Sunday, February 28, 2021

A winter without end

 


Usually, Cookie is ecstatic around Ground Hog Day - because it's the beginning of the end of winter.  And this past February 2nd, Cookie was high as a kite on the idea that January was done. And you know March, in like a like lion, and out like a lion, with a week or ten days of lamb time. 

And here we are the first of March, and mother nature has dealt everyone a punishing month. 

But a week of warming, and rain has turned our backyard into a water meadow and is making our sump pump work overtime.  At least something in this house is working.  The effing timer for the light over the front door is not.

Our latest problem is that the electric timer we had that turned our front door light on and off died. Now, you have to understand that we have used an intermatic timer for our outdoor porchlights for the last 30+ years.   Set it and forget is wonderful. 

Our problem is it is no longer 1990, but 2021, and things don't use electricity like they used to. The problem is that our house has the original 1928 BX wiring, which is safe if you just don't taunt it.  So none of the timers they make today - ALL of which are for these upgraded systems - work with our older wiring. Oh, we can buy one of the few remaining timers that will work with our house, but they only work with incandescent lightbulbs - the rough service variety that we used are up to nine dollars a bulb.  So we either spend $150 for a $15 dollar timer, and nine dollars a bulb, OR, we spend a thousand on rewiring that switch and another $500 for plaster repair, OR we live with the manual switch. 

And so we decided to be screwed with the manual switch.  The problem with that is that neither of us can remember to turn that damned thing off in the morning.  And because we're both stuck here at home, the damned light stays on all of the time, OR, gets turned off at 2 PMish.  Some savings. 

Oh, we have left tickler notes in paper, on our phones, set off alarms, but we keep forgetting to turn the fucking light out. 

We are just pathetic. 

Looking at the week ahead - it's pledge weeks on PBS which means a lack of decent programming.  I am thinking that I am just going to run through the two seasons of Derry Girls that we have. 

Oh, tell me you have watched Derry Girls, popkins.  Don't let Cookie be disappointed in you.  Make you a deal, watch it if you haven't done it.  Once you get the hang of the accents, it's a snap. Or you can turn on the SAP feature on the television, eh?

Hope your lives are at least more soothing than mine.

Crotchictyly yours,

Cookie








10 comments:

  1. Oh, the trials and tribulations! Elderly wiring comes as standard in some houses, it seems. In our own (rented) abode, we had a problem last year with a loud, explosive (and scarily random), noise under our kitchen floor that turned out to be caused by a long-standing issue of rats gnawing on the cables (why the bastards didn't die and then leave well alone is a mystery!). The fact that none of this "immortal rodent" activity triggered the trip fuses in our fuse box now means that at some stage after the end of lockdown, probably the whole kitchen is going to have to be dismantled and new cabling and a new fuse box installed. I'm hoping we can book a long holiday out of the way for that one.

    Hey ho. Spring is almost upon us! You won't need to worry about a timer spotlight once the nights are longer... Jx

    PS Never seen Derry Girls. It doesn't sound like it's our "cup of tea".

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    1. Derry Girls? OMG - its a riot. I was laughing so hard in the "Vision" episode that I almost pee'd in my bloomers.

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    2. We'll probably get around to it eventually. It's only recently that we started watching Gavin and Stacey from the beginning, and that started in 2007..! Jx

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    3. Your blogs make my week. I enjoy reading and listening to both of them on Saturday mornings. Your rat problem reminded me of an album I used to have. You may have already featured it, but if not, this was the song that came to mind by the wonderful Leona Anderson. Florence Foster Jenkins eat your heart out.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beQc-WDMnow

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  2. Derry Girls is on Netflix. Have watched. Can't understand anything they say, so I have to watch it with subtitles. Much of the slang goes right over my head, but they are a lively lot and fun to watch. March came in here, MN, like a lamb. And temps should be 48 this week, which is odd. We seem to be rather lucky... other than those two weeks of bitter cold in February. Take care, dear... and be of good cheer. End of March... spring. YAY.

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    1. We have been watching a lot of British mysteries around here, which includes Vera. So my ear is cocked in the right direction. Still, I have to call my friend who has family in Northern Ireland and ask her to translate.

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  3. Wake up, down the stairs, turn the DAMN light off, make breakfast!

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    1. Got it today at 10am.

      Part of the problem is that the husband is working from home the one year anniversary of which is next week. It's disrupted my Cookie routine.

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  4. I am a long time follower of your blog and I love it. Your updates make my day. If you have not already seen these shows you may enjoy them. I know they've helped me keep my sanity lately. Moone Boy, on Hulu. Similar to Derry Girls. The show has a nice heart to it without being sappy. Another favorite was Still Game on Netflix. I want to be friends with this group. Very well thought out show. Also on Netflix, House of Flowers. If you don't speak Spanish, no problem, there is an English audio track. And finally on Amazon, Outrageous Fortune and the prequel Westside. Gritty and a lot of fun. Please keep up the great blog.

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