I can get into messes and deals without trying!
This contemporary story happened a few weeks ago. Most of the time I know how I arrived in messes, mostly because I can't say "no" to certain causes, overbook myself, etc., etc., and then get miffed with my wimp of a backbone.
However this ditty is a little different, and even funny to me, even though the joke (which isn't the correct word) is on me.
First I have to assure my housekeeper who is directly involved that I am in no way questioning this deal, trust her completely and this scenario has provided my friends with a comeback to just about anything I propose.
Recently we helped said housekeeper (HK) transport an older car from Missouri to Arkansas so she would have transportation. She lives on a very austere budget. The nice looking older car need a repair axles or something, so it had to be loaded on a trailer, not towed behind a vehicle.
Her very old van died in Calico Rock or thereabouts where it now is the pride (said facetiously) of some guy who towed it to his garage. She gave it to him for parts.
Although we took nothing for the gas, we did accept payment for a U-Haul trailer so as not to tear up her car or our nearly new Tacoma pickup. At the end of the trip she gave my husband a partial payment on the rental, and I thought the balance was $30.00.
Between delivery to another garage for the minor repair and her next work day with me I forgot the whole deal.
When she works it is like a whirlwind of conversation, dust flying, vacuum roaring, etc. Meanwhile I am doing weekly wash so washer and dryer are humming, too. Add a lawnmower or whatever husband is doing so lots of noise and hub-bub do not make understanding what anyone is saying very clear.
Anyway, when I paid her the usual fee in cash she refused part of it after we discussed working the garage sale and her helping with marking, etc. Then I swear to God I really don't have any idea what was said or I agreed to, but I went from being owed $30.00 to a commitment to pay $30 to spay a cat at her next volunteer spay and neuter clinic.
Now mind you I don't mind paying to spay or neuter any animal to prevent the millions of unwanted kittens and puppies born, and abandoned to die horrible deaths at some stage of their usual short lives.
When I told my husband, and also my best friend, somehow I am committed to $30 to spay a cat when I thought I was owed $30.00, they are rolling on the floor in laughter.
Now every time any of us discuss some financial matter, they retort, "go spay a cat."
Never let me near your checkbook!!! I have to used Quicken and even then have trouble reconciling.
Math was not my favorite subject, which begs the question how I became a pharmacist. Well the common joke is all we have to do is count to 100, or pour in liquids in to measuring cups a.k.a as bottles with proper markings indicated on them.
The cerebral part of pharmacy is the drug's, interactions, uses, etc. I was great and knew doses, too, but I did not make them. Everything comes in a little bottle and all I did was count and pour. A technician even typed my labels in my latter years in the profession.
I am beginning to wonder to what I have committed myself with the yard sale. My little town has a city-yard sale every year in September and it is a booming success.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation you cannot figure how you arrived there???
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
EVEN WHEN IT IS HOT...
there is often something beautiful to behold! As I hope you will see what I mean at the end of this post.
The Towel Brigade is over. The towel inventory is now washed, dried, folded and neatly stored for normal use.
The central air conditioner drainage seems to be alleviated thanks to fast response from the company of our choice. The same-day response was rapid considering the time of year and midst of a heat wave, even if I did pay extra for travel and overtime.
Second, the telephone problems intensified Sunday with a faulty part at a central location, but the phone company fixed their part the self-same day and surprisingly called me ON SUNDAY to verify.
Today my husband is attempting to mend the damaged telephone wires beneath the house. In our state the company fixes the lines to the house, but the wiring system within the house is privately owned, i.e., we own it, we fix it.
The light fixture in one room is not yet fixed. BUT WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS! He is still painting outside, too.
My blood pressure is still worrisome and strange. It is highest and acting the weirdest in the morning upon awakening. I do have some emergency meds to lower it quickly. I carry a few tablets everywhere I go. At least a pattern is forming so maybe someone will figure it out.
I have several related tests next week.
One or two days of the intense heat this past week, I ventured for only a few minutes outside to shoot a few snapshots--no time for artistic planning. I also took one or two inside the nice cool kitchen.
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| English Ivy Planted from one mail order sprout about 15 years ago! |
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| Naked Ladies (Surprise Lilies) |
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| Red Roses surviving the English Ivy over growth from a plant on our lot when we purchased it. This is a hardy rose as we never prune nor feed it. I think it may be a climber, too. You might see a Naked Lady bulb peeking in on edge of the photo! |
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| Ripening Produce with two of my mortar/pestles from my collection on the window sill of my window box. |
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| Tomatoes Ripening on Window Sill Mortar &Mortar Pestle Is Behind Solar Shade (a tad softer look). This Photo is SOOC [Straight Out Of Camera |
Thursday, August 12, 2010
WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS
NO! It is not raining, although ISOLATED SHOWERS (10%) is in our forecast.That percentage is probably one drop somewhere over the Arkansas River from the trail of a riverboat or barge which decided it was better to be in the River than the air.
However, we have dripping water at steady rate at our house from the central air conditioner. Now, that is normal in hot, humid weather, but the design of central air conditioning units is removal of humidity and disposal by drainage line to a designated area outside our abode. That is one part of "conditioning the air", the other part being cooling, which may also contribute to the water problem with some condensation.
Unexpectedly this morning I accessed what we call the heating/air conditioning unit closet to find a significant amount of water accumulating around the unit. I suspected the drainpipe was plugged, as we have had this problem once before.
My husband is at the church blissfully mowing in the 90-plus degree heat.
I called the HVAC company who said it would be tomorrow afternoon, or I could pay for after-hours today. I chose 'after-hours', but have a bet with myself that does not materialize. In fairness, everybody is broiling; air conditioners are working overtime when the temperature creeps above 90; another way to say it, it they may suffer from heat stroke, too.
I am doing a towel (not paper towels) relay soaking up the water. The relay starts with (1) find dry big towels, or remove from dryer; (2) pull out the 3-4 sopping wet towels; (3) replace with 3-4 dry towels; (4) place wet towels in washer on final fast spin cycle; (5) remove towels from washer to dryer; (6) Repeat cycle every 30 minutes.
The owner of HVAC company we use was here yesterday to evaluate improvement in ducting. Although we are not sure, he may have unintentionally pull some of the telephone wiring apart under house, as part of our system is down. That is not repaired but we have the lines isolated that need to be checked. Some lines are working and we have cell phone.
What is strange is the owner mentioned some condensation below the house; too bad he did not look a little harder. However, from the water I found this morning, I think this event had not been occurring very long. We store a lot in the same closet; very little was wet.
One small blessing is we care for a home next to us. The perk is we may use it ourselves or for company. It is not a mansion but a roof over our heads. We can move there if this continues very long. It also has central heat and air.
It has everything but Internet, and there may be a way to get that, too. I probably could move my wireless router to a different place in my house, were I could pick up signal in the neighbor's house.
We have other options as well, but hopefully will not have to use them.
Meanwhile the towel brigade continues... See you when the drip dry cycle is broken. I have a few pictures showing beauty still around even in the heat, but gotta rotate towels, not cards and computers!!
However, we have dripping water at steady rate at our house from the central air conditioner. Now, that is normal in hot, humid weather, but the design of central air conditioning units is removal of humidity and disposal by drainage line to a designated area outside our abode. That is one part of "conditioning the air", the other part being cooling, which may also contribute to the water problem with some condensation.
Unexpectedly this morning I accessed what we call the heating/air conditioning unit closet to find a significant amount of water accumulating around the unit. I suspected the drainpipe was plugged, as we have had this problem once before.
My husband is at the church blissfully mowing in the 90-plus degree heat.
I called the HVAC company who said it would be tomorrow afternoon, or I could pay for after-hours today. I chose 'after-hours', but have a bet with myself that does not materialize. In fairness, everybody is broiling; air conditioners are working overtime when the temperature creeps above 90; another way to say it, it they may suffer from heat stroke, too.
I am doing a towel (not paper towels) relay soaking up the water. The relay starts with (1) find dry big towels, or remove from dryer; (2) pull out the 3-4 sopping wet towels; (3) replace with 3-4 dry towels; (4) place wet towels in washer on final fast spin cycle; (5) remove towels from washer to dryer; (6) Repeat cycle every 30 minutes.
The owner of HVAC company we use was here yesterday to evaluate improvement in ducting. Although we are not sure, he may have unintentionally pull some of the telephone wiring apart under house, as part of our system is down. That is not repaired but we have the lines isolated that need to be checked. Some lines are working and we have cell phone.
What is strange is the owner mentioned some condensation below the house; too bad he did not look a little harder. However, from the water I found this morning, I think this event had not been occurring very long. We store a lot in the same closet; very little was wet.
One small blessing is we care for a home next to us. The perk is we may use it ourselves or for company. It is not a mansion but a roof over our heads. We can move there if this continues very long. It also has central heat and air.
It has everything but Internet, and there may be a way to get that, too. I probably could move my wireless router to a different place in my house, were I could pick up signal in the neighbor's house.
We have other options as well, but hopefully will not have to use them.
Meanwhile the towel brigade continues... See you when the drip dry cycle is broken. I have a few pictures showing beauty still around even in the heat, but gotta rotate towels, not cards and computers!!
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