so busy

Posted by on

Admittedly, I have not been very good about keeping up with this, but I’m going to take a stab at trying again…

We picked the car up a couple of weeks ago, and I can honestly say that I am in love with it.  The windshield wiper for the back may need to be looked at/fixed, but other than that, it’s been wonderful.  It drives like a dream and it’s not condemned…..like the van.  Lynn’s been driving it, too, and we now use it as the “family weekend car” instead of the focus.  It has 1/2 as many miles, so that makes sense, right?

We have another month of tax season. Though I’m back to a “regular” schedule, I was asked and accepted to work 12-9 instead of my normal 11-8 late shift.  Every year I am asked this, and every year I say yes, and then every year I forget how much it annoys me.  The good news is that I can get a lot done in the morning if I so choose.  Even better news is that I will be leaving on Tuesday evening to fly to Florida through Sunday.  It is a much-needed break after 11 straight weeks of 6 work days a week.

Baby (not baby, but toddler, but she’s still my baby) Ella graced us with her presence twice last week, and I can honestly say, that kid is awesome.  A short video:

I love this kid.  She’s AWESOME!  :)

Friday I will be going into the office for the first time in over a month.  Looking forward to the non-dog/human interaction but also not happy about having to get up and leave the house at 8am.  Oh well, such is life.  At least I’ll be in training, right?  And I should be starting a new training 2-3 weeks from now that will take a couple of weeks.  Getting off the phones will be nice.  Having very few non phone shifts is definitely starting to take its toll.

 

Whirlwind!

Posted by on

So this week so far has been a blur! After the fiasco with the dealership on Monday, I found another Volvo at a different dealership here in Ann Arbor. Same car but it was a year newer, had 10,000 less miles and was priced almost $1000 cheaper. So I made an appointment to drive it the next morning.

Tuesday morning, I got both an email and a phone message from the sales woman letting me know the car had a deposit on it. Lynn and I were super bummed! I was also happy that the dealership let me know and I didn’t waste my time. I spent the last few days looking online but my eyes kept going back to that Volvo. This morning, the sales woman emailed me suggesting I come look at a couple of SUVs that fit our budget and were less than 100,000 miles. I set up an appointment to take a look. As I arrive, I see the Volvo and ended up parking next to it. I quickly check my email before walking in….and the sales woman had emailed me…the person that put the deposit on the Volvo changed their mind and it was available!!!

I met the sales woman and took it for a test drive. Looks like just a few loose ends to tie up and we will have a new to us car!

20130228-220001.jpg

When I got home, Lynn and I finalized and put down a deposit for our vacation plans in October. We originally set out to have a vacation with just the two of us. We debated on Key West or Disney World or other places. We settled on renting a house in Mexico Beach. Once we found the house, a three bedroom place on the gulf shore, we realized it was a LOT of space. Did we really want it all to ourselves? Well, no! So we invited Lynn’s parents and brother’s family to join us. And we now have the whole family coming down for a week! Super crazy excited!

http://www.vacationrentalsmexicobeach.com/rentals.cfm?action=details&id=2

Tomorrow, I take Kelsey to the airport for a week with her grandparents. I picked her up from school early because she’s sick. Yesterday, she went to the health services on campus and they tested her for Mono. Fortunately, the test came back negative. Just a nasty cold. Sure hope she feels better tomorrow.

What a week!!!!

My time must be worth something to someone, right?

Posted by on

On Friday morning, Lynn found a 2002 Volvo on Lafontaine’s website.  It was perfect for us.  I setup an appointment online to test drive the car this morning at 9AM.  I put off refilling a prescription and confirmed the appointment with one of their salesmen.

This morning, I get up, head off to pick up my prescription.  It’s a controlled substance, so there are very strict rules about it and every month I have to get a new one and take it to the pharmacy to get filled.  My doctor’s office is near Arborland.  Once done, I head off to Lafontaine over in Saline.  I arrive at the dealership right on time and meet with the salesman who confirmed the appointment.  He goes to get the keys to the car, comes back and apologizes.  Over the weekend, the car was moved to another dealership and will likely be sold.

Now this irks me for more than one reason:

  1. I had a scheduled and confirmed appointment to drive the car. If it was going to be picked up to be moved to another dealership, to make it available to drive.
  2. If that cannot happen, follow-up with me via email or telephone so I don’t waste my time to come and drive it in the first place.
  3. Pay attention to what’s going on.  Either slate the car to not move or don’t schedule a test drive for it.

All of this just put me in a frustrated mood.  We were likely going to buy this car and now, I’m going to take a hit on my credit because I applied for a loan to start the process.

After walking out very flustered, I realize I have time to run over to the pharmacy, which is the Target on A2/Saline road.  I drop off the prescription and wander around the store waiting.  Not 5 min later, I get a call, apparently the prescription was never signed, just electronically stamped.  So now, I have to drive back over to my doctor’s office, pick up a new copy of the prescription  and drive all the way back to the pharmacy.   The pharmacist apologizes.  It’s not her fault.  She has the law to abide by.  She did call the doctor so it would be ready when I got there.

So into the car I go, drive across town to the doctor.  When I walk in and explain the situation, they have no idea what I’m talking about.  So they have to get someone to get someone to write the prescription and then  get it signed.  Ten minutes later, I drive all the way back to the Target, drop off the prescription and finally get it filled.

When I get home, I have an email from the sales person saying sorry, the car has been sold.  Would I like to look at any more cars.  No, sir.  I wanted THAT CAR! I likely will not be buying a car any time soon from Lafontaine, so go away.  (I replied much nicer, of course)

At least my work schedule this week looks festive, right?

Morning News Shows

Posted by on

So I heard today that Robin Roberts of ABC’s Good Morning America is coming back to begin anchoring the show again tomorrow.  Then, I think about how NBC has recently treated Ann Curry and it just amazes me at the difference.

Now I know that Ann didn’t have cancer and then a rare blood disorder and so their story is not the same.  I’ve always been a big Today Show watcher, rarely watched Good Morning America.  I have to say, though, I may switch.  Now who cares, right?

I just look at how Ann has been treated these last few months, compared to how Robin has been treated, and to me, that just says it all.  How much of what happened to Ann Curry was her fault?  Or was it that Robin Roberts was just that good and GMA overtook the Today Show in ratings?  And after losing the top spot (after being there for 16 years in the ratings), NBC just nixed Ann and now she’s getting shipped off to war zones, rarely seen on live reports and they won’t let her out of her contract?  Why is NBC punishing her for the decisions that NBC made in the first place?

I know, who cares, it just TV, but I just don’t get it.  ABC CLEARLY cherishes Robin Roberts.  It’s a shame that NBC has taken such a low row with Ann Curry.

Too many, too fast?

Posted by on

Last night while watching TV, I noticed one of the danios floating at the top of the tank. He had definitely not made it, so i pulled him out for a proper funeral. As soon as I got that one fish in the tank, he was acting different, so I do understand it was all just a bit much. He never swam around with he rest of the fishies, kept to himself. Though I was saddened, I can tell the other fishies are doing well.

The nitrogen cycle is in the beginning stages in full force, as the tank is a bit cloudy. I hope this subsides soon, because I know it means there’s a lot of ammonia in the tank. And with the death of one of the hardiest starter fishies out there, I have to admit, I am a bit worried.

We now have a heater in the tank, which should help with the growth of the good bacteria. This whole process has been a lot of fun, but at the same time, uber annoyingly slow. I think it’s good for me, though. I need to be patient. In a couple of months, I’m going to have an awesome community fish tank full of colorful, fun fishies!

FISHIES!!!

Posted by on

After much anticipation and excitement, Lynn and I headed off to the Fish Doctors to get some fish for our tank.

Though I was saddened that they felt the tank was too new for a Gourami or Pleco, I was excited to get 4 Zebra Danios and one Glo Danio!

20130217-143746.jpg

The first 15 min after getting them home, I got them used to the water and then spent the next 25 min slowly mixing the water in the tank with that in the bag.

20130217-143928.jpg

20130217-143937.jpg

Finally, I let them loose!

20130217-144010.jpg

I’ve been watching them for a while and they seem to be enjoying their new home.

Today is the big day…..

Posted by on

I get to buy my first batch of fishies!  I’m going with a couple Gourami’s and probably a Pleco….an albino one if i can find it.  Needless to say, I’m super excited.  I’ll post pictures later.

Also, so far, Lynn’s face is better, so the antibiotics seem to be working.  She’s going to call Urgent Care instead of go in to see if we don’t have to drive all the way out there.  It was nice for a one time visit, but twice? It’s so far!

Off to finish breakfast!