What I Did Today: Faucett repair, molding, baby mouse

 What I did yesterday, August 22, 2024, a Thursday.

Baby mouse found in our garage.

I was busy. First thing was go to Watertown City Comptrollers office and pay the city tax bill for our property at 418 Clay St. That was $621.31. Then I was busy at Clay St just doing more little jobs ,prepping for sale and or new tenants. I repaired leaky kitchen faucet in Apt #2, put together one of 3 windows that I had repaired for Apt #1, painted the window sills, and did a minor repair to the threshold of the new stairway door. I also put down some 1/4 round molding along the baseboards in the 2nd bedroom of Apt #1.

On way home I bought some charcoal at Sam's Club, 2 20 pound bags for about $24.00

In the evening I discovered  baby mouse in our garage. It's eyes were not yet open and it moved very clumsily & feebly. At first I thought it was dead. I showed it to Better Haf and our visiting granddaughter A. I returned the mouse to where I found it. This moning it ws gone, it's fate unknown to me.

1/4 round molding in bedroom at Clay St Apt #1

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2. Removing damaged plastic washer.

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2. 

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2.  Stem of the ball was bent. 

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2.  The damaged washer, left and the new one.

Someone obviously damaged the ball and washers of the faucet, maybe through frustration trying to stop the drip. This is a Delta faucet, repair kit included the ball, washer, springs, seals, o rings. It cost $30.00 at Home Depot. 

Tomatoes and Avacados for Breakfast

Todays breakfast: Tomatoes, avacados, fried eggs, Tuscan bread toast.

 

Tomatoes are ripening quickly in our garden here in Chaumont, NY.  For breakfast his morning I had some of them along with an avacado, fried eggs and toasted Tuscan bread. Around noon I got to Clay St. to do some more work. Went to Lowe's and purchased three pine boards for Clay repairs. They cost almost $40.00. That's crazy compared to a few short years ago. It was another humid day with a little rain here and there. The high temp in Chaumont was 78. 

My iPhone says I walked 5,139 steps today. 

A Bat in the Back Shed, Sunflower reflection Photo

 This evening just as it got dark there was a bat flying around in the back shed. The Better Half's daughter H spotted it as she was entering . I opened the screen door and it flew out into the darkness. 

Otherwise It was a warm and humid day. We changed BH's ostomy bag. Nurse Heather came to check. I went to Clay St and finished setting up electric stove / range for apartment #1. Unboxed new refrigerator. Met loan officer at Watertown Savings Bank and got a loan to pay off our Florida house. Back home at 4:00. H & D arrived at 5:00 with a pizza from Nice N Easy. Had good time on the porch and backyard. 

My iPhone says I walked 7,862 steps today.

I have a variation of this photo accepted for the Along The River's Edge exhibition at th Thousand Islands Art Center in Clayton.

Heavy Rain, Frittata, Coffee, Flooding, I Get Wet

Friday August 9, 2024 

My morning coffee caught my eye so I snapped it. photo copyright Gary Walts 2024

What a day yesterday was. We had heavy rain all day. The region experienced flooding in many places. 

Started day with eggs scrambled with chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and cheese. I didn't realize it at the time but it just dawned on me I basically made a frittata.  My coffee caught my eye making me snap pix of it. Later I began cleaning and painting old wooden windows at Clay St. All the while it rains and rains. About 4:00 daughter S calls and says her basement in flooding. She needs a pump. I buy a good utility pump at Ace Hardware, State St, Watertown. While I am there a steady stream of customers are buying sump pumps, utility pumps, hoses and related hardware. Turns out there was a rush on those items at the the other stores in area. Lowes, Home Depot, White's et al. 

At one point the hose blew off the pump soaking S and myself. What a riot. The rain caused wetness in our Clay St house in places that never got wet before. 

Breakfast: Frittata with onions, cheese, jalapeno, tomatoes

I got drenched when hose blew off utility pump.

Worked on old window frames at Clay St.

Guitar Gig and Floor Painting Today

Orion Art Gallery Summer Festival promo piece.

 I played guitar from 11:00- 1:00 today at the Orion Art Gallery as part of their Summer Arts Festival. I didn't get any photos of myself to post here. Later I gave our Clay St house a second coat of paint on the front porch floor. A few days ago on Wednesday I gave the floor the first coat of paint. I still need to paint the area in front of the stairwell door. 

Panorama view of front stairwell door. This section remains to be painted.

Clay St. porch floor with first coat of paint.

Work at Clay St. Today

 

Apt #1 Radiator, recently painted, with faux wainscoting panel behind it. 

I spent a good portion of the day at our Clay St apartment house, ongoing repairs and maintenance prior to listing it for sale. I washed the front porch floor. Plan to paint it, or at least half of it tomorrow. I then fitted a piece of paneling behind the living room radiator in apartment 1. I discovered an elctrical outlet behind that radiator. The radiator boiler system must have been installed some years after the electricity and the outlet was never removed. It's impossible to access. It's not visible either. I discovered it because the pnel was catching on it as I was slipping it behind the radiator.  When I got home a played through some of my guitar repertoire for about an hour. 

Apt #1 living room radiator a few weeks ago.

Scrubbing the porch floor with soap, water and elbow grease. Prepping for paint.

Pictures From An Exhibition: iPhone Hip Shots

 

This photo was NOT shot from the hip. I looked  and composed it normally.

Friday August 2, 2024

The following are some photos that I "shot from the hip" with my iPhone 6s set in one of the black and white modes. This was during an exhibition opening reception at Fibonacci Art Gallery in Watertown. NY.  I held the camera by my hip and snapped photos with one of the volume buttons. No shutter sound. Of course I couldn't see what exactly the camera was seeing.  CORRECTION: The top photo was not shot from the hip. All the following were.

"Shooting from the hip" iPhone photos at Fibonacci Art Gallery.  copyright Gary Walts 2024

"Shooting from the hip" iPhone photos at Fibonacci Art Gallery.  copyright Gary Walts 2024

"Shooting from the hip" iPhone photos at Fibonacci Art Gallery.  copyright Gary Walts 2024

"Shooting from the hip" iPhone photos at Fibonacci Art Gallery.  copyright Gary Walts 2024

"Shooting from the hip" iPhone photos at Fibonacci Art Gallery.  copyright Gary Walts 2024

Firewood Delivery

Rob Joanette, Dexter, NY, delivers 5 cord load of firewood to our Chaumont house.

We had 5 cord of firewood delivered on Wednesday, July24. Bought it from Rob Joanette in Dexter. 425.00   for the load. It was hot and humid today. Temp got to 85 here in Chaumont. Was going to work at our Clay St apartment house but Better half called me home before I got started. I was in Watertown but turned around and came back. Her stoma pouch was leaking. We changed the pouch on Sunday. Tuesday morning (today) she had itchy skin and the device was leaking. So we changed it. This was at noon. At 6:00 pm the new bag leaked. This caused great distress for her. Nothing to do but replace it. We should be able to go 4 or 5 days with no leaks. We will see.

Anyhow, instead of going to Class St I spent the afternoon stacking firewood. 

2011 Kia Sedona Gas Leak and New Battery

I charge the battery for 24 hours to no avail. It still would not start my van.

Another repair job on my 2011 Kia Sedona van. Back in May I replaced the fuel pump. Recently I started to smell gasoline after the van idled for a few minutes. The fuel was leaking somewhere in front. I dropped the van off at D&S Garage on Patty Hill, Brownville on Wednesday the 17th.  It was ready on Monday the22nd bu the Better Half had Dr appointment in Syracuse. ( A 2week post surgery follow up with Dr. Dantu.)

Tuesday I pick the van up and it would not start. Garage guys gave me a jump and away I went. Over next couple of days the battery would not hold a charge. I charged it for 24 hours with my batter charger. Still wouldn't start. Battery was shot. Today I bought new one at Walmart for $139.00. Installed it in about15 minutes and the van started up instantly.

By the way, the fuel leak was fixed and cost $97.00

New battery from Wal-Mart, $139.00, 3 year battery

New battery from Wal-Mart, $139.00, 3 year battery, installed in my 2011 Kia Sedona.

The old battery from Auto Zone served me for 5 years.

What Caught My Eye: Sidewalk Shadows, July 6, 2024

Shadows on sidewalk outside St. Joe's Hospital, Syracuse NY. 
photo copyright Gary Walts July 6, 2024

These photos of shadows on a sidewalk  were taken outside of St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse, NY on July 6, 2024. This was on the 4th day that The Better Half was a patient there, recovering from surgery related to her diverticulosis / diverticulitis.  It was about 90 degrees with high humidity. I had parked the car on the street was going to add time to the meter when the sidewalk and shadows caught my eye. I present several of them here, including one with a part of my shadow and feet. 

This shot is simply a black and white version of the above.
photo copyright Gary Walts July 6, 2024

Shadows on sidewalk outside St. Joe's Hospital, Syracuse NY. 
photo copyright Gary Walts July 6, 2024

Shadows on sidewalk outside St. Joe's Hospital, Syracuse NY. 
photo copyright Gary Walts July 6, 2024

Shadows on sidewalk outside St. Joe's Hospital, Syracuse NY. 
photo copyright Gary Walts July 6, 2024

Photos from Jerry's Tiki Bar, Millens Bay, NY

Local music legend Tom O'Riley at Jerry's Tiki Bar

Here are some photos I snapped today at Jerry's Tiki Bar in Millens Bay, NY. The place just opened a week or so ago. It's a great atmosphere. My brother Al & I just dropped in to have a beer and check it out. To our pleasant surprise the very talented musician and song writer Tom O'Riley was playing there. So we caught his last set. There was a beautiful breeze coming off the lake that tempered the afternoon heat. It was a perfect northern New York day.

Local music legend Tom O'Riley at Jerry's Tiki Bar

Local music legend Tom O'Riley at Jerry's Tiki Bar

Jerry's Tiki Bar, Millens Bay, NY

Jerry's Tiki Bar, Millens Bay, NY

Jerry's Tiki Bar, Millens Bay, NY

Jerry's Tiki Bar, Millens Bay, NY

4th of July and Better Half is in Hospital

Today is Independence Day, the 4th of July and the Better Half is in St. Joseph's Hospital, Syracuse, NY, recovering from surgery. She had a section of large colon removed after a few years of problems with diverticulosis/ diverticulitis. 

This is the surgery waiting room at St. Joe's hospital in Syracuse, NY. It's and older part of the place and is visually interesting. 

She is doing well and  was up walking around 24 hours after the 7 hour surgery.

Tuesday July 2nd the operation was done by Dr. Dantu. 

Strawberry short cake at sister Sue's

I visited the Better Half in the hospital today and at 3:00 went to sister Sue's place in Utica area.Sister Carol was there as well as Sue's granddaughter E. We had grilled steak, salad, salt potatoes and strawberry short cake. It was all yummy. Headed home to Chaumont about 7:00, arrived at 9:00.