The temperatures last week were unseasonably high. I hooked up the evaporative cooler before the week began. It was about 16 years old. Last season I thought would be the last when I shut it down. It wasn't drawing much cool air, and the motor seemed to have a hiccup when it changed speeds. No telling when it might just stop. The spider tubes that distribute the water to the pads from the pump were clogged with calcification, and snaking them didn't help a whole lot. I had been surreptitiously pricing new units and parts everytime I went to a do-it-yourself center and doing a bit of internet research.
The wheel was so rusted, it crumbled in pieces. I couldn't get what was left of the old wheel off to replace it. I even thought of taking the axle off, but it was also rusted. I thought, this is ridiculous. I will end up replacing everything in a matter of weeks or even days.
Two days of heat were more than enough for Cyndi and the boys. Temperatures were rising inside the house. I had a neighbor look at it first thing Friday morning, and he wasn't interested in helping. Get professionals, he said. The problem is, the cooler hangs on the side of the outside wall off the second floor and above anyone's arm reach. The rusting braces needed replacing, too. And the space to work in is narrow, rocky and uneven. And what if new duct work was necessary to connect the unit? And who to call? Everyone and their dog were probably calling HVAC companies this week and trying to schedule work.
I called my brother-in-law, Pete, first. Maybe he knew a contractor who knew a contractor. We talked a bit on the phone on my way to work Friday. Oh, we can do it, Pete said. I'm not so sure, I said, but I liked the possibility of getting it done over the weekend and not waiting on someone else's schedule. I called Don, my other brother-in-law in town, and he too thought we could do it. He was busy most of the day Saturday but could come over about 5.
Saturday morning I took some measurements. Pete brought his truck over at 8 am. Cyndi left to take the boys to Jack's baseball game that morning. Pete and I drove to Lowe's. Everyone and their dog were in the air conditioner aisle. There weren't any units the size I needed on the floor. I went up to a sales guy and said, I know you're busy, but I need such-and-such an air conditioner. He wrote it up then and there and brought one out from the back on a lift to Pete's truck in the front, easy as pie. He told me this unit had just come in on the truck the previous night. It came complete, except for the motor. The hardest part was buying the angle iron for the braces and the miscellaneous hardware we figured we needed. All in all, a good experience from the sales staff that morning. Total cost about $600.
How to get the old one down? We had a few rickety ladders. We thought about building a scaffold. More and more, we thought a little controlled shove and gravity would do the trick. I didn't like the idea, and so we discussed this for a long, long time. There was the neighbor's wall to consider, a window next to the air conditioner, and the old rusting bracing, but what I mostly didn't like about the idea was it wouldn't give us a clue about getting the new one up. After considering all the options and angles, the old air conditioner came down in one thud.
Next the new bracing. That took a while and a bit of grinding to cut the pieces to the right lengths. We had opened the carton for the new air conditioner and I took measurements. Thankfully, the duct opening itself was the same (that much I knew when I bought it), but the opening was higher from the bottom of the unit. I didn't want to remove the old brace anchored into the side of the brick wall, but if we lowered that brace exactly two inches, the duct opening should align. Moving that brace took a while, too, and another trip for hardware. I fretted about that more than anything. If we got it just right, there'd be no need for any new ductwork. It it were off by more than 1/8"...well, I didn't want to think about that.
There were a few other things going on that day, too. Pete finally had to go to catch the end of Brendan's baseball game, but he didn't want to leave before we finished the bracing. We weren't completely convinced it would hold, even figuring the weight was evenly distributed. While he was gone, I tightened the bracing up and tested one end with my weight. Wet, the unit would weigh over 250 lbs. I wired the motor and connected a few other things.
Then about the time Don came over, I started the charcoal grill and threw on the tri-tips I had been marinating. Jackson was home with me, rollerblading, and Cyndi and Rylee had made a quick trip to Belen, but by this time they were back home. The plan was to have dinner ready for everyone before it was dark. We invited Elley and Dorie and all the kids over for a celebratory dinner. I cut up the tri-tips when they were done so anyone who was hungry could eat when they wanted, but instead everyone waited until the project was done. Cyndi made mashed sweet potatoes and salad, and some chicken nuggets for the kids, and kept everything warm in the oven while she and her sisters drank Chardonnay in the backyard.
Pete, Don and I opened some cold beer to help us get the new unit up. That sounds worse than it was. It was much more a symbolic ritual. Pete and Don drilled a new hole for the wiring; the only knock-out was on the wrong end for the wiring that came out of the side of the house. We carried the new unit to the side of the house without the side panels or the motor. It was remarkably light. We debated a while, arranged and re-arranged the ladders, and with minimal effort, and no catastrophe, the unit was up on the braces. We were astonished how easy it was. And miracle of miracles, the sleeve from the unit perfectly matched the house duct. The unit slid right in. I put the motor in and the belt on. The pulley and wheel aligned perfectly, at least by eyeball. Pete fastened the motor down and tightened the belt, while Don did all the wiring and got the water running. Pete and Don fastened some sheet metal screws, while I ran back and forth to the water spigot, passing by Ellie and Dorie in the backyard with Cyndi and thanking them for everything their husbands had done. During most of this time in the evening, the kids were in the front yard playing baseball, complete with all the gear that Rylee routinely has out in the living room.
There was a brief ceremony to turn the airconditioner on. We opened another bottle of wine and brought out the food. Don had wine. Pete and I had a Scotch and a beer. The dinner was good. The kids watched "Hotel for Dogs." The house cooled down.
Pete and Don said they enjoyed it. It was a good project, they said, and, frankly, they were surprised it was completed by Saturday evening. Pete and I had done some installation pricing. We figured the base price for installation would have been about $500 or more, but that was for installation on the ground and didn't include materials and labor for new bracing or getting the new unit up or the old unit down. It wouldn't include new ductwork, either, but we avoided that anyway.
With all that I hadn't found a time to get ready for Mother's Day. On Sunday, there was little time in the morning before an early Mass and reservations for brunch. The boys had made beautiful Mother's Day cards at school. Cyndi had gotten a mother's ring for her mother, with birthstones for each of her mother's children. Ursula had lost a mother's ring during the remodeling going on in Belen. With the remodeling and the new caretakers coming in and out, someone had taken it. It wasn't the only thing she lost.
I called Mom and Dad's room at the Hale Koa in Hawaii, but they were out and I left a little greeting from us to Nana. I got a picture from them. They went to a Mother's Day brunch there with Beth--they were probably there when I called--and had some other wonderful meals with Beth the night before.
We had our own room at the brunch at the Marriott. Grandma was there, Michael was there, Marti and Jeff, Pete and Dorie, Don and Elley, and all the cousins, who took several trips up and down the elevator in the open atrium. Afterwards, Cyndi went to a dance performance of Jordyn's. We had seen the performance a few weeks ago, so Cyndi went with her mother and others who had not seen it. That gave Jackson, Rylee and I a chance to shop. We drove all the way out to another Costco, 'cause I knew it had one of those digital picture frames in stock and we can always use more milk or bread. Then we went to Anthropologie, one of Cyndi's favorite places. Jackson wanted to get her a nice dress, or blouse, or scarf. So he picked a blouse out. We got a card, too, and the boys signed it. The boys gave her the card and the presents. Jackson slipped in a $5 bill, too. He had insisted on it. I loaded some pictures on the frame. Cyndi tried on the blouse and it fit perfectly. Cyndi said it was her best Mother's Day ever.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
more pics from California
I took these from photos Dad sent. I think David is trying to publish more on his blog, along with news about Terra & Karl's wedding.
cinco de quatro
Cyndi had a birthday yesterday. She says it was great. She got many phone calls and cards from friends and family all day, and when I got home the phone was still ringing every few minutes. She should tell you about her day. In fact, she should contribute to this blog so you can get her perspective of the boys growing up and our time together as a family.
I took off early from work, swung around for last-minute gifts and cards, and went to Costco again for a cheesecake and fresh blackberries to go on top, more chips, more salsa, and, oh, we had forgotten the limes. I broke down and bought the economy size paper plates, paper bowls, napkins, and dinnerware. Now we are set for years of picnics. Then a bag of ice and a mad dash at home, cleaning bowls and platters and Margarita glasses, making the first batch of Margaritas, and generally getting the food ready for guests due to arrive for "happy hour" on Cinco de Mayo.
Jackson was busy upstairs making a pop-up birthday card for Cyndi. Pam came first to make her fabulous chile con queso. Friends from work and old friends came by. Vicky brought more limes, more chips, and more beer. Dorie brought beans. Elley brought salad. The kids began to run around outside. Rylee and Loren played in the sandbox. There were enchiladas, taquitos, guacamole, and watermelon. Mexican beer was chilled.
The kitchen was crowded with people. I think they had a good time. At some point, people sat outside, where it was breezy and cool. After a few batches of Margaritas, the food all but gone, we brought out the cake, lit the candles, and turned down the lights. Cyndi was beaming as we sang, "Happy Birthday to you."
After the guests had left and a quick clean up, Jackson, Rylee and I got our cards and presents for Cyndi. Both Jackson and Rylee signed a card that asked her how much they loved her. Guess. Give up? When she opened it, the arms of a cartoon animal unfolded and stretched out very wide. Inside, there were both the boys' names and the card said, "This much."
I took off early from work, swung around for last-minute gifts and cards, and went to Costco again for a cheesecake and fresh blackberries to go on top, more chips, more salsa, and, oh, we had forgotten the limes. I broke down and bought the economy size paper plates, paper bowls, napkins, and dinnerware. Now we are set for years of picnics. Then a bag of ice and a mad dash at home, cleaning bowls and platters and Margarita glasses, making the first batch of Margaritas, and generally getting the food ready for guests due to arrive for "happy hour" on Cinco de Mayo.
Jackson was busy upstairs making a pop-up birthday card for Cyndi. Pam came first to make her fabulous chile con queso. Friends from work and old friends came by. Vicky brought more limes, more chips, and more beer. Dorie brought beans. Elley brought salad. The kids began to run around outside. Rylee and Loren played in the sandbox. There were enchiladas, taquitos, guacamole, and watermelon. Mexican beer was chilled.
The kitchen was crowded with people. I think they had a good time. At some point, people sat outside, where it was breezy and cool. After a few batches of Margaritas, the food all but gone, we brought out the cake, lit the candles, and turned down the lights. Cyndi was beaming as we sang, "Happy Birthday to you."
After the guests had left and a quick clean up, Jackson, Rylee and I got our cards and presents for Cyndi. Both Jackson and Rylee signed a card that asked her how much they loved her. Guess. Give up? When she opened it, the arms of a cartoon animal unfolded and stretched out very wide. Inside, there were both the boys' names and the card said, "This much."
Monday, May 4, 2009
busy weekend
It was a week of stress but I had the weekend to look forward to. It was the weekend before Cyndi's birthday. We had tickets for the Isotopes game on Saturday night (Little League night & fireworks) and we were all signed up for the Run for the Zoo the next morning. As the weekend was approaching, however, the weather forecasts were predicting thunderstorms to hit just when the Isotopes would take the field, threatening not only the cancellation of the game but also the fireworks, so there was a new, though milder, worry.
The weekend started mid afternoon on Friday. Somehow, a case was positioned for settlement and opposing counsel and I were confident a final document could be signed Monday morning. So off I rushed to Jackson's school for the first graders' year-end performance.
The theme of the performance was bugs. Poems about bugs, songs about bugs, bug costumes, bug props. Jackson had volunteered for three speaking parts, and he was spectacular. It was so fun to watch him. He stood out on the risers, so animated in his expressions, his singing, and his performance in the chorus of students in front of the crowd of parents. All of the songs had an accompanying pantomime. While many of the young students stood still, with their arms at their sides, and then, say, pointed in the air hesitantly after the cue in the song, Jackson was swaying on his feet to the music, singing with spirit, smiling with joy, with his gap from the missing front teeth, telegraphing the finger point with an ever-rising spiral that ended with the sting of a bee high in the air. His joy reminded me of his piano recital, when he skipped down from the stage to his seat.
Cyndi had made a reservation at PF Changs that evening. I shouldn't like that place, the observed dress code of the crowd waiting well over an hour for a table is often way too scruffy and there's always the skepticism that accompanies a popular franchise, but we love it. What a contrast to the Friday before, when we ended up going downtown and eating at McGrath's in the Hyatt. I'm sure Cyndi made the appointment so we wouldn't be stuck with that sort of option again. McGrath's was a complete disappointment. The food was food-service-distributor quality and the wine was supermarket middle shelf, circa at least ten years ago. As insults adding to our injury, the tab was $100 and we witnessed in horror a disabled man fall down the steps into the dining room. We could see our food sitting at the pick up station for about 15 minutes before it was served. The place was largely empty. The bathrooms were a mess, and an attendant placed a cone on the wet floor instead of cleaning it. All this in Albuquerque's premier downtown hotel. At PF Changs, we had lots more food, it was tastier, the wine was good, and we paid less. We also saw many friends there, as it turned out, and that added to our enjoyment.
Saturday morning there was a cool crispness in the air. Drops were already falling. There was a slight breeze. I mowed the front yard. The boys and I went to get haircuts while Cyndi went with her friend Mary for a pedicure. Jackson and I planted more flowers in the pots and beds before we piled in the car to get our race packets and then a much needed trip to Costco. At the race expo, Jackson talked with the lady from the zoo who was showing an armadillo and a bird. He recognized her from his field trip a week before. We picked up our bib numbers and both of the boys and Cyndi got race shirts. At Costco, there were the usual items--two loaves of bread, two gallons of milk, three liters of wine, a case of "chocolate milk in a box", a watermelon, a pineapple, creamer, and a tankful of gas--plus extras for Cyndi's Cinco de Mayo birthday party: Hornitos reposado tequilla, a case of Mexican beer, enchiladas, and taquitos.
Then it was off to batting cage practice, followed by a game. Jackson did well again. He got some good hits, and he alternated between center and short stop. Rylee was the batboy again. In the third inning, the wind started gusting and in the far distance there was lightening. At the top of the fourth, the team coaches called the game without waiting for any official word, just a moment before it began to downpour and even hail. At home, we made some bratwursts and beans. Ry napped. The rain stopped just before gametime.
We drove to the stadium, found a parking spot closeby and then found our seats behind the home team dugout, glad to see we were underneath some cover if it rained again. It was cool. We had jackets. The boys had their gloves, and for several innings jumped up and down excited about the game, hoping to catch a foul ball. Jackson went down behind the dugout, hoping for a tossed ball after the Isotopes ran off the field. The Isotopes didn't do well that night, and there were an unusual number of flubs--fielders crashing into each other and several dropped balls. The Isotopes never scored and were soundly beaten. Ry got an Isotopes cap. We went to the queue for the children to run the bases after the end of the game, thinking that would happen before the fireworks. But the fireworks came first, with Cyndi left alone in our seats. I was sorry about that. It was a very good show. Jackson watched, orchestrating the fireworks, while Ry was a bit intimidated by the booms. Then the boys got to go down to the field, both running hard around the bases.
Sunday morning was cool. We found a parking place relatively near the start of the race near the zoo entrance and brought a jogging stroller for Ry. There were over 9,000 people signed up. (I assume that was for all three events.) We went over and over the instructions for Jackson exactly where he should meet us after the finish line if we became separated in the crowd. We were in the only race that allowed strollers, a 5K along Tingley Beach and through the old country club neighborhood. It was a mix of runners and walkers. Jackson tried to find some friends from school. We saw a couple of his friends finish in the prior race. This was Cyndi's first race, and she was anxious and thrilled. She had been training for this one. We were about half-way back from the start, and we decided she should move up and run by herself. At the start, it took Jackson and I, with Ry in the stroller, several minutes to get to the starting line after the race began. Jackson didn't hesitate to run ahead. This was a tremendously momentous exercise of independence. Somewhere around the first mile I finally had an opportunity to jog with the stroller. About halfway, Jackson found us. He was walking and chatting with a lady. He got in the stroller for about a quarter of a mile while Rylee ran next to the stroller. Then Jackson took off again.
Meanwhile, Cyndi was running a good race, probably about a very respectable 9- to 10-minute pace, well below her training time. Somewhere along the way she saw an old friend and they ran together. He pulled her at the end, coaxing her to up her pace for the final leg, and her clock time was a little over 31 minutes--less when you factor in the time for getting to the start.
When Cyndi saw Ry and I before the finish line, she was beaming. Ry ran a bit again at the end, but he tired quickly. We crossed the finish line and waited in the spot for Jackson and he strolled in, red-cheeked and exuberant. There were some post-race ice cream bars, bagels and oranges, and we spent a few minutes inside the zoo before deciding to drive down to Belen. On the way out, we saw a downtown Mexican food place, Cecilia's, and decided to stop and eat. I think it's fair to call it a "hole in the wall". We found out it had been featured on a food channel show, and the food was tasty and authentic, with delicious, hot chile.
We visited Poppa and Grandma for a bit in Belen and then returned home. Ry's ready to go to an Isotopes games again. He added, "but there's not a game every night." Cyndi's ready for another run. I'm a little stiff.
The weekend started mid afternoon on Friday. Somehow, a case was positioned for settlement and opposing counsel and I were confident a final document could be signed Monday morning. So off I rushed to Jackson's school for the first graders' year-end performance.
The theme of the performance was bugs. Poems about bugs, songs about bugs, bug costumes, bug props. Jackson had volunteered for three speaking parts, and he was spectacular. It was so fun to watch him. He stood out on the risers, so animated in his expressions, his singing, and his performance in the chorus of students in front of the crowd of parents. All of the songs had an accompanying pantomime. While many of the young students stood still, with their arms at their sides, and then, say, pointed in the air hesitantly after the cue in the song, Jackson was swaying on his feet to the music, singing with spirit, smiling with joy, with his gap from the missing front teeth, telegraphing the finger point with an ever-rising spiral that ended with the sting of a bee high in the air. His joy reminded me of his piano recital, when he skipped down from the stage to his seat.
Cyndi had made a reservation at PF Changs that evening. I shouldn't like that place, the observed dress code of the crowd waiting well over an hour for a table is often way too scruffy and there's always the skepticism that accompanies a popular franchise, but we love it. What a contrast to the Friday before, when we ended up going downtown and eating at McGrath's in the Hyatt. I'm sure Cyndi made the appointment so we wouldn't be stuck with that sort of option again. McGrath's was a complete disappointment. The food was food-service-distributor quality and the wine was supermarket middle shelf, circa at least ten years ago. As insults adding to our injury, the tab was $100 and we witnessed in horror a disabled man fall down the steps into the dining room. We could see our food sitting at the pick up station for about 15 minutes before it was served. The place was largely empty. The bathrooms were a mess, and an attendant placed a cone on the wet floor instead of cleaning it. All this in Albuquerque's premier downtown hotel. At PF Changs, we had lots more food, it was tastier, the wine was good, and we paid less. We also saw many friends there, as it turned out, and that added to our enjoyment.
Saturday morning there was a cool crispness in the air. Drops were already falling. There was a slight breeze. I mowed the front yard. The boys and I went to get haircuts while Cyndi went with her friend Mary for a pedicure. Jackson and I planted more flowers in the pots and beds before we piled in the car to get our race packets and then a much needed trip to Costco. At the race expo, Jackson talked with the lady from the zoo who was showing an armadillo and a bird. He recognized her from his field trip a week before. We picked up our bib numbers and both of the boys and Cyndi got race shirts. At Costco, there were the usual items--two loaves of bread, two gallons of milk, three liters of wine, a case of "chocolate milk in a box", a watermelon, a pineapple, creamer, and a tankful of gas--plus extras for Cyndi's Cinco de Mayo birthday party: Hornitos reposado tequilla, a case of Mexican beer, enchiladas, and taquitos.
Then it was off to batting cage practice, followed by a game. Jackson did well again. He got some good hits, and he alternated between center and short stop. Rylee was the batboy again. In the third inning, the wind started gusting and in the far distance there was lightening. At the top of the fourth, the team coaches called the game without waiting for any official word, just a moment before it began to downpour and even hail. At home, we made some bratwursts and beans. Ry napped. The rain stopped just before gametime.
We drove to the stadium, found a parking spot closeby and then found our seats behind the home team dugout, glad to see we were underneath some cover if it rained again. It was cool. We had jackets. The boys had their gloves, and for several innings jumped up and down excited about the game, hoping to catch a foul ball. Jackson went down behind the dugout, hoping for a tossed ball after the Isotopes ran off the field. The Isotopes didn't do well that night, and there were an unusual number of flubs--fielders crashing into each other and several dropped balls. The Isotopes never scored and were soundly beaten. Ry got an Isotopes cap. We went to the queue for the children to run the bases after the end of the game, thinking that would happen before the fireworks. But the fireworks came first, with Cyndi left alone in our seats. I was sorry about that. It was a very good show. Jackson watched, orchestrating the fireworks, while Ry was a bit intimidated by the booms. Then the boys got to go down to the field, both running hard around the bases.
Sunday morning was cool. We found a parking place relatively near the start of the race near the zoo entrance and brought a jogging stroller for Ry. There were over 9,000 people signed up. (I assume that was for all three events.) We went over and over the instructions for Jackson exactly where he should meet us after the finish line if we became separated in the crowd. We were in the only race that allowed strollers, a 5K along Tingley Beach and through the old country club neighborhood. It was a mix of runners and walkers. Jackson tried to find some friends from school. We saw a couple of his friends finish in the prior race. This was Cyndi's first race, and she was anxious and thrilled. She had been training for this one. We were about half-way back from the start, and we decided she should move up and run by herself. At the start, it took Jackson and I, with Ry in the stroller, several minutes to get to the starting line after the race began. Jackson didn't hesitate to run ahead. This was a tremendously momentous exercise of independence. Somewhere around the first mile I finally had an opportunity to jog with the stroller. About halfway, Jackson found us. He was walking and chatting with a lady. He got in the stroller for about a quarter of a mile while Rylee ran next to the stroller. Then Jackson took off again.
Meanwhile, Cyndi was running a good race, probably about a very respectable 9- to 10-minute pace, well below her training time. Somewhere along the way she saw an old friend and they ran together. He pulled her at the end, coaxing her to up her pace for the final leg, and her clock time was a little over 31 minutes--less when you factor in the time for getting to the start.
When Cyndi saw Ry and I before the finish line, she was beaming. Ry ran a bit again at the end, but he tired quickly. We crossed the finish line and waited in the spot for Jackson and he strolled in, red-cheeked and exuberant. There were some post-race ice cream bars, bagels and oranges, and we spent a few minutes inside the zoo before deciding to drive down to Belen. On the way out, we saw a downtown Mexican food place, Cecilia's, and decided to stop and eat. I think it's fair to call it a "hole in the wall". We found out it had been featured on a food channel show, and the food was tasty and authentic, with delicious, hot chile.
We visited Poppa and Grandma for a bit in Belen and then returned home. Ry's ready to go to an Isotopes games again. He added, "but there's not a game every night." Cyndi's ready for another run. I'm a little stiff.
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