I crossed off the first item on my list of “67 things to do before I’m 68,” as all of our windows have been professionally cleaned – inside and out. I add that “professional” distinction to emphasize that this wasn’t something I did myself. I simply supervised, and got the battery replaced in my smoke alarm as a bonus. I may have mentioned that last week the alarms in our house started to give off an obnoxious chirp, just as we were getting ready to go to bed. The dogs were scared to death and refused to come back in the house after their final outing, even with the “ham time” incentive. The beeping would stop just before I could determine exactly which smoke alarm needed a new battery. Of course, it turned out to be the one at the very peak of our master bedroom that can only be reached with fire department equipment. I finally got it to shut-off by taping a long screw driver to a extended broom handle while standing on a step ladder. I was somehow able to flip the battery to the ground, as all hell broke loose. All six alarms in our house reacted to their dismantled companion and screamed at me in retaliation. Finally, it was quiet, after I threatened to turn the power off. 

I suppose it could have been worse had it waited a few more hours for me to fall asleep. The next day I bought several new batteries and waited for the window-washer to show up this morning. Last year, he helped me take down and wash a couple of filthy, glass overhead light globes in my office. This year, he got out his extension ladder and changed my battery. I question the engineering that went into putting that smoke alarm in a completely inaccessible location, but I should be safe for another year. The dogs are still holding their paws over their sensitive ears. Tinker was literally in pain, while it was probably an advantage for me to be old and half-deaf.

I hope I don’t set it off while I’m trying to cook dinner tonight. I selected a familiar chicken-wing recipe, hoping to not create another mess in the kitchen. Last week, I used the grill just to be sure. My wife is often jealous that I get wings at Buffalo Wild Wings at every Friday’s “Leadership Lunch.” She liked this recipe when I prepared it last time for our Super Bowl party. I guess I’ll have to suffer with wings twice this week. Tomorrow, is the first step in preparing our garage for the new tank-less water heater that’s being installed, another item on my list. A second gas line is being added in the afternoon, so it will be another hard day of supervisory work for me. Hopefully, in a few weeks, my wife will get a super-heated tub of water for her morning bath, rather than a luke-warm start to her work day. Next I have to figure out what’s wrong with our security system that has apparently stopped working – just another hassle in retirement. At least tomorrow, she’ll have clean windows, a smoke alarm that doesn’t chirp, and hopefully not heart-burn from my spicy wings.