Friday, November 30, 2012

The New A/C Unit

As if the broken washer wasn't enough to interrupt our lives, on August 16 our A/C goes out on us...on a weekend. Luckily, I have a cousin-once-removed that works in the field of repairs and a call had him visiting by noon. He gave me the diagnosis and it was yet another unexpected expense, not in my budget.

I made a call or maybe sent a text to my sister Margie. Puppy and I asked to move in to her home until I could get the A/C repaired. The plus to this move was that I was already going to her house to wash clothes so we were already spending Saturday and some Sundays there.

Well, I don't want to bore you with details but let's just say the repair was not smooth.  We bought one part, put it on, then the mother boards weren't communicating indoors with outdoors, or the new thermostat.  We ended up replacing more than just a motor as originally planned, but on October 7, our new 5-ton A/C unit was installed completely and was operating to cool down our home that had been through several days of 100+ temperatures. It took about four hours to get the house comfortable again.

Puppy and I were so tired from the wait during the installation in the heat that we just dropped and slept at home. We then went to gather our things within the next few days. It didn't seem like we had taken so much over to my sister's but it took more than one trip. However, on this day we were still going over to do laundry at her place. I actually considered just staying there at one time. But after seeing Puppy happy at home, I knew it was time to come home, too.

Many thanks to the financial support of my sister Aud and my parents. And another big thanks to Margie for putting a roof over our heads.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

The washer


Today’s posting might not be of any importance to any of you, but on November 12, 2012, I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Our washer went out of commission some time in July this summer. Since then I have been going to a laundromat, my sister’s house or my parents’ to wash and sometimes dry, our dryer works fine.

When I bought my home five and half years ago, I purchased a new washer and dryer set from Sears. They are those upright front loading kind, not cheap. Well like with most things, I don’t buy the warranty. So now I was stuck with a washer that wasn’t working and a repair estimate that I couldn’t afford. 

However, I had left my old washer in a storage shed at my parents’ when I bought the new appliances. It was in good order and on this day in November, my brother and his friend took it over to my garage. It was the beginning of the next chapter. He was also able to find someone to give me that third estimate and the price for parts was more reasonable but not yet in the budget, so it will have to wait.

Then two days later, the washing machines were swapped out by another brother and me. Thanks to them, and family our lives are a lot easier. With the new chapter on washing at home, and the light at end of the tunnel was met and this convenience is no longer taken for granted.

The going back and forth took its toll on Puppy as well. It was his chore to separate his clothes but then the waits in between washes was not pleasant for him and very boring. He would help now and then, but he never liked not being at home. He's a happy camper now that he can be outdoors with Cody. Whew!




Wednesday, November 28, 2012

My Internet Service

Yes, I fell into that category of being an Internet customer whom thought that my provider would keep me going if I paid every other month or actually, every three months. Well, they didn't. Funny thing is that when I called to make payment they were unable to find my account, and that's with me giving them the account number, address, phone number, and even my social security number. I tried for weeks making a call and getting the same run around from operator to operator in different departments and different states.

Finally, my mom decided to set up her Internet at my parents' home. My brother Albert used to pay for it, but he has left this world for a better one so the account was cancelled. But that is another story for another day. So in helping her set up her account on the telephone, I took advantage of the operator and he searched high and low and found my account. It was in the "disconnect and do not reconnect" files. He said that I'd have to open a new account to have service. So I went through the entire process of applying only to be told that I was unable to have service with AT&T because I didn't have a land-line.  But I didn't have one before? There was a nice operator who had done some slicks on my application the last time that allowed me to have an account; but now it seemed that I was not compliant with the rules and could not have them as a provider.

So I had to give in and pay a little higher fee for having TWC as a provider. I even upgraded my TV package and I'm happier that I get channels I missed for years, I just hope I don't regret it when the bill comes in for payment.

I am back and I will try to keep up with my blog. I just think that postings are better when they have pictures, so I take pictures of Puppy and think it will make a story, but then I sit at the computer and go blank. I can't make a story about the picture, it's no longer as interesting as I thought it would be so I don't write. I promise that I will sit myself down and hopefully get into a rhythm of posting.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

My List

Oh how I miss blogging. So much has happened since my last posting that I don't know where to start. Maybe if I list them I can get a handle on my thoughts and run through them and I might even place some on hold for later posts.

1. I had my Internet disconnected.
2. Our washer is still broken.
3. I had to replace my a/c unit.
4. Puppy and I are back home and sleeping in our own beds.
5. I'm busier than ever at work with new duties.
6. I paid off my truck!
7. Puppy keeps pulling out his wires and the brackets on his braces. I got scolded by the orthodontist.
8. Puppy still wants to make boxes with rolled up papers in them.
9. My brother passed away.
10. Puppy is still obsessed with wallets and adding muscle growth to his obsession list.

That's enough to overwhelm anyone. And not having Internet to blog and vent is killing me.

Well, I should be getting my Internet restored on the November 17, so mark your calendars, I'll be back and hopefully with more energy to write.

Thanks for hanging around and waiting on me.