Sunday, January 15, 2006

Try Harder

At the risk of repeating myself, I want to remind (or tell - if this is your first visit) everyone that as of Jan 3, I spend my days reading letters from and about people who have pretty shitty lives. It's my job to determine if they are needy and deserving enough to get an ultimate domestic renovation. And let me tell you straight up - these people are in full on Mark Knopflers. They are in DIRE STRAITS. Poverty, sickness, malady, tragedy, and that's on a good day. So, for me to sit here and complain about anything seems kind of King Georgian. My friend Tennessee Jed has a motto "trying hard not to make matters worse." I've always liked that - since the first time LA-B came home and told me about Jed's blog. It seemed like something I might adopt as my own motto. Lately, though, it seems I haven't been trying hard enough.

Now, 2005 was not the best year for this Valley Grrrl. I lost my Mommy in April, sat on the couch unemployed for 6 months, watched my big brubber go through a stinky divorce, said goodbye to my sister as she danced down south, and learned that my favorite job of all time was gone for good. I was pretty effen pumped for ought six, I kid you not. This year, the year of the Dog, was gonna take a bite outta grime. I was sure I would say "adios" to misfortune and "hola" to all sorts of good things.

Um, where's my golden ticket? Yes, I started a new job and it's pretty good. But on the day I was to receive my first paycheck our hot water heater burst, sending its entire contents through the floor, soaking the ceiling of the garage and landing in a puddle around the washer and dryer. Oh sure, the home owners' warranty covered the cost of the new water heater. However, the old unit seems to have been less than code-worthy. So, the kindly waterheater repair man thanked us for our $300+ check to cover the cost of the new drip pan and hoses. Another kindly contractor will be faxing us an estimate for the cost of drying out and patching the garage ceiling. While we pay our home owners' insurance each month, the cost of this repair will just amount of our deductible which means it's all out of pocket. Ok ok, it's cool. We have a home and we love it and if it means we have to shell out some dough now and then, well, it's worth it to have a roof over our heads. (Just keep telling yourself that , Kelvis).

So, tonight, after a very productive day of installing a shelf in the bathroom, doing laundry and watching Peyton Manning's SuperBowl dreams burst for another year, I decided to run out to the store to get some vitals. LA-B was in the garage cleaning up some of the remains of the waterheater incident, so the car was parked out in the driveway. Now without going into an entire land plot of the complex, just know that it's a straight away from where the car was parked, to where I had to back into a neighbor's spot to turn around and drive out of the complex. Back out straight. That's all I had to do. Did I do it? Nope. While I was looking out on the passenger side of the car and singing to myself a song that has now, thankfully, left my memory, the left side of the car was barreling toward a tree that lines the North side of the driveway. Bam. Just like that, I seared off the driver's side mirror of LA-B's car.

Sure, I can stick it back on with Duct Tape and it will serve it's purpose for now. But, COME ON. What the EFF is going on? Can we have nothing nice? Must everything be busted? Must I always EFF things up? UG. As hard as I try not to make things worse, I guess I just need to try harder.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sounds like you need to put yourself up for the "ultimate home renovation." I can relate to the home insurance thing. When we moved into ours a year and a half ago, we received a year's warranty with a worthless company. They always have a category for "uncovered costs" which usually adds up to about 1/2 of what it was cost anyway--that way, with the premium cost, they're not out any money. So, what's the point? Also, they'll only cover the cheapest product available, so keep an eye on your new unit. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but I intensely dislike those people. I was recorded--for my own protection--cussing out several nice customer service reps.

5:55 AM, January 16, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Darling, perhaps you should think about putting yourself under house arrest for a while. You are now officially a danger to yourself and greenery worldwide.


xoxo

Rhachel

8:32 AM, January 16, 2006  
Blogger the IMAGINATIVE ACTION REGIME said...

little K,

i know what you mean. right after i found out my dad had cancer, i got in the worst car wreck of my life, totalling my car, and leaving my arm all messed up. i moved to la and my new used car threw up on me several times. i could not get a job for months. and after stalling on the 101, i have since buried my car....

i don't know why these things happen in the sequence of how they happen. but, i know how much it sucks. let me know if you need anything....

10:23 AM, January 17, 2006  
Blogger Tennessee Jed said...

Thanks for not making matters worse!
Relax and take deep breaths. Try and not worry.

11:31 AM, January 17, 2006  
Blogger The Editor said...

Jed,
Ah, but it is in our genes to worry. We do it as naturally as breathing.

11:58 AM, January 17, 2006  

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