Right?
Well, mea culpa. Mea Frickin' culpa. I should have read the news before I posted my blog. Seems I have my priorities a little screwy, what with my twitching, heroin-addict acting jonesing for my computer.
I didn't know there had been a hurricane. I didn't know there had been a hurricane the kind of which wreaks utter destruction and brings out the total savageness of certain kinds of people. And then Irish (who has never been to Block Island, or probably Maine for that matter, but who knows the Warbler longer than any of y'all) kindly but firmly reminded me as well that it could be worse: I could be standing on my roof. I could have been with 30,000 poor souls in the Superdome - my heart aches for those folks. Except for those extreme bastards who used this heinous situation to prey on the souls and bodies of others simply because lawlessness suits their nature. Hey, it wouldn't surprise me if some of those perps are later found floating face down as well.
Anyway, my situation's bad. But it's not a total loss of life, limb, property and loved ones. Right? Right?
And then...
And then. My husband informs me that the older section of our life-savings purchased house (quite possibly part of the newer, as well) doesn't have insulation. Allow me to rephrase. Our house - the entire NORTH wall (that's right BI'ers who are incredibly in tune with the weather and heating fuel costs) of our lovely, drafty, tilted old house, has no insulation. Our house in Maine. One of the colder states in the union. No insulation. And the chimney's in poor condition so we're not to use the small Jotul (wood) stove. I have commanded (but not like Everett commands - he's had practice, I can tell) the man to whom I am legally bound to place holes in the wall of the house so I may tell if there is insulation anywhere in any of the rooms in which my children do or will reside - temporarily or in perpetuity. It's not like he can't fix 'em, right?
Some folks have suggested we sue. Did you know that suing people actually takes money up front? That's why we're not. Suing, I mean. We can't. We also can't rip the house apart to insulate because we don't have enough green to put it back together.
But at least I'm not standing on a roof.
Friends, I'm a bit beaten down. And it hurts. So many of you don't know the kind of fighter I once was. But, like any fighter, you can only go so long before those punches start to slow you down. Even worse, I seem to be losing my song. I stare at the keyboard and think "I really need to get that up. Playing will make me feel more myself, it always does"..but then I think "Why bother? I can't play it when the baby's awake and I certainly can't play when he's asleep." And then I think "I'm bored with the same old songs." And then I realize that I haven't been able to write any news ones for a while now. It feeds itself, really.
But instead of feeling sorry for myself, I'm going to try and imagine how, if I were in a situation like those poor folks in New Orleans, I'd probably give anything to be dealing with my problems here and not theirs there.
And if gas went from $2.17 here on Wednesday to $3.49 today, I shudder to think what kind of gouging prices are happening on BI.
And, Sam, as soon as the price of oil gets a little lower, I will call that furnace guy to come test the furnace. And, hell, a six pack is always a good idea. I have to heat this place whether I can afford it or not, my babies deserve that. But if you do come up this way, please let me know, I'd love to offer you a cup of coffee. It'd probably have to be somewhere like Mae's Cafe, but I could still offer. (grin) Heck, I could probably get all my friends still in cities to come out for a visit and they'd eat up how rustic it all is.
Ah well...a little more of this merlot and I'll start singing "Everything Is Beautiful". In it's own way, right?
posted by The Warbler | 9/02/2005 10:38:00 PM
7 Comments:
Recognizing how overwhelmed you are about the lack of insulation in a old house and facing the prospect of a major increase in heating expenses....have you investigated insulation that is blown into the framing cavities? You don't have to take your house all apart. A contractor cuts a plug to access the cavity between the studs and then call fill this space with various kinds of insulation.
I understand that all your cash might be tied up into the house, but maybe there's some way to work this out.
an excellent suggestion, I shall most definitely check into it. Thanks.
I second the blown cellulose thingy, and it works great up in the attic, too. I haven't been in the business for a while but I saw some new stuff that was white, not like brown cardboard. I've worked on many houses using the stuff and it works great. No air drafts. The only issue I heard is that over 10-20 years it would shrink, whereas fiberglass would not. Cellulose has come a long way and has fireproofing and something that makes it unappealing to ... furry little critters. Best to y'all!
I think they have DIY equipment for this project...just in case you're looking for a reason to shoot some holes in the wall. I was looking into this process a few years ago for an old family home that needed insulation but we ended up selling the place.
Good luck with your adventure in homeownership.
Hi 88, Whatever you do, and no matter how hard things get to cope with, don't give up on the old piano! Just let those ever so talented fingers do their own walking and maybe all we fortunate ones will be regaled with a new "Impromptu in Maine" by the best damn player I ever listened to, Scot Joplin aside.
Plastic on the inside of the window frames, insulation strips and sandbags around the doors, lots of quilts, and a generous amount of 'Snogging' under the covers, ( so Harry Potter would say) will see you thru the winter! Then comes spring, save all the plastic for next year. Best of luck honey. Everett TIFN
I second that, Everett! I don't know if you guys ever get the National Fisherman magazine but they are based in Maine and they have a small column each month by the editor called "Captain Bill Sane Says" or something. It is a mythical Mainer town with the Clam Cop, the old man who sleeps on his wharf with his barrels of stinkin' porky bait, the Beulah sisters with their crab cakes. Of course, Capt'n Bill talks about his old man, growing up, and fishing the pound nets and all that. In addition, they talk about the "guv'mint" boys and "rusticators" who come each summer to get a dose of Maine air. It's pretty darned funny and written like a true Down Easter.
I was thinking of all that when Warbler said how "rustic" it all was. A rusticator is a made-up word for those city dwellers that think the idea of no electricity, plumbing, or other conveniences is cool - for a weekend in a high dollar shack. They invade by the thousands, eat up all the lobstas and clams and crab cakes, and leave.
Toto, I don't think we're in Missouri anymore!
P.S. please check the chimney for the wood fire, OK? A volunteer fireman would do. -sam
Yeah, Sam, a volunteer fireman certainly would do!
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