The Mess. . . . . . . and the last meal!

The big heating and cooling home project was started this morning and

 will continue until completed, probably Wednesday morning.  

It's a mess . . . . . . everywhere.  Today anything required from upstairs was

no longer available.  Fortunately the very cold night warmed up quickly this 

morning and the sun has been shining all day. I took a break from the mess

and had my hair cut and color done, enjoying the time away from clanging

 metal, drilling, hammering etc. Fat garlands by the yard of old, dusty silvered

 ducts snake about the grass, piles of pink and yellow insulation look like

 cotton candy, numerous rusty metal boxes, sheets of plywood, tool boxes

 and other questionable paraphernalia cover the driveway. New equipment

and parts stand shiny and clean in the sunshine.

We sneeze, the workmen sneeze - dust from the old equipment or pollen

from the blooming shrubs and trees?  

Not to change the subject (but know you're not interested in seeing photos of the piles

 of trash outside) do you ever think what you would request as your last meal - like

 the movie characters on their way to the 'chair'?  

Today, though hopefully not my last by any means, I needed my favorite
 breakfast to stand me in good stead for facing the mess in the house.

This easy meal I would also actually request if ever heading to the gallows

 or electric chair!  Just a slice or two of good crusty farm bread toasted,

 salted Irish butter, and my favorite English thick cut orange marmalade.

I perhaps inherited this from my mother. I recall it was her go to favorite

 when she was not up to cooking a big meal just for herself. Her familiar voice
 would cross the pond through the long distance cable, and when I asked what she
 was having for supper, she would say with a laugh, "I really just fancy some toast
 and marmalade." 

Bob read me my horoscope from the morning paper and we had to laugh -

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

"Take the plunge. Home improvements, reconnecting with old friends and romance are favored."

The home improvements are underway : I bumped into an old friend at the salon : now just awaiting the romance which could be snuggling to stay warm tonight, yet another cold one forecast.

Viewpoint. . . . . hot and cold!

I'm useless when it comes to taking selfies. 
Perhaps having my phone in a leather case makes it more difficult. 
But I love my case, especially when I drop my phone!  
Anyway, I really dislike photos of myself at this age so don't take many,
 plus I usually dodge other people coming at me with a camera.

These I took on Monday killing time whilst waiting for a salesman to arrive
 to talk about replacing our HVAC system. Our house, built in 1985, is aging
 too and things need to be updated. One comes to a point where a quick fix
 is no longer going to work. Heat breaking down on a freezing winter 
day + air conditioning dying during a heatwave = stress and discomfort.
Like most people in this modern age, we've been spoiled. Technology
has, with all its faults, at least made daily living in whatever climate 
ones inhabits, much more comfortable when regulation of the temperature
is possible.

So three salesman have come this week, all very nice and very different.
 Several estimates for this big, costly job are needed, mostly just out of curiosity
 as to the differences in cost for the same job and equipment, and of course
 the guaranteed work of the company and its installers. We've heard horror
 stories from people being ripped off in many ways with pricing and poor
 workmanship when it comes to these types of home improvements.

We did our homework ahead of time.
Hopefully we'll find the best company with a fair price and can get moving
 with the work whilst the weather, and the attic, stay cool.
A mess ahead? Of course! Spring cleaning may be put on hold!