, but I am debating not keeping it -- putting that off for a couple months. We have the money, but I want to save as much as possible right now till we see exactly where we stand when we get moved. Once the rent starts rolling in, our financial situation should improve quickly. I don't like dipping into reserve savings (and certainly NOT money that I consider retirement funds)...and this tooth isn't hurting either, so I may just wait.

By the way, what's up with dentist having you lie down to do the work? I absolutely LOATHE that; it makes me sick to my stomach. And now that my dentist has moved into a new office, there's not even a place to rinse out when the girl cleans my teeth. I nearly gagged when she told me that. Instead of rinsing out, she squirts water into your mouth then suctions it up (but, of course, can't get it ALL out!). Some of that gritty cleaner got down my throat, and that caused my acid reflux to act up again. So even if it was an emergency on that tooth, I don't know I'd go until this acid reflux is fully under control. I haven't had any serious work done in this new place, but if there's no place to rinse out...I think I'll just have to find another dentist!

Today I had to do some shopping, household tasks and then went on my bike ride. It has been overcast all day, turning cooler, which I'm glad about. Uncomfortably warm the last few days, especially since it's November!

In the meantime, over in Iraq, the U.S. has apparently decided a show of force will calm down the increasing dead-on violent attacks of the Iraqis. Not so sure about that myself, since I always have to fall back on the greatest quote I ever read about terrorists by a Russian General:

"The trouble with trying to eliminate terrorists is that they are just like cockroaches; you kill a dozen over here, three dozen spring up over there."


That's all for this time. I need to start doing some research on statistics for my first childfree column that I hope to get written by the weekend. I'll end with this very apt quote about life:

It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get. --Lao Tzu