Yesterday I (finally) got the rest of the windows put in. (The installers were supposed to come last Thursday; mid-morning - in the middle of the snow storm - the woman called, very chagrined, to tell me that they had left their home in Bonham but had to turn back around, as the roads were too bad. Well, I doubt I would have wanted them to be trying to install windows in all that snow anyway).

It took them longer than expected. Because, these were the infamous painted-shut (not by me; by the previous homeowner) windows. They were really hard for them to get out. (I was home for the installation and didn't really have anything to do; so I watched them work*). But, even though it took more than 4 hours, they got the new windows in and trimmed up and insulated and everything. (Just in time for our next cold snap next week, it looks like).

I was somewhat surprised to find that Lowe's was only paying them $35 for the day - they didn't mention that but when they gave me the contract to sign off on, I saw that's what Lowe's was giving them. I remarked that that was a terribly small amount of money for as much work as they put in, but the woman kind of shrugged and said, "Well, we already got paid for the installation; that's really just the cost of our mileage for today." So I guess it's all right, but I would have liked to have seen them get more for the extra day of work, considering it was Lowe's screw up. But whatever.

(*It strikes me that doing stuff like window installation, or drywall work, or that sort of thing - IF you are strong enough (I had a friend who did drywalling to help put herself through grad school and she talked about how built up her arms and back got during the jobs) and if you know how to do it, really wouldn't be that bad of a job. Oh, I suppose, in some cases you would have to deal with difficult homeowners who complain and are demanding. But the "tear down" part of it, while it does require some ingenuity and patience (especially getting painted-shut windows out of their frames), it seems it would be kind of satisfying.

One thing I'm struck by when watching Dirty Jobs - and I really don't think it's put on for the show - is by and large, how happy a lot of the folks are at their work. I suspect that, doing demolition, particularly, can be very cathartic. Not that I would necessarily want to be a toilet-removal technician from condemned buildings or such, but it does seem like the jobs featured, though they have unpleasant parts, are not any worse - and are probably are better, in some aspects - than the standard desk job in the corporate world. (Or maybe I'm prejudiced, my main view of the corporate world being my brother's fairly short and not very happy tenure at a rather large insurance concern, and multiple watchings of "Office Space," which my brother declared 'creepily reminiscent' of his own experience. Well, except for the part about hacking the computers to skim a few cents off every transaction...)

But the windows are done. It will be really nice to have windows that OPEN, when we get those nice warmish-but-not-hot spring days, when it feels like it would be good to air the place out. (Yes, I know, with my allergies I really should not have the windows open too much...but there are some days when you just HAVE to have a nice breeze blowing through the house, and the sound of the birds.)

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And while I was home, watching the installers, I opened my packages.

Wow. Thank you, Angie! What a nice surprise - a dvd of the Wallace and Gromit movie I have not yet seen (the newest one), and a copy of "The Shuttle," and the Knitted Gifts book - which is a wonderful book and has quite a few things in it I want to make - the little "kind of like a shawl vest" is one of them, and the his-and-hers socks are another. And there are some neat felted potholders, and my mother was bemoaning over Christmas break about how all her various potholders were getting old and worn and grimy...

I appreciate it very much. "The Shuttle" will probably be my take-it-with-me-over-Spring-break to read book.

And the other package was not, as I expected, the swap-package (so I have that still to look forward to!). It was a couple packages of one of my favorite candies ever - Buderim Ginger Bears - from a friend on CPaAg, thanking me for "turning her on to" them. (I can't find them for sale in my area: most "World Market" stories carry them but of course I do not have one of those anywhere near me).

I like spicy candies, both ginger and cinnamon. I don't like "hot" things per se - at least not hot peppers in things - but I do like the heat of ginger or cinnamon. (I remember once I bought some Jelly Bellies from one of those places where you can get the kinds you want. My mom ate some and then told me to warn her the next time I got a mix with the "double cinnamon" ones in it).

I also got FOUR magazines yesterday. (I wonder if many of them originate on the East Coast and were delayed by the bad weather). Already read through the Spring Interweave Knits, and wow, it's a nice issue. Lots of pretty things in there and I'm definitely making the Wasabi Pea socks - I even have the exactly right color of yarn (the one used in the original) in my stash, just waiting for the right pattern.

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This is going to be a busy weekend: tomorrow is Honors Day (we interview prospective Honors College students as part of a scholarship competition) (Though I don't have to be here until a bit after 9, which is later than I usually do during the week). Then Saturday evening, it's Movie Night for the Youth Group. Sunday is also busy; on top of the regular stuff it's the installation of our new pastor (and yes, there have already been the requisite light-bulb jokes made concerning the term "installation"), so there's a lunch after church.

So I am taking this afternoon off...I already wrote the exam I need for next week, and besides, I need a little free time (and I need to get out and get the swap-package together for my swap partner). Sometimes it's really nice, when you're busy, to just take a couple hours and do something different, not work related.