So it was bound to happen. Stove pipe repairs (or not). The chimney sweep was finished, and handed me a paper with a quote for new piping. Wanna know how much?
$650.00.
Sigh....he started telling me we needed repairs within the first two minutes he was looking at the stove, and before they even cleaned it. That amount does not include the $109.00 they charged to sweep the chimney.
We're looking into other sources. I'm not sure I trust this group anymore. They sent a different person this time (actually two), and they immediately gave me a bad feeling. They also had a woman call to follow up on the "repairs." There were several red flags during their visit here, and they were very, what I call, "pushy" (pushing dollar signs).
On a good note, our new dog scared them from coming inside. I guess Alias, teddy bear that he is, will be a good deterrent to unwanted guests. However, my son informed me that now that we own a pit bull, we are now considered possible drug dealers. Seriously? This world we live in today, is definitely a head shaker. I did have to laugh when Alias kept taking his ball over and dropping it at the wood stove while the two guys were working (if indeed that is what they were doing). Ha ha!
Spiders. It's that time of year when they all want to join us inside. These are not small either. They aren't your wimpy daddy long-legs either.
We typically surround the house with hedge apples, to deter those nasty, ginormous, hairy, scary, wolf spiders away. Well, I called in reinforcements for that already.
We've had one on the counter top, one joined me in the shower (let's just say that one didn't make it back outside), and one in the dog's food bowl. One ran across the feet of my 14 year-old. Eww! I heard Home Defense is safe for pets, but you'll be sure I will be seeking extra back up this winter.
Hubby surprised me with flowers. Aren't they beautiful? He was helping me celebrate a (finally) clean table (one of them anyway). In our house, this is a big issue - keeping things clutter free. The kids are still not on board with picking up their "clutter" and messes. This morning, this very same table was covered with last night's cups, mugs, and snack dishes. Not to mention, kitchen towels that they continuously leave lay vs. put back on a hanger. I have to keep telling myself, that when they have a place of their own, they'll "get it." Or I have to believe that anyway.
Note to self - When I'm taking the dogs out to do their business, and I can't find my shoes that I always leave at the door because one of my kids has taken them and left them somewhere else, and I wear my slippers I already have on......remember to dodge the chicken poo on the porch.
Comments
Yart, I wil have to try peppermint oil, as I have some on hand.
Michele, I hope your stove piping is all in good shape.
I got a HVAC person down the road to come for the A/C when it happened. Will have to get a second opinion and have them look at the heat coils too so we can try to get the insurance to cover the approximate $1,300 replacement coverage because we think lightning caused the system to fail.
In the meantime, we have a small space heater that's working like a top keeping this little old house warm and toasty, so that may be all we'll need.