Looked at 3 houses today with realtor we had met this spring during an open house on Barranca Mesa. He's young - born in 1976 - has a two year old and another child on the way. He seems nice and we both think we could work with him. Afterwards, he was taking his family into the Jemez Mountains for a cookout.
We first looked at a 5 year old duplex in Piñon Trails Crossing - only 1,165 sq. ft. and not air conditioned. Not having air conditioning (or even ducts in which to install it) seems a liability because White Rock gets really hot!
There are nice views of the Sangres from the kitchen window. The house is vacant, in very nice, move-in condition and has a single car garage which is where it attaches to the dwelling next door. The house and yard seem cramped to us and too close to the neighbors.
There are some yappy dogs next door. The yard is xeriscaped and includes a small section of artificial turf - yuck! Even though I once wanted to landscape our yard with rocks, this yard looks ugly. Immediately behind the back yard is a large vacant lot and it's unclear if it belongs to the two churches back there or if it's privately owned.
Then we looked at a townhome on Cheryl Avenue in White Rock. It's 31+ years old and 1,934 sq. ft. We really liked the extra space and the fact that it's air conditioned. It backs onto the Cañada del Buey hiking trail and has a pretty backyard that's just the right size as well as 2 small courtyards. The price is right but I really don't want a house that old.
I won't enumerate the various issues that would drive me nuts unless I addressed them but here's one example: The hot water heater is in the garage and instead of it sitting on either the garage's concrete floor or on a structurally sound, actual raised floor, it's placed on what I can only describe as a "table" made of heavy timber, just to hold the hot water heater. I can see that the plywood on the "table" top has already delaminated from a past leak. I don't think the "table" is structurally anchored in any way to the building. That makes me nervous. I love the location, the space and air-conditioning but don't want to take on repairing and maintaining an older house as a retirement project.
The third house, a condo in Los Alamos on Short Drive in the Las Ventanas development, was built in 2000. The realtor says that there is a high ratio of tenants to owners in this development and that similar units have sold for lower prices.
The real problem is that the condo is a narrow, 4 story building with small rooms on each floor. It needs a fire escape!! From the topmost floor, the ground below looked so distant - rappelling off buildings in an emergency is not my strong point. It's bizarre and not for us! What we liked, though, was the downtown Los Alamos location, the air-conditioning, how new it was (and in good condition) and that the condo fee is only $150 a month and covers the exterior building maintenance and the roof.
Hot here today. The South Fork fire was really blowing up this afternoon.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Deadheaded Neighbor's Decorative Grass Tonight
I don't know if "deadheaded" is the right term but I gently removed as much of the dead grass that I could to open it up to light and air.
Our 84 year old neighbor who had back surgery is still in the hospital and we've been watering her beloved decorative grass (have no idea of its actual name!) that she planted in the narrow strip between our two driveways.
She had pointed out to me a few weeks back that she'd have to buy some more plants because they weren't looking as good as when she first planted them. I gently suggested that perhaps it was all the dead matter that was blocking off the new growth. She really didn't have a chance to do anything because she went in the hospital last week with terrible back pain and had to have surgery to try to alleviate a pinched nerve.
I discovered that the grass stalks are really sharp! When I first tried pulling some of the dead stuff this morning, I jammed a small piece into my thumb and had to dig it out with a sterilized needle. I wore gloves this evening. I couldn't pull out every single dead stalk or I'd end up pulling out the live stuff too.
I haven't counted how many of the plants there are altogether but 4 look dead and I left those alone so she can see that they died on their own with no assistance from the plant equivalent of Dr. Kevorkian. Some of the plants are looking very good and she'll be quite pleased that they are "bushing out" now.
I watered the plants a second time this evening to help settle any live roots that I may have disturbed in removing the dead stuff. Taking care of plants is not my forté. I'm just doing it to help them out.
Her husband is very busy every day driving down to visit her at the hospital in Santa Fe. He himself is on oxygen. It's touching to see how he's taking such good care of her. He's arranged for a hospital bed, a walker and a sitter for her until she can get around again on her own. She was such an active woman. I hope her recovery goes smoothly and she can be active again.
The house painter picked up the paint today. He may start priming on Monday. I have some appointments next week. I'll need to be here the day he paints the doors so they can be open.
Grandson was very good on the hike. He even carried his own backpack and water! I'm so pleased that he is such an amazing hiker! He's off to Florida and Disney World this Saturday!
Tomorrow I sleep in until 8 am and we don't have to move the cars for the painter in the morning - yay!!
Our 84 year old neighbor who had back surgery is still in the hospital and we've been watering her beloved decorative grass (have no idea of its actual name!) that she planted in the narrow strip between our two driveways.
She had pointed out to me a few weeks back that she'd have to buy some more plants because they weren't looking as good as when she first planted them. I gently suggested that perhaps it was all the dead matter that was blocking off the new growth. She really didn't have a chance to do anything because she went in the hospital last week with terrible back pain and had to have surgery to try to alleviate a pinched nerve.
I discovered that the grass stalks are really sharp! When I first tried pulling some of the dead stuff this morning, I jammed a small piece into my thumb and had to dig it out with a sterilized needle. I wore gloves this evening. I couldn't pull out every single dead stalk or I'd end up pulling out the live stuff too.
I haven't counted how many of the plants there are altogether but 4 look dead and I left those alone so she can see that they died on their own with no assistance from the plant equivalent of Dr. Kevorkian. Some of the plants are looking very good and she'll be quite pleased that they are "bushing out" now.
I watered the plants a second time this evening to help settle any live roots that I may have disturbed in removing the dead stuff. Taking care of plants is not my forté. I'm just doing it to help them out.
Her husband is very busy every day driving down to visit her at the hospital in Santa Fe. He himself is on oxygen. It's touching to see how he's taking such good care of her. He's arranged for a hospital bed, a walker and a sitter for her until she can get around again on her own. She was such an active woman. I hope her recovery goes smoothly and she can be active again.
The house painter picked up the paint today. He may start priming on Monday. I have some appointments next week. I'll need to be here the day he paints the doors so they can be open.
Grandson was very good on the hike. He even carried his own backpack and water! I'm so pleased that he is such an amazing hiker! He's off to Florida and Disney World this Saturday!
Tomorrow I sleep in until 8 am and we don't have to move the cars for the painter in the morning - yay!!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Potrillo Canyon On a Hot, Sunny Afternoon
Today I drove to White Rock to drop of some items at the thrift shop and library. Afterwards, I drove to the Potrillo Canyon trailhead. It was a sunny, hot afternoon. Breezes were making the South Fork fire to the northwest of Los Alamos puff white smoke but at least it was not dark smoke as in a blow-up.
Seedheads of squirrel-tail grass were wafting along the trail like groups of diminutive hikers out enjoying a stroll. Magenta blooms of desert four o'clock were tightly closed against the mid-afternoon sunshine.
When I got to the overlook above the Rio Grande, I sat on a rock and contemplated where the Rio first broke through to continue it's southern path aeons ago when a volcanic eruption backed up the Rio, forming Culebra Lake. I studied various possibilities from my high perch but wasn't 100% convinced of any.
I enjoyed listening to the sound of wind as it rustled the nearby cholla and junipers. I could clearly hear and see the rapids below me. The thought crossed my mind that no matter how important my problems are to me, to the river, they are trivial, trifling and transient.
On the way back, I noted the amazing profusion of yellow prickly pear flowers. I stopped to admire a barrel cactus's flower - narrow, purple-pink, petals with a bright yellow center and a cool background of green and of white sepals.
Seedheads of squirrel-tail grass were wafting along the trail like groups of diminutive hikers out enjoying a stroll. Magenta blooms of desert four o'clock were tightly closed against the mid-afternoon sunshine.
When I got to the overlook above the Rio Grande, I sat on a rock and contemplated where the Rio first broke through to continue it's southern path aeons ago when a volcanic eruption backed up the Rio, forming Culebra Lake. I studied various possibilities from my high perch but wasn't 100% convinced of any.
I enjoyed listening to the sound of wind as it rustled the nearby cholla and junipers. I could clearly hear and see the rapids below me. The thought crossed my mind that no matter how important my problems are to me, to the river, they are trivial, trifling and transient.
On the way back, I noted the amazing profusion of yellow prickly pear flowers. I stopped to admire a barrel cactus's flower - narrow, purple-pink, petals with a bright yellow center and a cool background of green and of white sepals.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Roofer Regurgitation
OK - this represents more cleaning out of my notebook. I'll simply transcribe some notes I made about the reroof:
I went into excruciating detail about the reroof to get it out of my system. (Still isn't because there is no final resolution yet on the ridge vent and roof penetrations. I'll post that when it happens.)
I only showed the roofer the photos of the short, uncovered section of the ridge vent (well, it's covered with shingles but the VentSure is missing) to justify extending the VentSure to the north edge of the roof. He had offered to do that any way but until I saw the uncovered section, I didn't think it justified the extra work and time on his part.
When he came out last Friday, he offered to test the roof penetrations for water-tightness by running a hose on the roof. I declined. Wind driven rain or snow and drenching, long rains give a truer real world test.
I now have a new chore - check for roof leaks after each precipitation event.
Here's some thoughts on what I'll tell people who ask me about the new roof:
I wouldn't use the roofer again or recommend him to anyone. While it was not a complete horror story, there were some issues of concern that we raised with him after paying him off completely and he showed lack of respect toward us. I would say he doesn't have good customer relation skills.
I went into excruciating detail about the reroof to get it out of my system. (Still isn't because there is no final resolution yet on the ridge vent and roof penetrations. I'll post that when it happens.)
I only showed the roofer the photos of the short, uncovered section of the ridge vent (well, it's covered with shingles but the VentSure is missing) to justify extending the VentSure to the north edge of the roof. He had offered to do that any way but until I saw the uncovered section, I didn't think it justified the extra work and time on his part.
When he came out last Friday, he offered to test the roof penetrations for water-tightness by running a hose on the roof. I declined. Wind driven rain or snow and drenching, long rains give a truer real world test.
I now have a new chore - check for roof leaks after each precipitation event.
Here's some thoughts on what I'll tell people who ask me about the new roof:
I wouldn't use the roofer again or recommend him to anyone. While it was not a complete horror story, there were some issues of concern that we raised with him after paying him off completely and he showed lack of respect toward us. I would say he doesn't have good customer relation skills.
LIfe's Repetitious and Then You Die!
I'm going through my steno pad in which I have jotted down random thought kernels. I may never expand upon these or mention them again but here goes:
Did any of ask to be born? None of us are here in this life because we had a choice. A man and a woman (or maybe a test tube) got together and 9 months later, there we were.
That sort of fits in with another thought that recurs:
Do you ever simply get sick of all the daily repetition involved in just keeping body and soul (and family) together? Flossing, eating (eliminating what we ate!), exercising, taking care of a house, shopping, laundry, blah, blah, blah...obviously a very incomplete list.
Yet, if we were to actually die but then somehow miraculously be brought back to life, each moment, no matter how repetitious, would be precious - at least for a little while.
I guess the quest is to minimize the stuff we don't really want or need to do and make the rest as enjoyable as possible because once we're no longer amongst animate beings, moldering repose will be our only option and that doesn't sound like a lot of fun!
Did any of ask to be born? None of us are here in this life because we had a choice. A man and a woman (or maybe a test tube) got together and 9 months later, there we were.
That sort of fits in with another thought that recurs:
Do you ever simply get sick of all the daily repetition involved in just keeping body and soul (and family) together? Flossing, eating (eliminating what we ate!), exercising, taking care of a house, shopping, laundry, blah, blah, blah...obviously a very incomplete list.
Yet, if we were to actually die but then somehow miraculously be brought back to life, each moment, no matter how repetitious, would be precious - at least for a little while.
I guess the quest is to minimize the stuff we don't really want or need to do and make the rest as enjoyable as possible because once we're no longer amongst animate beings, moldering repose will be our only option and that doesn't sound like a lot of fun!
Great Book: Woodswoman by Anne LaBastille
Our daughter purchased a used book for me recently on a trip to southern NM. It's called Woodswoman by Anne LaBastille. I am savoring it.
This post isn't a book review but the synopsis is that she and her husband divorce and she buys 12 acres in the Adirondacks of upstate New York and builds a log cabin to live in.
In the midst of several weeks of big-time house maintenance (reroof last week and repaint this week) I just wanted to comment that even living in a log cabin with no indoor plumbing presents maintenance challenges.
She had to seal off the outside so mice and bats can't get in. This after a bat swoops across her face while she's lying in her sleeping loft late one night and mice leave droppings in her sugar bowl.
Also, the worry of fire weighs heavy on her mind in the winter. She's so isolated that she would have to fight any fire that started. A constant chore is cutting down cords and cords of wood so she can keep warm in the winter. I wonder if Thoreau touched on any of this in Walden Pond?
This book tells me that living off the grid in a log cabin in the woods would only multiply more chores of home ownership! Yet and still, I dream of a life more carefree of taking care of a house. What's the answer?
This post isn't a book review but the synopsis is that she and her husband divorce and she buys 12 acres in the Adirondacks of upstate New York and builds a log cabin to live in.
In the midst of several weeks of big-time house maintenance (reroof last week and repaint this week) I just wanted to comment that even living in a log cabin with no indoor plumbing presents maintenance challenges.
She had to seal off the outside so mice and bats can't get in. This after a bat swoops across her face while she's lying in her sleeping loft late one night and mice leave droppings in her sugar bowl.
Also, the worry of fire weighs heavy on her mind in the winter. She's so isolated that she would have to fight any fire that started. A constant chore is cutting down cords and cords of wood so she can keep warm in the winter. I wonder if Thoreau touched on any of this in Walden Pond?
This book tells me that living off the grid in a log cabin in the woods would only multiply more chores of home ownership! Yet and still, I dream of a life more carefree of taking care of a house. What's the answer?
Intriguing, Wild, Night Hiker
On Monday night, just as I got near the Christian Church parking lot, I saw a man holding a flashlight come striding across the lot. I waved hello and he immediately started asking me trail directions.
I thought maybe he was asking where the Mesa Trail is so I pointed out the way there but it turned out that he was asking about the south rim trail above Pueblo Canyon that starts from the Walkup Center and goes to behind Aspen Ridge assisted living.
He had a slight accent and may have been wearing a headlamp as well as carrying a flashlight. He had been walking along that rim trail at night, vertigo inducing even in the daylight, and then, not seeing where it came up, had bushwhacked his way up behind Sombrillo nursing home.
He looked young and I'm guessing he's a summer student working at the lab. I walked with him ever so briefly as he was going to give up the trail hike and walk back on the sidewalks in the same direction I was going.
I told him the trail he was on is very steep and it's best not to walk it at night and besides which, that's when animals come out to feed. I did admit to him, though, that in 25 years, I've only seen one mountain lion.
I would have liked to have gotten more details about his explores but it was late at night and I was alone so I said goodbye and crossed the street to continue my tame night walk. I did admire his being out there exploring late at night!
I thought maybe he was asking where the Mesa Trail is so I pointed out the way there but it turned out that he was asking about the south rim trail above Pueblo Canyon that starts from the Walkup Center and goes to behind Aspen Ridge assisted living.
He had a slight accent and may have been wearing a headlamp as well as carrying a flashlight. He had been walking along that rim trail at night, vertigo inducing even in the daylight, and then, not seeing where it came up, had bushwhacked his way up behind Sombrillo nursing home.
He looked young and I'm guessing he's a summer student working at the lab. I walked with him ever so briefly as he was going to give up the trail hike and walk back on the sidewalks in the same direction I was going.
I told him the trail he was on is very steep and it's best not to walk it at night and besides which, that's when animals come out to feed. I did admit to him, though, that in 25 years, I've only seen one mountain lion.
I would have liked to have gotten more details about his explores but it was late at night and I was alone so I said goodbye and crossed the street to continue my tame night walk. I did admire his being out there exploring late at night!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
House Painter Here This Week
The house painter started yesterday morning. So far, he's been prepping the board and batten siding. It's taking a while since we so neglected the paint. He says the prep of the lap siding will be easier. He seems to do a thorough job preparing which will ensure a good paint finish.
When he first came yesterday, even though he had told me he would sand, caulk and paint the area that our insurance company says is snow-damaged, he expressed the opinion, with spouse concurring, that it should really be replaced.
I panicked and called the handyman - the only contractor, of many that came out, who expressed any interest in the job - and left a message asking if he could come out this week to replace the damaged portion after all. Fortunately, the handyman was so busy yesterday that he couldn't call back.
Today the painter sanded away the loose parts of the delaminated, snow-damaged board and batten siding and has caulked the area to make it even. It's a small damaged area and I think the repair he did looks really good. I really think the idea of sanding, caulking, and painting to protect it from the weather will work out just fine and satisfy our homeowner's insurance. Yay on that one! I called the handyman this morning to say we're still going with Plan A first.
The sander that the painter uses is really loud. I hope no neighbors complain. He started a little before 8 am this morning. It will be good when the unavoidably noisy portion of the repaint is over with!
I have to laugh at the idea of sheltering in place if a disaster happens at the DP site clean-up! There's no way I can make this place air tight. Even with the doors closed, some dust from the sanding seeps in. Let's hope the boys don't stir up any buried plutonium waste during the DP site clean-up or I's toast! ; D
I don't need to go over to take care of daughter's kitty and garden today because they get back this evening. Their garden is sprouting nicely. Kitty is so sweet and cute but, man, for a tiny thing that seems to eat nothing, she's very prolific in the litter box department! Her food must have plenty of fiber!
Roofers never came out last Friday. I wonder - should we just wait until THEY contact us next week (he's out of town this week) or call Monday to check on the status of things? I hope they will promptly take care of the items they said they would and not punish me by making me stay home multiple days to wait for them to come out. Believe me, I want to be out of their hair just as much as they want me to be! ; D
When he first came yesterday, even though he had told me he would sand, caulk and paint the area that our insurance company says is snow-damaged, he expressed the opinion, with spouse concurring, that it should really be replaced.
I panicked and called the handyman - the only contractor, of many that came out, who expressed any interest in the job - and left a message asking if he could come out this week to replace the damaged portion after all. Fortunately, the handyman was so busy yesterday that he couldn't call back.
Today the painter sanded away the loose parts of the delaminated, snow-damaged board and batten siding and has caulked the area to make it even. It's a small damaged area and I think the repair he did looks really good. I really think the idea of sanding, caulking, and painting to protect it from the weather will work out just fine and satisfy our homeowner's insurance. Yay on that one! I called the handyman this morning to say we're still going with Plan A first.
The sander that the painter uses is really loud. I hope no neighbors complain. He started a little before 8 am this morning. It will be good when the unavoidably noisy portion of the repaint is over with!
I have to laugh at the idea of sheltering in place if a disaster happens at the DP site clean-up! There's no way I can make this place air tight. Even with the doors closed, some dust from the sanding seeps in. Let's hope the boys don't stir up any buried plutonium waste during the DP site clean-up or I's toast! ; D
I don't need to go over to take care of daughter's kitty and garden today because they get back this evening. Their garden is sprouting nicely. Kitty is so sweet and cute but, man, for a tiny thing that seems to eat nothing, she's very prolific in the litter box department! Her food must have plenty of fiber!
Roofers never came out last Friday. I wonder - should we just wait until THEY contact us next week (he's out of town this week) or call Monday to check on the status of things? I hope they will promptly take care of the items they said they would and not punish me by making me stay home multiple days to wait for them to come out. Believe me, I want to be out of their hair just as much as they want me to be! ; D
Friday, June 11, 2010
If I Ruled My World
If I were allowed to live as I wish, I'd (not in any particular order
and certainly not a complete list):
and certainly not a complete list):
turn off lights in rooms I'm not using
cancel the cable,
force myself to use a computer just once a week to save untold hours
of my life,
read more,
listen to less news,
sleep more,
sort through all my possessions to get rid of clutter,
buy a futon to use instead of a bed,
live as simply and bare bones as I could except for anything to do
with maintaining my health,
live in a quiet condominium with all outside maintenance taken care of,
buy the longest lasting, greenest (in regards to energy use) personal
possessions, car and home appliances that I can find,
visit the national parks a lot,
do my best to stay away from contractors or, baring that, find ones
who aren't intimidated by my "thoroughness"
Waiting for Roofing Crew
Let's face it - they're not going to come out on a Friday afternoon
when they have stayed all week in an apartment in Los Alamos and are
eager to end the work week and get back to their lives. But, the
roofing company owner told me they would call if they're coming out
this afternoon and left no option open that they would call to tell
me they won't be here.
when they have stayed all week in an apartment in Los Alamos and are
eager to end the work week and get back to their lives. But, the
roofing company owner told me they would call if they're coming out
this afternoon and left no option open that they would call to tell
me they won't be here.
It's so hot in the house - 84 degrees. I'm doubly hot because I've
worn my long pants and long-sleeved shirt inside all day rather than
changing into shorts and a T shirt. The roofer said the ridge vent
would make the house cooler but I know better because I actually went
into the attic (he didn't never bothered) and saw only a few soffit
vents with light coming through - the rest are blocked by insulation
batts.
The former owners of this house had also blocked off two of the
furnace's return air vents as well as covered over the crawl space
vents. We reversed all that but would need to call out an insulation
contractor to remedy the soffit vent blockage. I sometimes wonder
what the former owners were thinking in blocking off ventilation.
After repainting the house, I doubt I'll ever want to do another
thing to it unless we have some plumbing issue. I wish we could move
into the senior condos at Oppenheimer Place. Maybe they wouldn't be
perfect and there would be other issues but at least I'd have the
satisfaction of saying adios to this house. Ungrateful as it sounds
when there are people in the world who would be so happy to have even
an old house like this, I'm done with it and want to move on! I
don't want to spend my senior years taking care of a failing body, a
decrepit old house and a gopher-hole-riddled, weed strewn backyard! I
feel trapped, not in control of my life, and I want to get out of
here!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)