It has been awhile since my last post.  I recently discovered that even though I am not around hundreds of children and their germs every day, I am not immune to the viruses that are making the rounds in our area.  I am now wondering if I can market this remarkable way of losing ten pounds in one week.  Probably not.
    I have made the decision to spend some our our retirement nest egg to purchase needed equipment to start a business.  I was surprised at how difficult it was to click the "confirm order" buttons on the various websites where I ordered manikins, a laptop computer and an LCD projector to begin offering CPR and First Aid classes.  I am certain it is a good investment.  There are scores of people required to take one or both of these classes periodically, and I am a good instructor, well-liked by those I have taught in the past.  But while my head said, "Push the button.  It'll be fine!" my heart said, "That's a lot of money!"  That's why I didn't choose the business world in the first place; too much self-doubt and timidity.
    I still can't see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel regarding my house project.  I started out simply wanting to repaint the outside of the house.  It has needed it for years, and since I knew I was retiring in June, I thought this would be the perfect time to tackle a project I have no desire to do.  I hate the preparation work most of all.  But I figured I could save several thousand dollars by doing the job myself.  I have, however, discovered over the years that no project I plan is ever as simple as it first appears.  This project has proven that point.
    Before the painting preparation could begin I had to replace the living room window, a unit consisting of three double-hung wood-frame windows with a half-round over the middle one.  It has been leaking during moderately windy storms.  To order a new unit I had to remove some the siding from the top, bottom, and both sides for measurement purposes.  That's when I discovered the dry rot was more extensive than it first appeared.  I also discovered that the siding was nailed to the studs.  My contractor son strongly suggested I go ahead and remove all the siding from that wall, install 3/8" sheeting, then replace the siding after installing the new window unit.  While removing the siding I found out how easily redwood splits when being forced by a breaker bar.  I also discovered that, despite four years of washing windows when I was in my twenties, I really don't like being at the top of a 16' ladder while pulling on a breaker bar. 
    The new window unit has been installed.  The siding has been reinstalled up to about the 9' mark.  I now need to find someplace that has this exact redwood siding to finish the last six feet.  I had to throw out a good amount of the old siding due to dry rot and splitting.  I still haven't removed the top four pieces of siding.  I borrowed a scaffolding rig, but it is one inch wider than my deck.  So, once the temperature drops below 100 degrees I'll have to overcome my fear and climb up that ladder to finish the job.
    Oh, since I made the wall 3/8" thicker, the trim has to be changed. 
    I called a painter today.  He's coming by in awhile to give me a quote.  Being retired seems to be costing me more, not less.