May 6 - a wrench in the works

So far the car looks good, although I'm not 100% sure of the coolant level.  This morning I'll be able to tell, perhaps, if there's any leakage with a little more driving around.  There's no dripping but I'm leery with all those seals so I won't be convinced until some time has passed.  It might have been prudent to replace the radiator hoses too, but I didn't.  It definitely isn't leaking at the drain plug with the head broken off and, by the looks of it, removal and replacement will be easy.  I was under the car late yesterday in good light with the engine running, checking that out.

I got part of my lab tests back yesterday, the PSA reading.  It's unchanged at zero-point-three, which is good.  I've got an appointment tomorrow with the urologist in Winter Park to undergo another "digital" test.  Ugh.  I'm tired of that !

I did have my cleaning appointment at the dentist yesterday and that went well  That should hold me until we get back in September.  Today I've got an appointment with Kollmer, the ortho.  I can report to him that I'm getting stronger but range of movement isn't really changed much even with all the stretching exercises that I do.  I guess that it will be "see you in September" with him; we'll see what a few months brings.

The sky is clear or at least it's clear towards the moon.  Looking out the window there is just the slimmest of slivers.  I don't know if it's waxing or waning.  Of course it's only 5:23 a.m. so I wouldn't expect the sky to be light !

Vic came over after my dentist appointment to go through the detailed drawings.  We spent more time talking about bulkheads than the configuration itself.  From "raise the bulkheads 6 inches" to "raise the bulkheads 12 inches" to "extend the bulkheads outward to accommodate the deeper cabinets" to my -- "eliminate the bulkheads altogether".  Why were they there in the first place ?  Someone's bad idea of good design.

BUT, that means that we're basically gutting the kitchen.  Once you remove the wainscoting  down below and remove the bulkheads, most of the drywall is being replaced.  Not only that, but with removal of the bulkheads, we're doing work on the ceilings too.  Not only that, but areas of textured drywall will have to meet with areas of new drywall.  Sigh.

I don't know what this does to our schedule.  It's not something that I can do on my own without a lot of time.  I've got to talk to Jim Brendel.  I don't know if we can sort all this out before we leave for up north.

The security system is another issue.  We'd had false alarms and haven't used it since.  We need to go out for a few hours with Abby and see if it triggers.  Jim Brendel has left a chunk of money in his estimate to move the security system panel, not knowing what's behind the wall.  I'll bet that between replacing some sensors, if they've gone bad, and Jim's allowance for moving the panel, I'd be able to purchase and install myself, an entire wireless setup using the same system that I have up north.  That eliminates any risk of damage to all those wires in the attic when anything is done or pinching and/or cutting wires when any surface work is performed in the house. 

More wrenches.  Stay tuned.  Vic was calling it "a money in the wrench".  I didn't correct him.

We had our usual after-the-weekend shrimp meal.  Perhaps there will be one more before we leave for the great white north.

Oh yes, we heard from the furniture place and that new dresser won't be in until June 1.  We told them that they could store it until we get back, thank you very much.

Oh yes, I did go for a bike ride yesterday.  It was a nice cruise southwards in the dark, the new light doing its job admirably.  I like it.  I was back before 11am, well in time for lunch and my 12:50 teeth cleaning appointment. 

Onward.