What I've Learned (And What I Haven't) i n the Past Week (Give or Take a Day)

 We're only 6 days into the new month and already I've learned so much.  (Or have I?)  This past week (plus) has been a whirlwind adventure for me and here are a few things I've learned (most of which I probably should have already known) and a few that I'm still working on:

  • The bus that is scheduled to leave your stop at 4:27 (as per the app when you leave the office), may not show up until 5.  This totally sucks.  On the other hand, 4:04, may show up at 4.  Go figure.  I'd like to blame NJ Transit, but I can't because traffic just sucks.
  • They say patience is a virtue.  I am NOT virtuous.  (I sort of already knew this, but recent events have reinforced this.)
  • How to not get fish poo splattered all over me when cleaning the skimmer.  Wear an apron and solid shoes (no sandals).  Wear not so great clothes (in case the apron fails) and sneakers that you  don't care about.
  • Pond water evaporates more quickly than I thought.  I've had to add more water to the pond (in order to keep the waterfall "on") twice in the past week.  I think my water bill is going to be steeper than I anticipated.  (Did I even anticipate?)
  • Pond lettuce (which I didn't even know was a thing) can rapidly multiply.  One day half of the pond has lettuce, the next it's closer to 75%.  It's okay.  Koi like to nibble on it.
  • It can be in the 40s in the morning and near 90 in the afternoon.  It's all about the layers.  If you want the house to warm up without turning on the heat, close the windows at night and open them once the sun is fully out.
  • Furniture is expensive.  (Yeah, I should have known that.)  Don't expect to get it right away...you're going to wait for weeks or maybe months in order to get what you want.  (Hey, the last time I got anything new in the way of furniture was way before the pandemic.)
  • Plumbing and HVAC services are expensive.  But they are necessary.  Your health and quality of life is worth the cost.  (I really shouldn't have been surprised...the technician spent 6 hours in the house cleaning ducts that hadn't been cleaned in nearly a decade.  If only they had been done previously maybe I wouldn't have had such sticker shock.)  I've already paid one bill in full and am looking forward to another larger one before the end of the month for some additional work.  The front end cost is high (in my opinion), but I'm thinking the long term benefits will be more than worth it.
  • Locksmiths are not just about the lock.  It's about educating you on how the lock works (and believe me, you need to know some of these things.)  Worth every penny.
  • Any large purchases that you make will arrive at the same time.  One  morning Amazon and Raymour & Flannagan were in a race to reach the house.  Amazon won by less than 5 minutes.  Delivery people will ask for a good review online; give it to them.  (If you think they deserve it; I know I did.)  Let them use your bathroom because if the shoe was on the other foot.
  • Roosters don't just crow in the morning.  And I think there is more than one in the neighborhood.
  • Sometimes the best veggies grow AFTER Labor Day.  I am experiencing a sudden flux of tomatoes and cucumbers that I would have expected in July or August.
  • If you have the ability to take your laptop outside and work, DO IT!  The days are getting shorter and it will be cold soon here in the northeast.  Take advantage of the fresh air and sunshine while you can.
  • There are over 50 different switches in the house.  I have figured out and catalogued what all but four do; including the one for the pesky outdoor light that bothered me for 3 days before I finally "got it".  I'll probably never figure out the other four, but I think it's a good track record.  There is one lone "button" on the wall in the "east" hallway that scares me...it's either a panic button for the old (defunct) security system or it may be the  button that blows up the world.  I'm not going find out.

  • Pickup trucks are the primary mode of transportation around here.  A hundred years ago the slogan was "A chicken in every pot; a car in every garage," around here the slogan should be a pickup in every driveway and a (barking) dog (or two) in every yard. I don't mind pickup trucks (if they're not souped up so that everyone within a five-mile radius can hear them).  I don't mind dogs and I understand that they are going to bark, but non-stop and along with growling while I walk on the other side of the road freaks me out a bit.  I'll never have a dog (because I'm allergic) or a pickup (because I don't need one).
  • Trees can make a lot of noise.   Appliances can make strange noises too.    Houses "settle" and make strange noises.  This is usually amplified at night when you are trying to sleep and figure out what that strange noise is.
  • And finally, just when you think you are done organizing and putting things away…you’re not.
Stay tuned for more wit and wisdom (?)...or not.  Until then, I'm still not going down to the basement alone...

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