I was supposed to go for drinks after work but something told me to go home.  Good thing I listen to my instincts.  My downstairs bath was getting wet.  Really wet.  Yep - the ghetto fix with the plastic bag had stopped working.  So I got to work (after checking with dad about my idea). 

I knew that the tiles were getting ripped out anyway so I decided it was demolition time.  I took out a couple and the water started to divert itself back into the tub.  Good sign but where was the leak coming from?  So I removed a few more and EUREKA! there it was.  A little plastic and duct tape later and the drip is going into the tub instead of rotting out my wall.  True, the fix looks even more ghetto but it's only for a couple of days until the plumber comes back so I can live with it.  Besides, I grew up with a plastic wall on my shower for a couple of years. 

The best part is that I don't have to turn the water in the whole house on and off all weekend which was what my dad suggested.  He thought I might get squeamish about what I'd find behind the tile.  Not a chance.  What I really want to do is to finish the demolition.  It's fun.  Messy but fun.

My sister came over yesterday afternoon and helped me rearrange the house because I thought it needed a fresh look.  Originally she was going to help me deep clean too but I was able to get that done throughout the week so we spent our time moving furniture.  I think I like it.  And we finally have a purpose for the sunroom.  Been struggling with that for years.  My sister thought of the furniture she would like to see in there and laughed saying that she is great about spending someone else's money.  I told her we were going to go shopping...in the basement.  We had a lot of things ready for a yard sale that never happened last year.  We repurposed some lamps and chairs that I had never used.  Voila - instant beachy sitting room.  And what's great is that it is easy to break down when we need to put up the Christmas tree.

She's coming back on Saturday to help me with the little details for the guest room in preparation for my friends coming.  I didn't get to clean that room before we rearranged so that's my project for the week. 

My dad is coming on Thursday to help finish the electric in the living room (after waiting for Chef to do it for the last 5 years!).  He knows what we have to do and says it will take about an hour.  I've been waiting 5 years for an hour of work - good grief!  I think I'll ask him to come and help me finish the crown moulding too later this summer.  A little more Daddy/daughter bonding and I'll get to use power tools. 

Miracle - the plumber is coming.  He's less than 3 miles away.  Let's hope this one can do the job.

edited:  He came, he saw, he shook his head.  Told us things the first guy didn't BUT didn't charge us to look at the problem and agreed to take on the job.  Said he couldn't do it until sometime next week.  Can we wait?  Are you kidding me?!  I've had the drip for months now - I can wait a few more days.  I asked what his rate was - he gave me an estimate.  A little more than I thought but it's gonna get fixed.  Halleluah or however you spell it.  Now we just have to go get the new fixtures.  He didn't like what we bought.  Said he has better luck with another product that's only about $50 more.  I can live with that. 

My knee is better.  Not 100% but better.  I can actually bend it and go up and down stairs again.  There's still a little swelling but I think if I keep up the Advil and massage I'll be good as new shortly.

I finally heard back from the Dean at the school about my grievance.  Not only did it take him a month to get back to me, he didn't bother to read the grievance because he asked me clarification questions about dates that were already answered in the grievance.  I think he's trying to out-wait me.  Jackass.  Seems to think that my rights as a student weren't violated.  Then he asked me what policy I felt was broken.  I wrote back and told him I wasn't trained on all their Policies and Procedures as he was but that a precedent had been set by my past experience as well as the information I received during the college interview concerning extensions.  I probably won't win but I'm going to keep it up until I get bored.

I've been deep cleaning my house in preparation for my friends' visit in a couple of weeks.  I have way too much crap.  My sister is going to come and help me rearrange the guest room and living space to freshen it up.  And no my leak hasn't been fixed yet.  I don't even want to go into that fiasco!  Let's just say someone came in, did nothing but got paid a sh**load of $ by someone other than me.

Our lawn has bare spots too.  It's not grubs though.  Seems to be a broad leaf moss that is eating it.  Chef found out we need some special chemical stuff.  I need an organic solution.  I don't like chemicals.

I woke up and tried to bend my knee and nearly threw up from the pain.  I must have twisted it sometime in the night and didn't know it.  I broke it when I was 16 and have had some issues with it on and off ever since.  So I taped it up, took some Advil and am walking stiff legged for a bit.  I have way too much to do to have a bad leg. 

I went to the baby shower for my SIL today.  I don't like baby showers.  How many times can you ooh and aah over tiny clothes?  I just can't get excited looking at car seats, portable playpens and diaper bags.  And DON'T get me started about those Genie things that you put dirty diapers in!  I don't know a single mother who used one of these things more than once.  My husband and I started the baby's libraray with a bunch of books.  Do you know that all the comments were things like "Books - What a great idea!", "I've never thought of giving books before!", "I never think of books." and so on.  Apparently reading is a very foreign concept for many people. 

So I was wondering if someone would send Mike from Desperate Housewives but no.  I may have found someone though.  I was talking to a woman at work who has a plumber she trusts so much that she leaves a key for him and a signed blank check.  I'm going to give him a call and see what he says.

I was thinking about the O'Reilly Bonanza segment from last week.  There were a few scenes that I don't remember.  Now is it because I don't watch the eps enough? or is it because TVLand has cut out those scenes.  I just don't know.

I've got Witches of Eastwick on the TV right now.  It was filmed in the town next to my hometown.  I remember when it came out.  The local theatres were packed!  They used a bunch of locals for background people.  It's always fun to watch and see if I recognize anyone.   The sad part is that the place where Suckey's house is was renovated and it no longer looks like that anymore.  I don't mind remodeling but I hate re-muddling!

I had a whole blog entry last Saturday and my internet shut down just as I was about to post.  Grrrr! 

Anyway, we're having worse shower leak problems and still no plumbers to call.  It was really bad on Saturday but at least that night, Chef figured out a temporary solution using a plastic bag hanging into the drain.  It looks really ghetto but at least the leak is staying in the tub and not going through the floor/ceiling to the first floor.

My dad finally recommended two plumbers on Sunday (why the hell he couldn't give me the names months ago is beyond me but I digress).  I thought for sure that Chef would call them on Monday but... nope.  And he didn't call today (he gets home from work earlier than I do) so I guess I will have to do it tomorrow.  Now let's just hope they have time to come and fix the problem without it costing the earth.  Who am I kidding?  It's going to cost the earth.    We will need to have wall and tile work done too.  Here's a tip - don't buy your house from slackers and when you see something go wrong, don't wait to fix it.

On the plus side, my boss is on vacation this week and I'm getting through the piled up paperwork.

Wow Jeanie - you're very lucky to be able to that!  I guess I wouldn't be so annoyed if this person didn't seem to be taking advantage.  Marie - it sounds like you've come up against some similar frustrations.

I'm supposed to be packing for my trip tomorrow.  I don't like to pack anyway but this is one trip I am just not interested in taking.  I have an inkling that it's gonna suck.  On a positive note - I do have dinner plans with Dr. T on Wednesday.  He's a lot of fun so it will be good.  He has a farm in another state where they have Clydesdale horses!  I would love to go visit his family there.  I adore his wife - she is a doll!  So anyway, here I am playing games, visiting BZ sites and blogging.  All so that I can procrastinate on the packing.  I'll be back on Thursday 17th - late.

It's gotten hot here.  Anything higher than 65 is hot to me.  I'm a polar bear I guess.

You'd think if someone was trying to sell you something they'd maybe listen to what you're asking for.  Especially when they ask you 7 times and you tell them 8.  And, you'd also think that if they wanted a big contract from your company, they'd send someone who was prepared and knew the product.

I feel like this week with vendors has been a waste of time.  I hate wasting my time. 

And, I'm curious... do you just assume that you can take time away from work without checking with your boss first?   I'm so surprised at people that think it's alright to do this.  Especially when you are new.  Good grief!

Thanks Jeanie, AD and Camera Chic.  These trimonthly visits stress me out.  I appear very calm but my body knows the truth and reacts accordingly.   

I have a friend who has a customer that feng shui's her closet 4 times a year.  She always gives the clothes to my friend and then she gives them to me.  I'm the youngest in my family so am very used to hand me downs. Plus, this woman buys expensive stuff.  And some of it isn't even worn yet.  (e.g., Nordstrom silk coat marked $238 ).  Anyway I just received another bag of goodies to go through.   I took a quick peek and see some lovely things (silk blouses and Talbot's sweaters).

I have friends coming from the UK at the end of May.  They haven't been here since I got married.  I'm very excited.  I think Chef is happy they are coming too but when I mentioned the things that have to get done to prepare for the visit, he got sleepy and began to snore.  I've got my work cut out for me.

I had my 3 month check with the onc/gyn.  I didn't need another Pap and she said I'm doing well.  She reminded me that it's been almost two years since I was diagnosed.  I can't believe it's been that long.  We're watching something that doesn't concern her but I guess you should watch weird stuff.  I'm fine with this because if she thought it was an immediate issue to address, it would have been done today.   That's how fast people get stuff done at the Dana Farber.  They don't mess around. 

Unfortunately, I had to wait over an hour for my appointment and I also had to park at the next door lot.  I don't mind waiting and I don't mind the other lot.  What this situation says to me is that there are waaaaay to many cancer patients.  And that just makes me sad.  Then I remind myself that they are in the best place possible for treatment.

Oh yeah and I didn't get yelled at for not losing the 12 lbs I was supposed to.  But I know I still have to.