...ARGH !!!

I don't like guns...
and wouldn't be caught dead in that dress...
[the color's nice...but the style...?]
or those shoes... ouchy mama !
but otherwise...
this sentiment is SO me, right now...

lately... I've had "issues"...
with...


I just spent over an hour ...
trying to find out why 2 links I put in a post...
to a blog I KNOW exists...came up ... "blog not found"...
[it actually took me less time to write this post...
including finding the images...]

I found a typo at first, in one of them..
fixed it...and...voila... it still didn't work...
so, I redid them ...SEVERAL TIMES...
[ah, sarcasm... the refuge of the embittered mind...]

perhaps, I need one of these...

because... after much "experimenting"...
"researching" and plain old "trial & error"...
[mostly the latter...]
all my efforts were STILL unsuccessful...
so...I decided to give it "one more try"...
before deleting and conceding "defeat" ...
at the hands of technology...

so... one last time...
I started from scratch...
retyped the link address...
just like I did it the first time [without the typo]...
AND IT WORKED !!!

"encouraged"...

I did the same procedure with link # 2 [that never had a typo...]
it also worked...

I'm so glad it FINALLY worked...
because I was contemplating this...


or even using this...


I've got to say that between "error...image not downloaded"...
"blogger not responding"..."blog not found"...
"autosave failed" or "server not responding..."

I've felt swallowed up in frustration at Blogger lately...

[is it just my imagination... or does this cat look familiar ?]

...how do you like your eggs ?

I know that there is no difference between brown eggs and the others...
but I grew up with white store bought eggs...
[except for my first 3 or 4 years of life...when we had chickens...]
and when I could first get fresh organic eggs...
as an adult, out on my own...
they were brown... and the die was cast....



I grew up eating eggs,"over easy"...
dipping toast or bacon into the yolk... yumm...
so if it was too cooked, I wouldn't eat it...
I dislike hard cooked yolks to this day...
[reason #1 that I don't eat breakfast sandwiches with egg...]



I like scrambled eggs if they are well prepared...
but more on that later...



in my humble opinion, eggs "sunnyside up"...
are raw...slimy and nasty...
I have eaten them only under duress...
[my host family in the Netherlands
thought it the perfect "American" breakfast...]
I will eat eggs poached, coddled or "over hard"...
before "sunnyside"...



well prepared scrambled eggs are ambrosial...
I first ate them at the Ahwanee Lodge in Yosemite...
then used the Food Network web site...
to figure out HOW to make them...

Ambrosial Scrambled eggs for 2
4 - 6 large eggs[depends how hungry you are...]
using a balloon wisk, whip eggs until they are a frothy pale yellow...
use a tablespoon of cream [or half&half...]...for every 2 eggs...
add to eggs, blend in with wisk...

have a 10" or 12" skillet over medium heat...
take a stick of butter and rub the hot pan surface with it...
the butter should not brown[if it does, pour it out,turn down heat & wait...]
once the butter melts, but doesn't brown, as you move the stick around...
melt about 4 TBLSP of the butter this way...

then add the eggs and cream mixture...
this is the time for freshly ground pepper ...
and salt [Kosher or ground sea...]to your taste...

then...LEAVE IT ALONE...
depending on the size of the pan...
and depth of the egg/cream mix...
it may take a couple of minutes to start to set...
using you spatula, test for setting by going around the edge
of the pan, loosening the mixture as it starts to set...
folding the outsides "in"...

once "curds" form in the pan [lumps of setting egg...]
use your spatula to make continuous figure 8's
in the pan, keeping the eggs moving as they set...
when all the extra moisture seems incorporated...
and you can see pan bottom when you stir...
remove from the heat...[or turn off the gas...]

the residual heat will continue to solidify the eggs...
you DON'T want to see "water"...
then the eggs will be overdone...
"dry"...nasty... what I used to make...

before plating...sprinkle on just a bit ...
of the finely shredded cheese of your choice...
[bits of goat cheese or blue cheese would work too...]
and snip on fresh chives...
[VERY important...]

my favorite accompaniments ...?
farmer-style hash browns, crispy bacon...
and a nice, dense, whole grain bread toast...

UMMMM....

for all those of you who are "health conscious"...
you can use "egg substitutes"...
you can use whole milk, or even 2%...
and you can use olive oil...or canola instead of butter...
but WHY would you ?

better to have 1 or 2 eggs cooked this way once in a while...
and then take a long walk...
than to eat rubbery stuff and feel righteous...

after all, the healthiest way to eat ...
and, really, to do anything...
is to do all things in moderation...



Eggs Benedict...not too bad either...
especially this way...
with spinach...[aka Florentine]
again...in moderation...



that brings us to omelettes...
there's an art to them too...
very much like the scrambled eggs...
except you don't continue to stir after they begin to set...
and you fill them with any number of things...

my preferences are for veggie fillings...
especially onion, bell pepper, mushroom...
with cheese...

spinach or mixed veggie is good too...

the one in this picture is more like a fritatta...
that's an omelette that has the fillings added...
and is then baked in the oven...
sort of like a quiche without the crust...

you can make a stove top fritatta/omelette...
by NOT stirring as it sets at all...
and putting all the fillings into the uncooked egg...
finishing the cooking by covering it or turning it...

and this is a vehicle that can be "streamlined"...
egg substitutes... lowfat milk... oil, not butter...
but here... you can cover it with salsa [or ketchup...]
and you won't notice that the eggs have no flavor...

or, again... moderation...

so, if you ask me...
"how do you like your eggs ?'
I could just point to this art piece....



unless you have a kitchen and the supplies handy ...
to allow me to introduce you...
to the best scrambled eggs you've ever eaten...

...the "good catnapping" purr of approval....

the furry red thing you see...
is the really cool, hand-crafted kitty bed...
presented to my herd by Miz Minka...
artiste & knitter, extraordinaire !

it is made with acrylic yarn [washable... a very good thing...]
and comes with a color-coordinated non-skid mat...
[also a very good idea...]
and since everything in my house is pretty much earth tones...
the dark red, with a black pattern is also perfect...



click on this to see and learn more about felted cat beds...
and to see Minka, herself... demonstrating proper "bed" usage...
I understand that cat Minka "tests" all beds knitted by Miz Minka...
including this one...
[does that mean they are "pre-napped" ?]

I had wanted one since Miz Minka first showed them on her blog...
[having NO dearth of felines, always in search of the perfect bed...]
but their creation is time consuming and yarn is not inexpensive...
so I was eagerly waiting for them to go on sale
on Miz Minka's Etsy.com site...
[check MM's blog for details...]



the first to snoop [no surprises here...] was Sneaky Pie...
she sniffed, sneezed [allergic to Minka, perhaps ?]
then... noticing that I was taking pictures...
had to come, help...
[batting the camera cord, pawing my arm, chewing my shoe strings...
the usual "making a pest of herself" routine...]

[BTW... the hair-challenged patches on SP ...
are the result of too many bouts with Thomas...
NOT mange...]



as Sneaky Pie was helping me with the camera...
Lacy spotted the bed and went to investigate...
she also sneezed...and then promptly began to "make beds"...
the universal cat gesture of approval and ownership...

she was having a good time...
until Sneaky Pie noticed...
and gave her the "bum's rush"...



after a bit... Lucyfur, local connoisseur of cat beds...
ventured forth...
she didn't sneeze...made a bed or two...
sat down...scratched her ear...
and began to wash herself...

[SPie is too smart... to mess with Miz Lucyfur...]

knowing the natural progression of cat bathing...
and having the added karma of the camera...
I quit taking pictures...
while the "quitting" was good...

thanks Miz Minka...
for the lovely cat bed...
they will enjoy it thoroughly...
and it matches the red accent wall very well...

post script...as you can see...the bed is "claimed"...



"it's mine, mine, mine...hee,hee"[Sneaky Pie]
"it's too small for all my catly girth anyway ...harumph...!"[Gracie]



"hee, hee, hee..." [SPie]
"oh, shut up !" [Gracie]

["hee, hee, hee..."] [SPie]
"I can HEAR you..." [Gracie]

...happy birthday, Mom

Mom would have been 96 today...
when I was a little kid, her birthdays
always meant a special dinner
at my great-grandparents house...

when I was older...
after my great grandparents had passed away...
we would celebrate in late July...
up at the cabin in the high Sierras...
where grandma always spent the summer...
from Memorial Day through Labor Day...every year...
and we always spent the last week of July...

we always arrived with the pickup stuffed ...
with us...[Mom, my brother and I...]
our stuff...and a ton of supplies...
Dad brought us up, then went home to tend the ranch...
on the following Sunday...he would return to get us...

since there was only the small camp store...
Grandma relied on visitors to bring up perishables...
and since it was summer...
we always had a lot of seasonal produce...

tomatoes, squashes, green beans, sweet corn...
bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplant...
giant flat sweet red onions, cantaloupe...
peaches, plums & nectarines...

all homegrown...tree or vine ripened...
from our ranch/garden...
or the neighbors down the road...
because in the country...
no one came to visit ...
without bringing something
that they grew...

my favorite meal would always come from this bounty...
oh sure...there are several cold weather meals I love...
but this one, coming as it did,
almost entirely from the labor of "known" hands...
always satisfied a deeper hunger...

Mom & Grandma would generally fix this meal for "dinner"...
[the noon meal] on the Sunday that Dad would return ...
after his week alone...

they would fry chicken...
mash potatoes...
make milk gravy from the pan drippings...

simmer green beans with onions and bacon...
until there was almost no liquid left...
cook sweet corn...sometimes cutting it off the cob ...
and sauteing it with bacon grease, salt & pepper...

there would be thinly sliced sweet red onions and cucumbers...
in vinegar with thick sliced, dead ripe tomatoes...
the tomato juice and vinegar making the most wonderful dressing...

and biscuits...made from scratch...
cut out with an old can...
long ago stripped of it's label ...
and relegated to the biscuit art...

my brother generally drank milk...
but the adults had iced tea...
[including me, as I never liked drinking milk with a meal]
not the sweet tea of the South...
but the sugar bowl was never too far away...

and for dessert... cobbler...
using whatever we had the most of...
peaches or nectarines....
or blackberries...if there were any left on the vines...
[if the summer was cool...there might be...]
with the dough dropped on the top
and baked to bubbling perfection...

I find myself craving this meal...
but it's one that needs a group to enjoy it...
so I just remember the ones past...
and hope for a future chance to share it...

except for my brother and I...
they're all gone now...
I only hope that wherever they all are...
they can celebrate Mom's birthday this year...
like we used to...

with a country chicken dinner...
& all the fix'ns...

happy birthday, Mom...
wish you were here...

...until there are none...

a couple of months ago...
I put a link on my blog to the Animal Rescue site...
[another good idea from Miz Minka...]
it's still there...in the right margin...
right above Sitemeter....

everyday...I click the "kitty icon"....
it takes me to their homepage...
where I click the "give, it's free" button...
and then return back to my day...

on a slow day, it takes all of 10 seconds...

since then... I have received several letters
from the well-known shelters who receive food as a result
of my "clicking"...
thanking me for my donation...
[I was on the "list" anyway...so this doesn't bother me...]

sponsors pledge to give a portion of food for every click...
and I figured that by "clicking" everyday for the past 3 months or so...
I've helped feed several animals a week for that time period...
AT NO COST TO ME...
other than the time [10 seconds ?] spent "clicking...



there are thousands of homeless, unwanted and abused pets...
cared for by these shelters each day...
until we become a society that "spays & neuters"...
it will be the reality...



it takes so little effort on our part to help in this way...
it seems the very least we could do....
for them... who only want to love and be loved...



so... please "click" to help feed homeless animals...
it's free and will make you feel that you've helped...

spay & neuter your pets...

and...

until there are none...adopt one...

...in the gloaming

the light was fading fast...
all the street lamps had come on...
down at the circle...
the small patch of urban park was hosting
the final inning of a whiffle ball game
amidst the trees and gathering dusk...

the hum of I5 traffic, 2 miles to the west...
was an undercurrent to the stillness
that settled like a shroud over the still warm air...
hunching down over the neighborhood...
brown and smokey in the fading light...
without a hint of the delta breeze we generally enjoy...

the only sounds to intrude on the evening hush...
were the "coosh" of the ballgame...
the pop-pop of some early firecrackers...
a few random words...
the whoosh of a car passing...
and the incessant drone of the freeway...

as I started my walk...
I was reminded of another evening, 6 months ago...
when I went "walking anyway"...
after a difficult day...

I have been dealing with back pain for about 2 weeks now...
and haven't been able to walk...
today, I've been "tight"...
I woke up tight and sore...and so it remained...

I took a nap....and woke up stiff and sore...
I'm not really hungry, but find myself wanting to eat...
this is NOT a pattern I want to fall back into...
so I have to figure out WHY this is happening...

I have a LOT to do...a LOT to declutter...
that is... physically pick-up, carry out & throw away...
and if you understand the psychology of clutter...
you know that the clutter becomes a part of the clutterer...

as liberating as decluttering is...
the physical act is hard, dirty and wrenching...
and when you have a body that seizes at the advent of stress...
you have a problem...

since having clutter and being overweight
are very much the fruit
of the same defence mechanism...
my "nervous eating urges" are a reaction
to my current clutter distress...
as is the pain in my back...
[it's really pinched nerves...pinched by stressed muscles...]

the prospect of dropping a cool 25K on the bath redo isn't helping either...
besides all the stress involved with a month or so of chaos...
I've "lived" with contractors before...
it gets really old... really fast...

so I know that I have to get busy...
and move this stuff...
I'm NOT looking forward to the pain...
especially on my own...

in my quest to declutter... I've had help of all kinds...
I've had paid help that didn't work too well
because I got stressed by their "judgemental attitudes"...
got "sore", and had to stop...

some have had very good intentions in their desire to help...
but "took over"... insisting on doing things their way...
creating stress for me and while some problems were solved...
others were created...

not really my idea of "help"...
two steps forward... another step back...

there have been a couple of people who came to help...
and did just that...
they let me "call the shots"...didn't judge or complain...
just cheerfully worked with me...
did things I couldn't, without making a big deal of it...
and each time, after they left...things were better...

the places we dealt with then...
are still pretty organized...
even after a year or so...
some clutter has accumulated there...
but it was put there on it's "way out the door"...
and that is happening... slowly...

as I look at the impending bath redo...
I know that there are several clutter bombs I need to defuse...
for ease in the demo and removal of the bath fixtures & tile...
and I guess that's got me stressed...
making my back hurt ...
AND giving me the nervous munchies...

so this evening, despite the pain and stiffness in my back...
after 8:30 PM...I went out to move the sprinkler...
and just kept walking... down the street...
past the circle, with it's ballplayers...
around the corner and down the short route...

soon... I was at the site that had been my reward
for "walking anyway" that cold late fall evening...
now the street lamp, looking like the signature one from Narnia,
illumined the young green leaves of the liquid amber tree...

nothing spectacular...not at all like it was last fall...
but when I got home, I went in...
got my camera...and walked back...
taking the picture you see at the top of this post...

on my way back home...
as I was rounding the corner ...
by the now vacated circle park...
the university carillon, blocks to the north...
began to chime the hour...
a sound I've known for over 40 years...

it was now quite dark...but still so quiet...
even the hum of the interstate had faded...
as the now almost spent day seemed to hold its breath...
slipping gently into the arms of the night...

I walked past houses... some dark and still...
others with curtains drawn but lit from within...
the occasional hum of an AC unit...
but mostly open doors...and windows...
waiting for the cooling breath of breeze from the delta...

a lady walking her dog...
on the other side of the street...
going the other way...
holding fast, saying,"no !'...
with the dog straining at the lead...

I passed a cat...out for the evening air...
and thought of the Piglet...
already incarcerated for the night...
who would lobby for freedom on my return...

as I approached my house...
I was glad that I had "walked anyway"...
I wasn't rewarded with a breath-taking sight...
this time...
but at least I got back out there...
and tomorrow is another day...

I just have to "keep walking"...and see where it takes me...

...smoke gets in your eyes

I love the mountains...
the piney smell of trees in summer...
the earthy smells that remind you of the fauna who live free...
the clean scent of rushing water...
tinged with the slightest whiff of algae ...
on the craggy rocks that are subtly polished
by the river's headlong rush
to rejoin the sea...

all the smoke in the air these days ...
has not only got me sneezing, coughing
and popping Zyrtek-D...
along with Excedrin for the headaches
from my protesting sinuses...

it also hurts my heart ...
to think of all that is happening...
to CAUSE all this smoke and haze...

I know that forest fires are natural...
even essential, on some levels...
for a healthy ecosphere...


but I keep thinking ...
about how long it takes
for a tree to grow...

about how the mature ones ...
that are being destroyed now...
can never be "replaced" in my lifetime...


and the terrified animals...

the ones who are fleeing the inferno...
losing their homes...
and perhaps, their lives as well...


or who are injured in the flames...
and suffer horribly...

having no understanding ...
of our desire to help them...


then there is the human toll...

the people who lose everything they've worked for...
or worse...ones they love...

the memories of a lifetime...gone...
turned to ash and smoke...

perhaps at a time of life...
when rebuilding is not really an option...

and those who brave terrible danger...
suffer great hardships...
and risk it all...


perhaps even being injured or dying a horrific death ...



trying to protect the lives and property...
of people they will never know...
or even meet...



and then...the aftermath...
the utter devastation...



lost and ruined lives...
homes destroyed...



the acrid stench of smoke...and charred wood...
melted metal...plastic...
and death...

the forest will regenerate itself...
that is nature's way...
humans and animals will return
to make their homes among the trees ...
that will grow back...

but those who have lost their lives...
possessions... homes...and hope...
will never have their time again...

not the way it was...
before the fire came...

so join me in a moment of silence...
for all the pain, devastation and loss...



may God richly bless all ...
who are seeing their lives go up in smoke...
and those who try to help them...

"when your heart's on fire... smoke gets in your eyes..."

...the continuing "Carol of the Cat"

the previous evening had seen Piglet...
[Queen of the Night...]
lurking "out & about" until 10-ish...

this wasn't a problem before...

before possums prowled the yard ...
invading my bedroom in search of food...
every time the window remains open after dark...

so Mz Queen of the Night's previous evening's activities...
had caused me to sit in vigilance...
standing guard by the open window...
for a couple of hours...
with painful pinched nerves...

alternately "shooing away" possums...
pondering WHY I had ever chosen to live with cats...
and "inviting" Ms Willful, ..."in"...
with a constant crescendo in the volume
of those "invitations"...

all this occasioned by the unfortunate timing...
of the "feeding of the Fluff"...
who is NOT amused when her dish is empty...

[Fluff... positioned pointedly...next to her heart's desire...]

Piglet... ever the opportunista ...
upon hearing the food being served early [5:30-ish]...
had oozed in... stuffed herself...
[after elbowing Fluff to the side...]
and swooped out...

to "disappear" into the evening...
until her MUCH later return...
WELL after her curfew...

so on this day, when she flitted in around 6:30...
[again elbowing Fluff out of the way ...]
so that she could, dine & dash...
I closed the window...

at first she was too busy stuffing her face
to notice... her now, incarcerated state...
all too soon ... she realized that she was not only "toast"...
but, horror of horrors... inside toast...

and the "song & dance" began...


at first...she just stared...
assuming... that I must have not noticed
that the window was closed...


then the "staring outside" began...
ears turned backwards to catch any sign
of movement from me...
and the muttering...
["I don't know WHY this window is closed...
there is still light...
and I need to be OUT...]


when it becomes obvious to "Herself"...
that expressions of longing to be "out"...
and mere mutterings ...
will NOT work this time...


she begins the annoyed demands...
["OUT... I DEMAND TO BE OUT !!!"
AND I WANT OUT NOW !!!]

this is repeated at various octaves, in several modes...
and at increasing decibel levels...
with not just a few invectives and bad words in "cat"...
ad infinitum...


finally... she accepts her fate...
resignation and despair overwhelm her...
but she continues to whine in total disbelief...
at my complete villainy...
["why are you SOOO mean to me... ?
I'm NEVER mean to you... I HATE you !...]

and Miss Fluff...ensconced in her nest...


finally has something to be amused about...

...I can't believe it's been 20 years...

June 24, 1988...
the day I got the keys to my house...
[it did NOT look like this...]

I unlocked the front door...
stepped-in, over MY threshold...
and began pulling up the ugly tan carpet...
exposing the hand-laid parquet hardwood floors...
which would be refinished before I moved-in....

there is STILL[20 years later...] lino and carpet...
GLUED to the hardwood...
in both the office and my bedroom...
[as well as ugly wallpaper in both rooms...]

over the next 2 years, I would paint...
remove layers of wallpaper...
[including 1930's "cherries" in the kitchen....]
layers of contact paper...
mirrored tiles glued to the fireplace
[over Delft ceramic tile...]
and have dangerous wiring "replaced"...

replace the fake-o wood panelling mantle "box"...
with a stained oak mantle ...
remove a giant commercial mirror from over the fireplace...
which I had "swept"...
and then installed a damper and spark cap...

have an aluminum car port cover removed...
from over the front porch...
and a green canvas awning, with period "spears"...
put in it's place...

the garage needed a new roof...
AND the old bifold doors had to be replaced...
a fence was constructed between the house and garage...
enclosing the back yard...

over the last 20 years...
I've landscaped, planted trees and roses...
replaced the green canvas awning twice...

I've installed...
a new roof...[50 year...]
new gutters...
a new heating/AC system...
a new electrical "box"...
had asbestos removed...

did a "small" kitchen make-over...
had the LR/DR repainted ...
[thanks to J & G...]
the floors "cleaned" and sealed...

had the wall AC turned into a stained glass window...
replaced ALL my LR/DR furniture....
[put together from kits...thanks to M & G...]
and replaced all my major appliances & bed...
[thanks to AMEX...]

I'm now on the cusp of the "bath redo"...
and besides the bath mess...
there are the foundation issues on the NE corner...
and the floors in both the office & bedroom...
as well as the mess therein...

and we won't even mention...

the back yard...

OR

the garage...

at least, not here...

so to celebrate my 20 years "here"...
I thought it only fitting to celebrate...
by "uncluttering" something...

packrat that I am...I've ALWAYS had a BUNCH of clothes..
my closet has always been stuffed with "several" sizes...
most of which didn't fit...but I didn't want to throw them away...

so to "mark" this milestone...
I present to you my closet...


to get here [basically one/two sizes]
I took 8 large bags of clothes to Goodwill...
plus one bag of shoes...

[disclaimer...]
I have only this closet for clothes...
[I have a hall closet with 4 or 5 jackets/coats]
the 4 built-in drawers below this shot ...
contain a couple of hooded sweatshirts, shorts,
unused hangers & some seasonal storage...

yes... most of the hanging stuff you see is "black & white"...
[musician...remember ?]
there are also a couple of "Aloha" shirts and other shirts that you can't see...

the wire baskets house sweaters & sweatshirts...
jeans, cords & khakis are stashed on the right...
top left are suitcases[2], top center...my winter bedspread...

and top right...[hidden behind the door, but still there...]
my full academic "garb" [Masters gown w/Master's hood
in pink (music) orange & black (school colors) ...
& mortarboard (with a pink tassel) ]....
(don't ask me who decided that the academic color for music should be "pink"...)
[and I still have it because I had to buy it, OK ?...]

I have a small cedar chest with 3 drawers...one with wool...
2 holding turtlenecks/winter tops/scarves & gloves[not wool]
and a large chest of drawers with underware, sox, tops, summer and winter tees, thermal long johns etc...
none of the drawers are full... anymore...

so what you see is, what I have...
[that includes about 13 pairs of shoes...
including boots[2], athletic shoes[4], Crocs[3] and old Birkies[3]...]

I honestly cannot remember EVER having less clothes...
since, maybe before high school...

so here's hoping that 20 years from now...
I'll still be "here"...
with everything still "working"...
and NO clutter...

...several years journey...into light

light... a wonderful thing...
especially when you've lived in the shadows for years...


this is my new bedroom overhead light fixture...
plain... inexpensive... period correct...
and it WORKS...

before...[there was THIS light...]
there was this...
[quite a sight to see hovering over you...
like a giant bug... when you're half awake...]


to be completely fair... the fan/light DID work for years...
and was NOT covered with cobwebs then...
the light switch shorted out in summer,2006...
and I called my electrician...
"Mr Sparky"...

he was all set to install all my replacement lights...
then, tragically, he had to postpone work for several months
because his wife died...

he finally showed-up in December 2006...
when he hooked-up the new porch light,
dining room light and kitchen overhead...

he was supposed to return shortly to hook up
the new fan/lights for the office and bedroom...
then my Mom got very sick and died...
and I had to postpone things...

so he and I played phone tag... again......

but the delay actually worked out
for the best this time...
because...

in late Dec. 2006, my furnace died...
and the installation of the new heat/AC...
that would take 3 months...
ended my need for fan/lights...

so I got a couple of suitable fixtures...
to use instead of the fan/lights...
found a "home" for the now unwanted fan/lights...
and the phone tag began again...

did I mention that I had never paid the electrician
for the first installations ?
...in 2006 ?

so after several more,"tag, you're it" phone messages...
we finally got together last Friday...
along with his his daughter, [she's his "assistant"...he's semi-retired...]
and then... things happened quickly...


the two old fans came down, going into the trash...


leaving a lot of uncluttered ceiling ...

[at least someplace is uncluttered in this mess...]


and the 2 new lights were installed...
he also replaced the bad light switch in the bedroom...
tightened the porch light screws
that the awning installers had knocked loose last summer...
and charged me a total of $150 ...for everything...
including that which he did in 2006...

I first met Mr. Sparky almost 20 years ago...
when he redid most of the sub-standard [dangerous !]
wiring in my attic...
he's always been such a nice man ...
and so accommodating...
that dragging this light replacement project
out over almost 3 years...
was no problem for me...

"and God said, 'Let there be light'...and it was good..."