Sometimes, looking back on past experiences helps you to manage your current life better. At least that's what I thought when I randomly found this blog entry below that I wrote back on April 7, 2006, when I was at Diaryland doing my original official blog.

I am reprinting it here for you - those of you who weren't around here at that time. It struck me that no matter how much I complain these days about Life's little offerings that bother and perturb me, I only need to look back on how it used to be to be more grateful and appreciative of the life I do have now.

Without further ado, here it is. Remember, I was working full-time back then and that made all the difference:

A Rainy Day

In more ways than one. Yes, the sky is leaking raindrops all over our world outside. But this has been one day I'd just as soon forget about, and the sooner the better.

I figure that if I unload it all onto you here, maybe some of the angst I am feeling about this day will dissipate and I may be able to fall asleep tonight...maybe...

...because, last night I never did.

It all started when my WebTV never connected to the internet this early morning. I got up around 6:15 and emailed Sandy from my computer, because I had things to do early and didn't know when I'd get back onto WebTV to greet her (as we are both used to doing first thing each day).

So no Webbie... oh well, I'd already said good morning via computer.

Next thing on the agenda today was for me to take my car (SUV) down to "the shop" to have a brake job. Paul had to follow me down so I could get a ride home. I skipped my cuppa tea figuring I'd get it later. We were there by 7:15 (I am always early, and the guy said he'd be open by 7:30 a.m.).

So there we sat, in the lot in Paul's truck, waiting for Ron to open up his shop...but no Ron. No lights on and no one home. Grrrr....

We sat there watching all the morning rush-hour drivers clumbering by in their cars, trucks, SUVs, bikes, and even some walkers. We sat there for an HOUR! Til 8:15...by that time, I had tried calling the repair shop on my cellphone and just got a recording. Grrrrr...

Finally I gave up, and got back in my car, and we both drove back home... I had an appointment and had been stood up at a repair shop. Not a good start to the day...again.

Back home, I went upstairs and turned on the computer to start work...but first, I called the Honda place one more time, and zap! Ron answered! We had "just missed" him. Grrrrrr...

I explained...he explained...it was all his fault...could he come over here and pick up my car himself and take it down? Why, Yes! Good idea.

He did that...and I went back to work for the day, typing like crazy all day long.

Meanwhile, today we also had scheduled the second repairman from GE in a row to come out and try to fix our oven. The first one a week ago tried fixing it, said he fixed it, took $125 of my money, and left... and it wasn't fixed. It has taken a week for another repairman (from GE by the way!) to come out. The parts he needed had been sent to us by FedEx and were waiting for him. He arrived after lunchtime. Paul was here to deal with him...I couldn't be trusted not to bite his head off...

I worked upstairs while the men dealt with the broken oven (or computer in the oven)...whatever.

Paul came up asking me for a check and I said oh no...I'm not giving them any more money...you pay him... and he did. Another $125 (but he deducted the first $125 because this time there were new parts involved, but still we have now paid GE $250 in total)... anyway, I yelled down to them to make SURE they test it good to see if it's working and they said that they had done that! Okey-dokey!

Before I was finished my work, Paul came up to inform me that "We have a problem - my truck is dead - won't start or even turn over."

Oh great! He called his friend Bill who came by and took him down to buy a new battery...that solved that problem. Meanwhile, after I finished my typing I tried the stove/oven. I turned it on and set it to 400 degrees...

Within a few minutes the display showed F-3 again and it was beeping again...just like the first time...so no one fixed anything, even with new parts installed!!! GRRRRRRRRRRR!

I just about lost it all by that point. I called GE (which, by the way is someplace in India or Pakistan now...) and told them my story. I got transferred several times until I finally got a customer relations woman who sounded quite American to me. She said she would check on it...and then she put me on hold.

While on hold, some other woman buts into the phone on the other end and asks if she can help me...I said no, I'm on hold waiting for someone else, and she asked who, and I said "How should I know? Some nice woman who put me on hold!" and she yelled at me and said I should have gotten her name, and after I told her my whole sad story, she HUNG UP ON ME!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-r!

Oh by the way, earlier I had a call from work and was told that I was getting a bit MORE work than usual for over the weekend...like I usually get 3 or possibly 4 folders of work (each folder takes a couple of hours to type), but today I was getting 8 folders! OMG...my fingers were already starting to hurt.

Finally, after a while, the nice lady (as opposed to the creep who disconnected me) from GE called me back and said that she will send a guy out on Monday between 1 and 5 to see about the stove...and she would waive the fee... (heh! you can imagine what I said then!)

I asked her what happens if he can't fix it a third time, and she mumbled something about seeing about a replacement....etc.

So finally Paul got back from the automotive store with his new battery, and the car repairman called me and told me the damage... what I had at first thought would be a couple hundred dollars, turned into a $697.96 bill (I also had him put on one new tire, as well as fix the brakes and do the "rotors" which he told me I needed... who am I to argue with him?)

So the stove is still not working, I am almost $700 poorer, Paul is $50 + $125, or $175, poorer because he ran down his battery (he had his headlights on this morning and forgot to turn them off) and he had to pay the GE repairman, and I have typing up the yazoo to do this weekend so that means NO days off at all for me between now and Tuesday...and then it's back to regular work all week.

Will I make it with my sanity intact until then?

I lost that long ago today, and I don't know as I'll ever get it back again...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Bex

5:17 pm - 07 April 2006

Lots of things going on in my life 8 years ago... and re-reading all of this does, indeed, make me grateful to have gotten to this point in my life where I am basically a much more calm and peaceful person! Retirement will do that to a person!

Cheers,

Bex

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

2003 - Present Archives at Diaryland
2007 - 2009 Archives at WordPress
2009 Archives at JournalScape
2010 Archives at JournalScape
2011 Archives at JournalScape
2012 Archives at JournalScape
2013 Archives at JournalScape
2014 Archives at JournalScape

Thoughts from Crow Cottage (soon to be retired)
:: HOME :: GET EMAIL UPDATES :: * LINKS TO SOME GOOD SITES :: EMAIL ::
Previous Entry :: Next Entry Read/Post Comments (6) Share on Facebook		2014-05-25 12:42 PM Looking Back can be a Healing Process Sometimes, looking back on past experiences helps you to manage your current life better. At least that's what I thought when I randomly found this blog entry below that I wrote back on April 7, 2006, when I was at Diaryland doing my original official blog. I am reprinting it here for you - those of you who weren't around here at that time. It struck me that no matter how much I complain these days about Life's little offerings that bother and perturb me, I only need to look back on how it used to be to be more grateful and appreciative of the life I do have now. Without further ado, here it is. Remember, I was working full-time back then and that made all the difference: A Rainy Day In more ways than one. Yes, the sky is leaking raindrops all over our world outside. But this has been one day I'd just as soon forget about, and the sooner the better. I figure that if I unload it all onto you here, maybe some of the angst I am feeling about this day will dissipate and I may be able to fall asleep tonight...maybe... ...because, last night I never did. It all started when my WebTV never connected to the internet this early morning. I got up around 6:15 and emailed Sandy from my computer, because I had things to do early and didn't know when I'd get back onto WebTV to greet her (as we are both used to doing first thing each day). So no Webbie... oh well, I'd already said good morning via computer. Next thing on the agenda today was for me to take my car (SUV) down to "the shop" to have a brake job. Paul had to follow me down so I could get a ride home. I skipped my cuppa tea figuring I'd get it later. We were there by 7:15 (I am always early, and the guy said he'd be open by 7:30 a.m.). So there we sat, in the lot in Paul's truck, waiting for Ron to open up his shop...but no Ron. No lights on and no one home. Grrrr.... We sat there watching all the morning rush-hour drivers clumbering by in their cars, trucks, SUVs, bikes, and even some walkers. We sat there for an HOUR! Til 8:15...by that time, I had tried calling the repair shop on my cellphone and just got a recording. Grrrrr... Finally I gave up, and got back in my car, and we both drove back home... I had an appointment and had been stood up at a repair shop. Not a good start to the day...again. Back home, I went upstairs and turned on the computer to start work...but first, I called the Honda place one more time, and zap! Ron answered! We had "just missed" him. Grrrrrr... I explained...he explained...it was all his fault...could he come over here and pick up my car himself and take it down? Why, Yes! Good idea. He did that...and I went back to work for the day, typing like crazy all day long. Meanwhile, today we also had scheduled the second repairman from GE in a row to come out and try to fix our oven. The first one a week ago tried fixing it, said he fixed it, took $125 of my money, and left... and it wasn't fixed. It has taken a week for another repairman (from GE by the way!) to come out. The parts he needed had been sent to us by FedEx and were waiting for him. He arrived after lunchtime. Paul was here to deal with him...I couldn't be trusted not to bite his head off... I worked upstairs while the men dealt with the broken oven (or computer in the oven)...whatever. Paul came up asking me for a check and I said oh no...I'm not giving them any more money...you pay him... and he did. Another $125 (but he deducted the first $125 because this time there were new parts involved, but still we have now paid GE $250 in total)... anyway, I yelled down to them to make SURE they test it good to see if it's working and they said that they had done that! Okey-dokey! Before I was finished my work, Paul came up to inform me that "We have a problem - my truck is dead - won't start or even turn over." Oh great! He called his friend Bill who came by and took him down to buy a new battery...that solved that problem. Meanwhile, after I finished my typing I tried the stove/oven. I turned it on and set it to 400 degrees... Within a few minutes the display showed F-3 again and it was beeping again...just like the first time...so no one fixed anything, even with new parts installed!!! GRRRRRRRRRRR! I just about lost it all by that point. I called GE (which, by the way is someplace in India or Pakistan now...) and told them my story. I got transferred several times until I finally got a customer relations woman who sounded quite American to me. She said she would check on it...and then she put me on hold. While on hold, some other woman buts into the phone on the other end and asks if she can help me...I said no, I'm on hold waiting for someone else, and she asked who, and I said "How should I know? Some nice woman who put me on hold!" and she yelled at me and said I should have gotten her name, and after I told her my whole sad story, she HUNG UP ON ME! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-r! Oh by the way, earlier I had a call from work and was told that I was getting a bit MORE work than usual for over the weekend...like I usually get 3 or possibly 4 folders of work (each folder takes a couple of hours to type), but today I was getting 8 folders! OMG...my fingers were already starting to hurt. Finally, after a while, the nice lady (as opposed to the creep who disconnected me) from GE called me back and said that she will send a guy out on Monday between 1 and 5 to see about the stove...and she would waive the fee... (heh! you can imagine what I said then!) I asked her what happens if he can't fix it a third time, and she mumbled something about seeing about a replacement....etc. So finally Paul got back from the automotive store with his new battery, and the car repairman called me and told me the damage... what I had at first thought would be a couple hundred dollars, turned into a $697.96 bill (I also had him put on one new tire, as well as fix the brakes and do the "rotors" which he told me I needed... who am I to argue with him?) So the stove is still not working, I am almost $700 poorer, Paul is $50 + $125, or $175, poorer because he ran down his battery (he had his headlights on this morning and forgot to turn them off) and he had to pay the GE repairman, and I have typing up the yazoo to do this weekend so that means NO days off at all for me between now and Tuesday...and then it's back to regular work all week. Will I make it with my sanity intact until then? I lost that long ago today, and I don't know as I'll ever get it back again... Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Bex 5:17 pm - 07 April 2006 Lots of things going on in my life 8 years ago... and re-reading all of this does, indeed, make me grateful to have gotten to this point in my life where I am basically a much more calm and peaceful person! Retirement will do that to a person! Cheers, Bex ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 2003 - Present Archives at Diaryland 2007 - 2009 Archives at WordPress 2009 Archives at JournalScape 2010 Archives at JournalScape 2011 Archives at JournalScape 2012 Archives at JournalScape 2013 Archives at JournalScape 2014 Archives at JournalScape Read/Post Comments (6) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top