Little did I know when I started this blog that the title would expand, requiring me to ask this question of so many new situations in my life....

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Why is it that....

I get the neediest repair people? Maybe it just seems that way, but....the ones who come to my house always need something. They've all (well, almost all) been such nice guys (one gal), but why can't they just do their job without finding more problems and asking me questions I have no idea how to answer? That's my rant for the day. ....I still have Direct TV dude this afternoon and Cox dude tomorrow so I'm sure more will be coming.

The roofers may be through. I'm not sure. The cloudy skies this morning must have tricked them as they did me. I bolted upright in bed at 7:05, looked at the clock and thought....sh*t! But....all was well. They didn't show up until around 7:30. I know because that's when the first knock came. :) :) But I was ready for them. Dressed, with my first cup of coffee in hand. Not that I needed any coffee this morning having awakened with such a jolt.

I think they are finally through. I'm not sure. I thought they were through a couple of hours ago when they knocked and asked me to unplug the power cord. Then I heard sounds and when I looked out the window they were pulling away from the house -- the l-o-n-g truck, the van, and the SUV. (How many were here? I never figured it out.) But....I was wrong. I figured that out as I was finishing the shower I thought I could fit in before Direct TV dude gets here. Nope. That's what I get for thinking instead of just sitting here -- on call.

As I turned the water off I heard the doorbell and the knocking. Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t! I, again, thought (actually shouted). But, all is not lost. I have learned that I can go from soaking wet to minimally dry and minimally dressed in a matter of a few, very few seconds. And....best of all....I seem to have learned to speak some form of Spangish! Yes indeed. The Mexicans and I are communicating much better now.

Direct TV guy and I will have our own special problems when he shows up. You see, J who insists on making things as difficult as possible wants the DVR on the tv that Direct TV guy says is going to be very difficult to do. When I heard this I said...no problem. Put it on the tv that's easiest for you. But....noooooooo. J wants it on this one special tv. Who knows why but him.

So. I expected no problem (well, actually I did) because J said to call him when Direct TV guy arrives and he'd come home to explain things. Now see. When J said that, I knew it wouldn't be that easy. And, of course, it isn't. J called a few minutes ago and said he was at a job site and would be back in about three hours. (I know good and well he's in New Orleans pigging out, but we'll get to that tonight.)

Anywho....in three hours Direct TV guy will (hopefully) be here and gone. J called while I was in the shower so I found this out by voice mail. I didn't get to tell him first-hand that if there are any problems I can't handle -- the frickin' DVR is going in the tv that's the frickin' easiest! Whew.

Well, I'm off to wait for Direct TV guy -- and all that will come with him.

clink. clink. can you hear the sound of Jack splashing over the ice cubes? I even have a slice of lime. ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

The roofers came today....

Yes they did. Bright and early. Last night I wondered (out loud) what time they would be here so I would be sure to be up and dressed. J said not to expect them before 8 a.m. I thought that sounded about right, but....since I don't trust repairmen any farther than I can throw them, I was up and dressed by 6:45 a.m. -- and thank the good lord I was because when the doorbell rang at 7:05 I was ready for them. Not going to fool me so easy. I've spent the last several years dealing with repairpersons and I know what to expect. And....what to expect is the unexpected. I could give plenty of examples, but....I won't.

So. I spent my day listening to thuds, hammering, walking, and god knows what the other sounds were. Oh, yeah. Those were the outside sounds. Inside I was treated to light fixtures rattling, ceilings creaking, and Cassie the cat making really odd sounds (when she came out of her hiding places). I couldn't even shush her because I felt like joining in.

I had high hopes they would finish up today. (They probably did, too.) But they'll be back tomorrow -- bright and early I'm sure. You know, I didn't even bathe today. I'd hoped to take a quick bath before eight (when I expected them to be here) but that didn't happen. Then....I thought I'd take a quick bath when they went to lunch but they didn't go to lunch. Maybe they went in shifts because I'm here to tell you there were people walking around thudding and hammering from 7:15 a.m. until they left around 8:30 p.m. So....I took a quick bath this evening. Isn't everyone glad to know that? :/ Maybe I could have snuck in a bath earlier today but I swear I think they could see into the bathroom through the vents going to the roof. Of course there's a vent over every bathtub. Stupid, I know. But that's the state of mind I'm in at present.

I had fully intended to spend the day away from the house (even if I did feel grundgy) but that didn't happen either. For some reason there seemed to be someone at the door every hour or so. I finally gave up and just sat here waiting for anyone who needed to ask me anything. Sigh!

Hopefully the roofers will be through tomorrow by lunch -- just in time for the Direct TV guy to come and finish the install. So much for an early bath tomorrow. It's little things like that that drive me crazy. I not complaining about the guys themselves. They are working so hard in this heat. They're just doing their jobs and thank goodness for it. It's just that all that's going on is a pain in the butt.

Last week, in the midst of getting the new washer and dryer and all the mess involved with that and then the new sewer line laid and all the mess involved with that, a 30% off coupon for the month of August arrived in the mail from the beach rental agency we use. I started to throw it away because one thing we don't need to be doing right now is spending money on anything we enjoy. Nope. We are being punished for something and don't have the money for fun. But....at some point today I started plunking around on the computer and found a deal at the beach that's hard to turn down. I mean, come on now. 30% off is hard to beat -- isn't it? So, tomorrow, if the place is still open I think I'm going to rent it.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

As far as the eye can see....



or you could say....you get what you pay for.

The pictures you see above are of my backyard after the new sewer line was laid. Sob! The plumbers I talked with mentioned removing the grass and then replacing the grass when they finished. J hired his own people/plumbers for a few hundred dollars less and here's what we were left with. I asked him if he thought it would look like this and he admitted he didn't. But....he saved money. We won't mention the money it's going to take to get the yard back in order. Nope. We won't do that.

Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, the sewer problem is fixed. (I can't belive I've used that word sewer so many times this summer.)

Friday went about as I expected. One thing I'm so glad about is that J. was here to experience it. I wasn't blogging when the power service to our house had to be replaced. I dealt with that problem (along with the accompanying repairmen) for well over a year while J. was working here and there (anywhere but in the state we live in). And....on the day Entergy finally laid a new power line a whole new set of problems began -- one utility company cutting another utility company's line. Here how it went: Entergy cut AT&T's line. When AT&T came to repair their line, they cut Cox's line. When Cox came to repair their line, they recut AT&T's line. When AT&T came back, yep! they cut Cox's line again. Cox came back, repaired their line. I cried. Maybe they took pity on me because it finally ended.

Well, J. wasn't here during all that, but he heard the story. 8-p When I told him to watch it happen last Friday he told me I was being silly. Then....the plumber arrived, and....not ten minutes into their digging the cable went out -- along with the phone. J. (who was outside watching them) came sheepishly in and told me he understood what I'd been talking about. No. You don't. Not yet. I said.

In about fifteen minutes he started understanding. That's when they nicked the power line. I could tell because the lights in the house blinked. They could tell because sparks flew. Thank goodness noone was hurt. I called Entergy. They kept digging. The lights flickered again. I looked outside. They looked, guiltily, at me and stopped digging with the machine and started using shovels while we waited for Entergy.

Now, I can hear you saying, "Didn't you know you're supposed to call before you dig?" Yes. I know. I've heard the commercials, too. And, I did call. Twice. And finally people came out and marked all the underground lines. Problem was that Entergy apparently marked the old line instead of the new one they'd laid a few years ago. So much for following the rules. And....(I have pictures to prove this) in places that new power line was actually under the old sewer line. In other places the new power line wrapped around the sewer line. Why?

Anywho....Entergy came (taking their dear sweet time). AT&T came. Cox came. So by late Friday all was well, and J. and I were almost as tired as the poor guys who'd been outside in the heat digging allllllllllllll day.

There's a story to be told about the war AT&T and Cox are waging, each trying to get us to switch phone and/or internet. (We have AT&T phone service and Cox internet.) But I don't have the energy to write about that now. It exhausts me. Suffice it to say my home phone is out. And....since the Direct TV guy arrived shortly after the plumbers hit the power line (and before Entergy showed up to fix things), Direct TV couldn't finish the install. Our Dish system hasn't worked since they left so went on and canceled it early. Direct TV should be here Thursday to finish installing things -- if the roofers are finished.

Yep. The roofers are coming tomorrow.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Well, today's the day....

A brand, spankin' new sewer line will be laid in my back yard. Thank the good lawd I'll be able to flush without fear. ....Although it's possible that I've been scared for life (or at least for a good long time). I'm not sure when I'll be able to flush confidently again.

And today we'll be switched from Dish Network *back* to Direct TV. Don't ask me why. It's something J. decided. He's never satisfied. He likes to switch things up a lot. The roofers were supposed to be here but that will be Tuesday -- weather permitting. And, also on Tuesday I'm stopping by the dentist to have my top, front teeth shortened. (Anybody want my summer?)

I can't sleep, so while I'm waiting for the Tylenol PM to kick in I thought I'd give a quick update. There's also something else I can't get out of my mind. To put it in context....ever so often the radio will run ads that talk about how the storm's over but some people aren't yet all right. It talks about how some people have worked so hard making sure others were okay that they hadn't taken care of themselves and might be having problems they didn't want to face.

Well....a couple of weeks ago J. and I were at Lowe's looking at washers and dryers. Another couple was in the next aisle looking, too. As I was checking out one particular washer I could feel that this couple had walked over to where we were and they were standing right in back of me. It aggravated me because there was really noone else around and it was as if they had intentionally walked to where I was and were standing there hurring me up. I was wrong to think that.

I moved back so they could look too and the woman asked if I knew anything about that particular washer and dryer. It turned out that they were from Chalmette and had lost everything in Katrina. They had replaced most things but all of a sudden many things they had replaced were breaking down on them. After only two years their computer had died, along with their dryer. As they stood there they looked lost. They didn't seem to have any energy. It was as if they were going through the motions but didn't have a clue what to do.

The lady said that she just couldn't believe how expensive everything was. Then she said that she was beginning to wonder if replacing things agin was worth the trouble. She said there was just the two of them and it was beginning to seem like too much trouble. As she was saying this her husband was gently trying to change the subject. I didn't know what to say. I said something about how difficult it must be and asked if they had children (hoping there was someone around to help them or notice the mental state they were in -- especially the lady). They have children and grandchildren -- who had moved out-of-state after Katrina.

I asked if there was anything I could do. I didn't know what else to say. They both teared up and tried to assure me that they were okay. We left them standing there staring at washers and dryers. I wonder now if I should have offered my phone number or something. There never seemed to be an opening in the conversation to do anything like that because the husband kept steering talk away from their personal situation. Still, I wonder. I keep them in my thoughts and prayers. Things like that make me ashamed to be making so much of my situation.

Well, I think I'll go try and get some sleep -- before allllll the workers start getting here. It's so freakin' hot that they are going to have a hell of a day.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Will he stay or will he go....

or will he even be asked? Those are the questions being asked around BR this morning following the news/rumors that tomorrow McCain will be in New Orleans and will be talking to our guv -- Bobby Jindal. Some think McCain's going to ask Jindal to be his VeePee. Some think he's just going to thank Bobby and maybe ask him to speak at the Republican convention.

I lean to the *asking him to speak* choice. I think Jindal's too young. I do believe the Republicans have huge hopes for him but -- later, not now. I also don't think it would be a good choice for Jindal because, well....McCain's chances aren't looking so good at present. But....what do I know?

Anywho....there are many anxious souls in this city -- and probably in the state. We were so hopeful that Jindal would be able to do something, and now they may be comin' to take him away, ha ha!


Thursday, July 17, 2008

Ahhhh! Now I can pee....

The Roto-Rooter guy just left -- 4th time this year, or....approximately every two months they visit. It gets worse each time. Last time he told me he'd suggest running a camera through the lines ($300.00) if our problems keep up. This time he said we possibly have a collapsed pipe -- which means having someone digging in the back yard to find it and then having it repaired. *&%^&*%! When it rains it pours!

I am so sick of dealing with repairmen. Nothing personal. I'm glad they are there -- they are worth their weight in gold (and I've been blessed to have competent, polite ones arriving to fix things. It's just that they ask questions I can't answer. Our house is old -- and apparently we've been grandfathered in on lots of things that seem to surprise the hell out of younger repairpeople. Many times the repair person and I just kind of stand by whatever needs repairing...staring at it. Then they go to work and figure it out or I call J. -- (if he's in the country) to see if he knows the answer.

Today....J was here -- at the house. How's that for timing? He had to go to New Orleans this morning and on the way back to work stopped by the house for lunch. That's when he found out water was backing up in the tub again. I am so glad he was here to handle it because I'd had a hell of a morning and just didn't feel like fooling with it all.

For the moment all's well. Oh....we had our new washer and dryer installed Tuesday. Love them. I washed and dried seven loads this morning -- and then the tubs started backing up. I swear the problem has to do with the washer but J and Roto-Rooter guy say it's more than that. Would it be cheaper to go to a washeteria or have the sewer line fixed I wonder?

Well, excuse me. I think I'll go pee again -- just because I can.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Ouch!

Well....the dreaded dentist visit is over! (I'm talking about my dentist visit -- not son #3's, who BTW is doing much better.)

Yesterday I had a tooth extracted and five -- count them, five! teeth prepped for crowns. Three and one-half hours it took. (Sympathy anyone?) I didn't feel a thing -- thank the good lord! Well, truth be told, the injection in the palette before the extraction did sting a bit, but, considering the alternative.... I love my dentist. We've been going to him since we moved to Baton Rouge years and years ago. He has a famiy practice and makes you feel part of the family.

So, now, while waiting for the site of the extraction to heal, I have a temporary hunk of plastic in my mouth covering the missing and prepped teeth. It's one piece (I can feel that when I run my tongue along the back ) but (from the front) looks just like real teeth. It actually looks better than my real teeth did. Amazing. In about three months I'll be fitted for the permanent three tooth bridge and two crowns.

I tried not to think about the fact that all this work was being done on the top, center, front of my mouth. ....Kind of hard to hide if things went badly. Like I said -- I trust my dentist. He kept thinking the teeth were too long but I really couldn't feel enough to be of much help and the other dentist and the hygenist thought they looked good. But....I think he's correct and I'm going to have to have him shorten them because I tend to hit them a bit when I bite down and say certain words. I'm waiting a couple of days because I don't want to go within ten miles of that place any time soon because I still have some swelling but we'll see.... Odd to say you need to run by the dentist office and have your teeth shortened. !!

What a boring post. Shows you how exciting my life is right now.

Monday, July 07, 2008

Pain transference....

That's what son #3's endodontist said was happening. In a nutshell here's what's going on: On Wednesday, June 24th, son #3 went to his dentist and had a tooth prepped for a crown -- the same tooth that had had a root canal done on it a week before. By Thursday afternoon the tooth was killing son #3 so he called and the dentist office told him to come in the next morning. The only problem was that the dentist he saw was one who was on call because son #3's dentist left for vacation that day -- along with her entire staff. And....the office was closed all the next week for the 4th and vacations.

The on-call dentist wanted the dentist who'd done the work to look at the tooth -- but she was on vacation. But....another dentist -- the endodontist -- had worked on the tooth also. The on-call dentist said that would have worked out except....the endodonist's office was closed -- and would be closed all the next week for the 4th and vacations. I guess the 4th of July is really big in Raleigh. The on-call dentist said something about root fracture -- which would mean the tooth has to go.

So....the on-call dentist loaded son #3 up on enough Vicoden and penicillin to last for a week until he could see the dentist. This morning son #3 went to the dentist office bright and early just as the on-call dentist had told him to do. Just as his little appointment card read. But....the dentist (his dentist) had no idea what had been going on. She looked at the tooth, listened to son #3, looked at the tooth again and sent him right over to the endodontist.

The endodontist looked at the tooth, listened to son #3, looked at the tooth again, did all sorts of tests and then did a root canal on the tooth in back of the one son #3 swore was hurting him. Son #3 called and told me the pain had stopped and all was well. For a few hours. By this afternoon the original tooth was hurting again. Another call to the endodontist resulted in a prescription for percodan and a lenghty discussion of what might be happening. I don't know if the pain transference thing-y is true or not.

So that's where we are today. It's a trying situation because son #3 has been putting up with this for over a week now. He also doesn't like taking medicines that could be addictive -- he's seen too many people struggling with their addictions. But at least he feels as if the dentist is listening to him and explaining everything in detail. I think they are trying to save the tooth. I hope they can but I gotta tell you, son #3 is ready to have the thing pulled. I know in the long run it will be better if he can keep it.

All in all it's been a pretty sh*tty day. I put a load of clothes in the washer this morning and when it finished I opened it to find the clothes still floating in soapy water. Nothing I can do will get it to drain. I guess I'll have to wring out the clothes -- piece by piece. So it's new washer and dryer time. We've been needing one for a while but now is not a good time for it. J spent way too much on that stupid house in AL and with son #3's dental bills adding up -- not to mention the dental work I'm going in for Wednesday, now is not a good time for anymore spending.

I told son #3 that on Christmas morning both of us would stand in front of a mirror, smile, and say "Merry Christmas."

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Cornbread and vegetables......

Today, after sitting (and sitting and sitting and....) in a chair at the beauty salon, waiting for the color to work its magic, I stopped by the farmer's market.

*A short aside. I b*tch about sitting around at the salon waiting for the processes to work but, not only am I very grateful for the magic solutions available that make grey go poof, but I always enjoy good conversation. It's fun going in and catching up with everyone. Funny how connections develop in places like that.

Now, back to the fruit and vegetables. I love going to farmer's markets -- all the variety and choices. I loaded up on vegetables: crowder peas, field peas, southwestern corn, squash, bell peppers, egg plant, and some grapes. And a bottle of fig syrup -- never had it before so couldn't pass it up. Then I lugged everything home to wash it (a task I hate). So supper will be super simple -- a pot of crowder peas, squash sauteed with garlic and onions, our very own banana peppers stuffed with the Spanish rice I'd made earlier in the week and then smothered with Prego sauce and melted cheese, and a pan of cornbread. Oh, and sliced tomatoes (also our very own). I'm so proud of our tomatoes and peppers. Smile! Although, with all the deluges we've been having I'm afraid they won't last through the summer.

Tomorrow I'm going to cook some of the corn, warm the peas, and make a Tomato Pie. Quick and simple. J wants steaks and brats this weekend. I picked up some potatoes along with some bread from Lafayette (it's so good! I had to break off some to munch on as I drove home). A Weight Watcher's Jello pie and we're set.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

I'm going to have to find a new doctor....

because the one I have now keeps finding things wrong with me.

That's what I'm going to tell my doctor next week. If he doesn't give me a clean bill of health -- that's it for him. I like doctors who say "everything's fine so go on your merry way."

Of course I'm joking but this going in for "a test for this or a test for that" is getting a bit tiring. I am grateful that the doctor says each time that he doesn't think anything's wrong. He just wants to get some "baseline" reads -- or something like that. But when he says things like "this spike in your liver count could be an indication that in three years you'll double over with gall bladder pain," I gotta tell you.... I told him I'd go home and mark it on my calendar. I know tests can be life-saving, but sometimes I think our society has more information than they know what to do with.

Enough about my medical life. ....Can you guess where I spent allll morning? Yep. At the lab getting blood work done so I can return next week and have the doctor tell me everything looks fine. Or....ummm, this or that count is a little increased since last time so we'll retest in six months. I guess since we have fairly good insurance for a change that I'm on a maintenance plan or something like that. Oh, well. At least things are fine and I'm not being put on any new pills. I'm grateful for that.

Not much happening around here -- except for people coming to clean the air conditioner and then Thurdsay morning waiting for the insurance adjuster to climb up a ladder an take a look at the roof. We had a horrible hail storm here a while back and everywhere you look new roofs are being put on. I feel so sorry for the roofers up there in this heat. I didn't think we had any damage until....two weeks later when it rained agin and my kitchen counters were covered in water. Missed my coffee pot by inches. That would have made me mad.

Next week proves to be just as interesting with a trip to the doctor and then to the dentist to have a tooth pulled (they like to say extracted) and a temp bridge put in. Anyone have a bridge? Good? Bad?

And then there's that tropical depression way out by Africa. Not good. But they're telling us "it's waaaay out there, so don't let it ruin your 4th. start worring next week." Okay....