The two problems frazzling me the most, but now solved, were getting the new hardwood floors installed properly, and having the heating and air units replaced. Both were causing me to beat my head upon the floor so I would feel better when I stopped.
The HVAC problem has been dragging on since we moved in at the end of September. I know the downstairs unit was working perfectly because I was present when the technician checked it out as part of the home purchase requirement. However, a few days after we moved in I tried - for the first time - to turn on the heat. Nothing! Even the fan wouldn't run. I called back the technician and he opened up the furnace (air handler) and found the relays and circuit board fried. Something had happened, probably lightning, between when the unit was checked and the previous owners had moved out. Fortunately the house came with a warranty - something I never would have purchased myself. It was like pulling teeth to get the warranty company to live up to their obligation but after six weeks of harassing them (while we were without heat) we ended up with a brand new 13 seer air handler and heat pump. It was worth the wait. Scratch problem number one off the list.
Murphy's Law was highly active during the hardwood floor installation. We had arranged the flooring though a general contractor who came highly recommended. Things started out nicely when the subcontractor, Enrrique, showed up and in the first three days had installed four rooms with white oak flooring. The problem started when the Enrrique was called out of town and turned the sanding and straining over to an associate. Now I must digress here. I don't know what it is like in the rest of the country, but in the Atlanta area almost all the workmen are hispanic and most with limited command of the English language. I could communicate somewhat with Enrrique but his companion, and his two assistants, spoke almost no English - and most of the Spanish I know would only be appropriate Jaurez barroom. The sanding went OK but they had half the house stained before I saw it and informed them, the best I could, that it was the wrong color. Out came the sander again. Stain session number two was no better than the first - again the wrong color stain. I finally told them to stop, go home, and I called the general contractor. The next day Enrrique showed up again. Out came the sanders again and this time the stain matched. Well, at least it matched the front hallway. When they got around the corner to the kitchen it didn't match. The only solution was to sand down the existing flooring and then stain and finish all the hardwood, old and new. Out came the sanding machine as I packed my bags and headed to Michigan for some rest and relaxation. But when I came back the floor was perfect. Now we are just waiting for the shoe molding to be installed. Scratch number two problem off the list. Now I can get back to painting while Susan tries to fiqure out things like area rugs, recovering furniture, paint schemes, and what kind of rug to have installed in the master bedroom.
Finally, beautiful hardwood floors
You noticed I mentioned a short hiatus to Michigan. It was as wonderful visit with the three boys and their families. I stayed at Dennis and Kathy's house and grandaughters Kylie, Brittany and Mariah are all so grown up. Kylie is a freshman at Grand Valley State University. Brittany is a senior at Northview and has typical busy high school social life, combined with a normal case of senioritis. Mariah, a sophomore, is on the swim team and I watched her swim a number of events at the Conference Meet. The relay team she is on finished third against the two state powerhouses, Holland and East Grand Rapids, which means they would have been first in most any other conference. Mariah will also swim in this event at the State Meet and she also just learned that she made the Varsity basketball team.
Alex is almost four years-old so he received an early present from me at a dinner we had at Dana's house. This was a nice time to visit with Dana, Paula and her son, Sebastian; and Derek, Christy, and Alex. The next day I went north to Derek's place in Newaygo where
we all took a walk on a rare Michigan prairie that just happens to be across the street from his rural home. This is a protected area, maintained by a volunteer organization committed to restoring certain areas to their original, pre-agriculture, state.Derek and Alex on the prairie.
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