Monday, January 12, 2009

"Hi's" and "Low's"......

So, there are some definite shifts going on. The high: the temperature has increased. This morning, we are up to (yes, I say "UP TO") -15 deg. F. That is -26 to you Brits. *grin* So, it was nice to go outside this morning and NOT feel like my nose was going to freeze off in 2 minutes while the dogs did their business. Instead, it took 8 minutes while I chased them down from a neighbour's yard and herded them home after they ran off. *chuckle*

Another high: I'm taking the week off work. The car trouble last week wound up with my car in the shop. It appeared to have a fuel leak, and the dealership recommended HIGHLY that I bring it in rather than risk an engine fire. Um. YEAH! Thing is, they told Scott that they wouldn't get my car INTO the shop till at least THIS Thursday (the 15th). Wow. That means a week without a car.

However, they got it into the shop almost immediately and called Friday evening to say it was done and I could come get it. I didn't have a way to go get it on Friday, so I went Saturday (when Scott could take me in) and picked it up. The "damage" ended up NOT being covered by my 10-year, 10,000 mile warrenty because it wasn't anything about the engine itself, or manufacturer's F-up. It WAS simply that last Saturday I'd left my car unplugged for almost an entire day, and that was sufficient to cause the already-shoddy (ready to fall apart at the seams) block-heater, oil-pan-heater, battery-pad, whatever-the-hell-else to quit working. So, Scott Ok'd the dealership to replace the block heater, said he can do the oil-pan-heater himself, and had already purchased and had on hand the new battery pad and battery. So, it was a "mere" $250 dollars to get my car back. (Also turned out that the fuel leak wasn't a fuel leak at all. But that the last couple of times I've had my oil changed in the car, the Jiffy Lube -or whomever-the-hell it was that Scott had do the oil change- didn't bother to replace the gasket between the oil filter and wherever it connects to. Apparently that little $.52 (52 cent) gasket has to be replaced EVERY TIME! So, from now on Scott's going to take my car to the dealership for oil changes. (The dealership also charges $10 less per oil change on cars they're qualified to sell, than do any of the chain oil-change places. So, it's simply more cost effective to have the dealership do the oil changes, than to take them to someplace like Jiffy Lube.)

Well, as I'd already told my boss that I wouldn't have my car back before probably Friday of this week, and maybe even Monday of next week..... *Shrug* To hell with it. I've already been cleared for the time off, I'm going to TAKE the time off. I've been stressed beyond belief with work lately, and I need a chance to do the "small" things around the house here. Things like organizing my crafting materials, weeding through my bookshelf, and some basic cleaning. Things like finishing up a crafting project or two. Things like some adolescent discussions with the kiddo.

And that's where the "lows" come in. Without going into any "embarassing" detail, Tay has reached another stage in puberty. At which point it is necessary to explain to her some more "skills" that must be learned. She's adamantly against growing up because she seems to think it means the abrupt end of her being who SHE is, and the abrupt beinging of her becoming a "girly girl". *shaking head* She's been yelling at me and freakish all weekend. And right now she's on restriction to her room till she elects to uncover her ears and listen to what I have to say on this most recent change. She's now been in there for 3 hours, refusing to listen to a damn thing I've got to talk to her about. Like it or not, I'm going to out-stubborn her on this. And I've got all week to do it in! *wry smile*

Anyway, so that's where we're "at" right now.

Hope y'all have a great week. Hopefully I'll get in another post sometime later.

Have a Blessed Day!

9 comments:

LadyStyx said...

Isnt it always the way? A simple action and an inexpensive replacement item causing all that extra fuss.

Toriz said...

Figures that it was something as simple as that with the car.

Tey will back down eventually... She'll want dinner or something. *Winks*

barefoot gardener said...

I don't know who I feel worse for...you or Tay!

What a miserable time you both must be having with this new change. Unfortunately, puberty isn't something that you can avoid...no matter HOW much you may want to.

There ya go! Tell her how many women in the world wish they didn't have to deal with being adults, maybe that will cheer her up.

Just kidding.

Good luck, and take notes on what works, since Big Sprout is gonna come up on all that good stuff way too soon.

Robin said...

You can tell Tay that some women (me, for one) grow up and not only Never (thank God) become a girly girls, they become More of who they are.

The thought might drive you crazy, but maybe it will help her.

:)

Deanna said...

Hi Kati! I just had to check you out. Alaska, heh. I look forward to reading more. I have an 11 year old granddaughter and 12 yr old grandson and they are both wacko at times. I didn't think it possible, but I had forgotton what difficult years those pre-teen years are.

Greg C said...

Thank God I have sons and not daughters. As for the temperatures. You can have that cold stuff. We are expecting positive 20's this week and that is too cold for me. Burrrrrrrrr.

Connie Peterson said...

Warmer now, huh? We have gone down but are warming, again. It's now -8 here.

whimsical brainpan said...

Sorry to hear about the car. Isn't it annoying how something so minute can cause such a problem.

Also sorry to hear about Tay. Aren't teenagers fun? When she does uncover her ears you can point out that you know a full grown 39 year old woman who refuses to be a girly girl.

Wendy said...

I know it's a little "out there", but I wish I'd had something like this my first time. When it happened for me, I told my mother, and she, basically, said, "Oh, that's nice." That was it. My introduction to womanhood was, "oh, that's nice."

My daughter will be twelve in May. She doesn't appear to be close to hitting that milestone, but when she does, I'll coordinate a party for her at her grandma's house, where we'll bring her into "womanhood" with lighted candles, warm tea, red velvet cake and a pair of crimson panties ... from Victoria's secret ;).