Stories of my Life

So, remember when I was all blase about giving a comprehensive guide to all the things you know about renovating a room? I’m 1500 words in to a damn electrical guide, and I bet it’s, oh, a third of the way done? I’m super excited about it, but I’m still fighting this feeling that I have to post something, and that thing is nowhere near ready.

Instead, there’s this…

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That’s an electrician working on my pole. At the top of a 30′ ladder.ย  Balancing in the raised bucket of my tractor. In 16-degree weather.

Actually, this isn’t so much of a story as it as a moment of “Holy Shit” it my life. I really, really don’t recommend this. There’s nothing like being uptight, full of adrenaline, and stuck on a tractor in freezing weather (scared of accidentally touching a pedal or lever lest it send some unsuspecting electrician to his doom.)

So… good news? No electricians died in the making of this post. But, shit. Let’s not do that a again.

However, the electrical work on the farm is officially done until sometime next year when I run electric out to the big barn.

We’re expecting a warm weekend, which, just for reference, this is what my house looked like this morning…

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So let’s put “warm” in the context of that. It’s so pretty, but so, so cold.

In any case. It’s supposed to be like 40, which I will totally take, because a couple of nights ago it was 16-degress and I finally decided to take the window AC unit out of my bedroom window.

About half-way through this process I was crouching by the window and had both my arms wrapped around the unwieldy AC unit, and the window (that was previously stuck open) slid shut. I figured my only option at that point in time was to use my forehead to try to lift the window a few inches so I could pull the AC unit out, and because my head is hard as hell, that idea resulted in this…

 

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So… oops?

It also somehow resulted in a bloody toe. Not from the glass, but because immediately after I maneuvered the AC unit out of the way, I ran to the other side of the room to turn the lights on and assess the damage to the window and I stubbed my toe so bad that I may loose a toenail.

Are you effing kidding me? It’s two days later and that thing is still bleeding. And it’s also still approximately 40 degrees in my bedroom because apparently duct-taping some cardboard to your window is not as good as having actual glass.

And since it’s supposed to be a warm 40-degrees on Sunday, I may take that time to replace this window pane before I turn into a human Popsicle in my own bed…

You guys, this is my life.

I’m not complaining, because it’s an awesome life. But it sure never lacks for adventure.

15 Responses

  1. Where do you find an electrician willing to do this? As much as I look forward to your comprehensive guide, take care of yourself first!

  2. Haha. I just posted a 2600+ today. It feels good once it’s up!

    BTW, Your house is gorgeous in the snow. I envy the brick (over my cedar siding any day). But I don’t envy your cold.

  3. Keep your toe elevated when you’re sitting down. Are you ever sitting down? ๐Ÿ™‚

    If you’re taking Aspirin because the toe hurts, n.b. aspirin is an anti-coagulant.

  4. The electrician obviously doesn’t read your blog, but glad you didn’t kill him. (“So, this happened: *photo of electrician sprawled on ground*”)

  5. Wednesday night I was trying to bubble wrap the kitchen screen window since it’s the only one in the house that doesn’t have a full set of storms. Well, top storm came sliding down fast and smashed my thumbnail/thumb. Not sure if I’ll actually loose the nail but the deep side cut bled for 2 days…………
    Last year I just used indoor window plastic but thought bubble wrap would look classier – especially since there isn’t a curtain over this window…………… ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Nothing like waiting till it’s 16* to get our winterizing done ๐Ÿ™‚
    Enjoy your 40* – I’ll be doing the happy dance in OH when we hit 50* ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Everytime you post I say to my husband:
    Hey there’s a new Kit on the Blog!
    How awesome you can write about DIY your home is so awesome!

  7. Thanks for the laugh and for being crazy enough share your shenanigans with us! Maria

    P.S. Hope you can walk now. I had to wear sandles in the snow when I hurt my toenail.

  8. Thank you for letting me live vicariously through you. (It means I get hurt a lot less than if I tried it myself.)

  9. We did the same thing to one of our windows a couple of weeks ago. Our house is 85 years old and still has the original single pane glass windows that are a huge pain in the ass to open and close. We open them once in the spring and leave them open, then when they close in the fall they stay closed until spring. We were forcing one exceptionally difficult window shut and one of the glass squares cracked from top to bottom. Ugh, so annoying.

  10. I am so glad you posted this – a few months ago I managed to accidentally drop the 30′ flagpole line while changing flags and the neighbor suggested I stick a ladder in the tractor bucket to run the rope back through the pulley (at the top of the pole). He thought I was crazy for thinking the tractor ladder of death was crazy. ๐Ÿ˜› We must have missed the memo, right??? Or maybe it’s just a guy thing!

  11. i am wondering who’s idea it was to put the electrician on the ladder in the bucket? his? yours? your neighbors? brilliant, but OMG! glad it all worked out ๐Ÿ™‚
    btw, hope your toe is ok and not broken!

  12. You have a tractor with a bucket? Srsly? I am impressed.

    Hope the window’s mended by now. One more thing that wasn’t on the agenda, right?

  13. Oh, I hope you are not ill! If you are delaying your posts until you finish a ” how to” post, well, don’t. All we really want to hear is your voice.

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