Two Decisions

We made two decisions today; one makes us sad and one makes us happy.

We started in the back yard this morning, looking at how we could maneuver the concrete mixer around the forms so that we could pour the slab. We tried about five different configurations, and none of them worked.  We really needed three people to do the work, two strong and healthy ones, and Rick.  I found out as I was tamping the dirt down the other day that I am just as not as strong (nor as young) as I once was, and other than to pour water into the mixer, I would be almost totally useless on the cement pour.  Rick would have to do all of the heavy lifting, all of the concrete moving, and all of the shoveling.  I could help him scree it if the section was small enough, but I questioned if I even were strong enough to do a large section.  Old age and weak muscles are frustrating.

This one defeats us.  We really are upset that we do not have the first section of cement curing in the back yard, but we know that the smart and economical thing to do is to wait until we have the money saved to pour both a shed slab and a lanai slab.  That won't happen this year.

We took the 30 bags of concrete back to Home Depot and then the re-bar and re-bar supports back to Lowe's.  With the money that we saved in the concrete at this time around, we made our second decision of the day to buy a new chandelier for the dining room.

The old chandelier did not not match the hutch or the
dining room table and chairs.  It is one of the last things
we had to change in the house.

The old chandelier was probably put in the house in the mid 1970's.  It was gold, ugly, heavy, and did not match anything in this house.  Rick liked the light only because it had nine candelabra bulbs in it that gave off a lighthouse-load of illumination.  This job, at least, we felt we could accomplish with few problems.

Rick works at rewiring the new chandelier.

An hour later, the old chandelier was in the garbage can and the new chandelier now hangs above the table.  We are happy with the results.  The lights no longer are as bright as Lambeau Field, but they are bright enough to illuminate my cooking.

The new chandelier matches the dining room
furniture and is the right size.

The first decision was hard to accept, yet we both knew the job was beyond our capabilities, and I am relieved that neither Rick nor I had to expend the energy to get the job done.  The fence was enough of an accomplishment for me this year.  The second decision was our consolation prize.  A new light was something that we both knew we would eventually purchase; we just did not intend to buy it quite this soon.

My next focus is to try to get us both to eat a more healthy diet, to exercise more, and to start to enjoy Florida before it gets too hot.  Stephanie will be coming down in a couple of weeks, and we both are looking forward to seeing some sights with her.  For now, the yard will wait and we will enjoy dining (as much as possible with my meager cooking skills!) by the light of a new chandelier.