FML. Vents, confessions, and randoms here.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Random:  They're STILL working on our roof - installing solar panels today.  THen we have to have the foreman's inspection this afternoon, THEN the county inspection (due to the electrical work), THEN we can use the solar panels.  So ... we're going to be done with summer before we can use the damn things.

Vent:  We went and picked up Squirrel (our new cat) at the sanctuary yesterday.  Poooooooor kitty did not do well there.  He lost like 2 pounds and has giardia.  So now he's isolated in our guest room until we can get the giardia gone (so probably a month or more), because we can't have him passing the giardia to Timmy.  That also means that we need to lysol/bleach ALL THE THINGS ALL THE TIME.  PLUS, he's FIV+.  Neither the shelter or the sanctuary tested him for it.  Or if they did, they didn't disclose it.  I'm like ... we're committed to this cat, and he's so sweet, but DAMN.  At least he can't pass THAT to Timmy - it's transmitted via bites that break skin and Squirrel has no teeth.  BUT STILL.  OMG.  I called the sanctuary to let them know and they acted all surprised.  Hopefully it actually IS a surprise.

Confession:  I don't know how much more of Dot's incontinence I can take.  She's lost all control of everything at night, and even though we keep her penned into one room, she's started pooping and then sitting/falling/stepping in it, which makes it nearly impossible to get off the floor.  It makes me feel guilty to even say it, but I'm starting to really resent her and the amount of time I'm spending cleaning up after her.

[springchick32]

Vent: How can my parents NOT have A/C on their main living level?? This is just insanity. I'm working from home today with nothing but a fan and it's 96 degrees and humid...Ugg. After I punch out I'm jumping in the pool. 3 weeks 1 day to closing. Going to a house with 3 A/C units.

Random: I really need to loose a few pounds. After not going to the gym on a regular basis since November, then the stress with working 2 jobs over the winter, and selling the condo and buying a house, I just haven't had the time or desire and am eating junk like no tomorrow. Once we get into the house I will get back on it. It's just too far a drive from my parents house...

[emoflamingo]

Vent: Yesterday, someone backed out of their driveway in front of me where there was also a parked car on the opposite side of the street. In order to avoid hitting them (because there was not much clearance), I made sure I was over to the right. I was too far and clipped a mail box with my damn passenger mirror. I was SO PISSED that it happened because some jackass had to back out of their driveway right at that second instead of waiting 15 seconds for me to pass, that they gave me the stink eye as I passed them AND that I have to pay $67 just for the part to repair it, plus labor and the oil change I've been putting off for far too long. Because I don't have the money for it.

Confession: I am probably going to do very little work and take my time getting in tomorrow because my boss is going to be gone. I have enrollment to do in the morning and dropping my car off to get the above crap done. If no one else was going to be in, I would just.. not come. But because membership is kicking into high gear, I have to be here.

Random: I applied for a job Friday of last week and I'm fairly certain I'm going to just get a rejection email. I've psyched myself out of being optimistic because it would be double my pay. I kind of want to see if my H will inquire about it, since he works there, but I'm sure that would look bad. Is it bad to email the HR department to inquire on a job you've applied for online? Plus, I've already mentally spent the extra income (get out of debt, buy clothes that fit and weren't owned by someone else first, go on a real vacation with no kids for our anniversary).

[Deleted]

Random: I'm sick and I want to believe that I'm pregnant but it's too early to tell so I probably just have some stupid stomach bug.

Vent: We moved into our house in April, since it rained all of May the builder's landscapers are way behind doing the landscaping. The row of houses behind us got all of their landscaping done in 1 week, I was so excited that our street was next. They came in and did the sprinkler system then 3 weeks later nothing else has been done. Yesterday I came home to lawn edging and holes where the trees and bushes are going. Maybe I will have grass in front of my house by the end of the week.

Confession: I should be working right now. I love my job but I'm burnt out. I need a vacation but we are so busy right now that I just can't really take any time off. I took off 1 day two weeks ago because my dad was having surgery and I'm taking off this Friday because I have family passing through town but I can't take off more than 1 day at a time and I'm going a bit crazy at work.

[emoflamingo]

We're apparently loaning H's BFF our riding lawn mower. H said it was because he didn't want to die, but when I pointed out it's the coolest it's been in 2 weeks today (it's 83, feels like 86), all of the sudden the push mower is magically broken. OUR push mower that he took when he moved out of our house. (He also took a table and H won't ask him if he intends to give us money for the table or give us the table back.)

AND he had to take our niece to dance lessons because his sister can't take her ever (work hours) and MIL usually does it but she's out of town. He's bitching about it but OMG YOU CAN SAY NO TO PEOPLE AND THEY WILL FIGURE IT THE FUCK OUT.

[Redpoppy]

Poison ivy sucks.

[treedimensional]

Jul 29, 2015 14:32:59 GMT -5 mrs.jacinthe said:

Random:  They're STILL working on our roof - installing solar panels today.  THen we have to have the foreman's inspection this afternoon, THEN the county inspection (due to the electrical work), THEN we can use the solar panels.  So ... we're going to be done with summer before we can use the damn things.

Vent:  We went and picked up Squirrel (our new cat) at the sanctuary yesterday.  Poooooooor kitty did not do well there.  He lost like 2 pounds and has giardia.  So now he's isolated in our guest room until we can get the giardia gone (so probably a month or more), because we can't have him passing the giardia to Timmy.  That also means that we need to lysol/bleach ALL THE THINGS ALL THE TIME.  PLUS, he's FIV+.  Neither the shelter or the sanctuary tested him for it.  Or if they did, they didn't disclose it.  I'm like ... we're committed to this cat, and he's so sweet, but DAMN.  At least he can't pass THAT to Timmy - it's transmitted via bites that break skin and Squirrel has no teeth.  BUT STILL.  OMG.  I called the sanctuary to let them know and they acted all surprised.  Hopefully it actually IS a surprise.

Confession:  I don't know how much more of Dot's incontinence I can take.  She's lost all control of everything at night, and even though we keep her penned into one room, she's started pooping and then sitting/falling/stepping in it, which makes it nearly impossible to get off the floor.  It makes me feel guilty to even say it, but I'm starting to really resent her and the amount of time I'm spending cleaning up after her.

(hug) (hug2) It's tough when dogs get old. Been there. I totally understand all the emotions you're going through. It's sad.

[treedimensional]

I'm kind of on strike from my volunteering. Because I am having an enormous moral conflict with the way they do things. Because the president decided pretty much unilaterally to spend a few thousnad dollars paying a company to remove some trees, NO BIDDING, she just gave them the job no questions asked because she likes them. AND I'M THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ORGANIZATION WHO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS. So I am ethically isolated. And physically paralyzed because I can't get past it. It just stinks, reeks... favoritism... cronyism... unclean... corrupt... wrong.

[AmyRI]

Vent: I took the day off today to start painting the trim in our kitchen white. It's been taped off for 2 weeks and we hadn't done anything but say we'll paint it, so I just did it. Now that the first door frame and window are done, DH and I both hate it... the trim can't be wrong, since it's just white... but now the wall color looks awful. Really awful. We were trying to avoid repainting the walls, but I think it has to happen at this point because I will not under any circumstances repaint trim green.

Random: I'm giving up on Angie's List. It used to be good, and now there are just a million contractors that beg people to write positive things, no one returns calls, and everyone is overpriced. Home Adviser came through today and I got 2 people to return my call and show up in under 2 hours, one gave me a quote on the spot, AND it was reasonable. We might actually have the house painted before winter and not go broke.

[mrsukyankee]

We're still having legal issues with our next door neighbour - he has to sign paperwork in order for us to move forward and has a certain amount of time to do so...and he went on holiday and isn't bothering. So, it means we have to wait and wait. I just want to be able to tell our builders (to whome we have already paid £14,000 as a deposit) that they can start. Argh!

[treedimensional]

Jul 29, 2015 20:09:32 GMT -5 AmyRI said:

Vent: I took the day off today to start painting the trim in our kitchen white. It's been taped off for 2 weeks and we hadn't done anything but say we'll paint it, so I just did it. Now that the first door frame and window are done, DH and I both hate it... the trim can't be wrong, since it's just white... but now the wall color looks awful. Really awful. We were trying to avoid repainting the walls, but I think it has to happen at this point because I will not under any circumstances repaint trim green.

Random: I'm giving up on Angie's List. It used to be good, and now there are just a million contractors that beg people to write positive things, no one returns calls, and everyone is overpriced. Home Adviser came through today and I got 2 people to return my call and show up in under 2 hours, one gave me a quote on the spot, AND it was reasonable. We might actually have the house painted before winter and not go broke.

YES to hating the paint trim color I just spent a million years selecting, and YES to Angies List being worthless.

The most effective way to find contractors is A) facebook, because locals post pictures of work they're having done and are happy to answer questions about it, and B) neighborhood online group message boards (we have one called "Next Door" that has been extremely helpful). Try googling your neighborhood name + next door and see if you have one in your area.

[msmerymac]

Random: My town, with a population density of 7500, used a $200k county grant to pay for a parking lot with 25 spaces right in the middle of the most dense area. This might be more of a rant because WTF? It's 3 blocks from a lot with hundreds of spaces right on the end of town (public lot that serves the commuter train station). And everyone is like, "Yay, more parking, parking sucks here so much!" Duh, we live in a densely populated older suburban village. That's a GOOD thing. There are things to walk to. There are sidewalks everywhere. Stretch your legs. Also, a restaurant literally one block from the massive parking lot has valet parking at night. Also, the new parking lot went in where a playground used to be. Pfft, Old people, am I right?

Vent: Okay, that was my vent! mrs.jacinthe I sympathize with the pet issues. I was fostering a cat who was well taken care of and 2 years old and had been turned into the SPCA because his "owners couldn't take care of him anymore." Come to find out... they probably dumped him there due to litterbox avoidance without taking him to the vet OR telling the shelter this. Poor baby had severe cystitis and was crying while urinating. I felt SO bad. And I had him for over a week before discovering the severity of the problem, but had I known he was urinating outside his box when I picked him up, I would have addressed it a lot sooner.

Confession: I might have to see an Reproductive Endocrinologist, but I'm afraid I'll just be told I'm too fat to get pregnant. :/

[megstoo]

Random - I can't get motivated to get any work done and I've been debating what to have for lunch since I woke up this morning

Vent - my neighbor who I posted about that hit my tree called to get an estimate to fix my fence - it's $1100 which to me is astronomical. I told him I don't care who he uses to fix my it from the damage he caused but it better look exactly like the rest of my fence that was installed in 2012. I get he's mad at the cost of that and he had to pay to remove the tree but it was his own damn fault and he wants to start throwing a fit I'll get insurance involved. We've been really neighborly and he's accepted full responsibility. It's been well over a week and my damn fence hasn't been fixed.

Confession: I made mini smores cheesecake cups on Monday that were so freaking awesome. It made 12 standard size muffin type "cups". There's only 1 left.

[simpsongal]

I'm looking at curtains for my navy blue living room. I'm thinking of hanging pinch pleat drapes on a ringed rod.  I've been looking at plain ivory or taupe on JCP.  I stumbled on these on etsy.
Yea nay?  Do they read too bedroom?  too dated? 

Help, my taste cannot be trusted w/r/t curtains.
auntie ?

[emoflamingo]

simpsongal, they look a little dated.

[simpsongal]

Jul 30, 2015 13:36:34 GMT -5 emoflamingo said:

simpsongal, they look a little dated.

yeah, I've been mulling it over and I realize my folks had pillowcases like that in 1980s.  Argh, why are new curtains so pricey!? 

[bunnymendelbaum]

I just spent 5 hours at the Detroit building department walking a project through permitting. You are not going to believe this, but it was actually very painless (beyond it being 5 hours long). The staff was all nice, cheerful, helpful and knowledgable! Amazing, right?

I've filed drawings in 4 other cities all over the country and the people are always so awful, this was such a surprise!

[simpsongal]

Painting ceilings is the suck.

[TBM]

Jul 30, 2015 8:00:41 GMT -5 @juno said:

Confession: I'm turning 35 tomorrow, and I'm not very happy about it.

Happy Birthday!!!  I hope you have a wonderful year.

Sorry that you aren't happy about it.  I thought it was a great time in my life, (although my forties were even better), and my daughter who turned 35 in January is really loving this age.

[emoflamingo]

The dealership has had my car since 9:30 this morning (and I told them I needed it back by 3pm because my alternative way home leaves town and won't be able to come back to get me) and finally called -- only to tell me that they broke a plastic piece on the mirror assembly and don't have it in stock (I'm not surprised by that, my car is 9 years old), so I have to take it back tomorrow. AND they can't guarantee when it'll be done because they don't know when the salvage people can get it to them and I needed it tomorrow.

This isn't the first time I've told them that I need my car back by a certain time and they have not only failed miserably but charged me to do it.

Is this a legit reason to semi lose my shit? Because I wouldn't be so mad if they had called me earlier to let me know what's up because I could have sent my H to pick up the part that's literally 2 miles from the dealership and get it to them to finish the repair. They quoted me a half hour labor and I am going to be pissed if they want to charge me more.

[treedimensional]

Random: it irks me when people call breasts "boobs", and I hate when they refer to them as "the girls". Wtf, they are not people, they are breasts.

Ironically, it is completely appropriate to use the term "boulders" if they are large.

[grover]

Jul 30, 2015 10:47:33 GMT -5 megstoo said:

Confession: I made mini smores cheesecake cups on Monday that were so freaking awesome. It made 12 standard size muffin type "cups". There's only 1 left.

That sounds delicious and exactly what I need for my PMS weekend. I'd love the recipe if you wouldn't mind sharing!

[megstoo]

Jul 31, 2015 12:02:44 GMT -5 grover said:

Jul 30, 2015 10:47:33 GMT -5 megstoo said:

Confession: I made mini smores cheesecake cups on Monday that were so freaking awesome. It made 12 standard size muffin type "cups". There's only 1 left.

That sounds delicious and exactly what I need for my PMS weekend. I'd love the recipe if you wouldn't mind sharing!

It's supposed to make 24 of the "mini"'s but I made standard muffin size.


www.tablespoon.com/recipes/smores-mini-cheesecake-cups/0047b840-c7aa-4928-96f8-e577bf9bdf8d/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_campaign=7_21_2015bake&crlt.pid=camp.gnbiktdgThnC  

[wawa]

Jul 30, 2015 15:32:46 GMT -5 emoflamingo said:

The dealership has had my car since 9:30 this morning (and I told them I needed it back by 3pm because my alternative way home leaves town and won't be able to come back to get me) and finally called -- only to tell me that they broke a plastic piece on the mirror assembly and don't have it in stock (I'm not surprised by that, my car is 9 years old), so I have to take it back tomorrow. AND they can't guarantee when it'll be done because they don't know when the salvage people can get it to them and I needed it tomorrow.

This isn't the first time I've told them that I need my car back by a certain time and they have not only failed miserably but charged me to do it.

Is this a legit reason to semi lose my shit? Because I wouldn't be so mad if they had called me earlier to let me know what's up because I could have sent my H to pick up the part that's literally 2 miles from the dealership and get it to them to finish the repair. They quoted me a half hour labor and I am going to be pissed if they want to charge me more.

I really hope you do lose your shit. Because none of what you just described is ok.

Last time I got jerked around like that by a repair place I ended up driving a rental on their dime while they got it done and not paying a cent for thr additional work. ...

[auntie]

Jul 30, 2015 13:02:33 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

I'm looking at curtains for my navy blue living room. I'm thinking of hanging pinch pleat drapes on a ringed rod.  I've been looking at plain ivory or taupe on JCP.  I stumbled on these on etsy.
Yea nay?  Do they read too bedroom?  too dated? 

Help, my taste cannot be trusted w/r/t curtains.
auntie ?

It's funny. I was just looking for traverse rods/pinch pleats for a friend. She's moving to a BIG new house with a 1200 sq fi inlaw suite for her mom. Mom is 90 and wants traditional pinch pleats for her sitting room which is on the front of the house. LOL, she'd love these; she probably owned a set at one point.

I love the fullness of a pinch pleat- it's a classic and elegant look. I do not love those particular ones. JCP is one option, but I personally like the stuff at Country Curtains a bit better as a rule. Their hardware is very nice. Kirsch also makes some pretty rods for pinch pleat drapes. Some of the Kirsch ones don't even require rings which means they contain light at the top more effectively.

I'd pass on the drapes from etsy. Can't tell if that fabric is true vintage, but if it is, it's old. Maybe very early 1970's and probably an acrylic which is not a very "sturdy" fabric. It's susceptible to dry rot and sun damage; they might fall apart on you. Unless they're well constructed and lined well, they aren't going to hang nicely.

What about these?


www.countrycurtains.com/category/100+curtains/167+pinch+pleat+curtains.do

The faille would be a more formal look, the weavers cloth more casual. Both are pretty textures. I like the sheers, too, but I need light control.

[simpsongal]

auntie thanks for the thorough reply. Maybe I'll venture to the Country Curtains store to check those out in person. I wish they had a bigger pinch pleat selection, but the fabrics seem nice. I'm still learning when it comes to design, I realize texture and subtle fabrics can be a nice compliment in a room, I don't necessarily need big bold designs. I did taupe linen curtains in my son's nursery and I just love them!

[auntie]

Aug 3, 2015 8:17:09 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

auntie thanks for the thorough reply. Maybe I'll venture to the Country Curtains store to check those out in person. I wish they had a bigger pinch pleat selection, but the fabrics seem nice. I'm still learning when it comes to design, I realize texture and subtle fabrics can be a nice compliment in a room, I don't necessarily need big bold designs. I did taupe linen curtains in my son's nursery and I just love them!

Pinch pleats require a lot of fabric and cotton is at all-time high prices which is driving up other textiles. Pinch pleats tend to use almost 2-3 times that amount of fabric a shirred panel would. Plus shirring tape and hardware add to the expense. Most people don't value the difference and won't spend for it.

[emoflamingo]

Aug 1, 2015 20:15:15 GMT -5 wawa said:

Jul 30, 2015 15:32:46 GMT -5 emoflamingo said:

The dealership has had my car since 9:30 this morning (and I told them I needed it back by 3pm because my alternative way home leaves town and won't be able to come back to get me) and finally called -- only to tell me that they broke a plastic piece on the mirror assembly and don't have it in stock (I'm not surprised by that, my car is 9 years old), so I have to take it back tomorrow. AND they can't guarantee when it'll be done because they don't know when the salvage people can get it to them and I needed it tomorrow.

This isn't the first time I've told them that I need my car back by a certain time and they have not only failed miserably but charged me to do it.

Is this a legit reason to semi lose my shit? Because I wouldn't be so mad if they had called me earlier to let me know what's up because I could have sent my H to pick up the part that's literally 2 miles from the dealership and get it to them to finish the repair. They quoted me a half hour labor and I am going to be pissed if they want to charge me more.

I really hope you do lose your shit. Because none of what you just described is ok.

Last time I got jerked around like that by a repair place I ended up driving a rental on their dime while they got it done and not paying a cent for thr additional work. ...

LOL oh did I lose my shit.

I told them when I picked it up Thursday I'd bring it down when they got the part since I needed my car. And when I hadn't heard from them at almost 2, I called them. The service tech said he'd call me in 5 minutes. And I called back an hour and a half later to hear he was "with a customer" so I left a message and he finally called back another 30 minutes later to tell me only one parts guy knew about it and he had been busy. I didn't get word that my part was indeed there until 4:30 and COULD I BRING IT ON MONDAY (because they have 1/4 of the techs and it's their busiest day so they "couldn't guarantee it would be taken care of" on Saturday). That's when I definitely lost my shit. I ended up hanging up and waiting 15 minutes, letting my blood boil, and then called a service manager and told him how the tech expected me to drive my kids around in a car with no passenger mirror all weekend because he can't return a phone call in a timely manner and he said he would make sure I had it done on Saturday, even if he had to do it himself. I was so mad I was shaking and close to tears. My car definitely has an awful blind spot on the passenger side which is worse because I'm 5'1 AND I have a back seat full of car seats, so it's not so easy to just look over my shoulder (I did as little lane changing as possible without that mirror).

And the service manager did indeed do it himself when I took it on Saturday morning, so I was in and out in under 45 minutes without dealing with the tech that I really wanted to punch in the face. And they washed it. And I didn't pay for the installation.