Well hello to everyone in internet land. It's been a crazy
few days, but for the most part, we have gotten through with only a few bumps
in the road. I was notified of a medical situation that will require testing
next Tuesday - yes I rather fear the testing process. For this situation, I
think its best I do what the doctors advise, but laughed hysterically when they
continue to say to me in a straight face - remain stress free. I hear the belly
starting to roll again just thinking about it.
"Remain Stress Free", is what I'm thinking to myself as I
optimistically listen to the doctors words. My husband and I just joined the
Temporary Empty Nester's Training last week, the USA soccer team lost, my kids
are west without my husband and I, my husband hates the humid temperatures
right now as it triggers war memories, I have a friend who has been battling an
infection that placed her into the hospital since early this week and I have to
have a lumbar puncture to test the pressure in my brain - so stay stress free -
Riigggghhhhhttttt. Wow, that was kind of
nice to vent, I feel some weight off my mind already. *Wink*
Ok, so I poke fun at the doctor’s advice, but realistically,
I am heeding what he said until I get my tests completed. While keep my life at
the most lowest key – and still get out of bed – I have found ways to be
productive and, ha ha ha, stress free. I've managed to discover that where my computers screen
sits, is actually on a desk - yes the creative
eclectic clutter is gone. Say that
one three times fast. It's a nice
desk, a dark wood top done in a nice white wash on the sides and doors, oh oh
but wait, it gets even better. The bigger discovery - as I clean my office out
- I have a book shelf to match. (smile). Ok, I'm being a bit dramatic, but I'm
a writer - what's your superpower? LOL.
Now dramatic, you'll love this little story I am about to
tell you. It's rather embarrassing, but I'm sure I am not the only person in
the world that was faced with a dilemma and the answer was staring them in the
face the whole time. Ok, let me tell you the situation.
As I lay in bed early Tuesday morning I got a call from a
friend that had asked me to help her put in her air conditioning unit in her
windows, as she had been under the weather for some time and was feeling
overall weakness. Confidently I reply
"Yes, I can come over and do that, I've put those things in so many times
I can do it with my eyes closed." Open mouth insert foot.
When I arrived at her home, I went upstairs and began to
attempt to put the unit into the window - something was missing and the unit
alerted me that if I didn't do something different it was going to fall to its
death on the sidewalk below. "Oh, it needs to have the bar screwed onto
the top - One bar, no screws to secure it - YIKES!" I thought to myself
trying to give it my MacGyver ingenuity.
I tried to take screws from one item to compensate for the
ones that were missing - epic fail. I was baffled in my mind as I tried to wear
the look of knowledge. My friend then suggested that maybe it was time to get a
new one for the downstairs, "K-Mart has a great sale," I blurted out,
while also thinking, "I can get some screws to put this one in and it will
stay in place the right way."
Not knowing if I would make it back before they had to go to
an appointment, I got a key to her home, then I headed out to the store to make
my purchases as my friend and a family member made their way to the hospital. I
found the deal of a lifetime and now my friend is the owner of a brand new
window shaker, a.k.a. an air conditioner – no more Maryland sweltering heat and
humidity.
Immediately a melody
comes into mind when I think back on the next part of my story. So if you'd
like the full effect - click onto the link below to add some comedic relief as
you read. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK6TXMsvgQg
The unit was boxed tightly with three very strong plastic
straps. Not having a utility knife or scissors, I used a small hand held hack
saw and cut through the ridged plastic. I then proceeded to lift the box bending
at the knees and applying all my strength when suddenly, just the top and sides
abruptly came off causing me to jolt back and fall onto the floor. “Thank
goodness nobody saw this,” I thought to myself.
I got up, dusted off my pride, and proceeded to prepare the window
to install the Cooling Box. (Deal with me as I attempt to be creative and try
to come up with as many alternate words to describe a window air conditioner.
Smile.) I unlocked the window and tried to pull the window open – no movement.
I stood puzzled and intently looked the locking mechanism over. I discovered
there were other areas that locked on either side of the window, so I made sure
they were opened and then again proceeded to pull up on the window to open it –
still nothing. Now the main window lock has only two positions – open and
closed, but you’ll never guess what I did – turned it back to the lock position
thinking it was a trick lock and tried to open the window again – NOTHING! Grrrrr!
“What the hell is the mystery of this flipping window” I cursed out loud to
myself. Again, I went back to the lock and switched it back to open. I think
the person walking by the window found great humor to see me sweating and cursing
when once again I pulled up on the window and – STILL NOTHING! The bitch wasn’t
budging. I paced back and forth scratching the top of my head with one hand and
the other position tightly on a hip.
I began to talk to the window asking it to be nice for me and
just open so that I could get this Electric Chilling Cube in place. What do you
think happened? Do you think the window finally opened? Guess again – a two foot piece of bamboo fell
on my head that had been cut and placed as another security device to keep the windows locked. “What the…?” I said looking it over wondering where it came from. Instantly
Sir Isaac Newton’s: The Universal Law of Gravitation - hit me. I proceeded to
open the window one last time – IT OPENED! I was so happy, I got everything
screwed and snapped together and got it placed just right, closed the window
down on it to keep the cold wind machine in place. I was so proud of myself –
when it happened. As I picked up the cord to plug it into the socket light
dawned in the dark space of my brain - UUUGGGHHHH!!!!! I had put it in the
wrong window! But I had an ace in the hole - I removed the bamboo, unlocked the locks and in less that Ten minutes I found myself sitting on a chair, running my fingers through my
sweat drenched hair, as the Window Wind Vortex box blew ice cold air in my face. A true Benny Hill moment - I'm so relieved to know that it's not on camera, though it would have been a funny Youtube moment.
I hope you like my comic relief this morning. Just a little
something to lighten your possible stressors of the day and to let you know, we all have those kinds of
moments where the answers to our problems are sometimes staring us in the face,
but with so much going through our minds, we forget to see the bigger picture. Thanks for reading and have a safe, happy and
healthy Independence Day tomorrow. Blog ya later.
