Reno's and Retirement

 I have been pretty busy of late and there are many things happening in my life. But through it all the Reddings remain much the same. As it has warmed up they have a reluctance to come into the house until it is dark and not much to see outside. They have enjoyed some wondrous sunny times, working on their tans and actually do look a darker orange. I have finally hit on a program that doesn't make Otis upchuck his meals. I switched to Purina car food and also feed smaller amounts three times a day. That way Opus is assured of getting his rightful share and Otis doesn't pig out to the point of pukedom! I, for one am happier with this method.

Friend Jim has been back working on the kitchen again. The floor is done and now he has progressed to some painting of the doors and framework. It all looks good and I am most pleased. The house and its age have given us more than a few surprises, but sometimes we have just had some very good uh- “outhouse” luck so to speak? I can see this all progressing to a full paint job of the kitchen and may need to get some other help in. I am sorely lacking in knowledge of remodeling or even matching and picking colors, for that matter and although Jim is not a professional either he has a lot of common-sense and has been clever enough to figure out some of the houses' idiosyncrasies and work around them. If nothing else it has been a learning experience. Nothing seems to be straight or square and the floor rolls like the ocean. Knowing what we know now, we never would put laminate flooring down but we did and it has made a vast improvement to the overall look of the kitchen. The laminate flooring is made to “float” and snaps together. Great idea but you really need to have a proper FLAT floor. No matter, we needed to fudge a bit here and there but its all good now.

My back went out at the beginning of the week and so I have been no help whatsoever, but wasn't doing an awful lot anyway. Jim seems to like working on his own and says I am most helpful staying out of his way and doing puzzles on the computer-fine by me!

Teko seems to have come to like Jim an awful lot and Jim pays him a lot of attention. Same old story dogs just want to have someone with them 24-7 if at all possible. The cats are too undisciplined to have in the house when you are trying to do anything and indeed it has only been Otis that has spilt things on the floor at all. First it was a partially filled coffee cup and just the other day he actually managed to get a large beer glass out of the sink and knock it to the floor- without breaking it! I am sure he couldn't hold it in his paws so must have used his teeth. And as I have said before”Its always Otis!” At least when he is getting into trouble like that he is not pounding on Opus, and I am sure Opie appreciates that.

The biggest thing the near future holds is a party some friends are setting up for my retirement. I was looking forward to it and then two friends from Alberta have said they would attend and that was really great to hear. Now I am doubly looking forward to it as my friends here and the ones in Alberta have never gotten together really. If this is the beginning or retirement I am all for it!!

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