September 19, 2020's thought for the day: No matter where you go, your destiny follows you. Kurdish Proverb

It is turning out to be a nice Saturday, cold, well .... compared to a few days ago. My furnace is in the process of being replaced, being estimated in cost at this point. I am a little leery of using this furnace since it is apparently in a state of demise. 

The photo a day challenge for September 18 was “lines”. Think about it.....there are “lines” everywhere, all kinds of choices for images to capture and present that subject. I chose a simple display of utility cables strung over a small part of the city scape. 

Yesterday was one of those hills and valley days in respect to mood. I was worrying about the leak in the ceiling and the furnace and all that goes with it. Then there is the “humongous”, for me at least, worry that my computer is dying and, at this point,  preventing me from doing some very necessary moves. Another part of the worry was that I hadn’t heard from someone very dear to my heart after several attempts at “messenger”, texts, emails and phone calls. To top off this lousy part of the day, another dear young friend of mine, who called me grandma, died. Suddenly a little light came on in all of that gloom. The person mentioned a minute ago, the one very dear to my heart, called. What a moment of sunshine. Then a dose of even more sunshine was a letter with a return address I have been longing for over a year and a half. I have a hand made note from two of great grandchildren. So by the end of the day the good (the hill) soothed the bad (the valley).

I got the message for the church meal done in the afternoon. So I will take those to the church later on today. 

The twins are here last night and today for a visit. So we are enjoying that untouchable (by us ‘old-timer’) energy of youth. 

Oh, another ‘downer’ for me that some of my blog friends may notice, the site has changed its look, more so on the ‘designer’ side but affecting the final outcome. It is taking a lot more time to add my photos, which for my particular blog, is important. Please be patient with me I will get better at this new format with persistent experience. 

The photo theme for today is “alone”. We had the twins here over the past couple of days. I have noted

that they sometimes play together and other times they seem to prefer to do things on their own using their own individual talents and interests. I shot some images of on of them lying on the floor creating with Leggos. I shot a few more of the other twin sitting on the porch swing using her imagination of other individuals in her mind preforming for or with her. 

I think I am going to stop grouching now.....I am depressing myself all over again (smile).

The word for today is misfortune. All the ills of mankind, all the tragic misfortunes that fill the history books, all the political blunders, all the failures of the great leaders have arisen merely from a lack of skill at dancing, Moliere.  To accuse others for one's own misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows that one's education has begun. To accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one's education is complete, Epictetus.  My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened, Michel de Montaigne. If all misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be contented to take their own and depart, Socrates. A cloudy day or a little sunshine have as great an influence on many constitutions as the most recent blessings or misfortunes, Joseph Addison. We exaggerate misfortune and happiness alike. Great minds have purposes; little minds have wishes. Little minds are subdued by misfortunes; great minds rise above them, Washington Irving.  By speaking of our misfortunes we often relieve them, Pierre Corneille.  Life, misfortunes, isolation, abandonment, poverty, are battlefields which have their heroes; obscure heroes, sometimes greater than the illustrious heroes, Victor Hugo.  I never knew any man in my life who could not bear another's misfortunes perfectly like a Christian, Alexander Pope. One should go invited to a friend in good fortune, and uninvited in misfortune, Swedish Proverb. Reflect upon your present blessings, Charles Dickens   

Here is some more tips about using building materials. In the title of the article it was mentioned that older building materials and methods are better. That kind of peaked my interest because as stated later in the article, “They don’t make ‘em like they use to” is a favorite thought and belief of mine. The author of this article mentioned that he “cut my (his) teeth .... working in and on old homes...”. In the 1800's new single and multifamily homes were in a building boom that lasted for decades. The framing lumber used then was bigger than today in wall studs and floor joists. It was cut from “”old growth timber”, which showed growth rings at the ends. The article went on to say “that “modern lumber” is “hybridized” to grow faster and is “more susceptible to rot and movement”. Further on in the article is stated that old brick homes didn’t have water leakage issues and mold as present today’s brick veneer homes. There is a difference in concrete today than in the “olden days”. “Concrete masons” 80 to 100 years ago knew to add some additional Portland cement to the mix to make it stronger and last longer. It was also noted in the article that concert has improved over the years. (But, in my mostly uninformed knowledge about concrete,  I still wonder if maybe the old way was better.) Over the years plumbing and electric service has improved a great deal. Cast iron and galvanized lines would rot out, now replaced by PVC.  Circuit breakers are better than old knob and tube wiring and “screw in fuses” and make the home safer than a home in 1913. According to the article today’s tile installed over waterproof gypsum board don’t compare to ceramic tile set in concrete. The person interviewed in the article went on to say: “In my opinion, the workmanship in older homes is far superior to what you generally see in today’s homes.... there are still a few craftsmen who treat what they do as a vocation rather than a job..... go back in time and just about every worker took enormous pride in what they produced each day. This is why I’m a huge proponent of reintroducing building technology courses into all high schools across the U.S”.  His motto is “Do It Right, Not Over!:

I am having old-fashioned goulash for dinner tonight. 

Joy