This day actually started out very well. Rick climbed into the attic and successfully added braces to the superstructure of the house so we have something to nail into when we move the wall for the master bathroom next year. Still no hard hat, Bug, but his hard head came out in one piece and the 2 x 6 is firmly screwed into place.
Then the day went downhill for a while. I did not sleep well at all last night; worries about dipping into our reserve savings had me tossing and turning at 2:00 a.m. and out on the couch in the living room by 3:30 so as not to wake Rick. (He missed me by 4:30 and could not get back to sleep himself after that time.) Therefore, part of the reason that the day may have turned sour probably can be contributed to a lack of sleep.
We waited this morning for my kitchen sink to be delivered and for Steve, the pest control guy, to show up. We made a hurried trip to the store this morning so we would be home by the time he was scheduled to come at 9:00 a.m. When we returned home (at approximately 8:30) the Bay Area Termite and Pest Control car was parked in front of our house, and the technician they sent out was just about to depart. We had some bug issues, so we invited him in and he sprayed to eliminate the spiders, silverfish, and cockroaches (that, thankfully, we have only spied in the garage so far). When we asked if Steve was still coming at 9:00 to discuss termites, he claimed he did not know. I'll spare you the details and suspense by telling you that he once again never showed up, and on Rick's threat of taking our business elsewhere, he promised to show up tomorrow. While Little Orphan Annie believed that the sun will come up tomorrow, I am not sure I have the same faith that Steve will show up any time soon.
My sink was supposed to be delivered any time between 9 - 1. At 1:00 p.m., Rick went to the glass store to return the wrongly-cut glass while I awaited the promised wash basin. At 1:30 a van drove into the driveway and a man came to the door, telling me he had my sink. He carefully took the heavy sink out of the van, placed it on a dolly, and wheeled it into the house. He gently eased it flat onto the floor. He said, "Please sign here and print your last name on the line below." Stupid me thought that I was just signing an acknowledgement that I had received the sink. He then left a copy of the receipt for me and drove away. I carefully opened the box only to discover that the beautiful Kohler sink had a huge crack and chipped porcelain on the ridge between the two basins. (Ha! So much for the box's claim that Kohler was guaranteed not to chip! They even had the audacity to lie in two different languages!) I picked up the receipt looking for a number to call and then read that I had signed a form that said I had inspected and received an undamaged product in good working condition.
I lost it. I was so upset that by the time Rick came home, he found me in hysterics. He walked in with less than a smile on his face since the woman at the glass place tried to tell him that he was getting a bargain for the glass even though we paid full price and were not at fault that the glass was cut incorrectly. When he saw me, I burst into tears, telling him that it was all my fault and that I did not understand what I signed, and that I was really stupid. He took time to calm me down and then let me kill things. (When I am angry, it helps if I kill things. Don't panic, family, Rick is still taking in oxygen because usually what I kill is weeds in the garden. ) I grabbed a shovel and started to dig out the buried patio stones in the back yard, ripping up grass and weeds as I discovered that the patio is much bigger than we originally thought it was.
I ended the day on a better note. When I came into the house, I found that Beth at Cengage had contacted me, and I can now begin my freelance work on PowerPoints for two of their textbooks. I also found, in the mail, the first notice of what I will get in July as a retirement check. While it is half of what I used to make, it certainly at least gives me a sense of worth again to be bringing in income from two sources... all in one day. I am excited to get going on the Cengage work, and I am happy that my 28 years of teaching will bring in some very desperately needed income at this time.
We capped off the day by getting away from the house and going to dinner at a downtown restaurant. OK, the day was not quite done with us yet. As we dined, the skies opened up into a deluge that the world has not witnessed since Noah built the ark. We took a chance after dinner by waiting for the rain to abate a little, and then made a run for the truck. Unfortunately, streets in downtown Dunedin flood easily, so we were both drenched by the time we reached the truck. We piled in, started the engine, and the rain suddenly stopped as quickly as it had started. Within minutes, the sun was peeking out just long enough to set.
Annie was right. The sun will come up...tomorrow, and we both really hope that it will bring with it a better day.
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