As I face my first pick up of both girls in the new school year, I wonder if it will feel different. Will I be calmer? Can I get both girls with time to spare?
The commute is packed but runs smoothly. I talk to myself as usual. Curse the guy in the work parking lot that had no inkling to look to his left as he screamed out of his parking space and could have hit me. I realize that I am low on gas but have no idea where the gas latch is---JCW, when getting a new car, you should probably spend time on the basics before setting station favorites on the radio. Yeah, this feels about the same.
I will pick up Rachel first. She will sense the time crunch and hold me hostage showing everyone her "chicka chicka boom boom" dance. Knowing that her cuteness can't be rushed, she then will invite four of her besties over for a play date. I will push her out the door promising other parents a call or an e-mail since Rachel has now made me the host.
The whole city of Newton will be trying to get home at the same time. And no one is using the main way; we will all try to get home faster by using side streets. In this rush, I will decide that I will not be doing my standard grilled pork with sauteed kale and a couscous stuffed grilled yellow bell pepper. Nope, I am doing Bertolli out of a bag. I shouldn't because gluten has been kicking my ass lately. But I will, to save time--more on that later.
We will finally reach Laurel's school with five minutes to spare. Like Rachel, Laurel will also think she is the hostess with the mostest and want to invite everyone over too. Including this one girl who's mom never returned my calls over the summer. It will get awkward when she does one of those weak..."Summer was so busy." Whatev...I won't care. Maybe you think Laurel is that kid in your household but I doubt that. I have no time to think about this...I have Bertolli in a bag to heat at high heat for 4 minutes and let simmer for 8 and then dinner is made.
I will listen to Ching feeling wronged by some wild animal. It's not the squirrels but raccoons now. They were in the trash again (because the cans were not in the garage) and one left a poop present right on the lid. Nothing squicks Ching more than poop and now it's war. He mentioned trapping them but at that point, I will tell myself to ignore and focus on my Bertolli in a bag.
As I rush to get dinner in front of everyone, the window guy will arrive. That's right; Ching got sucked into a window installation demo at BJ's and now some guy is coming over to give an estimate. This will suck--there is nothing worse than being at work all day in a sales job and then coming home and being the audience. I will notice all of his confirmations that we are following his presentation. (Seem okay?) I will notice how he will try to ingratiate himself to me by cluing in on my Connecticut shirt and then asking me, what my major was? What is this a freakin' frat party? He will tell us how cute the girls are--tell me something that I don't know, Skippy. While Ching has promised me that this will only be 30 minutes, I am pretty sure James the Window Guy will be here for two hours.
And I am as right as rain on almost everything--the gluten filled Bertolli didn't kicked my ass. The bag stated 2 servings but it was really only a regular Ching serving and small Rachel serving. (Laurel ate something totally different.) I ate left over quinoa and grilled chicken. The people behind me on the treadmill tomorrow will totally appreciate this. I know...because I just seem to know the routine.
Showing posts with label Home Improvement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home Improvement. Show all posts
Monday, September 9, 2013
Sunday, June 9, 2013
I do what any sane person would do, I shut the door hoping it would go away.
If you are eating and about to read this post, you may want to stop now and come back later...just a tip.
So the question over the past few weeks at the Wangs: Is it worth $400?
Three weeks ago, as I was about to leave for a work trip to Atlanta, I needed to go to our basement to get a piece of luggage. We keep our luggage in a small utility closet that has the furnace, air handler and in a small corner, several bags for travel. As I open the door to grab the small black wheelie, an unmentionable stink comes out. I do what any sane person would do, I shut the door hoping it would go away.
The stink stays...and when I come home four days later, Ching is telling me about this smell downstairs. (I absolutely do not let it be known that I know about the stink and so instead, I act surprised.) He tells me that he has aired out the basement so he thinks everything is fine. Since he dealt with the smell and I ignored it, I let this go. The smell may air itself out but where is it coming from? Something that we both keep to ourselves.
We get some heavy rains, the stink comes back. Ching airs it out again. And then we decide to call some people. For $400, they can come over, check out the problem, with no guarantees of solution. They also tell us that it may pass and it's only an issue when and if there are flies. We think we are fine. There are no flies, no $400 needs to be spent.
We then get the August heat (at the end of May) and like clockwork...the flies. I am not sure if I have stressed how much Ching hates bugs but they are his personal nemesis. He equates flies with poo and he doesn't like to wear his glasses in the bathroom so he doesn't have to see the poo so..well...I know. So he goes to Home Depot and spends about $80 on fly traps, fly tape and insecticide. I am surprised he didn't get one of those bug zappers. Nothing screams classy like asking how many flies were caught the night before as you reach for the fly swatter.
After a few days, he can't take it. He tried. I didn't even try. We were about the bite the bullet and spend the $400 for a guy to come over to look at our fly and stink problem. We are also prepared that he may have to bust a hole in our closet...but again, it's just a closet. Four hundred for a couple of dead mice or a squirrel? This sucks...
So two guys come over...(one is sporting a mullet which alone to me sets up the scene perfectly). They have a big truck, a dog ready to sniff out anything, a net and a pitchfork. (Oh God...again, you may want to look away.) They go into the utility closet and the know exactly where the issue is...they don't even need the dog. Outside, above the utility closet is our wood patio which is about 2 inches above the ground. They pull apart the patio and find it in 10 seconds. Of course, this is taking place in front of the sliding glass doors so the girls can see. As soon as I see the fork go in, I try to shield the girls. Out from the hole, they pull a 30 pound raccoon. It's held up like a trophy. Ching is cowering in grossness. I am screaming "look away" to the girls. Laurel is like, "Look at all the fur!" And Rachel is screaming for her daddy, thinking that he is scared like her. Mullet guy and his friend are yelling about the stink and I am just so happy that it's warm out so all the neighbors can hear how classy the Wangs are right now.
Not only did they find it in record time and fix the patio but they took it with them to dispose of it. I told Ching that this was the best $400 ever spent. He then told me that he was so grateful that he gave the guys an extra $50. I was totally okay with that. There have been many a time when I complain that Ching and I could pay for services that we could do ourselves. This was not one of those times.
While the stink, flies and that animal are gone, I can't help but jump at any sort of creak that I hear in the night. Another raccoon or the Ghost of Raccoon Wang? At least we know who to call....
So the question over the past few weeks at the Wangs: Is it worth $400?
Three weeks ago, as I was about to leave for a work trip to Atlanta, I needed to go to our basement to get a piece of luggage. We keep our luggage in a small utility closet that has the furnace, air handler and in a small corner, several bags for travel. As I open the door to grab the small black wheelie, an unmentionable stink comes out. I do what any sane person would do, I shut the door hoping it would go away.
The stink stays...and when I come home four days later, Ching is telling me about this smell downstairs. (I absolutely do not let it be known that I know about the stink and so instead, I act surprised.) He tells me that he has aired out the basement so he thinks everything is fine. Since he dealt with the smell and I ignored it, I let this go. The smell may air itself out but where is it coming from? Something that we both keep to ourselves.
We get some heavy rains, the stink comes back. Ching airs it out again. And then we decide to call some people. For $400, they can come over, check out the problem, with no guarantees of solution. They also tell us that it may pass and it's only an issue when and if there are flies. We think we are fine. There are no flies, no $400 needs to be spent.
We then get the August heat (at the end of May) and like clockwork...the flies. I am not sure if I have stressed how much Ching hates bugs but they are his personal nemesis. He equates flies with poo and he doesn't like to wear his glasses in the bathroom so he doesn't have to see the poo so..well...I know. So he goes to Home Depot and spends about $80 on fly traps, fly tape and insecticide. I am surprised he didn't get one of those bug zappers. Nothing screams classy like asking how many flies were caught the night before as you reach for the fly swatter.
After a few days, he can't take it. He tried. I didn't even try. We were about the bite the bullet and spend the $400 for a guy to come over to look at our fly and stink problem. We are also prepared that he may have to bust a hole in our closet...but again, it's just a closet. Four hundred for a couple of dead mice or a squirrel? This sucks...
So two guys come over...(one is sporting a mullet which alone to me sets up the scene perfectly). They have a big truck, a dog ready to sniff out anything, a net and a pitchfork. (Oh God...again, you may want to look away.) They go into the utility closet and the know exactly where the issue is...they don't even need the dog. Outside, above the utility closet is our wood patio which is about 2 inches above the ground. They pull apart the patio and find it in 10 seconds. Of course, this is taking place in front of the sliding glass doors so the girls can see. As soon as I see the fork go in, I try to shield the girls. Out from the hole, they pull a 30 pound raccoon. It's held up like a trophy. Ching is cowering in grossness. I am screaming "look away" to the girls. Laurel is like, "Look at all the fur!" And Rachel is screaming for her daddy, thinking that he is scared like her. Mullet guy and his friend are yelling about the stink and I am just so happy that it's warm out so all the neighbors can hear how classy the Wangs are right now.
Not only did they find it in record time and fix the patio but they took it with them to dispose of it. I told Ching that this was the best $400 ever spent. He then told me that he was so grateful that he gave the guys an extra $50. I was totally okay with that. There have been many a time when I complain that Ching and I could pay for services that we could do ourselves. This was not one of those times.
While the stink, flies and that animal are gone, I can't help but jump at any sort of creak that I hear in the night. Another raccoon or the Ghost of Raccoon Wang? At least we know who to call....
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