The Beat Goes On

07:06 Saturday, 7 November 2026
Current Wx: Temp: 40.71°F Pressure: 1013hPa Humidity: 90% Wind: 5.66mph
Words: 778

Been a little busy around here. The weather was unseasonably warm, but I'm not complaining.

We got the sliding glass door installed in the new house, and it's a huge disappointment. When we met with 84 Lumber to pick out our windows and doors (Andersen) last summer, we had a 3-panel slider in mind that was of a kind of European design. The price was astronomical. The manager suggested another door that had three panels. We assumed that meant that two of the panels slid, so we'd have a wide opening to the deck. We assumed that, because that's what we were aiming for with the European design which rolled along the bottom, and the door lowered to seal the bottom track and it had no exposed framing at the threshold. (Something to trip over when you're old.)

We got the door installed, and only one panel opens, two fixed panels and they even got it wrong in terms of the direction of opening. Worse, the opening is only 28 inches wide! Fortunately, it seems that size is enough to accommodate a transport chair, if not an actual wheelchair.

We should get some movement on the electrical on Monday or Tuesday. The internet provider will be out Tuesday for a site survey. Hopefully we've got everything in place for them.

We collected the HVAC equipment on Monday. That was another disappointing experience, but worthwhile. We arrived at 0800, as I told the guy who insisted we get the equipment as soon as possible. He didn't show up until 0900 and he was the only guy who could run the forklift, which looked as though it could fall apart at any moment.

Arriving early was worthwhile though, because their crews were loading their trucks for the day’s jobs and the garage doors were all open and we could see into their storage space. It looked as though a bomb had gone off. That told me everything else I needed to know if I had any remaining doubts about not working with them.

Fortunately the equipment was all still wrapped and on the pallets. It had been sitting roadside in the parking lot over the weekend. It hadn't rained, but an industrious thief could have rolled up with a trailer and a pallet jack and pulled away with quite a score.

I've continued working with Claude on identifying parts to complete the hydronic system. I have a few more valves to get, and it should just about be complete, apart from the PEX and the insulation. It has been expensive though. Manifolds and circulators alone were close to $3K.

We were hoping we might have the roofing put on last week, but no joy and little in the way of communication. This is being arranged by the manager at 84 Lumber who has some Amish crews he coordinates and schedules. We will probably look for a different solution for the siding. The lack of communication is incredibly frustrating.

I met with the county emergency management director and his assistant yesterday. I brought along a little point paper. We spoke for about thirty minutes. They said they were happy to hear from me. I learned about part of their planning that doesn't appear on their website, and that is the Community Organizations Action Plan. That was a gap that I noticed and they told me it doesn't appear on the website because it includes the contact information for a lot of private citizens.

I'm not sure they really grasp the kind of scenario I was laying out for them, where we're without power and internet for an indefinite period of time. But hopefully I've planted a seed. The plans are up for review soon, and the world has changed a lot since they were first written. We'll see. Time may tell.

Weighed in this morning and I was down about a quarter of a pound. Unsurprising because I don't think I got a full dose last week and I seem to be adapting to the peptide. We'll see how this upcoming week goes.

I was up looking at the house the other morning when I got a text from an old friend out in Nevada. Earlier that morning I'd read a NY Times article about Florida being the last bastion of MAGA, and left a comment. She'd been reading the Times after she woke up and saw my comment. She said, "I know that guy." I gave her a call and we chatted for a while as I sat on the tailgate of the Maverick. It was a pleasant moment of catching up.

And now you're all caught up too.

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