COVID Boosters

On Saturday (November 5, 2022) my wife and myself went to the closest clinic to get our latest COVID Booster.  It was a very pleasant experience.  Right at the door we were directed to the elevator (wife is in a wheelchair) with instructions on how to get to the clinic.  At the entrance two people were greeting everyone and asking questions about if you had COVID or exposed.  After that we were directed to the start of the process.  They took our health cards and pulled up our inoculation history and if we were there for the latest booster (yes). Once through they had a small waiting room until a station was free (they had 10 in operation).  The person who was doing our shots was pleasant and was very smooth with the needle (absolutely no discomfort).  After waiting 15 minutes we were free to leave.  At the exit they verified that we asked for electronic delivery of our COVID shot history (yes).  When we arrived home there was an email notification that our document was ready for download.  Two minutes later it was downloaded and saved in our medical folder and copies put on the cell phone just in case.  Ottawa Public Health runs a very smooth clinic.

Bathroom Reno - Part 4

We are now at the finish of the project.  The vanity is in place, toilet installed, everything painted and the contractor for the glass door has finished his work.

When the contractor finished the floor he redid the entrance threshold and matched the wood in our floors with a very nice threshold that is easy for a walker to go over.  I did ask for the threshold for accessibility, but, I didn't expect a perfect colour match! 

First time my wife took a shower it was without any assistance from me.  All I had to do was put in a small table for her shower supplies and put the shower head on it.  Dropped the seat, closed the doors and did something by herself she couldn't do since her stroke... Take a shower by herself!  All she asks now is for me to bring out new towels and face cloths for her and after to help dry her hair.  She is loving the independence that the shower gives her and my back is grateful every time.

The renovation itself was a bit costly, but, worth every penny.  We have a shower that is handicap accessible, has non-slip floors, good lighting and looks great.  We didn't skimp on the materials and with the cost of the contractors (part of the project we had a plumber and electrician along with the main contractor) the project was $21k (original guestimate by me was $20k so it was close).

Bathroom Reno - Part 3

We are now in the process of having the bathroom being rebuilt.  One thing I did was take pictures of the process, especially where the blocking was put in for the grab bar and seat.  This way we have pictures with measurements on where everything is if we need to do anything else, or, if we sell the new owners knows what is behind the tiles. 

One of the things the contractor wanted was concrete backer board and I fully agreed with him.  If water ever got through it would hold up a lot better than anything else. 

At this portion you need to exercise a lot of patience.  As we get one portion done it takes time for things to dry.

Blocking for the seat

Blocking for the grab bar and allowance if we want to add another

Starting to look like a shower

Start of the bed of the shower

Membrane and the tile with the concrete board

Tiling the walls and the new LED overhead light

The non-slip floor

Grab bar and seat installed.  Only thing we are waiting for is the glass door

Bathroom Reno - Part 2

In May we were able to restart the project and the team arrived to start demolishing the bathroom.  We did one change request to replace the toilet in the downstairs half bath to use the same toilet as we were installing upstairs.  This would be a good decision as both toilets were not comfortable for my wife and we found that the gasket on the downstairs and the mounting ring were both broken and leaking.

During the demo upstairs we found that there were leaks in the old tiles and about 15 cm (6 inches) of the tile around the tub was soaking wet and moldy.  Fortunately it didn't impact the studs.  We also found that there is a concrete wall between us and our neighbour.  We also found the duct from the downstairs batch went through the corner of the shower so we had to adjust the size to allow for a 8 cm (3 inch) adjustment to the plan as we couldn't move that.  The pipe also went overhead and that was the reason for the bulkhead so we left it in place.

During the demo they pointed out we really didn't need to remove the ceiling or the existing drywall outside the shower.  For the popcorn ceiling they installed a new drywall over it and the bonus is that it gave us more room when mounting the larger fan.

You can see the pipe venting the downstairs half bath.

Bathroom Reno - Part 1

When we bought our condo the bathroom was usable, but, not accessible.  The tub was just under 56 cm (22 inches) high and the rail for the glass door added another 4 cm (almost 2 inches).  When you cannot bend your leg getting in an out is a real challenge.  The glass door wasn't mounted correctly and after a lot of vulgar words I got that mounted properly so the door would work properly, but, it was an obstacle for my wife using the shower.  There also were no grab bars so every time she wanted a shower I mounted suction cup bars.  There was no seating for her so we used a temporary stool.  

Her showers were rather painful as I had to assist her getting in and out and the tiling on the floor wasn't non-slip and I had a few minor falls.  After several months I drew up a basic must-have list for a bathroom renovation.

• Everything was to be gutted back to the studs.  I wanted to see what was there and if there were any mold and structural issues.
• Non-slip tiles.  As I mentioned I had a few minor falls, fortunately it was just me and not my wife.
• Better toilet at a height the wife would find comfortable.
• Much improved lighting.  The bathroom was fairly dark and when in the shower it was difficult to see.
• Improved venting.  The old fan was way under sized and I wanted at least 100 cfm.
• Custom glass so that there was a door that would swing either direction.
• Shower with a minimal lip so that the wife can get in and out by herself.
• Improved vanity.  The old taps were much too low and too close to the back of the sink to be comfortable using.
• Grab bar anchored to the wall and a seat so that my wife can sit while showering.

With that list we visited Home Depot and had a discussion with them about the reno, materials and hiring a contractor.  They were excellent and had great suggestions on the tiles, grout, paints, fixtures and a contractor.  Unfortunately we then went into a lock down for COVID and the project was on hold.  Upside we were able to have the materials delivered and I stored it all in our basement.

Next up will be the gutting of the room.

Accessibility in the house

Last year we bought a new house to live in.  After decades of renting we had saved enough to put a rather substantial down payment on a condo.  When we looked at the place I went through the place and while not perfect, it was good enough and is very close to work.  With the way prices of houses are increasing in Ottawa we are glad we were able to buy before being priced out of the market.

Projects

After moving in we identified a number of projects that will aid my wife getting around as she has limited mobility due to a stroke.

• Bathroom
• The tub is about 56 cm (22 inches) with the railing for the glass doors adding another 5 cm (2 inches).  My wife cannot get in or out without help and the various options are just a band-aid solution.
• Tiles are not non-slip.
• Under sized fan.
• Dim lighting.
• Front entry
• No railing and when entering and exiting she needs someone to assist.
• Back entry
• This is an old concrete stair with two steps and barely in code.
• Kitchen
• Redo the kitchen faucet to one more friendly for a person who has problems using one arm.
• Later a complete paint with a much lighter colour.
• Ground floor half-bath
• Redo the half-bath.  It is functional, but, the tiling and vanity does need replacement and a small cabinet above the toilet so we can store extra towels, toilet paper and soap.
• Other
• Installation of railings for the stairs to the basement family room.
• New entry tile.  Right now it does get a bit slippery when wet and being white it shows all dirt quickly.
• New paint for all rooms.  The paint is OK, but, very dark and we prefer having lighter colours.

Bathroom Renovation - Project 1

We started with the bathroom renovation, but, it is on hold at this time due to the latest COVID lock-down.

• Replace all of the floor with a new tile. The tile is specifically for wet areas and is non-slip.  That is a good thing as I have fallen once and slipped several times when the current tiles get wet.
• Completely remove the bath, glass doors and false drop on the ceiling.  We are using the same tiles on the floor here and doing a walk in shower and a custom glass door.  The walls are being replaced with a new lighter coloured ceramic tile.  Ceiling will have an LED light as there is nothing there right now and the shower does get dark.  The walls will have blocking put in for two grab bars and a shower seat that can be raised and lowered.
• New LED lights to replace the inexpensive lights there.  The lights are functional, but, is a major pain to replace the bulbs.
• New fan. The current one is old and a 50 CFM model and the contractor indicated that it should be a minimum of 100 CFM.
• Lighter paint.  Current paint is a dark, rather ugly yellowish.  New paint is a light sandy colour with an eggshell finish.  I asked the contractor about the finish and he indicated that eggshell will hide any flaws in the current drywall.
• Redo the ceiling.  The bathroom has a popcorn finish and I am certain that it isn't a paint suited to a damp environment.
• New vanity and faucet.  We are going with faucets where the hot & cold water taps are paddles so that someone with limited arm use can easily use.  Also the current vanity you have to take out all of the drawers if you have to work on the water or drain lines.  The new vanity all plumbing is easily accessible.
• Replace the light switch with three switches.  One for vanity light, one for shower light and the third for the fan.
• New toilets.  The current ones are functional, but, for my wife they are not comfortable and it takes an effort getting up and down.  The half-bath toilet is also being replaced at the same time.

We are looking forward to the lock-down being lifted and getting a start date for the project.

Update on tiles 2021-04-23:

Found out from the contractor we need mosaic as there will be a slope and the 6x24 tiles won't work there as they have to be a max of 2x2.  Not a problem and I ordered some nice tiles after chatting with Home Depot.  They recommended one that the colours will complement the floor tiles and are also non-slip.  

Front entry Rails - Project 2

Once that is completed I will be doing the paper work for the condo board for railing installation on the front entry area.  

Back yard entrance - Project 3

The back yard entry will be a major project.  I was checking online for a ramp system, but, with a 1/12 slope most of the yard we have would be occupied by the ramp system.  If we go with where the top of the steps are (35 cm high) we are looking at 4.2 meters for a straight run and that won't fit in the yard.  If we put in one 90 it will be about 3 meters out and 3 meters after the 90 degree turn which will take up a huge portion of the back yard.  If we raise that up to just under the door threshold it will add at least 1.5 meters to the run.  It looks like some sort of custom mini-deck out the door with steps and railings.

Finish

The timing on this depends on how the first three projects goes and how much they cost in total.  The cost for the first is firm and includes the contractor, trades, materials I purchased and taxes.  The last two are rough estimates at this time.

• The bathroom renovation has a budget of $20k.
• Front railing at most is $1k.
• Back entry should be in the $5-6k range.

Six months and counting for working at home

 It is almost six months now for working at home and a few things I have learned about having to work at home.

• A separate room that is dedicated to working at home is necessary.  If you have the space then do this.  I had to work in the living room several times this year due to electrical issues and it wasn't the most comfortable spot for extended work due to the chair I had to use and distractions.
• A great chair.  I was lucky in that I purchased a great chair as I do work in the evenings and weekends at least once a month.
• A decent desk for the laptop.  It doesn't have to be expensive, but, a keyboard tray big enough to hold a good keyboard and a mouse.
• Lighting!  I have a task lamp beside the work machine and personal machine.  Both are adjustable so I can move them to highlight what I am working on.  The bulb wattage and colour was important too.  I found that warmer colour and lower wattage bulbs are actually easier on my eyes rather than a white light with the maximum wattage the lamp can take.  I went through about four different bulbs before I found what is comfortable for me.
• Location of the laptop matters too.  I have both machines placed where the office window doesn't shine directly on them.  Glare is a problem and location is critical.  I also have blinds and curtains so I can adjust the light levels during sunny days (my office has a south facing window).
• A great monitor attached to the laptops.  If I have to work for hours I want a large & clear screen for work.  I tried for a couple of months using the screen with the laptop and while it is fine after a few hours each day my eyes felt tired.
• Don't skimp on the keyboard or mouse.  I have to use wired keyboards and mice for the work machine as they don't allow wireless devices connected. I took time at Staples with various models seeing how the mouse fits in the hand and the keyboards for how they felt before buying.
• Printer and scanners.
• I am probably outside of the normal with what I have.  I have a flatbed scanner for over-sized prints, negatives and slides and document scanner for bulk photo/document scanning.  I do a lot of work scanning documents and photos for my archive of family documents/photos (over 25k images so far and at least 5k more to scan).
• I prefer a separate scanner rather than an all-in-one device.  For an all-in-one if one part breaks (or runs out of ink) the whole device is broken.
• We also have a laser printer and inkjet.  The monochrome laser is cheaper per page for simple stuff and the inkjet is used only for pictures or documents that we need colour for.  One other feature is duplex printing.  A printer that can do that doesn't cost much more and you quickly save paper costs.
• If you do buy an inkjet look for one with jumbo tanks that can be refilled or separate colour cartridges.  Our previous printer was all-in-one colour and that was rather expensive when just one colour ran out and we had to replace the cartridge.  Also, check the price of the cartridges as some printers are very expensive.  Personal preference here is Brother as they work well, easy to connect and cartridges don't cost a lot.
• The work laptop I use only for work related tasks!  If I have to do personal tasks I go to the other side of the office and use my personal laptop.
• Telephones with a hands free and mute option.  I spend a lot of time on the phone and being able to go hands free is a matter of comfort as after fifteen minutes it gets tiring holding the telephone, especially if I have to work on the computer at the same time.  For conference calls being able to go to mute helps so the noise doesn't bother others on the call.  I have a wired phone and wireless.  Most of the time I use the wireless model, but, if the conference calls last more than an hour I use the wired phone.
• For my network I have a DLINK router and I set up three SSIDs.  One is for personal, one for guests and one for work.  I have it set so that NO ONE can see what is running outside of that SSID. I also used the QoS option to give priority to the work machine.
• A coffee maker is a must for me in the office.  I like being able to quickly make a cup of coffee or tea without having to travel downstairs to the coffee maker there.  I have a Tassimo so I make just a single cup.  It is also on top of an inexpensive mini fridge where I can store my lunch and snacks.
• Shelving unit dedicated to work.  I store all my office supplies and books there.  I can keep track of what I use for work and keep it separate from what I use personally.

I treat working at home as if I am actually commuting to work.  I wake up at the same time as before (05:30), have my breakfast, make lunches, shower & shave and I dress as if I am going to work.  I start at the same time at home as if I was working at the office.  The wife also knows that when I am in the office I am not to be disturbed, especially if the door is closed as that indicates that I am on a conference call.  

Once I finish work for the day I turn off the work machine most of the time so I get time away to unwind.  I don't do that all the time, but, that is usually when something is being updated in the system or there is special processing and I will have the machine running in case of an emergency.