I'm feeling particularly uninspired...

I'm feeling particularly uninspired today. Don't know why. We are making good progress on the remodeling job. Window, walls, ceiling, floor, water, drains all done. We have one power wire to connect, I need to run a gas line, and we can move the washer and dryer in and put them in place.

I enjoy Menard's, but I am tired of going there for a while.

I've GOT to do some tax papers by the end of the week. Nothing much, I think it is all done but the filing. Then I have income tax papers to work on. They have to be done by the end of February, but other people don't have to mail 1099's out until the end of January. Makes a tight deadline.

We have quite a bit of time we need to spend in the shop, but I have trouble getting excited about a cold shop. It never seemed to bother dad, but it sure slows me down. WVHG wants me to deliver tomorrow. I said I would, but the more I think about it the less sure I have time. I just checked my To-Do List. It has 54 items on it. There would be more if I listed everything.

Make that 55. I need to replace a tail light on the Dodge. Someone backed it into a tree in the dark last night.

Well, I need something positive before I quit on a downward tone. Junkyard had a replacement light in stock for "only" $35. I guess that is positive.

I have been frustrated with padlocks. Dad acquired a rather varied collection over the years of all sizes and shapes and different keys. I bought 4 keyed alike ones a few years ago. That worked out so well I bought 4 more ... and 4 more. Now I have a whole ring full of padlock keys. We have red key locks and blue key locks and green key locks and that one odd one and the one dad had for this and ... you get the idea. I told Aman I was about ready to spend a good chunk of money and get a couple dozen all keyed alike.

I was in the Clearance Aisle (Suprise! Surprise!) and stumbled across these heavy brass Brinks resettable combination locks for just over half normal price. So I bought all they had. I probably spent more on padlocks in one shot than dad did his entire life.

I sat down in front of the TV that night and reset them to the same combination. Except one. It would not open. Well, actually there were two. The default was 0-0-0-0 and one was 0-0-9-0. I stumbled across the right combination and got it open. But one would not open.
I called the Brinks toll-free number. Young lady (OK, she sounded young) listened to my problem, asked my address and said she would send a replacement. Got it in the mail this week. Brand new shiny in the package. So now I have several padlocks I can open without a key!

I love it when a plan comes together.

And I found a company with excellent customer service. Even better!

And I am going to owe income tax! Hey! As Gramps said one time, "Paying taxes is bad. Not having to pay them is worse."