Halloween

The Great Pumpkin

Next week is Halloween and all of the boys and girls will dress up in their costumes, put on a second mask, and beg for candy.  Or maybe they won't.  Maybe the virus is too much for some families and with social distancing, how do you get the candy and trick the guy at the door?

Life is different.  Last year at this time, had you told me that a virus would spread fear and dread, I wouldn't have believed you.  I was too busy eating my Smarties candies to pay attention to world domination and the collapse of empires.  Besides, Charlie Brown's Halloween was on.

Much Hard Work

The great roof removal is underway and has been for several weeks.  I purchased 2 whole house covering tarps to make sure that the roof didn't get soaked and us with it.  The trusses are being strengthened and steel roofing is going up after to furnace is done.

Today my wife and I removed the old furnace and I had to pull the chimney to free the furnace cabinet for removal.  It did not want to cooperate.  Much pounding and sawing ensued which scared the crap out of the dogs.  Eventually the chimney was removed.  And the dogs calmed down.

The cabinet on the other hand was a different story.  Whoever installed the furnace, did not have the gas line installed first.  So instead of providing enough room to move the furnace out of the alcove, it had to literally be cut out.  There wasn't enough room to slide the cabinet out.  The gas valve was right next to the furnace cabinet, blocking it.

So, we cut and lifted a 150 pound unit out of the alcove and out of the house.  Apparently my wife has been lifting weights.

Putting the new furnace into the alcove was the reverse, minus the cutting and pounding.  There is more work to do to get the furnace to a point where it can be switched on, but that won't take too long.  Luckily its not winter yet.  Ha!  Snow!  Did I mention the really big tarp?

Job (Employment = Money)

The company I work for closed the building and sent everyone home in March of this year.  Bare minimum staff to support the facility and make changes for the new way we will work.  So we now can't come back to the building until the beginning of 2021, if then.  The virus is taking over every aspect of our lives.

I do enjoy working from home. My commute is 15 seconds from bedroom to Lazy Boy chair and the laptop.  Sometimes I run into a snag getting in on time because the coffee isn't done on time.  That would be my fault.  Sometimes there are animals blocking the way to the chair. That would be the dogs.  Feeding time.

My drive time one way to work was 1 hour and 15 minutes or so.  Winter makes it longer.  So I get back 2 1/2 hours of my life to devote to getting things done at home.  Positive thing.  As long as I get the work done, all is good.

Age

Soon I will be 64.  60 years ago I was contemplating life from the backyard of my parents house and not really caring about retirement, health (except boo boos), and traveling.  Lunch was a big deal, as was Mr. Magoo our basset hound.

Today, retirement is at the front of my thoughts and will shape what happens for a few years to come as I try to obtain the dream and save enough money.  May have to continue working.

Gorilla in the room

Election is coming up and bets are being placed as to who will win and corral their troops versus who will lose and think only of revenge.  Personally, I think it is time for a National Reboot.  Government gets to blue screen and the whole thing gets rebooted.  We start all over again.  Maybe this time there is no Federal government.  The states have the power and are self determining.  The people run the show and won't allow megalomaniacs to run the show any more.

Guns and ammo are flying off the shelf as the country tries to figure out how to defend itself.  This will be tough.  Some people want to be free.  Some people want to tells others how and what.  Still others want to be in charge forever.

So this virus comes to town and determines how everyone is going to behave and what you can and can't do.  Go figure.  I thought the virus was bigger.  How convenient is this whole year.  You can't get the President impeached and outed to save your ass and then along comes a virus and all of a sudden we have global crisis, global business destruction, money printing out the wazoo, death, and finger pointing.

Then we (because we are taxpayers) started to get checks and we are told that this will save the economy.  Well maybe they didn't say save the economy.  They hope so, though.  Trillions of dollars out the door to anyone that has applied for help and has been granted $$$ status.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch we all heard that the Russians did it., the virus you know.  Or was it the Chinese.  The Chinese  propaganda machine says otherwise.

Next Year

Whatever happens at and after the election will shape this country for years to come.  2020 is a bottleneck in the stream of humanity.  Events are going to occur that will overwhelm each of us.  All we can do is watch from a safe distance and be prepared for what may come.

Hopefully we have calm seas.  But, in case we don't, keep your powder dry.

Chief