I haven’t watched The Romantics, I haven’t put up a photo post for Sid and Kiara’s wedding, I haven’t even responded to all y’all’s comments. I’m just so tired. Thank goodness Lisa is rewatching JHMS, her comments are the perfect distraction.
I’m having an “everything that could go wrong, has” kind of a week. All I wanted was a new fridge. Which meant I had to have the old huge stupid fridge that came with the house removed. When they moved the old fridge, the delivery men broke the illegally connected (by the previous owners) water line to the back of the fridge starting a leak. And when I moved the cabinets so they could maneuver the fridge, the sides split meaning they are a breath away from collapsing and I can’t safely move them back in place without risking all my dishes being buried wood splinters.
(this has been my dining room for the past 4 days, and will continue to be so indefinitely because the dang floor cabinet can’t move without falling apart)
I get a plumber out to look at the leak, he breaks the news that the water line was illegally installed and our basement pipes are even closer to failing than they already were. Plus, even though it only leaked for 3 hours, there is now enough water pooled that we need to get a specialist out to dry it and prevent mold.
(Looks like a sci-fi movie, doesn’t it? But it’s actually my basement)
Get the specialist out, he sets up fans and dehumidifiers and sprays antibacterial and stuff, but because of his fans, there is now not enough power for my space heaters so my apartment is getting colder and colder. Also, his humidifiers need to empty into the kitchen sink so I have now lost the one still functional part of my kitchen and dirty dishes start to pile up.
(Oh right, and at some point I also need to clean prep and paint the walls where the cabinet used to be. But that’s like step 20 after all the other steps)
Come Monday, I finally get through to insurance to learn all of this is partially covered, but I’m still responsible for a lot of it. Call the fridge delivery people and learn that they just have the one guy who handles insurance stuff for them and he won’t be in until Thursday, and then he will give me a call and I will find out how much this is all gonna cost me.
(This is what my kitchen looked like on Friday morning. It was nice, wasn’t it?)
Specialist comes back, moves his stuff out of the kitchen and I am able to do dishes, but the basement still isn’t dry. He doubles up on equipment down there, which seems fine except it blows the fuse in the middle of the night turning off the furnace. I managed to turn it back on this morning, hopefully nothing broke and I won’t have to get the furnace guy out to look at the furnace which broke because of the fans because of the leak because of the fridge.
(Oh, and I also haven’t been able to shower because the towels I used to dry the leak were sitting in my tub. And that’s all I wanted, just a hot bath.)
Anyway, I’m freezing, my throat’s sore because it’s so dry in my apartment, I haven’t slept in days, and I’m losing my voice because I spend all my time talking to repair people or insurance people, and the only thing that is keeping me going is the knowledge that tomorrow night I get to see Pathaan again. Once again, SRK saves me.
UPDATE: Furnace is still working, but one of the outlets in the basement blew. So now I am calling an electrician to fix the problem caused by the fans to fix the problem caused by the leak that came from the fridge. And then I swallowed a cat to swallow the bird to swallow the fly.
dontcallitbollywood 
Oh Margaret, that completely stinks. Sorry! SRK will comfort you as is his way. ❤️
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Your kitchen was very nice, and will be nice again soon and with a better fridge.
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Awww man! I hope the fridge thing gets resolved soon. Hope SRK works his magic as usual and Pathan makes your week better.
I remember whenever my back issues got to their worst I’d suddenly get obsessed with Dev Saran from KANK. That was my comfort movie anytime I had a slipped disc 😅
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But, Dev Saran had back issues!!!! And just general lingering medical problems/pain!!!! Wouldn’t that make it worse?
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Yes! And for some reason that I still cannot fully explain, that was why!
Dev was not only a man with a disability, he was a man who was CRABBY AS HELL about his disability. Which I was often feeling too, even though mine was temporary and fixable (it just didn’t feel like it at the time). Like every shot where he’s absently massaging his leg, or when even in love and doing some grand romantic gesture he’s complaining about the pain. Shahrukh really made sure you never forgot how much a part of Dev’s life physical pain is, the way he incorporated it in the performance and I think there was some odd part of me that felt very “seen” by that, if that makes sense.
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That explanation absolutely makes sense. If Dev can be a grump, you can be a grump. Not everyone has to smile through pain.
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I have just spent the last 25 minutes thinking about and looking up the different plumbing laws in CA and Illinois and Chicago. Basically in CA we have codes, and plumbing can be not to code, which can cause problems, but is only illegal if done on a large scale endangering and harming groups of people (say in an apartment building). Illinois also has codes, but Chicago has LAWS. In Chicago it is illegal to put in or change your sprinkler system in your yard if you don’t have a plumbing license. The law states this is to prevent pathogens from entering the waterways, but I suspect the real reason lies elsewhere.
At some point a tenant or owner of your house put in a waterline themselves, and they probably didn’t put the shutoff where it is officially supposed to be. Because everyone does everything themselves where I live, anyone removing a fridge first searches for the shutoff, which can (unfortunately) even be in an attic. But your city has a law, so I don’t actually know what the people who came to remove your fridge did, but they did not appear to look for the shut off. The line could not have been installed without a shutoff. What idiot removes a fridge without shutting off the waterline first? They should be paying for a hotel room for you right now.
But without legal recourse, or the funds to get legal recourse, my anger on your behalf is useless. You will get to watch Paathan tonight, which I may not be able to see in a theater, ever (good thing I have a 72 inch screen!). In a couple weeks you will visit the west side of California, near the ocean, with moderate temperatures and beautiful scenery. And maybe the lack of being able to do dishes will inspire you to eat in restaurants you’ve never tried before, maybe you’ll find a new favorite spot? If I had the means I would book you a room at the Waldorf Astoria. In the meantime I am giving you a mental hug.
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There wasn’t actually a real shut off. The Plumber had to just remove the whole dang pipe extension to get the leak to stop. I think Chicago has laws BECAUSE it is so common for things to be done in a funky manner? We are a city of small 2-3 unit buildings, and the norm is that the owner comes out and fiddles around and fixes things himself the cheap way instead of hiring a professional, and doesn’t really care about long term damage because he doesn’t live there. This building is in way better shape than other ones we looked at, seems like the owners actually cared until about 10 years ago (not so coincidentally, that is when they moved out of the upstairs unit and started being absentee landlords).
Thank you for being angry, I’m trying to stay angry instead of doing my default minimization. The delivery confirmation did say I should shut off the water. I never told them they were hauling away a complicated fridge when I scheduled. They did give me the option of refusing delivery and just sending them away. So it is kind of my fault. On the other hand, who moves a fridge without checking first that the water is turned off????? And who walks away without giving a heads up that they just caused a massive amount of damage and I need to get a plumber out ASAP??? And like you said, who doesn’t look for the legally required shut off valve and stop when they can’t find it????
But yes, in a few weeks I get to be in California visiting friends in a functioning house and forget about the disaster back home for a while.
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Where will you be in California? Wonder if it’s near my area and if you would fancy a catchup
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Tragically, it is not. I’m visiting a friend a little north of San Francisco.
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Ok you just got my address so you can tell 😂
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Oh no that’s so tough and such a nightmare! Please see if you can book yourself in a hotel or something for a couple of nights, this sounds very draining and tough and you should look after yourself any way you can!!! ♥️♥️
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Oh, dear. All best, Margaret. Just take a long nap and pamper yourself after all the chaos disappears ❤
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Sending hugs and a virtual cup of rich warm chai 💜
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Sorry, Margaret! That is terrible. Previous owners, they’re the worst.
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I am so sorry, Margaret! I am with Genevieve; I am angry on your behalf. This seems like multiple levels of incompetence! I hope it gets fixed soon and doesn’t cost you too much. I really was hoping that your home insurance would pay for most if not all of it.
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Now I feel bad for saying mean things about my insurance! They are paying a lot of it. But there’s a lot left over. Ugh.
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Don’t feel bad. Insurance companies make out just fine and if they can figure out a way to delay payment or not pay, they will try. I remember when I had severe water damage years ago, insurance offered to pay but getting the actual check from them was a HUUUUGE hassle!!! The agent just kept stalling. I had to call the the the director in charge of my area and threaten to turn this into a lawsuit, and so the local media contacts could pick it up and turn it into a spectacle before they finally gave me my check. I needed the check to pay all the people who had completed the work, including water mitigation people, plumber, floor person, and cabinet person.
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My uncle sold insurance. He became rich and has a second home on Nantucket, where he met his lover and left my aunt. Yeah, don’t feel bad for the insurance companies.
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I’m trying very hard not to feel bad for anyone else involved in this process, but it goes against all my natural instincts. Thank goodness I work in customer service, I will turn all that empathy towards the clients and try not to feel bad for poor moldman who has to carry all those heavy fans around.
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I get it. I guess, I didn’t feel bad that the person hauled in fans into my place, but I worried about paying these small local businesses who had completed their job! And for that I needed the insurance money. I have seen my dad operate a small business and struggle, so my empathy always goes toward the small, local business. I hope this is fixed soon!
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Everyone is so nice! The silver lining is, I now have a nice fat list of reliable local repair people.
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WOW! What a story, Genevieve D :
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I offer you something random from my YouTube recommendations in these trying times.
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Hope things are getting better, sending warmth and hugs!
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I hope everything goes better. Haven’t you seen the romantics? Look at ir and you’ll feel better. It is beautifully made. It’s exciting. A hug.
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