What might be making you a tad apprehensive, but might not, as it's too soon to tell

[footfootfoot]

Dry gas=you will pass

[Perry Winkle]

http://www.drygas.com/

[Lamplighter]

My G-son and I are repairing/improving two (extremely) small,
attic bedrooms in a (very) small house at the coast.
We're adding a toilet and washbasin and 4 new electric circuits for additional lights, plug outlets, etc.
This means we have permits and inspections to bring some things up to code.

Yesterday, we passed inspections for structural (improved stairway + WC walls),
mechanical (fan and ducts), and plumbing with flying colors.

But the electric inspection was a bust.
The inspector was unhappy with how short were our (already crimped) "ground"
wires are in the boxes, and is insisting on a 6-inch length outside the box.
His rationale is "THE CODE", and that future repairs would be more difficult than making the changes now.

Romex does not stretch !

So we have to go back on each outlet and switch to either re-wire the boxes,
or re-position the lines to get the length the inspector needs.
And, we just got the old (blown-in) insulation washed out of our hair and clothes.

Eventually, we will get through this, but it is frustrating to be so close but then have to re-do.

[glatt]

Good for you getting the inspections. I never bother with getting inspections on work I do on my own house. But it's a good idea.

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

My G-son and I are repairing/improving two (extremely) small,
attic bedrooms in a (very) small house at the coast.<snip>

Hooray, on Friday we passed our (rough wiring) electrical inspection !
But then the inspector dropped a couple more bombs on me.

Instead of adding the regular (inexpensive) circuit breakers to our panel,
we will have to use the newly required, AFCI breakers.
These run about $45 each, instead of usual $10-$25.

But in the real world, AFCI breakers stop the arc's that are the cause
of a lot of home fires, and are now being required in all "new construction"

Here's a link for any home DIY's to keep up with national electrical codes...

The second bomb was that all new and replacement plug/receptacles now are required to be "tamper proof".
These have a shield built into them that prevent kids from poking something (wire paper clip, etc) into the receptacle.

I know this happens IRL because years ago my middle daughter told her youger sister to do that.
She did and was burned on several fingers !

[footfootfoot]

Those Arc Fault breakers are the result of successful lobby by electrical unions according to my electrician. They have a ton of problems associated with them. Our local fire dept told me that nearly 7 out of 10 home fires are the result of mice chewing wires, that'll cause an Arc fault.

Not sure what to think.

[Trilby]

Wait.

Lamplighter-you have a house on the coast?

Which coast and when can I come?

[infinite monkey]

The specific coast. I'll go with!

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Trilby

Wait.

Lamplighter-you have a house on the coast?

Which coast and when can I come?

My G-son, Sam, took a job with Oregon Fish & Wildlife in Tillamook, OR, about 80 miles west of Portland.
Several coastal rivers empty into the large Tillamook Bay, and salmon and steelhead fishing there is famous.
The commercial ocean fishing and canning industry used to be bigger, but it is still important.

We helped Sam with part of the down payment and our credit score, on a 1931 doll-house (750 sq ft).
We are "improving" the place by adding a new toilet+wash basin in between two sleeping rooms in the attic.

Sam is a friendly young fellow, and he's looking forward to visitors, once the "construction work" is finished.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

My G-son, Sam, took a job with Oregon Fish & Wildlife in Tillamook, OR, about 80 miles west of Portland.
Several coastal rivers empty into the large Tillamook Bay, and salmon and steelhead fishing there is famous.
The commercial ocean fishing and canning industry used to be bigger, but it is still important.

We helped Sam with part of the down payment and our credit score, on a 1931 doll-house (750 sq ft).
We are "improving" the place by adding a new toilet+wash basin in between two sleeping rooms in the attic.

Sam is a friendly young fellow, and he's looking forward to visitors, once the "construction work" is finished.

YAY! sounds like heaven!

[footfootfoot]

Friendly, has a job, handy. Is he man enough for you and Infi? (is anyone man enough for you and Infi?)

[Lola Bunny]

I just broke a string on my sister's Vietnamese zither. Not looking forward to hear her complain and bitch. Accidentally did it while I was doing something for my friend. Made the situation much worse. My sister thinks my friend doesn't treat me well so she'd get especially upset. Oh well, gonna have me some good coffee now. Press my mental ignore when my sister gets home later.

[Lola Bunny]

My sister did not yell. She was not happy and a bit confused how I managed to break the string. Luckily I broke the metal string and not the red one because it is replaceable.

[BigV]

whew!

[infinite monkey]

This is my first day back at work. I've gotten a few hugs from my closer cow orkers. I'm apprehensive because I expect there will be some sort of meeting...but I don't know. HR sent me the FMLA paperwork, but I didn't get it until I got home. On the phone it sounded like they wanted me to come back.

I'm using the skills I learned in the cuckoo's nest. I didn't miss a meeting and took as much from the program as I could. As it stands, I can't control what might happen, only my response and my subsequent actions. I feel so much better than before I went bonkers...and I see just how bonkers I was getting before the big blowout. I needed to be where I was...I needed to get away from it to deal with it, and learn how to cope with it all.

And I know it's not JUST work. There are issues from long ago I've not really dealt with, and the recent deaths of friends (especially my very good friend who died right before my breakdown) and just, everything.

I have a psychiatrist to work with and have put my meds in his care, and will also be seeing a counselor on that team. I have a team. I feel like a guest on House.

I will also need to see a cardiologist because they did two EKGs before they ran me over to Bellevue and those didn't match the one from when I was there with my back issues. It could still be lead placement but it could also be that I had a minor heart event. They almost put me on the cardiac floor that day, but the cardiologist thought it was OK to send me over.

That's my update. Thanks again for all your thoughts and well wishes.