A plan and a door...

Firewood Man came over this evening to measure out the area where I have wanted privacy screens (well, if I couldn't have a whole privacy fence) in the far end of the back yard to the left of the garage.  When I sit on the bench there, I can see 17 garbage/recycling bin.  Not all that restful, if you ask me.

I have gone round and round and round on what I wanted Firewood Man to do.  And, of course, I have sort of gone round and round and round on the money.  But I have that worked out and am ready to move forward.  Even if, maybe, some might think I should invest in the physical therapy instead of blocking the view back there.

What I LOVED about Tim's visit is that he came up with a PLAN.  I really, really, really need PLANS these days.  To have steps and processes and procedures for getting through things, for making decisions.

He actually made a change, suggesting that we pull the fence line back off the alley about two feet.  That way, any snow plowing and the like wouldn't endanger the new privacy screens.  By doing that, we can also adjust the posts so that we can set them 8 feet on center so that, if ever a privacy fence was in the future, then those new posts could be used.

By doing that, too, we will be taking out the existing chain link fence in that area, saving all but the posts in the garage for re-use if someone wants to remove the little haven I want to create.

The fence will be 8 feet by the garage, 8 feet by the alley, and then 12 feet along side my neighbors garage, to more fully block the garage view.  In that area, Firewood Man will be putting paving stones down, so it will curve from the garage over to the side fence.  Since he knows I don't like to have mud in the yard because of Amos' paws, Firewood Man is going to bring gravel to fill in a base. It will be grey and dull for a while, but not muddy!

He's going to saw the pole on the chain link fence where it will end and put in a metal post right next to the wooden one to have a clean edge.  Maybe it will look odd to others, but to me, I will like that.  A single line of fencing.

We are using privacy lattice. We have gone round and round and round as to how we should do the panels, but, after looking at a fence in the neighborhood that I think works a bit like what I want (it's around a play set).  With the spacing and what I want, we are going to do the panels in 4 foot sections.  So, tall and narrow instead of doing two wider, longer horizontal panels atop each other.  That way, if we need to adjust by the garage (a possibility), then we will have all 4 foot sections and then a smaller one right adjacent to the garage.  I like how he's planned for possibilities because, when you dig, you never know what you will find.

The lattice will be held in place with trim on both sides, having the back side flush so we can have a bit of a corner round (but square) look to have multi-level trim.  The fence posts will be capped, similar to the ones on the railings of the back porch and airing porch.  And we will seal all the wood later.

I am excited.
We have a plan.

Firewood Man also helped me with a fix in the basement.  The piece of wood that holds the door to the ancient wooden cabinet in the utility closet had come off.  The very old nail popped out in late December.  I tried to make a repair using a screw that had no threads at the top (so the wood could easily spin on it), but my drill ended up stripping the head.  I asked Firewood Man to bring his drill and a grippy thing (to get out the stripped screw).  He did and, using the second screw I found like the first (yes, I have a stash of screws and nails all divided into little compartments), Firewood Man repaired the door.  It closes now!

Whew!
No more holding shut that door whilst opening the freezer door!
Visual rest in the utility closet once more!

Firewood Man often shows me much mercy in things like that, in helping me restore order or visual rest to some place in my house so that it does not drive me nuts.  He also recognizes when I need to DO SOMETHING even if he is the one doing it.  Yes, if all goes well, he will be doing something this weekend!

I made a plan with my GP's nurse last night (this morning).  Next appointment is going to be talking about options for addressing the Trigeminal Neuralgia.  She wrote to me today saying that chronic pain changes people, fundamentally changes them.  I do not doubt that.  She was telling me not to punish myself for how I see myself these days.

I can bring up two topics in my 30-minute appointments, so the other one will be a new diagnosis from this past appointment:  Gustatory Rhinitis.  Yep, my nose has started dripping like a sieve whenever I eat.  I sit down to a box of tissues with every meal.  SIGH.

I've been reading about it and there is a medication that I can try.  I am going to ask about it.  It is on my formulary as a Tier 2, so it is possible ... budget doable.  I'll have to pay to try it, but if it does work with me, I can get a 90-day supply for free.  After all, tissues with your meals is just not as enjoyable as having candle light with your meals.  SIGH.

I have a plan for my yard and a plan for my next GP visit.  And I have a door that closes.  Yay me!