So much going on, so much to do. Woke up at 3:30am this Monday morning, can’t go back to sleep.

• If you have a plumbing problem in the Raleigh area, I highly recommend that you do as Lone Star did in Spaceballs and use the Schwartz. (Specifically: Schwartz Plumbing Co., 919-212-2777.) They fixed our sewage nightmare for much less than I expected. A 50 lb sack of pulverized limestone was purchased to disinfect the basement.
• I planted the Eastern Redbud tree that was given to us as a part of Raleigh’s Neighborwoods program. Mulch and landscaping fabric were employed.
• I have discovered that Commercial Electric makes a small, low-profile CFL light bulb that works really well in ceiling fan fixtures. Our house has four ceiling fans, with 14 lights total (two have four, and two have three). The CFL lightbulbs sip only 9 watts instead of the usual 40, so I could save 434 watts by replacing my old school light bulbs.
• Repainting the bathroom now in full swing; the first coat of the base coat has been applied. (The last weekend involved two coats of primer.) In order to paint behind the toilet, the tank had to be removed. Temporarily, flushing is now achieved by using a gallon bucket (kept in the bathtub).
• In the process of painting, discovered our pedestal sink was mounted to the wall with drywall anchors and caulk only. Quel horreur! I am still in the process of correcting this problem. My first attempt to install blocks of wood for a proper backing yielded the following picture, which is a bit like a folk art version of The Scream:
  
  
  
  

Also, two little fêtês this weekend:

• CATT Reunion: a small gathering, but fun nonetheless. I forget that there are computer types that don’t read weblogs.
• Dinner with Andrew and Nicole: Pork was consumed and much merriment had by all in attendance. Noted: Scotch eggs rock.