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What are you doing today, II

J.J. McDaniels said:
Man, I don't even think I've really taken the time to grieve. It just seems so surreal. Both of my parents are gone right before Christmas. I'm 41 but it still boggles my mind.... why do these things always happen around Holiday seasons?
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As has been said, just focus on what needs to be done to settle things.

I lost both of my parents (many years ago) but in a short amount of time. Buried dad on Valentine's Day, mom died on Mother's Day.

The grieving is different for everyone. For me it started after the shock of the whole situation really settled in and it got to me during my times when I was alone. Crying in the shower and crying in the car were frequent. But that occurred a month later. It was as if my body/mind was just in 'auto pilot' or 'cruise control' through the public parts of my life. I went to work the day after we buried dad. It is what he would have done, how he lived his life. So many things happened like that. Focus shifted 100% to mom's care. At the same time, we had a newborn baby daughter that mom got to hold but dad never saw. And we had snow. The timeline is all a blur.

But the grieving started when the calm of the aftermath came. Just hang in there. It gets better.
 
Melensdad said:
The grieving is different for everyone. For me it started after the shock of the whole situation really settled in and it got to me during my times when I was alone.
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I'm no different. I've put on a happy face for everyone, or at least I've tried. I'll break down or tear up behind closed doors when I'm all alone, but it just doesn't last long. I think I've numbed out most anything that comes my way, but I'm trying to remain strong for everyone else.

Melensdad said:
I went to work the day after we buried dad.
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I went to work the day after we buried my mom. It's almost been six and a half years now, and that was by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I didn't take any time off, I just kept pushing forward. His memorial service has been set for next Friday morning at 1030. We'll have pictures, a slideshow, music and some words from family and friends. We'll bury his ashes next to my mom and head home, but I expect next week to be the hardest day of it all. But right now? It still feels as if there's a hole in my heart. I know it will get better with time, but it just doesn't feel that way at the moment.
 
Greif is the debt we must pay for having loved.
Would life be better without that emotion?

Hardly.

........to love, is that not why we live?
 
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J.J. McDaniels said:
I'm no different. I've put on a happy face for everyone, or at least I've tried. I'll break down or tear up behind closed doors when I'm all alone, but it just doesn't last long. I think I've numbed out most anything that comes my way, but I'm trying to remain strong for everyone else.


I went to work the day after we buried my mom. It's almost been six and a half years now, and that was by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I didn't take any time off, I just kept pushing forward. His memorial service has been set for next Friday morning at 1030. We'll have pictures, a slideshow, music and some words from family and friends. We'll bury his ashes next to my mom and head home, but I expect next week to be the hardest day of it all. But right now? It still feels as if there's a hole in my heart. I know it will get better with time, but it just doesn't feel that way at the moment.
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You Dad and my dad sound similar, he passed at 4 am in 2014 with me and my son at his side. We went to work on time because thats what he expected, always said he didn't want a funeral or for anyone to be sad at his passing as it was part of the life process. Mom passed 6 months prior in LosAngeles, she was in the hospital for 4 months. I had just left there and returned home to northern Ca. when my sister called and said she got pneumonia and was going bad fast, I had planned to head back in the morning but she went before I got there. I still think of them everyday and I don't think that will change. Keep a stiff upper lip, it ain't easy but will pass in time. I think it made me and my sister a little closer.
 
m1west said:
You Dad and my dad sound similar, he passed at 4 am in 2014 with me and my son at his side. We went to work on time because thats what he expected, always said he didn't want a funeral or for anyone to be sad at his passing as it was part of the life process. Mom passed 6 months prior in LosAngeles, she was in the hospital for 4 months. I had just left there and returned home to northern Ca. when my sister called and said she got pneumonia and was going bad fast, I had planned to head back in the morning but she went before I got there. I still think of them everyday and I don't think that will change. Keep a stiff upper lip, it ain't easy but will pass in time. I think it made me and my sister a little closer.
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I think that if anything, it may have brought my uncle and I closer together. I don't think I ever really knew him all that well. I remember having Christmas get togethers when I was very young, and he was always there, but I never talked to him much. He's 74, his own son wants nothing to do with him for whatever reason, and he's also keeping him from seeing his grandson. He's lost his wife, but remarried, lost one brother ten years ago, and now his last brother. He didn't hold anything back Thursday, and that was even more heartbreaking. I was at a loss for words. I couldn't comfort anyone.
 
IMO going back to work right after might not be such a bad thing. With me being on disability, after it happened and things settled and everyone went home, my wife went back to work and kids were in school which left me sitting here alone most of the day to stew in my thoughts which brought me to a dark place. I think if I had a purpose and work to distract me, it might have helped. Who knows. Dad passed in Sept '21 and it took me until late September this year to finally come to terms with things being the way they are. For the sake of my sanity, I had to tell myself that dad is now part of the past. And I have to live in the present. That's helped me to move on.
 
Great advice. We aren't really looking forward to going tomorrow, but it will give us something constructive to do. We'll work Thursday and that will be it until Tuesday. My job itself won't even be the same. It's something my dad did himself for 18 years. I just surpassed him. I've got 19 years under my belt. It's a franchise and I kind of felt that they wanted me to lead his company, but that isn't going to be the case. I'm cool with it. I'll just be working for myself again. And it's going to take me at least about a year to accept it. It took time with my mom.
 
Thinking of you today JJ.

This morning I headed to the border 45 minutes south of us to pick up packages. Then a few errands before returning home. Now, watching our year old sofa being reconstructed. The back main spring support snapped in half. Afterwards I have to head outside in the bitter cold 🥶 to once again change the oil in the plow pump as it has been clogging the filter. We have another big dumping of snow expected overnight.
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Yah. -36 windchill today. Not exactly the best time to do anything outside. I do have to load up my snowmobile and sled on the trailer for tomorrow though as I'm heading out to scout a bypass for a section of trail an hour from here.
 
I headed out an hour drive west with a couple other guys to pack and inspect a section of trail. We didn't get far before my machine began bogging down as did one of the other machines from freezing up as it was -21 Celsius. My machine cleared up but the other one was only running on one cylinder cutting our day short. I was home by 1pm and quickly turned my attention to the plow truck as the pump was still acting up. I completely drained it and flushed everything out. Cleaned the filter and put fresh fluid then went out plowing for a couple hours as we've gotten 8 inches of snow since yesterday. We're under a weather advisory until Saturday.
 
Going to -9 F.
Wind gusting at 20 the 30 knots
Chopped & hauled wood.
Put bubble wrap on some windows in the Solarium and Greenhouse
 
-8(F) when I got up because the house was cold.

Thermostat said it was 60 inside.

Uh oh.

Did a hard reset on the furnace, checked the pressure switch, looks like I solved, at least temporarily, the problem and we have heat again. But it will take a while to bring the house up to temperature and we have the baby in the house so I pulled out 2 space heaters, put one in our bedroom with the lovely Mrs_Bob and Kobe. The other is in Melen's room. I'm sitting in the family room, watching the news, checking the furnace every 15 minutes to make sure it is still operating. Oh, and sipping some hot coffee.
 
It fell to 12 degrees here. I must admit, I had my doubts about it, but it pushed through last night. Wind, rain and rapidly dropping temps. I don't plan on doing anything much today, other than making a few phone calls to finalize the service for next week. I may, at least, go pick up some things from the store and make a pot of chili. It calls for it.
 
J.J. McDaniels said:
It fell to 12 degrees here. . .
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My weather stations were both reading -8(F).

TV news is saying the official temp at a nearby town is -11(F) now. Windchill is showing -40(F) right now.

The weather app is saying it is -10(F) in another nearby town.

Not sure what is the correct number for the current temperature is, but I suspect that if I pee off my back porch today there will be ice crystals hitting the ground :punk:
 
With some luck, we will cross Zero F into the plus side today.

Green house is a 40 F
Solarium is at 58F

1 1/2" of white stuff on the ground

Winds at 20 to 40 knots.
 
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I'm working at installing my butt firmly onto my sofa for the day. It's currently -16 Celsius with a windchill of -37. We're still under a severe weather advisory until Saturday. My arms are feeling the snowmobile ride yesterday. It's always like that after the first ride of the season using muscles in a way they haven't been used in months.
 
-2 F degrees outside.
Crumpy's Pacifica is covered in ice and snow
Cookies with Santa Claus at the bank today for the kidees.
I'm warm by the fireplace,
in my robe

What to do......
 
FrancSevin said:
-2 F degrees outside.
Crumpy's Pacifica is covered in ice and snow
Cookies with Santa Claus at the bank today for the kidees.
I'm warm by the fireplace,
in my robe

What to do......
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My wife's vehicle is tucked nicely away in our attached heated garage. The rest of the vehicles are covered. They can stay that way. 🤣 we're in the beginning stages of a blizzard. We have no reason to go anywhere so we'll stay bundled up infront of the fireplace watching movies hoping the power doesn't go out. People are stranded everywhere as flights have been canceled all across the country due to storms.
 
Well the furnace is NOT running at full potential but it is running. There is a vacuum/condensation trap/switch thing . . . can't remember what it is called, but it keeps over-flowing with condensation every 3 or so hours.

Temperature is still -1(F).

This is a recurring problem with my furnace, usually on very very cold days. At this point I am not worried that I need a service call. Mostly I'm tired from getting up so damn early. And probably won't get a lot of sleep tonight as I expect this problem to continue until we get slightly warmer temps. I think it is a design flaw of the system? In any case, we are in pretty good shape. Having multiple fire places helps. The furnace is currently blowing out plenty of hot air . . . at least for the moment.

Going to roast some chicken and some cauliflower for dinner.

Things could be a lot worse. House is currently 66. We are warm enough. We have food. We are fortunate.
 
Melensdad said:
Well the furnace is NOT running at full potential but it is running. There is a vacuum/condensation trap/switch thing . . . can't remember what it is called, but it keeps over-flowing with condensation every 3 or so hours.

Temperature is still -1(F).

This is a recurring problem with my furnace, usually on very very cold days. At this point I am not worried that I need a service call. Mostly I'm tired from getting up so damn early. And probably won't get a lot of sleep tonight as I expect this problem to continue until we get slightly warmer temps. I think it is a design flaw of the system? In any case, we are in pretty good shape. Having multiple fire places helps. The furnace is currently blowing out plenty of hot air . . . at least for the moment.

Going to roast some chicken and some cauliflower for dinner.

Things could be a lot worse. House is currently 66. We are warm enough. We have food. We are fortunate.
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Sounds like an issue I had before in a previous home with a newer high efficiency furnace. There's a small rubber cap I believe that I had to remove that became clogged with a sludge and caused the furnace to cut out. It's been years but I remember cursing 🤬 it all the time.
 
yup - high efficiency "condensing" furnaces put out condensate from the fuel burn gases - and the drains clog up with algae / sludge / whatever... most furnaces will then trip out if the drain is totally blocked.
 
Went to the field to get a job started then returned for chores, after lunch a little paperwork and I just started a fire.
 
3f note.
chowderman said:
yup - high efficiency "condensing" furnaces put out condensate from the fuel burn gases - and the drains clog up with algae / sludge / whatever... most furnaces will then trip out if the drain is totally blocked.
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Yep, happened on mine a couple years ago. Easy fix. Blow the line out.
 
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