Well, I suppose it all started around Christmas. I was sleeping happily in my bed when I noticed a "drip, drip" and thought, "hmm, it must be raining." But then, I noticed that the sound seemed closer than outside. So, I moved around my room in the dark and realized it was coming from my closet. I flipped on a nearby lamp and opened the door to find a WATERFALL IN MY CLOSET! Apparently water had been leaking through the roof, passing through the attic, and for the past however long, had been lying on the reverse side of my ceiling...until now. I ripped all of my conveniently placed church clothes & stacked luggage from the closet to begin washing, and what not when I moved to the next room. What had once been a small stain on my ceiling had now become a HUGE YELLOW & BROWN WATER RING...right at my front-entry way, on the other side of my beloved closet. Wilder then attempted to "patch" the roof with a lovely blob of tar and scrap shingle until the insurance adjusters could arrive...a month later.
Moving on...along with Christmas came the more winter rains. Sadly, our house is ALWAYS "UNDER RENOVATION" in some aspect, and this Christmas, it was the boys bathroom. We stayed up until 3 or 5am on New Years Eve/Day putting the finishing touches on the bathroom while our sweet little babes slumbered. Thinking our work had come to an end for a few days before attacking another dreadful project, we toasted our bubbling Apple Juice and sent well wishes to the new year.
However, we spent the next days, and weeks watching the STANDING WATER creep across our ground-level den until OUR ENTIRE ROOM WAS SOAKED, INCLUDING CARPET/PAD AND YES, FURNITURE. To top it off, we were moving furniture to avoid the flood when I dropped a picture frame and broke a conveniently placed tile, and prompting more trouble, we broke YET ANOTHER corner on or "to be installed jet tub" that had been propped up in our den for the past 4 months. Yippie! Fortunately, I was able to wash the slip covers on the furniture, and we added a 30" old school TV to a nightstand in our bedroom until the room would be "less damp" and suitable for electronics. And so, Wilder and I toted out all of the soaking carpet and sent it to the dump. And, in turn, the kids gained a concrete skating rink, chalkboard, dirt haven until further notice.
You would think that was all, but no, it's not. Back to the roof. We received estimates from SEVERAL roofers, two of which KNEW OF the previous owners. It was told to us that these people KNEW of the FLOODING & of the ROOF DAMAGE (among other things) but sold the house anyway and just prayed for drought during the sale...which occurred. So, the pre-existing problem was now ours. The downstairs flooding had been ours for years anyway, but never this bad...usually just a foot or so of soaking carpet which we dried with a GIANT FAN BLOWER. So, we asked the insurance adjuster if anything could be done in the den, to which he replied that unless a pipe busted or a tree fell on our house causing the flood, they would not cover it. To which I replied, how big does the tree have to be, and could a garden hose just accidently be left on through the window?? (KIDDING about my reply!!)
And so, more roofers, more discussions, and the purchase of kitchen cabinets occurred from Lowes. Yay! A "special order" So far, we have 2 cabinets that worked, and one end panel. Everything else had to go back. I mean seriously, what is the deal?Accomplished as of today? Zero.
Next on the agenda, the bathroom faucet for our "to be renovated, waiting to install the beloved jet-tub, etc. etc. master bathroom." So, finally, one night I tell Wilder, "that's it, I'm ordering the faucet!!" You see, we had bought a vanity 4 months ago that had a NOT GONNA EVER MATCH ANYTHING HANDLE and has WEIRD HINGES piece, which sent us searching for something to replace our existing stainless steel faucet. So, I look and research and FINALLY choose a piece. I place the order on line, go to bed with a new assurance thinking the bathroom will SOON be finished, I will have a matching tub/shower, sink and EVEN toilet paper holder, and go to bed. The next day, I am sent an email that tells me, "we're sorry, an item you ordered has been DISCONTINUED, but we have shipped the rest of your order!!" The problem is, I don't check my email for a week, and I've already received the pieces, minus one-and I call to let them know that one of the pieces they sent is damaged. They scratched one, so I request an exchange for a nice one. And so, I check my email and see that I won't be getting the missing piece. EVER. Say WHATTTT!!!?? So, we look to buy elsewhere, and of course, no can do-NOT EVEN IN THE SAME FINISH different style, and so we call the company. This was in January. And so, I tell them that we have to return everything-damaged & not damaged this b/c I cannot keep half a set, and the lady is TOTALLY flabbergasted that I need to return and tells me there will be a 15% restock fee if I don't "exchange it." So, not wanting to "lose my money" I fall for it and order something else. In the meantime, I am STILL waiting for my refund. But on the positive, I LOVE what I exchanged for, and it is still a pretty good match, and looks lovely lying on the floor under the bed in our guest room since the master bathroom is STILL not renovated.
Next we have the van, which I've been trying to sell since SEPTEMBER!! I take it to Honda since the battery is DEAD and they tell me that I need a new CV boot, so I buy the one Wilder tells me we need, and he says that I bought the "complicated one" and to take it back. So, I trade it for the "quick boot' and he gets under the car and is ready to change it when he discovers that it is NOT cracked, and does NOT need to be replaced. Back to the store for another return. So, then, I have a diagnostic run b/c the maintenance light has come on, and the AutoZone guy tells me I need a catalytic converter. Great. A 5k van for sale and I'm supposed to find the cash to fix this too. Sign in window says, "5k. Catalytic converter will be replace with purchase. Debate over needing CV boot." Still no takers. Listed for$195 on thebiglot.com. NO CALLS.
And so, still no roof b/c we have a $1000 deductible and can't decide if we want metal or shingle...or can afford metal really, which we both want. So now, we get a phone call from Home Depot LYING and saying I won a $500 internet shopping spree. Riiighttt. And that there will only be a "short demo" from a after specialist to let me know just how bad the water coming out of the Tennessee River REALLY is. So, I say yes b/c we buy bottled water and I'd like to see if it is worth the $, which it is, and she stays WAAAAY long, and tries to get us wrangled into a 5 year commitment for only $80/month and Wilder smartly says NO, and she leaves and tosses us the BOGUS $500 coupon. Bad move, stayed up late, and did not get to finish our Lowes cabinets which had arrived that day...but were wrong anyway.
And to top it off, he would be coming home on Valentine's day. Yes ladies, he ditched me to go HUNTING on V-day. And called to let me know about the ticket, so I spent the whole day not speaking to him and making his hunt miserable...while I was secretly surprising him by building a fence with my sister's bf. We did get it finished amid a heap of trials like, Lowes being OUT of fence boards, (I'm sure that happens a lot) our post-hole diggers busting, and rain. But, we finished and I was REALLY impressed with the result, as was Wilder....who was afraid to return until 9pm on V-day after the silent treatment for 48hrs.
And so, the week begins again and Dash decides to imitate something he saw on "Horton Hears a Hoo" which entails swinging on a chandelier...but instead he tries my bedroom CEILING FAN and completely shatters the glass globe, cutting himself and Romeo who was happily enjoying his milky on the bed, while I was in the bathroom. And, yet again Home Depot pulls through...they no longer make our model and cannot replace the glass, but have sent us a small gift card to compensate for the purchase of a new fan. Mhmm...So, for now, we have a ceiling fan that used to be beautiful and, ahem, installed, which is now lovely with 3 light bulbs gleaming against silver foil.
And, I have this whole BUYER BEWARE story about a furniture non-repair episode, but it really is still "in progress" and too desperate to retell, so I will share my comments later if they do not make proper amends asap.
So,Wilder comes home from work later that week and we're talking in the kitchen when I start to hear a strange noise coming from the downstairs...and I slowly open the door and peek down there (this is the flood zone remember) and I continually hear the strange noise...which, upon closer inspection turned out to be the internal glass on our back door, cracking entirely. Thank the LORD for plexiglass!! So, we have called the company, and their parent company with no hope for replacement, and are now attempting to track down the seller. Bleck. I feel sSssOOOoOOo safe!! NOT.
And so, one would think that with that many items in limbo that surely, the trouble must end there...at least for now. But no, on Monday I was driving to Dominoes, not a mile away, when I noticed ALL OF MY WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING in my truck. So, I call Wilder and tell him that the truck is insane, and he thinks I must have put it in 4WD wrong or something (but I hadn't) and that he would check it when he came home. So, today (Tuesday) I have him drive it to work so he can drop it off at the dealership, and the result was BEYOND anything we could imagine. Bad gas you say? Electrical board malfunction? Maybe. Water trouble? No. How about RATS!!!!!!!!! Yes ladies and gentlemen, RATS have been LIVING UNDER MY HOOD EATING PECANS AND POOPING AND CHEWING ELECTRICAL WIRES!!!!! THEY HAVE COMPLETELY EATEN THROUGH EVERYTHING!!!!! The man at the dealership estimated $5,000 worth of damage!!!!!!!! So far!!!!! I am still in shock. Thank GOD for car insurance (however high the deductible)!!! And thank GOD we have not sold our van yet, however flawed, because now Wilder and I still have a vehicle while this one is out of order.
Okay, so, THAT's NOT ALL!! This morning, I thought I'd vaccuum my van so when I went to help Wilder with the car transfer, I'd have enough room for everyone involved and if I saw any interested van buyers, I'd help get the FOR SALE word beyond my street. So, in the meantime, I have Wilder's car parked in front of the van and I think, "I know, I'll vaccuum his car too so when we trade back, his will be all clean." HA!!!! So, I have the vac all prepped up, mats out and am humming away as I take care of business, and I'm having trouble reaching the car with the wand without setting the vac on the rock driveway, so I decide to sit the vaccuum on the seat. This sounds innocent enough, until I realize that the BEATER BRUSH TORE A CLAWLIKE TEAR ON THE REAR SEAT OF THE CAR!!! WHATTTTT!!!!??? What was meant to be a blessing for Wilder turned out to be a nightmare for me!! I prayed that if God felt like being in the miracle business this morning that He could certainly miraculously repair the seat and I'd tell everyone about it. No such mending yet. :( So looks like we'll be forking out more cash to the upholstery folks.
So, enough for tonight. I'm praying for PEACE and non-breakable EVERYTHING in and around my house.
Please Lord, send the bubble wrap! And take the rats away...lest they eat what "treat" we left out for them tonight.
My oh my, I am sleepy.
G'night Y'all!
Violet
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