Preparing to Install Exterior Lights

Lets talk nails as in fingernails.

I have found that when I start even the smallest of projects and it begins with a broken nail, it not a good sign.

For the good part of my adult life I have had long artificial fingernails.  When my husband was racing motorcycles and I was his wrench at the track, I had really long hot pink fingernails and never broke a fingernail.  All my years of working on the development of engines (technician/mechanic) I always had long fingernails and rarely broke a nail.

But once I retired, I decided to forgo the artificial nails and just grow my own out.  Generally there is no problem except when spray painting, the nail sometimes gets in the way of the spray.  It's when I use my left hand that I get in trouble.  Because of the bulging disc and resulting pinched nerve on the right side I tend to use my left hand when I bend down to pick up a tool.  Today I misjudged and promptly rammed my freshly manicured thumb right  into a Wonder Bar and broke a nail.  And it was down hill after that.

Today we removed all the drywall around the patio door and discovered a very poor installation of wire from the duplex outlet to a switch to the light over the center of the door.  None of it was attached to the studs with wire brads and the wire was twisted and laid on top of several studs rather than through drilled holes in the studs.  I think the outlet is too low (I didn't measure yet) and the box for the switch is right up against the jamb.

There was some fiberglass insulation that we removed which in turn unearthed a million walnut shells and the remains of a wasp nest.  By this time it was almost 4 pm and since it was raining, it was already getting too dark.  So we decided to clean up the area and start on the detangling of wire on Friday.

I swept up the small debris, as R  broke up the drywall into smaller pieces so we could throw it into the trash container to get picked up on Friday.  I finished sweeping and decided to use the shop vac to clean out the stud cavities and fine debris between the wood floor and the bottom plate.  I leaned over and flipped the switch only to have dust and debris fly out of the exhaust hole and directly into my face.  

That's bad for a person with good lungs so it immediately sent me into a coughing/wheezing fit because of my COPD from exposure to internal combustion exhaust and exposure to chemicals.  I stopped coughing long enough to open up the shop vac and discover that the filter had falling off.  I reinstalled the filter and even checked to make sure it was snug.  

I flipped the switch and immediately heard a clunk and before I could shut it off, I was blasted in the face again.  At that point I called it quits.

Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and for residents of Michigan that means the Detroit Lions will kick off their annual Thanksgiving Day game.  In the past we would get tickets and go to the game and then come back and eat.  But this year we will watch it on TV and then go to a Hungarian restaurant in Detroit for dinner.  I'm looking forward to chicken paprikas and torte for dessert.  Unconventional but tasty.

Have a great Thanksgiving

Reuse Repurpose Recycle