Mom With Power Tools In Experimental Mode

I do not have cable TV. It has been over a year since I last had cablevision.

I was bored a couple nights ago, so I tried an experiment. I attempted to build a TV antenna. At least then I can have 4 or 5 channels.

Supplies

• plywood
• wire coat hangers
• coaxial cable

Built a small box out of plywood. Drilled two holes in the top. Cut top off two hangers and inserted them into the holes. Twisted ends of hangers together inside box. Used staple gun to stabilize hangers on top of the box. Used electricians' tape to attach coaxial cable to bottom ends of hangers.

Then I hooked it up to my TV.

It did not work.

I was not sure if it would work or not. It was worth a try... and it gave me something to do for an hour. Best of all, it did not cost me anything! Buying antennae is out of the question... I don't have $20. If I did, I would have cable!

In the process, I did find instructions online to make a simple antenna from 300 ohm twin-lead line. It is inexpensive... if I can find anyone who still carries it!

Mom With Power Tools is satisfied... she tried something new and learned something in the process.

It was a good project.

Alone

That triggered an emotional response.

Early today, VN said I seemed lonely. Later in the day, LH said I looked tired. I felt lethargic. I have been sleeping alot the last few days. Then today, I had no appetite.

That was the thing that told me what is wrong -- No Appetite.

I am depressed.

I enjoyed a good laugh over JJs latest escapades.

Then, I was alone.

I initially felt somewhat overwhelmed at work today. It seemed like every 10 minutes, another job fell onto my desk. I caught myself jumping from task to task, not really accomplishing anything. It was difficult, but I managed to make myself finish a task. Then I made myself finish another task. Before I knew it, everything was done.

Then, I was alone.

I wasted some time on the computer, and some more work came into the office. By the time I left work for the day, I had a days' work sitting on my desk again, with a promise to have it ready for next Tuesday.

Now, at home, IJ asleep, I am alone again.

The house is so quiet. I sit here at the computer, not really wanting to do anything, but not wanting to go to bed. In bed, the house is even more quiet. I am even more alone.

Once in bed, I try to read. Some nights I can't concentrate on the book, and I give up. The last few nights, I have been awake late reading. I have been unwilling to turn off the light. In the dark silence, I am so alone.

Then, I wake up. I wake up, and I do not want to move. The house is quiet and empty. Everything is so still. I don't want to face it. I don't want to be alone.

I want to be asleep.

When I am asleep, I am not alone. When I am asleep, I meet interesting people and do interesting things.

I am not alone.

For a little while.

JJ and HER

JMJ was telling me about his dad again this weekend. He tells me that JJ and HER fight alot. They yell at each other alot. They aren't getting along very well.

JMJ didn't say what they were fighting about. Just that his dad said "pack your bags... we're leaving!"

This was just a week ago. That means JJ is keeping HER PMS to himself now.

After some more fighting, and some calmer conversation, they made up.

Wow! I don't know how much longer those two will be together. VN expects JJ to come crawling back to me any day now. I think he is too smart for that... he knows I won't take him back.

I would rather be alone for the rest of my life.

November 9, 2007

6:00am
The cat wakes me up, crying at the front door. Crying and crying and crying and crying.... Finally he stopped. Then I heard the kitty door swinging. Did he go out, or did he stick his head out and change his mind? I hear him jump onto the floor. Then he cries a couple more times. He stops. I decide I should go let him out so he doesn't pee in the bathtub.

In the living room, I call and call... no cat. I open the door and look outside. I call him. No cat. I go back to bed.

10 minutes later, I hear the cat jump onto his perch outside. I hear the kitty door swinging. I hear the cat jump onto the floor. Then he is on my bed, beside my pillow. He did go outside! He finally figured it out!

I lavish him with praise, telling him what a smart kitty he is.


7:15
Phone rings. I answer it. It is VN, calling to say happy birthday. I hang up.


7:30
Clock radio turns on. I listen to music for an hour then get up. Kept IJ home from school today. We spent some time on bible study together. DL joined us later.


11:30
IJ and I go to the mall to check out the craft fair. We smelled something really good. We went looking for it. Our noses lead us towards to grocery store. We went in to see if they had fresh cookies. The aroma was not coming from there. We exit. Slowly, we move through the mall... and find it!

Fresh, candied almonds!

We hit the jackpot! They were still too hot to eat. I bought some. Tasty.


12:45
We locate VN, and all go out to my car. We head home.


12:55
I am stopped on the road, signaling a left turn. Lots of traffic coming towards me. I check my rearview mirror -- a car is stopped a reasonable distance behind me. I look forwards again, but something catches my eye. I look in the mirror again... there is a truck coming up fast behind the car! No time to react... I tense up. I hear a sickening crash... followed by another crunch... tires screeching on the road... and my rear bumper is tapped.

Wow! Did we ever get lucky! All three of us had seatbelts with shoulder straps on. The car behind me saw the truck coming, and planted his foot on the break and set his handbreak. He got the worst of it. Initially, everyone was ok. By the time the police arrived, the driver behind me was feeling dizzy. They got him an ambulance.

My digital camera was in the car, so I took it out and took an overview picture followed by front and rear photos of each vehicle. I'll post some later.

The first thing the cop said was "Let me guess... someone was making a left turn,"

I put up my hand and said "that was me".

"... was hit from behind, and then another vehicle hit from behind."

"Close," I said. "The white car was hit from behind, and was pushed into me."

She started taking names, beginning with me. I gave her my licence, and I watched her write my birthdate in her notebook.

"I knew there was something I had to do today," I exclaimed. "My licence expires today!"

"Don't worry about it," she said.

She finished up with me and I got to go home.

Other stuff happened today... ran errands with DL, had a chiropractor visit, got a prescription from my GP for some skin cream, went to renew my licence... right after they locked the door! Ordered Chinese food, picked JMJ up at the ferry, arrived at the drug store minutes before they closed to fill out my prescription (the pharmacist was so nice... he turned his computers back on and filled it out right away).

I'm ready to sleep now.

What a day!

I Hate Having An Ex

JJ emailed me today about holidays for the next year. He only wants the kids until Dec 28. He wants to share Spring Break. And he wants them for the month of August.

When I saw his email in my inbox, I knew it would upset me. I determined not to reply to it today. I don't want to let my emotions antagonize the situtation. Besides, PMS week is looming. I have to be careful what I say this week, lest HER PMS be projected onto me.

The Dates
August is fine. July has better weather anyway.

Spring Break is 1 1/2 weeks this year... and I want to take them to Edmonton. That is a 3 day drive one way. That doesn't leave enough time to share.

And I have never had them before January 2 before. That's a problem. Especially this year: school doesn't start until January 7.


JJ said in his email that he has never had the kids for the whole Winter Break before. That is not true. He always does.

He also said he doesn't sit around doing nothing anymore.

That hurt.

JJ wants to do things with HER. He did whatever he could to avoid doing things with me. Now he wants to do things, and I'm supposed to be flexible for him.

For years, I have wanted to do something just for me over Winter Break. I have never had the money. It is the end of my "off-season", and there is no money left in the bank. So I usually sit around, depressed, wishing I had something to do. Wishing that I was in Montreal, photographing the Old City or ice skating on the canal.

I have had too many disappointments this year. I can't just not make plans again. I have to do something. I don't want to spend another winter just wishing.


I am going to go make some plans now. JJ needs to know what dates I can take the kids so he can make his own plans. I am certain I will not be around on the 28th. My back-up plan, in case I couldn't make it to Montreal, was to spend New Years' in a cabin at a hot spring with single friends.

Mom With Power Tools Returns

Unwilling to let one failure stop her, Mom With Power Tools embarks on a new project.

Well, not really new. Just something she has never attempted before. The project has been waiting to be done for two years or more (something JJ never got around to).

In typical manner, there is no overhead lighting in my living room. My dining room is at one end of the living room, and also has no overhead lighting. A couple of weeks ago, I bumped into my only lamp and broke it.

It has been very dark lately.

JJs sister was redecorating a couple of years ago, and JJ brought me a light fixture that she no longer needed. He intended to put a cord on it and hang it over the dining room table.

It never got done.

Today, Mom With Power Tools decided it was about time it was done.

Off to the hardware store, looking for suitable electrical wire for the job. Found "portable swag lighting kit". Nearly perfect. It has a pull-chain on the bulb socket. Locate a rocker switch. Now, it is perfect.

Back home, Mom disassembles the old light fixture. It now has no electrical parts. That makes it easy to wash... put it in the dishwasher! Now, it sparkles.

Thread wire through chain. Install two ceiling hooks. Splice rocker switch into electrical cord. Make sure fixture is dry, and wire it with the new light socket. Add one light bulb, hang the light, and plug it in.

I have light!

And to think I have always avoided electrical work. It is the only course I ever failed in school (34% - not even close to passing). Aptitude tests have revealed that I would be bored as an electrician. That does not mean I cannot do it. It just means I had no motivation to pass the course.

Mom With Power Tools has regained her confidence.

I can do anything!

I am Mom.

What's next?