This morning I’m working at home with the laptop, sitting on the couch with the computer and cats keeping me warm. We don’t give the cats enough friendly attention. They’re overly affectionate when they get the chance, and it’s not helping my typing. I welcome the warmth though, while it’s sunny outside, it’s cold enough for pre-winter to penetrate the poorly insulating back door with a windless draft. I’d be at the office right now, but I’m waiting at home to receive the delivery of a replacement table.

Last week Kelly and I found a nice set of chairs, a table and server at Weekends Only. Straying from our first preference of a light colored wood, we welcomed mahogany stained furniture into our home. This makes us sound like furniture racists. The actual color description on the box is cappuccino. That’s not helping. Anyway…

Everything was delivered Saturday morning. The server was perfect and a few chairs were already assembled, with the remaining few still in boxes. The table unfortunately had been dropped at some point and the damage was only realized once it was assembled. Our option was to either return it ourselves, or call WEO replace it with a delivery on Monday (today). We obviously opted for the delivery. Later that day while assembling the last chair, I found some manufacturing defects, and had to call WEO again. The warehouse isn’t far, I was OK with just replacing the bad with good, and the customer service rep said that’d be fine. Turns out it wasn’t in stock. Found out after I got there. I’m certain my frustration was visible. They’ll call when they can replace it. Credit for the chair was refunded in the meantime.

Despite the setbacks, I’m happy with the quality of the furniture, and I like the style. Once we have everything together, you’re all invited to dinner.

New table is home. Looks good. I should probably check the stored leaf before I say that. Damn, I bet I jinxed it.

We have several plans to update our home, and are unfortunately slow to move on all of them. This is exacerbated by our ability to add new things to do to The List without actually working on things already there.

A few weekends ago while I was procrastinating a project for work, we found ourselves at Home Depot, checking out exterior doors since replacing the front door is on The List. Also among the things we’d talked about in the past (but not on The List) was our deteriorating side entrance, so when we passed the storm doors we decided it would be an easy fix to update the side of the house. Then bought a new storm door.

As soon as we got home I unpacked it and started gathering tools for the replacement, determined to actually move forward on a project. All the pieces were accounted for and I had the necessary tools. Removing the old broken door was a simple job thanks to a power screwdriver. Based on the way everything else often goes, it shouldn’t have been too surprising, but the simple task had complications: the wood I had just exposed was is in dire need of replacement. I pried off one length of the brick trim to get a better measurement, and headed back to Home Depot to find replacements. Turns out the previous installers cut their own brick trim to size, and since I lack a table saw (it wasn’t on the list of recommended tools), and the employees there didn’t have a helpful solution, I left to find a better one.

But then I got distracted with other things, so no home project got attention. For weeks. But yesterday Kelly and I went downtown and joined the housing tour of the loft spaces available. While it made me want to change residency to enjoy the downtown living, it also reminded me that even if that was an option, finishing existing home plans, especially ones left incomplete, would first have to be addressed.

Today I bought some new wood, borrowed a circular saw from Dad, and carved my own damn brick trim. Worked our rather nicely, actually, although I can clearly see my own work flaws. Regardless, it was cut to fit, installed, and Kelly painted. The door installation is still not complete, but we’ve gone as far as possible today since paint must dry first. After another coat tomorrow, I can install the door Tuesday.

I’ve measured countless times in OCD fashion, to make sure I’m not going to have to tear my work down and start over, but I still get the feeling that something else is left that won’t work, requiring additional work. Then I get to feeling that I don’t want to have to bother with any of this, and just want someone else to take care of it for me; I want them to have to deal with the surprises.

Sometimes I don’t want a house anymore.

For the past two and a half days, I’ve remained horizontal at home to let my back heal after straining/spraining/pulling something. Based on the decreased pain and my increased mobility, it’s likely just a pulled muscle that required the last few days to heal. The current ache is a reminder to take it easy, which I will respect, but it wasn’t enough to keep me home another day. While driving this morning was unpleasant (pedal work was less than comfortable), I figured it was safe enough for me to return to the office, where I limp around like an old man. I should have borrowed the cane Dad uses for these occasions to validate my theatrics.

I now sit on a heating pad on the chair at my desk, hoping to accelerate the muscle repair. When not moving the pain is mild, nonexistent if I ignore it, and it’s only distracting from work when I’ve already lost focus on the task at hand.

I’m reluctant to commit to cycling this weekend, but if the back improvement I experienced between yesterday and today sets a trend, I hope to be comfortable by Friday. I thought that my immobility would encourage my new bike to arrive sooner to spite me, but it looks like it still wont be around until at least next week. Hopefully that doesn’t give my back reason to prolong discomfort, I fear they’re working in tandem to see me suffer both physically and mentally.

One might hope I took advantage of the time off from work and did something productive. I didn’t. Well, you might consider this Carbs T-shirt time well spent. Or you might be an Atkins-loving all-beef weenie.

Yesterday Nick came over and we successfully jacked out the eyesore clothesline poles in the middle of the backyard. This was months after my failed lawn tractor/pulley extraction attempt. Where the poles were, there are now rock filled holes. Where my back muscles were, there is pain. The immobilizing spazming kind.

I’m in bed today, and if I’m lucky (and with Kelly’s help), I’ll move to the couch. But that’s all the movement I plan on today.

My new bike will probably arrive today to laugh at me.

The mailman delivered the last 1099 form I needed today, which means I’m also done filing our taxes this year.

“do a little dance!”

Let me endorse TurboTax Online. Armed with the requisite tax forms sent to me in the mail, I quickly transferred paper details, reviewed calculations, saved a backup pdf, and filed both state and federal forms electronically. Our return will be direct deposited, so I’m skipping that paper too.

I know people who still don’t have their W-2s. That sucks.

I’m Done.

Suggestions from my encouraging wife:

• put up the light outside
• go to home depot and get glidden paint samples for the living room, the cabinets, the bathroom
• rip off the walls/tile in our bathroom to see what’s underneath and/or motivate us to fix everything
• call your dad over and come up with a front porch plan
• unlock all the racers in fzero
• laundry
• clean out the fridge and/or freezer

I was putting a mental plan together to address the porch light, but I just found out that Neal Stephenson‘s Quicksilver is out! Cryptonomicon may lose it’s place as favorite book. We shall soon find out.

Last night I found motivation, if only for the sake of doing something, and found I can be pretty productive, though sometimes absent-minded.

Replaced porch light. The original light was installed by the previous owners, and suffered from rust, an ugly style, and missing the bulb canopy. Nothing screams class like an exposed bulb on a decaying lamp. Our newly installed porch light is clean, attractive, and functional. I’m no longer embarrassed call attention to it by leaving the light on for evening guests. So they don’t trip on our crumbling front step. It’s on the list.

Laundry. I laundered like 2 or 3 loads. And folded. And put away. I’m a machine.

Switched Insurance Companies. OK, so that wasn’t on the list. But I was pretty certain we’ve been overpaying, and tonight I got around to checking that out. Which I should have done so much sooner. For one, Progressive’s online quote system is easy. And accurate. I also ran through their comparison with other companies, and then checked them out individually. Progressive won. The Geico policy cancellation was pretty amusing (paraphrased for the impatient)…

“Hi, I’d like to cancel my policy.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. (insert brief attempts to convince me to stay while my information is gathered)“
“I’ve actually already signed up with another company, so I’m pretty sure I’d like to cancel, but Thank You.”
“I understand. Please hold. … I’ve got Mike on the line to help you complete this policy change.”
“Hi Mike, how are you? (anticipating smooth-Mike’s jump into his own keep-the-customer flowchart)“
“Well, I’m sad to hear that you’ve chosen to leave Geico…”
“Yea, Progressive wants to save me almost 100 bucks a month.”
“… Oh… Really? Uh… Well, do they know about the accident in February… or the one in June of 01?”
“Yes they do.”
“… Wow. Well… you can’t really argue with that, then, huh?”
“No sir.”
“Well… Thanks for being a customer with Geico! We’ll have check sent to you with your balance.”
“Thank YOU, and have a great evening!”

I’d say it went pretty well.

Nuclearated Dinner. And left it in the nuclearator.
I’ve still have not eaten since lunch yesterday. I need to fix that now.