Insulation Tactics

Another isolated weekend day in the house would not have been good for me.  Luckily I didn’t have to worry about that as both Buddy and I journeyed up to my home town to watch yesterday’s NFL playoff games.  I wanted to get up there to watch both games but I was delayed by my latest project.

Ever since I’ve moved into my current house there’s been an issue with the master bedroom’s bathroom during the winter.  It’s cold, bone chilling cold on really freezing days, and I’ve been searching for remedies ever since that first winter.  The geniuses that designed the house gave it a dual zone heating system and paced the upstairs air handler in the attic. 

The only problem with that is that the eaves allow cold air in the winter and hot air in the summer direct access to that space which turns it into a freezer and subsequently a sauna.  The master bedroom and bathroom are the furthest from the air handler and even though the pipes are well insulated I’m guessing the exposure to the cold air over their long trek robs them of significant heat. 

The Pipes Leading to the Master Bathroom and the Dangerous Low Hanging Roof

I bought a couple rolls of insulation on Saturday and spent yesterday morning up in the attic trying to figure out a way to make this plan work.  It led to some pretty comical moments as I balanced on the cross beams so my foot wouldn’t break through the 2d floor ceiling.  I was reminded about not standing up too quickly with a long hanging roof.  That can be a challenge when you’re trying to keep from falling through the ceiling and the immediate reaction is to stand straight up.  Luckily I landed across the joists when I emerged from the stunning blow to the back of the head. 

Mission Complete - Now We'll See If It Works

I considered it a win that I finished with no loss of blood which is usually attendant to any of my home repair projects.  This did delay departure though and I didn’t get up to Keene until well into the first game.  It’s so much better to watch football with friends.  The Keene Friend had a nice little layout and fed Buddy an almost constant stream of snack bones.

I also learned the devastating news that I had erroneously been blaming my son for the latest puzzle torture - the mini puzzle. The Keene Friend somewhat proudly pointed out that he was the one who gave me that as a Christmas present.  Apparently my son was enjoying my discomfort so much that he didn't deny it when i accused him of trying to emulate some of his sister's tactics in frustrating his old man.

The Cantankerous Friend’s schedule didn’t permit attendance but the rest of the day sped by as we watched the last two of the playoff games being decided.  The NFC will end up with the Chickenshit Bowl with San Francisco vying to preen and gangster their way against the masters of that style in Seattle.  The later game saw Denver hang on to earn the right to host New England next week.

Best Weekend of Football Season - Only Three Games Left :(

I was seriously dozing off during the second game and decided to leave before the game was ultimately decided.  This break was certainly what I needed - an insulating time against solitary life and the required injection of that ever present feeling of home whenever I pull into Keene.  As I was leaving I took a few minutes to drive by a couple of the houses I noted online for sale earlier in the week.  It was a needed reminder of upcoming events and even though it was dark, enough to cross one of the houses off the list.

I DVRed the 60 Minutes story on A-Roid and watched it when I got home.  There’s been so much back and forth that I was interested to hear from some of the direct participants.  I can now see why MLB was saying all along that when everyone heard the evidence in the case’ it would tell a compelling story.  The one overarching theme that emerged for me was the vast ego Aroid is blessed/cursed with.  I don’t know how anyone with even a modicum of intelligence can deny the obvious fact that he was deeply involved in PEDs despite his denials.  I ran into this with some Soldiers who we caught dead to rights on an issue but who would deny and deny, as if simply by denying they could change the truth. 

Hubris Incarnate

It’s sad to see such a talented athlete descend into a comical parody of himself, surrounded by an apparent legion of enablers and apologists.  His PR campaign might work if he was even capable of being sympathetic at this point but his orchestrated antics ring with insincerity and a desperate belief of being above judgment by mere mortals.  He might have been one of the best ever, but now we’ll never know how much of it was real, he certainly isn’t.

Today's Fashion Statement (attempt)