Friday, July 20, 2007

Not our year for things associated with water

If we don't get our roof fixed before winter, the above cartoon will be us. Our house is twenty-years-old this year, and is needing an increasing number of repairs and/or replacements, such as roof, windows, gutters, deck planks, and fence parts. We had never lived in one place long enough before to have to deal with all of these things. In the first half of our marriage we moved on average of every 2-3 years, and when we built this house in 1987 we had planned on staying for a few years and then building a bigger one on a larger plot of land. However, because of the cost of raising children...feeding them, doctor bills, clothes, shoes, braces, instruments, lessons, sports teams, school fees, field trips, family vacations and all sorts of other costs that one never thinks about when it comes to raising kids, we never got around to my husband's dream of building the home he really wanted. So, we stayed in the home that is very comfortable, though not exactly the home we planned on spending two or three decades or more in.

So, the roof seems to have moved to the top of the urgent priority list above new garage door, replacing a half-dozen windows, repairing the siding, and the deck planking, fence repair and painting the inside walls, finishing the basement floor, walls and ceilings, finishing the downstairs fireplace mantle, and so forth, and so on. For the homeowner, it never ends.

We needed rain, but not this much all at one time. Not good for the skies to open up and drop water on us like the Great Niagara when we have several leaky spots in our aged roof. I was sitting in my office room, on the computer of course, when the thunderstorms came. I could hear the tapping of the water coming down the furnace chimney like it's been doing for some time, but then it started coming out of a seam in the hallway ceiling tile like a waterfall. Had to get the big Rubbermaid garbage can to catch the steady stream which continued for about an hour, then tapered off. This only happened where it came through once before, but I have a feeling that every time it rains we get puddles in the attic.

I would just like to hire someone to come take care of it, but I know hubby won't want to go into debt for that much money when he can do the project himself for about half the cost. But I am worried about a man who has bum knees, is overweight and arthritic climbing up on the roof of a raised ranch home on a sloping roof to get on his bad knees and with his aching back to replace such a large and sloping roof. But I know there will be no talking him out of it. He will consider it another one of his manly challenges.


And, for those who are wondering . . . no, the hot tub is still not in operation and is still standing on its side in the garage.

8 comments:

Poodles said...

Hi Stardust. I read your comment on my blog about the hot tub, I have been following your saga. I hope you get it going soon. I can't wait for my tub to come. You also said on my blog you have RA also. Can I ask how you treat it?

Stardust said...

poodles, I mainly take Naproxen or Ibuprofen for inflammation. Oftentimes I use just plain aspirin. I am on blood pressure med, and a beta blocker and asthma prevention medicine, too, so have to be careful how much more crap I put into my system.

I sometimes need corticosteroid medications via pills but I try to avoid resorting to that if I can help it.

I have a persistent rash that appears on my face after I get out of a hot bath or shower, or when I am in the sun. I also have developed a rash on my back that is getting worse. The doctor now wants me to have tests to see if I have Lupus, but I have also been reading that RA can cause skin rashes and the two diseases share the same symptoms.

Poodles said...

Stardust,
Rashes can't be fun, it is good he is checking for lupus. RA and lupus are very similar in how they attack the body.

I am looking at different drugs, my dr. is still trying to find something that works. Prednisone works best but you can't take it for long. I have been cutting back on it and I can tell the difference. I also take Methotrexate but that upsets my stomach. I would like to try humira but that involves self injection. *shiver*

Stardust said...

poodles, how long have you been diagnosed with RA?

Poodles said...

I started having problems in December. First my fingers swelled up and I couldn't straighten them, then I could hardly walk and my legs swelled with water to about twice their size. The primary dr. thought I had fibromyalgia and tried treating it like that and nothing was happening. So she sent me to a specialist. He knew the minute he laid eyes on me what was wrong so he ran RA tests and started treatments. That was in February.

How long for you?

Stardust said...

A few years now. I have had the leg swelling, also. It affects my feet, knees and hips the worst and my hands have a hard time sometimes. My vision is all wacko at the moment and very blurry all the time. I am waiting to find out about that.

The restricted diet is helping. Low salt, low sugar, low fat, low protein and low carb...yes, I do manage to enjoy meals. I learned to make some pretty good healthy stuff. If I cheat and go off my diet, my joint pain worsens dramatically. Losing the weight off my bones has helped, too. I lost 32 pounds and don't have anywhere near the problems with foot joint pain anymore.

Poodles said...

That is really good, congratulations. I know I need to lose some weight, it is hard when your hurt so much sometimes. I would love to do some water aerobics program, but all of those classes are during the day time during the week, when I am working.

Have they maybe check for lupus as well, I know that can affect the eyes. Also some of the medications can, but I don't think any of yours does.

My drugs affect my stomach so I have to keep food on it pretty regularly so that it doesn't hurt so much.

Poodles said...

Oh shoot, I just reread your previous post and I see they are testing for lupus, so that is good, and I am getting forgetful.