Happy Holidays

Happy Christmas to you and yours from me and mine - as applicable.

Another holiday picture from the Leg - our tax dollars at work.  The open house was a lot less crowded this year - due to the weather.

more wiring fixed

In correcting the bathroom light, some of the wiring had to be rerun. In order to rerun the wiring some holes were cut in the hall as well as the bathroom ceiling. The bathroom ceiling has been a mess since we had some leaking a few winters ago.

After a trip to Rona for supplies, we replaced the wet insulation and tuck taped up the plastic. As we had suspected, the vent tube from the exhaust fan was no longer attached to the outside vent but was instead venting warm, moist air into the cool space of the roof. Using duct tape, we fixed that as well.

So we had a bit of leaking while the air space cooled due to condensation. We left the drywall off and cut a hole in the plastic sheeting to allow drainage. It drained for a couple of days and then was fine. But with the warmer days we had, a bit of the ice dams on that end of the roof melted and needed to be drained as well.


We’ll get it ready – but not close up the drywall until before Christmas. We might open it back up to check before the spring melt.

Renos - counters and door to deck

Last week Monday was a busy day for renovations. They came in to change the kitchen window out for a door. They also replaced the kitchen counters.




Even though they had checked before, there was an electrical wire running under the window that had to be rerouted. Shan had picked out the door but we thought it have more glass in it. The one installed was solid – which makes that corner a bit darker.

In rerouting the wire, we lost power to a few outlets on the counter as well as the bathroom light. We got to use the battery powered camp lantern for a few days until we could get the electrical fixed.



The counter replacement went smoother. Both the large one by the sink and stove as well as the smaller one between the fridge and freezer were swapped out. We had the old one replaced with a darker one that will match better with the new flooring when that gets done in the new year.
Since they had to take the sink and taps out to replace the counter we had them put in new taps that we had picked out at Rona.  The stainless steel double sink we had was still fine so we just reused it.

Car woes - new battery

We had a bit of trouble with the van on the weekend. On Sunday, the signals stopped working and we were unable to restart it. We got a boost and it stalled out again on the way home. We picked up a new battery but the battery light kept coming on.

On Monday, I drove the van to work and back and the battery light would come on occasionally. That night I took it to Walmart to return the old battery and it stalled again on the way home.  We tried to boost it but had to call CAA to have it towed.

It seems that there is a problem with the alternator – which is apparently what the battery light actually indicates. So my dad is going to change that out for us.  Luckily it did not happen while on holidays or in the depths of winter.

Snow delay

With the dump of snow, certain renovations need to be put on hold until the spring. The back roof being the main one. In the meantime, if we thaw a bit for the weekend, I may pick up a can of that spray rubber to try until then.

The wood from the deck, and the broken sofa chair from the living room also need to go to the dump. We also have some piping from the old pool that needs to be cut down for the garbage. While we can still take a load during the winter, it gets a lot messier with all the snow. 

I have cleaned down my corner of the kitchen and we took down the garland and lights in the kitchen in preparation for the door to the deck going in. Since that had to go somewhere, it ended up downstairs which puts a bit more pressure on cleaning up the downstairs again to make that desk a viable surface on which to work.

New tub surround

Bathfitters came out and did manage to change out the tub surround in one day. The removed the old surround and some of the drywall where it had gotten wet through the cracks in the old surround.
I was concerned that it would have had mold in behind to the insulation but it didn’t penetrate that far. They replaced the drywall with greenboard and put in the new surround.



Because it now goes up to the ceiling and the doors are higher, it makes it seem a bit tighter in the shower but it’s not really. The surround also covers the tub itself and has a grid in the bottom to prevent slipping. They didn’t put back the vent cover but that was easy to finish. They replaced the hot and cold taps with one combined tap (which I don’t like) and the shower doesn’t have the power that it used to.


But even with that, they did a great job. They were very tidy and neat and the finished work is very nice. I would certainly recommend them to anyone who needs a change.

Passport to adventure?

Since we don’t really travel beyond our borders except for the occasional trip down to Fargo, I never needed a passport. The one time I flew, to Vegas for the GAMA Trade Show, was back in 2000 so we didn’t need passports yet.


When the requirements came around for greater security when crossing the border by car, instead of getting a passport, I opted for an Enhanced ID card. Besides being cheaper, it was much more convenient to get. With the RFID chip and the sleeve to block the RFID signal, I don’t usually keep the card with me – and opted not to change my Driver’s License over to one that included the Enhanced ID.

I only use the Enhanced ID when I cross into the States and don’t use it the rest of the year. I had neglected to check last year after we got back and didn’t notice that it had expired.

When I went to renew it, I was told that it was too late to renew it and that I would have to go down and re-apply again – meaning that I wouldn’t get my card back in time to go to the states last weekend. Frustrating – but totally my fault.

So I had to rush to apply for a passport and then rush downtown to drop it off and pay extra for the faster service to ensure it was here it time. I had to pop down last Thursday to get it.

So, what do I get in the mail last week Tuesday? An Enhanced ID. The renewed one that they said they couldn’t do in time and without me having to go down and re-interview.