Crazy week with repair people. As it is pratically an "act of god" to get anyone to begin with, one counts their proverbial blessings when you get a response, let alone a commitment. The demand is so great for knowledgeable people (and I wasted my time and money with college) that I picture them sitting on their little tool encrusted thrones determining which job provides the most money, excitement and, I'll say it, mercy. Inspired begging/crying works but only from women.
Job 1. Called before Turkey day for a broken microwave. As it is a built-in, it's difficult to work around. We'll come out a week from Tuesday between 8 & 4' Wha? Amazing all the little things one uses a microwave for not to mention the light over the stove is now missing. Anyway, bustling around on errands Monday I get a restricted call followed by another call 20 minutes later from repair company. The technician is at your house getting no response. Well, duhh, it's Monday not Tuesday. And, funny twist they think they're there to fix the washer. Hmmm.
DIGRESS: This same company did come to fix the washer a couple of years ago and determined I needed an expensive part and much labor. Enough that we decided to buy a new washer. When going to his company to look at washers, the sales person happened to mention the hose has to be higher than the machine to pump properly. Went home home and elevated hose-problem solved -arrghhh. For this I pay an exhoritant service call that did not properly diagnose the, now, obvious problem. That should have been Chapter 1 of the repair manual. However do it with flair so it looks like you earned the 80-90 bucks. Much like the eletrician who had no qualms charging for a full service call when all he needed to do was plug the dishwasher back in. Were my face and checkbook red.
Anyway, I frantically zoom back to the homestead (with cruise on, so I won't overstate my speed in my anxiety). He's still there. He says didn't they call you Friday to say I'd be here at 1:00, Umm no. And btw it's a microwave not a washer. 2 mintes later (exaggeration but not much) he says I thinks it's a fuse. My boss will call you with a cost so we can fix it, about 200 bucks. Ok I'm already in it for 90 for the service call and new ones cost about 300. Oh yeah the 90 is part of the 200. What are these solid gold fuses? Anyway, acceptable. 3 days later, no call. Checking with the company they tell me they've ordered and received the part for my WASHER. It's a microwave I frantically explain AGAIN. Oh yeah ha ha my mistake. Really. So when can you come back to fix it? A week from now. WTF? Stay tuned. I may be washing clothes in the kitchen if all goes as anticipated.
Job 2. My programmable thermastat at the lake house (NEST) has been slowly taking over my life and consumers' bill. It joyfully turrns itself up and down at will, notwithstanding my remote commands otherwise. They may be called "smart" thermostats, but apparently they are actually the advance guard on the robot take-over being planned. Silly humans-do not try to resist. After three years of this losing battle I agreed to a new smart thermastat with another cute name Sensi from a local HVAC company. We are old friends as they play with my furnace out there every year. I made it clear any issues are on their heads. Ok, they can be there Friday at 1 pm. Have a podcast recording set for 10 so no problem-o.
Job 3 But then my other mechanical device (laptop) decided an hour before broadcast time, to "gift" me with no speaker ability. Damn I miss in-house IT. After futile attempts and advice from headquarters office and my interviewee I hot-foot it to Okemos (about 20 minute drive) to record at headquarters. Podcast completed, I head back to GL in plenty of time to make it to Hastings for 1:00 service call. Phone rings at 11:50 (the technology worked in the car at least). Again another technician says I'm at your house, where are you? Ahh the appointment was for 1:00. Oh. At any rate they came back at 1:30 and story has happy ending with a thermastat that appears to be behaving, for now. Except the bill was 100 more than expected. Merry Christmas - I now have brand new tires and a thermastat, so I'm good.
Had to take a break in blogging as the young people wanted to go cut down a fragrant green symbol of the holidays. A tradition that goes back to K's salad days when she was a bundled up little package then a perilous rider on the tree cart, puller of the tree cart and finally first assistant on the "timber" portion of the adventure. Now her little boy has advanced from the bundle to cart pulling stage. Since we have the truck our presence is both tradition and necessity. After both trees were snuggled all warm in their (truck) bed, we debated lunch options. K was concerned we were forced to avail ourselves of take-out as our trees were just hanging out in the back of the truck. This prompted the quote of the day from her OH Matthew who proclaimed "Anyone who steals a Christmas tree is going straight to hell". Duly noted-we ate INSIDE the restaurant. Peace out....💛💙
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