What a Day

Dropped off 7yo at day camp. 1/2 day camp, really.

Sister wasn't sure sitter was coming for our mother, so had to go straight home to check instead of going to the grocery store as planned.

Sitter there, went to the store. Surprised that the few bags I'd brought were enough for the groceries, also surprised total wasn't higher. Got home and realized cashier had not rung up about a third of my groceries - mainly the produce. Had to go back for all of it. Fortunately no one had put it back on shelves. Bag man had put it in a basket. SO not happy.

However, I did have time to unpack them before going to pick up 7yo. I was a little stressed over that because there were a LOT of groceries. I really hate grocery shopping when I have to get a lot of stuff. And that has been my lot for the past 6 years.

Washer/dryer have been disconnected for over a week now. Took laundry to a fluff and fold last week before going camping. Today repairman came and hooked them up. I could have done it myself, but the adjoining sink needed to be hooked back up because, for some unknown reason, the washer drains into the sink.

Today's repairman said he didn't know anything about the sink, he just came to hook up the appliances. But he'd forgotten the clamps for the dryer hose and had to go back for them. He'd previously lost the work order which had our phone number, so he couldn't call to arrange for a time to come today. We were promised he'd come today because we are going camping again tomorrow. Hooked it all up and left.

I put a load of laundry in the washer and, when it started draining to go to the rinse cycle, water started gushing out of the big pipe that connects to the sink. Made some calls, original repairman comes back and says the sink needs to be hooked up. He can't do it because he broke his wrist yesterday while riding his ATV. Goes and tells the other repairman to come back and do it.

Finally, it's all done. Now I have 2 batches of towels and 3 batches of clothes to do before we leave, around 4 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.

Got a check from Orkin refunding the total I'd paid for the year's treatment of one of our properties. It was mailed to the address I was specifically told to send it. Rep said go ahead and deposit it, then mail a new check to the office closer to our location, rather than the main office where it had been sent. Okay, no problem. Until I look at the check.

The account was still in my father's name...and he's been dead for over 25 years. So we can't deposit the check.

Called back and was referred to the main office. Just send the check back, I'm told, we'll just credit your original payment to your account. And we'll let the local office know that is how we're handling it.

Yes.

Now that is a sensible solution, much simpler for me. I wasn't sure if the company's system would allow them to do that, so I hadn't even asked if it was possible. But presumably the main office know what its doing. Although, I think they may have been the one to send the refund...and we still don't know why that happened.

Also, I had to write a letter to go along with the check. Explaining the situation, asking for the account name to be changed, giving new contact info. Just one more chore in the day.

Still, that worked out fine. So has the washer and dryer repair. Plus, I got 3 checks in the mail totaling over $500 - although 2 of the checks, for about $100, were just refunds of my own money. I'll take it anyway.

All in all, I am much better off now than I was 24 hours ago. But I feel like I've been through a wringer. And it occurred to me that none of the stressful stuff was my personal business. The house with the water leak is the home my sister and mother are renting. The Orkin thing is for a property my family owns, but I'm in charge of all our family properties.

Only the good stuff, the checks, had to do with me personally. I was thinking that, if I lived alone - which I will hopefully be doing in the not too distant future, I wouldn't have had all this stuff to deal with. Except...

I would still be in charge of my family properties. And when I was living in my own place with 7yo for a couple of months, there were all kinds of things wrong with the apartment I rented that needed to be taken care of. So, I guess there's always something.

Still, I would not have SO much laundry to do or SO many groceries to buy. That, in itself, would make my life so much more content. I would not have spent hours bouncing off and on my desk chair to answer to the repairman, 7yo and my mother. THAT, in itself, is what really made me crazy today.

Oh yeah, and my mom rolled over her emergency button with her electric wheelchair.

And it's not over yet. I still have a few chores to do, although I'm not making dinner. It's everyone fend for yourself...except, of course, I'll have to fix something for 7yo and my sister will do the same for our mother.

For the next little bit, though, I'm relaxing with a little wine.

What a freaking day.