General update 8/29/25
August 29th, 2025 at 11:25 pmI thought I'd check in.
We've been living with our new kitchen for about a month now. Still loving it. There are definitely some little things here and there that aren't perfect or that we might have done differently in retrospect but nothing major. The biggest thing is that because we redesigned the room, the workflow isn't quite as smooth as before. Previously, the cooktop was on an "L" near the sink and the fridge was just to the left of that. Now, the cooktop is on the wall opposite the sink and the fridge is in the far corner. I definitely find myself going back and forth more than I used to. Again, not a big deal but not something I really anticipated either. Otherwise, having a bigger deeper sink is great. The new flat cooktop and larger oven is great. Lighting is way better. And the bathroom that was also remodeled is brighter and roomier as we replaced a vanity with a pedestal sink which opened up the pretty small room quite a bit.
We spent a few days in Lancaster, PA last week and had a really good time. We go there fairly regularly, maybe once every year or so, but we always strive to do some new things when we're there. We ate at some new restaurants, checked out a new rooftop bar/restaurant that's actually atop the hotel where we stay, and took a scooter tour nearby which was a lot of fun.
We had routine maintenance done on our HVAC system the other day and they discovered a few issues (don't they always). Actually one was something they pointed out last year but I never acted on. There is a problem with the exhaust from the hot water heater (gas) which is causing accelerated wear of the unit. It's already 10 years old which is the expected life span anyway so they're advising replacing it. To avoid future exhaust issues, they will cap the chimney line and install a new PVC vent similar to the way our furnace is vented. The flame sensor on the heater is corroded, not out of the ordinary for its age, so that needs to be replaced. We also need to get our ducts cleaned, which I knew, because of the recent construction and how much dirt and debris got sucked into the system. The blower motor needs a good cleaning but they can't do that until the ducts are cleaned or else it will just fill up with junk again. All together, having all of that done will run about $6,000. On the positive side, cleaning the ducts and blower should improve the efficiency of our system which can reduce our utility bills and keep the house more comfortable along with improving air quality and reducing dust build up.
Financially, I'm pretty sure our portfolio is at an all time high which is nice to see 15 months into retirement living off of that portfolio.
Otherwise things are pretty much plugging along and I continue to enjoy my retirement. We've been having some gorgeous weather this week and last week which is nice. My wife and I took a nice walk around the lake at a local park today and saw more turtles than I have ever seen at once. We usually spot one or two when we go there but we saw a couple dozen today.
I hope you all have a great Labor Day weekend.