Last week, I got "caught" twice.
The first time was at Trader Joe's.
This song was on the PA system in the store.
I was looking at the fruit "Walked into a Bar" section, and it got to the part of the song that picks up. I spun around and looked at Mal, singing and dancing to, "You... tellin' me the things you're gonna do for me. I ain't blind and I don't like what I think I see--" Then I heard, "Woo hoo!" I looked over and an employee who had been heading to the stockroom door had stopped and was yelling and applauding for me. When I looked at her, she said, "I love it when people dance when they're shopping, and I especially love it when they're dancing with a happy baby."
A couple of days later, as we were waiting in line to get free ice cream sandwiches at Moojo (highly recommend, even though you'll have to buy them now that they're officially open), and I was trying to keep a stroller-bound Mal amused (with copious help from his brousins Travis and Tian). I did a little jig thing, then turned around and wiggled my backside at him.
A man coming out of the store walked over, laughing, and asked Mal, "Are you just going to let her twerk at you like that?" Actually, I'm more than a little flattered that he recognized that as twerking, since I don't have that particular skill set, nor am I endowed with much by way of a bootay.
Uck. There was going to be more to this post, but I'm super tired. We're still mid-move, even though the hardest parts are actually done. I'll post more when I'm back to regular tired.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Review: Try the World (another box subscription service)
You can read the site itself, but the basic idea is that you get a box "packed" with treats from a different country every other month. It's $33-39 per box, depending on how long you commit.
I have contemplated ordering a half-price box before, but was waiting while my husband was out of work. As he started a new job, though, I happened to get an email for a free one! So I went for it.
Here's what the website promises: 6-7 artisinal delicacies, a card describing the products and ways to use them, a culture guide.
The inside of the mailing box was cute!
I have contemplated ordering a half-price box before, but was waiting while my husband was out of work. As he started a new job, though, I happened to get an email for a free one! So I went for it.
Here's what the website promises: 6-7 artisinal delicacies, a card describing the products and ways to use them, a culture guide.
The inside of the mailing box was cute!
Oh, but how I hate this paper crap.
What it looks like on the website.
What I got. Ehh. It's as much stuff as I was supposed to get.
This is: two Amserdam wafels, a tin of violet mints, two packets of culinary sauce, a jar of sweet onion pesto, an envelope of truffle oil, another envelope of truffle ketchup, a jar of Colman's mustard, and a pouch of coconut chips.
First, I couldn't remember what country this was supposed to be. I looked on the back of the "Thank you for joining 'Try the World'" to see... and it was blank. I rifled through the whole box and there was zero documentation. No identification of the country. No explanation of the items. No recipes. No cultural notes. Nothing.
So I have two packets of culinary sauce that might be awesome, but all I know about them is that I'm supposed to heat them in the microwave for 10 seconds. I can't tell the ingredients, and there's no other information on the packet, so I don't know whether they're good for fish or chicken or vegetables or what. I suppose I can look it up. The truffle ketchup and oil is easier, but I still have to investigate on my own, no promised suggestions.
If I'd paid nearly $40 for this, I'd be angry. If I'd paid nearly $20 for it, I'd have been mad. In fact, even though it was free, I was disappointed. I was looking forward to a whole international experience.
The wafels were good, but I can get them locally. Same with the mustard and coconut chips. My favorite thing is the sweet onion pesto. Can't wait to use it.
If anyone's had a better experience, having received a box that had the promised documentation and seemingly worth $30, let me know. For me, the best thing this did was magnify what a great deal my $17 a month Citrus Lane box is!
Speaking of that... when it expires in August, I'm going to renew Citrus Lane. I know I promised to post a box each month, but things got crazy there for a while. I'll post next month's, though, and follow up. It's on its way!
For Try the World, though... I give it a thumbs-up in concept, but a HUGE thumbs-down as I experienced it. Boo.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
So. Very. Tired.
I'm about to tell you about last night. Before I tell you about last night, and the stuff leading up to it, here's what I need for you to know: I don't desire sleep training advice. I really don't. I am 100% confident that what I'm doing is right for my child and our family, but that doesn't mean I don't have days and weeks when I'm just exhausted. That's part of being a parent. And I appreciate the opportunity to vent about it and to record it for posterity's sake without being told what I "need" to do. Or "should" do to make my life easier.
In all seriousness, I'd be tempted to take Mal to the doctor if I hadn't seen online that this is prevalent enough for there to be all sorts of mommy posts about it. It's a developmental thing and he'll grow out of it... but, dang, the meantime is really hard.
Okay, thanks for hanging in.
For all of his other difficulties, Mal has always been a good night sleeper. From about 2 months to about 6 months, he was waking maybe 4-5 times a night to feed. That might sound like a lot if you don't both nurse and co-sleep, but it's pretty normal for babies who know they can "snack" not to take a full nursing and just to drink a little to put themselves back to sleep. It wasn't any big deal because I could just go back to sleep once he'd found what he was looking for.
He started getting really heavy. Turning over started to become more challenging, but still doable.
Then Mal got mobile.
First of all, Mal has never been a still baby. For as long as I can remember, ask anyone, when you hold him, he jumps. He wants to be up and around. Remember this from when he was maybe a week old?
Always looking around, always noticing things and moving. He's very sensitive, which is one reason I think he has had difficulty navigating the lighter sleep periods between deep sleep cycles.
Well, once he started scooting, and then crawling, things got complicated.
First, I really wouldn't care if Mal stayed up until midnight, if he were in a good mood. But there comes a time each night when I can tell it's bedtime. He gets very clumsy and fussy and it's just over. If we let him stay up later than that, not only are we all stressed ourselves, but he's likely to get hurt.
So he'll be sleepy, and I'll get him ready for bed... but once I lay him down and start nursing, he'll drink a bit, then look around. He'll roll over. Now that he can crawl, he'll crawl away. Sometimes, he'll get up and play some more, but inevitably, he'll mash his fingers in something or inexplicably sit three feet from me and bawl, as if to say, "I'm so tired and so hungry! Why aren't you feeding me and putting me to sleep?!"
Again, you can Google "wrestling your baby to sleep," and there are a surprising number of returns (including one woman who wonders if it's abuse as she pins her kid's limbs; I don't, and I have the arm and leg bruises to prove it! He's a flailer!). It's exhausting, because it's basically: Lay the baby down, nurse him, when he starts to wonder off, gently pull him back (against his wishes), put him back into position, and nurse him... ad infinitum until he falls to sleep. This can take ten minutes, or it can take over an hour.
More recently, say in the last 6 weeks or so, he's started doing this not just at bedtime, but EVERY. TIME. HE. WAKES. UP. And two nights ago, that was about a dozen times. Last night, it was every 15 minutes or so. Only this time, it was accompanied with crying, trying to climb over James and me, and just worse. worse. worse.
That was actually us about an hour ago; he woke up after a backpack nap of maybe 20 minutes.
James is great. He took Mal this morning so I could try to go back to sleep, but it was 6:15 and I was famished after the all-night workout. Now James is sleeping to catch up, and I don't resent it at all. I just wish I knew someday I could catch up. Nearly 9 months of this is a long time.
You know how sometimes your kids just fall asleep in the middle of what they're doing? Mal has never done that. He's never been sitting playing and keeled over. He's only ever even lain in his crib and cried until he fell asleep once, back in February, after our vacation. He has to be walked (wrestled) into sleep literally every single time he ever falls asleep. Whether it's nursing, repositioning, carrying him (and he won't nod off in the house very often anymore; I have to walk around the block or to 7-11 or something), or having him in the car seat... He doesn't have whatever it is that helps him get from wakefulness to slumber. And managing it sometimes takes its toll.
I'm writing this, again, for posterity's sake, so maybe someone will simply say, "I've been there and it does get easier, but God bless you," and so you'll understand why there are times when I can't remember the word for that metal thing that makes the car turn on.
In all seriousness, I'd be tempted to take Mal to the doctor if I hadn't seen online that this is prevalent enough for there to be all sorts of mommy posts about it. It's a developmental thing and he'll grow out of it... but, dang, the meantime is really hard.
Okay, thanks for hanging in.
For all of his other difficulties, Mal has always been a good night sleeper. From about 2 months to about 6 months, he was waking maybe 4-5 times a night to feed. That might sound like a lot if you don't both nurse and co-sleep, but it's pretty normal for babies who know they can "snack" not to take a full nursing and just to drink a little to put themselves back to sleep. It wasn't any big deal because I could just go back to sleep once he'd found what he was looking for.
He started getting really heavy. Turning over started to become more challenging, but still doable.
Then Mal got mobile.
First of all, Mal has never been a still baby. For as long as I can remember, ask anyone, when you hold him, he jumps. He wants to be up and around. Remember this from when he was maybe a week old?
 |
| Picture courtesy my crappy old phone camera. Who was that skinny baby?! |
Well, once he started scooting, and then crawling, things got complicated.
First, I really wouldn't care if Mal stayed up until midnight, if he were in a good mood. But there comes a time each night when I can tell it's bedtime. He gets very clumsy and fussy and it's just over. If we let him stay up later than that, not only are we all stressed ourselves, but he's likely to get hurt.
So he'll be sleepy, and I'll get him ready for bed... but once I lay him down and start nursing, he'll drink a bit, then look around. He'll roll over. Now that he can crawl, he'll crawl away. Sometimes, he'll get up and play some more, but inevitably, he'll mash his fingers in something or inexplicably sit three feet from me and bawl, as if to say, "I'm so tired and so hungry! Why aren't you feeding me and putting me to sleep?!"
Again, you can Google "wrestling your baby to sleep," and there are a surprising number of returns (including one woman who wonders if it's abuse as she pins her kid's limbs; I don't, and I have the arm and leg bruises to prove it! He's a flailer!). It's exhausting, because it's basically: Lay the baby down, nurse him, when he starts to wonder off, gently pull him back (against his wishes), put him back into position, and nurse him... ad infinitum until he falls to sleep. This can take ten minutes, or it can take over an hour.
More recently, say in the last 6 weeks or so, he's started doing this not just at bedtime, but EVERY. TIME. HE. WAKES. UP. And two nights ago, that was about a dozen times. Last night, it was every 15 minutes or so. Only this time, it was accompanied with crying, trying to climb over James and me, and just worse. worse. worse.
 |
| This is us, right now, via my crappy webcam. |
James is great. He took Mal this morning so I could try to go back to sleep, but it was 6:15 and I was famished after the all-night workout. Now James is sleeping to catch up, and I don't resent it at all. I just wish I knew someday I could catch up. Nearly 9 months of this is a long time.
You know how sometimes your kids just fall asleep in the middle of what they're doing? Mal has never done that. He's never been sitting playing and keeled over. He's only ever even lain in his crib and cried until he fell asleep once, back in February, after our vacation. He has to be walked (wrestled) into sleep literally every single time he ever falls asleep. Whether it's nursing, repositioning, carrying him (and he won't nod off in the house very often anymore; I have to walk around the block or to 7-11 or something), or having him in the car seat... He doesn't have whatever it is that helps him get from wakefulness to slumber. And managing it sometimes takes its toll.
I'm writing this, again, for posterity's sake, so maybe someone will simply say, "I've been there and it does get easier, but God bless you," and so you'll understand why there are times when I can't remember the word for that metal thing that makes the car turn on.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Starting Our 4th Year
Three years ago yesterday, Laura forced her way into my life.
I was in a really bleak pit of despair at the time. I'm still more than a little shocked that she just bullied her way through the layers of funk that I'd built up to defend what was left of myself. Especially since she really wasn't in a great place herself.
It had all the trappings of some sort of horrible tragedy that centers around co-dependency.
Except that we'd been friends who deeply respected and cared for each other for about a decade and a half.
Laura loves to tell the story about how I blew her off that entire time. But my side of it is that one of us was in a relationship every other time the other one got free.
And neither of us is a cheater.
We've had a thing for each other since high school, but it would have been a betrayal to act on it before we did.
I'm sad about all the years we didn't spend together because of our inherent fidelity. Well, mostly hers. In the years of her previous marriage, I'd have happily indulged any inclinations to affairs she might have had (she didn't).
That could never have led to a serious relationship that's based around trust, sharing, and mutual support. I'm sure it works out for some people, but I can't imagine building a real relationship on a foundation of betrayal.
So I'm glad that we waited all these years so the one we have now could be based on bedrock.
Four years ago, I really couldn't imagine being involved in a stable relationship that lasted as long as six months. I just wasn't stable enough to even think about participating in that sort of thing.
And that was before my nose-dive into self-pity.
Laura likes to take all the credit for spending years working to get us together, and she deserves the vast majority.
She absolutely did take a huge gamble by driving to Tulsa, hoping that I'd check my email for a change and tell her where I lived. (This was complicated by the fact that road construction in Tulsa sucks and you had to know lots of back-road secrets that GPS and google didn't to actually find the place).
But she wasn't expecting anything more than a high school reunion before she moved to Austin. She might have been hoping for something magical, but I think she was pretty surprised when I asked if we could try turning it into a "thing."
Or maybe she just master-minded that entire thing so she could trick me into the longest relationship I've ever had (much less enjoyed!). I guess we'll find out at the same bat-time on the same bat-channel...
I was in a really bleak pit of despair at the time. I'm still more than a little shocked that she just bullied her way through the layers of funk that I'd built up to defend what was left of myself. Especially since she really wasn't in a great place herself.
It had all the trappings of some sort of horrible tragedy that centers around co-dependency.
Except that we'd been friends who deeply respected and cared for each other for about a decade and a half.
Laura loves to tell the story about how I blew her off that entire time. But my side of it is that one of us was in a relationship every other time the other one got free.
And neither of us is a cheater.
We've had a thing for each other since high school, but it would have been a betrayal to act on it before we did.
I'm sad about all the years we didn't spend together because of our inherent fidelity. Well, mostly hers. In the years of her previous marriage, I'd have happily indulged any inclinations to affairs she might have had (she didn't).
That could never have led to a serious relationship that's based around trust, sharing, and mutual support. I'm sure it works out for some people, but I can't imagine building a real relationship on a foundation of betrayal.
So I'm glad that we waited all these years so the one we have now could be based on bedrock.
Four years ago, I really couldn't imagine being involved in a stable relationship that lasted as long as six months. I just wasn't stable enough to even think about participating in that sort of thing.
And that was before my nose-dive into self-pity.
Laura likes to take all the credit for spending years working to get us together, and she deserves the vast majority.
She absolutely did take a huge gamble by driving to Tulsa, hoping that I'd check my email for a change and tell her where I lived. (This was complicated by the fact that road construction in Tulsa sucks and you had to know lots of back-road secrets that GPS and google didn't to actually find the place).
But she wasn't expecting anything more than a high school reunion before she moved to Austin. She might have been hoping for something magical, but I think she was pretty surprised when I asked if we could try turning it into a "thing."
Or maybe she just master-minded that entire thing so she could trick me into the longest relationship I've ever had (much less enjoyed!). I guess we'll find out at the same bat-time on the same bat-channel...
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Drama with the Speed Queens (and we haven't used them yet!)
As I've mentioned before, James decided we should get a Speed Queen washer because they have no electronics and the warranty is basically forever. I decided to get a Speed Queen dryer because matchy matchy and the warranty is something like five years shorter than forever. And so, we ordered them from Austex Appliance.
I placed the order online, and set up a time when I wanted them delivered, and paid for installation.
Two or three days later, I received an email from someone saying she'd tried to call me but my number had been disconnected. That was when my phone died and I had to get a new one. So, I called the office back and spoke with the lady, but she couldn't remember why she'd called. She said usually it was all online, but she couldn't see any notes. She posited that maybe she thought I needed to pay for delivery since it's not free until you spend a certain amount, but then she saw that I also bought the dryer and that answered that.
Two or three days after that, another lady called (Morgan) and we realized why the first lady had probably called. First, the washing machine I'd ordered was no longer being made, and they had none (it had been a really good sale). So I got one that was actually $100 cheaper, though not as nice because the first had been on clearance due to its discontinuation. Actually, the only difference was the number of operating modes, and I rarely use more than 2, so no biggie.
Second, apparently the website was out of date and installation wasn't $49, it was $100. James said he would have told them too bad, but I said, "Whatever. I'm on the second floor, and I need it to be brought up and installed." "Oh, you're on the second floor? Well, that takes two guys, so it's $150." WHATEVER. The machine was $100 less, so we're back to even. And we were going for delivery on Thursday or Friday, May 28 or 29.
The first glitch came when it flooded on Memorial Day. I got a call a couple of days later, and she was very apologetic that, due to a bridge being washed out, they hadn't gotten their delivery on Tuesday as they'd expected, and they'd probably not be able to deliver by Friday. I reminded her that it was no problem; we don't live in the apartment, anyway, so the next week would be fine. She said they'd be there Monday, June 1.
I never got a call back after that, so wasn't sure when the units were to be expected. On Monday, Mal and I left the house about the time James left for work (Daphne was still asleep, natch). We got to the apartment about the same time the appliance store opened, and I called them to see when they'd be there. She said, "Oh, you're 4th on the list, so it'll be between 2 PM and 4 PM." Ugh, but whatever. She also said they'd give me about an hour's heads-up when they were on their way.
That day, I got a lot of work done, and was finished about 11:30. I packed Mal up and headed for lunch. He fell asleep in the van, so I ate at Sonic (I ate a LOT at Sonic: Chicago dog, fries, and Reese's Peanut Butter waffle cone sundae) then drove around to get a feel for the neighborhood.
We returned to the apartment around 1 and waited for a call. We walked the complex, visiting the pool, common areas, office, and even found there is a pet park on site that we'd never seen before.
The cats should love that, right?
We got back to the apartment around 3:15, when my sister and two of her kids came to visit. I had expected a call by 3, giving me the hour notice, so I called their office. It went straight to voice mail, which was full. FOR AN HOUR.
Finally, at 4, we left. I don't know whether you've ever tried to get from one part of Austin to a totally different part any time between 4:30 and 6 PM, but I don't recommend it.
That afternoon, at 4:54, I got a call from the delivery guy telling me they were on their way. Um, no. I was already back at the Nuthaus. I explained to him that I tried calling the office for an hour, literally 17 or 18 times, and it always went to a full mailbox. He said they'd gotten held up at the previous location for two hours (thanks for letting me know!) and we could reschedule for the following Monday, June 8, because he was going to take Friday, the day I'd suggested, off. Fine.
On Wednesday, I called the office to see if we could set some kind of appointment window. She asked, "Didn't they do that before?" I told her no, that until I called that morning, I had no idea. She said, "Well, let me see... We're going to be in Houston for training on Monday, and we're up in North Austin on Tuesday so if we can't do it tomorrow, it'll be next week... let me see if we can do it tomorrow. I'll call you right back."
Did she? No. At about 3:30, I called the office back and she was gone for the day.
The next day, Thursday, I went to the apartment just in case. I had some stuff to do, anyway, and Daphne really helped me. She stinking (literally; it's hot!) earned her $20 that day.
When I called the appliance store and finally talked to Morgan, she said she wanted to schedule it for Tuesday, June 9. I said that'd be fine, and asked for a window again. She said, "Well, usually they leave the warehouse at 9, but that day they're going to leave at 7. They have to go up to *somewhere* then Hudson Bend at Lake Travis, and you're third."
Well, that means nothing to me. But before we hung up, she said, "Ma'am? If you look on our website and enter this number - invoice number - you can see where the delivery truck is, and when your estimated time of arrival is."
OH MY GOSH, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO HELPFUL TO HAVE KNOWN LAST MONDAY.
So, yesterday, I got up and went to my sister's because my son had had quite the night, and was already into quite a morning. I needed reinforcements! Once we got there (and he got a tiny nap in the car), things were already better. I saw that my "window" was unfortunately 3:30 to 6:30, but at least I knew. Also, so much for the truck leaving the warehouse early. I could see it on the website, and it was there until well after 10:30.
Mal and I hung out with the Brownies, went to Costco and bought a membership, then got to the new place around 2.
We made a couple of trips upstairs and then I just sat with Mal so he could get used to being in the apartment and not freak out when I decided to do a couple of things. There wasn't a whole lot to do, so we chilled for a bit.
I noticed that all of the bird seed I'd put out was gone, and the hummingbird feeder was about 1/5 emptied! Later, we were playing on the bed (which is the exact height of the window, and has a great view!) and I saw a bird trying to find seed in the empty feeder. We replenished that (not fully; I want to save some for when we move, so I can enjoy the birds!), but not until I spilled a few seeds. Mal, who is in a growth spurt, enjoyed snacking on those. Whatever. They're seeds.
I watched on my phone and saw the delivery time change, getting later and later, from 4:15 to 4:45 to 5:30, then again pop back up to about 4:30. The delivery truck was leaving Hudson Bend and I was next!
At 4:15, I got a call from the apartment complex saying that there was someone calling their office who wanted to deliver a washer and dryer to me but who couldn't get a hold of me and was about to cancel the appointment.
WHAT?!
I called them and Morgan said, "Oh, that's it. We had a '3' and it's a '4'." I said, because I couldn't not say it, "That's so weird, because this guy called me last Monday when he was on the way." She said, "But didn't your number change?" NOT SINCE A WEEK AND A DAY AGO.
Anyway, they were still heading over. I watched them go down the wrong street and get stuck on a dead end before they made it to the complex. Mal and I went down to show them where we were.
The first guy came up to assess the place and asked, "You just moving in?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Well, that answers my first question." I asked, "What was that?" "Whether you have any antibiotics." Wh-- huh? He pointed to his jaw, "I don't know if you can tell, but this is really swollen." "Oh, do you have an infection?" "Yeah. We went to the store so I could get something, but I accidentally took ibuprofen PM and I'm already getting drowsy." I said, "Well, I have some Aleve. Do you want that?" He indicated that he did.
Do I have any antibiotics? One doesn't help. Do you think I have a whole round of antibiotics to give you? What the??
Anyhoo, he took the Aleve and he and the other guy installed the washer and dryer and we got to leave about 5:30, which wasn't ideal, but Waze helped me get home without too much drama. (During the drive, a pop-up ad offered to change my voice directions to Colonel Sanders, so I had to go for it!)
Anyway, I could entitle this a review of Austex Appliance, but I'm hoping all of this was just a fluke for them. Maybe I'll do a complete review later, after we've used the washer and dryer for a while.
I placed the order online, and set up a time when I wanted them delivered, and paid for installation.
Two or three days later, I received an email from someone saying she'd tried to call me but my number had been disconnected. That was when my phone died and I had to get a new one. So, I called the office back and spoke with the lady, but she couldn't remember why she'd called. She said usually it was all online, but she couldn't see any notes. She posited that maybe she thought I needed to pay for delivery since it's not free until you spend a certain amount, but then she saw that I also bought the dryer and that answered that.
Two or three days after that, another lady called (Morgan) and we realized why the first lady had probably called. First, the washing machine I'd ordered was no longer being made, and they had none (it had been a really good sale). So I got one that was actually $100 cheaper, though not as nice because the first had been on clearance due to its discontinuation. Actually, the only difference was the number of operating modes, and I rarely use more than 2, so no biggie.
Second, apparently the website was out of date and installation wasn't $49, it was $100. James said he would have told them too bad, but I said, "Whatever. I'm on the second floor, and I need it to be brought up and installed." "Oh, you're on the second floor? Well, that takes two guys, so it's $150." WHATEVER. The machine was $100 less, so we're back to even. And we were going for delivery on Thursday or Friday, May 28 or 29.
The first glitch came when it flooded on Memorial Day. I got a call a couple of days later, and she was very apologetic that, due to a bridge being washed out, they hadn't gotten their delivery on Tuesday as they'd expected, and they'd probably not be able to deliver by Friday. I reminded her that it was no problem; we don't live in the apartment, anyway, so the next week would be fine. She said they'd be there Monday, June 1.
I never got a call back after that, so wasn't sure when the units were to be expected. On Monday, Mal and I left the house about the time James left for work (Daphne was still asleep, natch). We got to the apartment about the same time the appliance store opened, and I called them to see when they'd be there. She said, "Oh, you're 4th on the list, so it'll be between 2 PM and 4 PM." Ugh, but whatever. She also said they'd give me about an hour's heads-up when they were on their way.
That day, I got a lot of work done, and was finished about 11:30. I packed Mal up and headed for lunch. He fell asleep in the van, so I ate at Sonic (I ate a LOT at Sonic: Chicago dog, fries, and Reese's Peanut Butter waffle cone sundae) then drove around to get a feel for the neighborhood.
We returned to the apartment around 1 and waited for a call. We walked the complex, visiting the pool, common areas, office, and even found there is a pet park on site that we'd never seen before.
The cats should love that, right?
We got back to the apartment around 3:15, when my sister and two of her kids came to visit. I had expected a call by 3, giving me the hour notice, so I called their office. It went straight to voice mail, which was full. FOR AN HOUR.
Finally, at 4, we left. I don't know whether you've ever tried to get from one part of Austin to a totally different part any time between 4:30 and 6 PM, but I don't recommend it.
That afternoon, at 4:54, I got a call from the delivery guy telling me they were on their way. Um, no. I was already back at the Nuthaus. I explained to him that I tried calling the office for an hour, literally 17 or 18 times, and it always went to a full mailbox. He said they'd gotten held up at the previous location for two hours (thanks for letting me know!) and we could reschedule for the following Monday, June 8, because he was going to take Friday, the day I'd suggested, off. Fine.
On Wednesday, I called the office to see if we could set some kind of appointment window. She asked, "Didn't they do that before?" I told her no, that until I called that morning, I had no idea. She said, "Well, let me see... We're going to be in Houston for training on Monday, and we're up in North Austin on Tuesday so if we can't do it tomorrow, it'll be next week... let me see if we can do it tomorrow. I'll call you right back."
Did she? No. At about 3:30, I called the office back and she was gone for the day.
The next day, Thursday, I went to the apartment just in case. I had some stuff to do, anyway, and Daphne really helped me. She stinking (literally; it's hot!) earned her $20 that day.
When I called the appliance store and finally talked to Morgan, she said she wanted to schedule it for Tuesday, June 9. I said that'd be fine, and asked for a window again. She said, "Well, usually they leave the warehouse at 9, but that day they're going to leave at 7. They have to go up to *somewhere* then Hudson Bend at Lake Travis, and you're third."
Well, that means nothing to me. But before we hung up, she said, "Ma'am? If you look on our website and enter this number - invoice number - you can see where the delivery truck is, and when your estimated time of arrival is."
OH MY GOSH, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO HELPFUL TO HAVE KNOWN LAST MONDAY.
So, yesterday, I got up and went to my sister's because my son had had quite the night, and was already into quite a morning. I needed reinforcements! Once we got there (and he got a tiny nap in the car), things were already better. I saw that my "window" was unfortunately 3:30 to 6:30, but at least I knew. Also, so much for the truck leaving the warehouse early. I could see it on the website, and it was there until well after 10:30.
Mal and I hung out with the Brownies, went to Costco and bought a membership, then got to the new place around 2.
We made a couple of trips upstairs and then I just sat with Mal so he could get used to being in the apartment and not freak out when I decided to do a couple of things. There wasn't a whole lot to do, so we chilled for a bit.
I noticed that all of the bird seed I'd put out was gone, and the hummingbird feeder was about 1/5 emptied! Later, we were playing on the bed (which is the exact height of the window, and has a great view!) and I saw a bird trying to find seed in the empty feeder. We replenished that (not fully; I want to save some for when we move, so I can enjoy the birds!), but not until I spilled a few seeds. Mal, who is in a growth spurt, enjoyed snacking on those. Whatever. They're seeds.
I watched on my phone and saw the delivery time change, getting later and later, from 4:15 to 4:45 to 5:30, then again pop back up to about 4:30. The delivery truck was leaving Hudson Bend and I was next!
At 4:15, I got a call from the apartment complex saying that there was someone calling their office who wanted to deliver a washer and dryer to me but who couldn't get a hold of me and was about to cancel the appointment.
WHAT?!
I called them and Morgan said, "Oh, that's it. We had a '3' and it's a '4'." I said, because I couldn't not say it, "That's so weird, because this guy called me last Monday when he was on the way." She said, "But didn't your number change?" NOT SINCE A WEEK AND A DAY AGO.
Anyway, they were still heading over. I watched them go down the wrong street and get stuck on a dead end before they made it to the complex. Mal and I went down to show them where we were.
The first guy came up to assess the place and asked, "You just moving in?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Well, that answers my first question." I asked, "What was that?" "Whether you have any antibiotics." Wh-- huh? He pointed to his jaw, "I don't know if you can tell, but this is really swollen." "Oh, do you have an infection?" "Yeah. We went to the store so I could get something, but I accidentally took ibuprofen PM and I'm already getting drowsy." I said, "Well, I have some Aleve. Do you want that?" He indicated that he did.
Do I have any antibiotics? One doesn't help. Do you think I have a whole round of antibiotics to give you? What the??
Anyhoo, he took the Aleve and he and the other guy installed the washer and dryer and we got to leave about 5:30, which wasn't ideal, but Waze helped me get home without too much drama. (During the drive, a pop-up ad offered to change my voice directions to Colonel Sanders, so I had to go for it!)
Anyway, I could entitle this a review of Austex Appliance, but I'm hoping all of this was just a fluke for them. Maybe I'll do a complete review later, after we've used the washer and dryer for a while.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Nuthaus vs. New Place
Over the past few months, as we've contemplated moving, I have thought long and hard about things I will miss about the Nuthaus and things toward which I am looking forward. Here are some of them:
THINGS I WILL MISS ABOUT THE NUTHAUS
1. Being downtown (or: location, location, location).
2. The view from the top of the garage across the street (also sort of a location thing).
3. Crochet Guy, Grandpa, the Dude with One Dreadlock, the Taco Cabana staff, the guy at Subway who's always a li'l burnt, the CVS cashier who has a head-full of dreadlocks and is so helpful and patient to everyone, the across-the-street apartment drama, the guy from South Carolina who's always asking for odd jobs (gave him one once; he sucked at it), the guy who usually sits in front of the Baptist church and who has seven grown kids and LOVES Mal, the guy who sits with that guy and who unfailingly says to me, "Mama's got her hands full!", the crazy next-door neighbors, the lady with the crocheted apron who sells carnations outside the Scientology building.
4. Hungry but don't feel like cooking? Walk half a mile and choose from more than half a dozen different cuisines (represented by 20 or more restaurants).
5. The sirens (from Mal).
6. Being able to hang out downtown; I know, we can do that no matter where we live, but biking down is so much better than driving up!
7. Walking/biking distance from Barton, Deep Eddy, downtown, West Campus, Allendale, etc. Hair salon, doctor, lawyer, counselor, grocery store, veterinarian, bank, etc.
8. Being able to bike without building up new muscle and cardiovascular systems.
9. Walking to caffeine.
4. Hungry but don't feel like cooking? Walk half a mile and choose from more than half a dozen different cuisines (represented by 20 or more restaurants).
5. The sirens (from Mal).
6. Being able to hang out downtown; I know, we can do that no matter where we live, but biking down is so much better than driving up!
7. Walking/biking distance from Barton, Deep Eddy, downtown, West Campus, Allendale, etc. Hair salon, doctor, lawyer, counselor, grocery store, veterinarian, bank, etc.
8. Being able to bike without building up new muscle and cardiovascular systems.
9. Walking to caffeine.
THINGS I'M EXCITED ABOUT AT OUR NEW PLACE
1. Not having to run across the parking lot to Taco Cabana to use the restroom (or: two bathrooms!).
2. The swimming pool!
3. The "woods."
4. Two thermostats! I don't know how we'll take advantage of this unless Daphne goes somewhere for a week, but it's still kind of neat.
5. Not having the stuff stolen from our patio (if someone really wants to scale the exterior of the building to mount our second-floor balcony and take a cushion... well, I wish I could at least watch).
6. Not having people walking in our front door.
7. Hidey-holes for all of our messes.
8. Climate control that isn't sabotaged by poor insulation.
9. On-site maintenance.
10. Not hearing our crazy next-door neighbors' romantic drama four feet from our bedroom window.
11. Actually knowing our next-door neighbor by name! It's DeAndre, I believe, and she has a couple of kids, including a daughter who looks a bit older than Daphne and a son who looks a lot older than Daphne. I know her name not because she introduced herself (which she did later, but I don't remember that kind of thing), but because she took all of our boxes into her foyer the first couple of days until she realized we were going to get a LOT of boxes. Anyway, she left a note on our front door and I always remember things better after I see them in writing.
12. Biking challenges.
13. Non-stacked washer and dryer! No more freaking front-load!
14. Getting to know a new area of Austin, and probably a lot of Bee Cave.
As a side note, I'm ready not to have a lockbox on our house! I was looking back through our lease today and we could have declined if we had paid $150. It would have been worth it! I wonder if that means we could have declined showings, too... Because I was over it after the third one. Today really chapped me, though. A lot of times, it's a representative from our management company who shows the house.
Yesterday after 3 PM, I got a text that said, "Afternoon I would like to show your house at 1:00 PM." It was a Realtor from an independent agency. I asked what day, and she said Saturday. Fine.
So we got our attic taken care of, and cleaned that up (stuff dropped into the kitchen from the dusty access, and plus we have to climb over kitchen stuff, and a glass bowl broke, etc.) then we tidied the stuff up on the back porch so you can still walk back there. I woke Daphne up at noon (if you've missed that discussion: she sleeps a swing shift schedule), and we straightened up her room.
By about 1, Mal was getting restless and needed a nap. I was trying to keep him awake until after the showing, but by 1:15, he was getting hysterical (giddy then screaming) and accidentally violent, so I texted the Realtor at 1:20 and said, "Are you on your way? My baby desperately needs a nap..." She texted back, "We got held up at the other house. I'm sorry. I think they've decided on it."
Geez, lady! Let me know if you're not going to come! Some of us like live in our house.
So, yeah. Ready not to have to tidy up unless I want to because I have exciting people coming over. Preferably to bring me delicious food.
4. Two thermostats! I don't know how we'll take advantage of this unless Daphne goes somewhere for a week, but it's still kind of neat.
5. Not having the stuff stolen from our patio (if someone really wants to scale the exterior of the building to mount our second-floor balcony and take a cushion... well, I wish I could at least watch).
6. Not having people walking in our front door.
7. Hidey-holes for all of our messes.
8. Climate control that isn't sabotaged by poor insulation.
9. On-site maintenance.
10. Not hearing our crazy next-door neighbors' romantic drama four feet from our bedroom window.
11. Actually knowing our next-door neighbor by name! It's DeAndre, I believe, and she has a couple of kids, including a daughter who looks a bit older than Daphne and a son who looks a lot older than Daphne. I know her name not because she introduced herself (which she did later, but I don't remember that kind of thing), but because she took all of our boxes into her foyer the first couple of days until she realized we were going to get a LOT of boxes. Anyway, she left a note on our front door and I always remember things better after I see them in writing.
12. Biking challenges.
13. Non-stacked washer and dryer! No more freaking front-load!
14. Getting to know a new area of Austin, and probably a lot of Bee Cave.
*******
As a side note, I'm ready not to have a lockbox on our house! I was looking back through our lease today and we could have declined if we had paid $150. It would have been worth it! I wonder if that means we could have declined showings, too... Because I was over it after the third one. Today really chapped me, though. A lot of times, it's a representative from our management company who shows the house.
Yesterday after 3 PM, I got a text that said, "Afternoon I would like to show your house at 1:00 PM." It was a Realtor from an independent agency. I asked what day, and she said Saturday. Fine.
So we got our attic taken care of, and cleaned that up (stuff dropped into the kitchen from the dusty access, and plus we have to climb over kitchen stuff, and a glass bowl broke, etc.) then we tidied the stuff up on the back porch so you can still walk back there. I woke Daphne up at noon (if you've missed that discussion: she sleeps a swing shift schedule), and we straightened up her room.
By about 1, Mal was getting restless and needed a nap. I was trying to keep him awake until after the showing, but by 1:15, he was getting hysterical (giddy then screaming) and accidentally violent, so I texted the Realtor at 1:20 and said, "Are you on your way? My baby desperately needs a nap..." She texted back, "We got held up at the other house. I'm sorry. I think they've decided on it."
Geez, lady! Let me know if you're not going to come! Some of us like live in our house.
So, yeah. Ready not to have to tidy up unless I want to because I have exciting people coming over. Preferably to bring me delicious food.
Friday, June 5, 2015
Austin's Bike Lanes, a tutorial
Austin is one of those places that really wants to be bike friendly, and that almost *is* bike friendly... Just that not everyone's on board yet.
First thing I'll say is that people don't tend to be openly hostile to me as a bike rider. Austin's a little too laid back for that. If anything, they go overboard to be "nice." I'll be approaching a 4-way stop, and a motorist will be stopped; instead of going when they see me, they hit the brakes again just to make sure I'm actually going to observe the stop sign. Well, I am... so GO. Don't waste my time! Admittedly, sometimes, after I've started decelerating and they're still not moving, I'll shake my head, start pumping, and go on through without stopping because... why???
However, people don't seem to understand things about the new bike lanes that are starting to proliferate the city.
 |
| Heading north from MLK on Rio Grande. Bi-directional on the same side, even! |
However...
 |
| Awesome protected bike lane going south on Guadalupe from 24th to MLK. |
Therein lies one problem: You're supposed to park, look both ways, then cross to the sidewalk. But no. Many pedestrians, during particularly busy times, will avoid the people-packed sidewalks and use this cool new apparently deserted boulevard. I don't have a bell anymore (mine fell off), so you'll have to excuse me when I scream at you as I approach at 12 miles per hour or so.
Yesterday when Mal and I were riding, a guy parked, saw his friends huddled around a news stand about half a block away, and started slowly meandering toward them, trash-talking the whole way. In the bike lane. "EXCUSE ME!" and he moved in good humor. I should have waited longer to alert him. A li'l pee in the old pants might cure this guy of this forever.
You know what this lane is *not*? It is NOT MOTORCYCLE PARKING. For the first time, also yesterday, I saw an entire motorcycle parked length-wise across the bike lane. Ironically, the parking space to the left of it was empty! There was no way to get up on the sidewalk, and I was fortunately able to use the empty parking space to get around the motorcycle, but if someone had backed into the spot or there had been a car there, I would have had to dismount and walk around the obstruction.
Finally, yesterday I ended up behind two cyclists originally using the lane in the way it was intended, albeit much more slowly than I desired to ride. I was waiting for an open space to get past them, as they were riding two-along. Then I think they saw a place they wanted to eat, and they slowed and finally stopped, maybe to read the menu posted in the window, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE.
They were appropriately sheepish when I screamed (I wasn't startled; it was the third obstacle in half a mile, so I was on guard), so I think they'll not stop in the bike lane any further.
Today, for the first time (probably surprisingly) I was almost struck by a vehicle turning right. Memo to motorists: when turning right across a bike lane, look first! It's just like turning right from the middle lane, even though that's the only lane available to you. Not only did she turn, she started to turn and realized traffic was backed up, and stopped in the middle of the bike lane! Meanwhile, I had a green light and was headed full-bore through the intersection. (No contact; we're all fine.)
 |
| New lanes partially open and partially still under construction going east and west on 3rd Street. |
To recap, use the bike lanes thusly:
1) To ride a bicycle.
2) To stop on a bicycle because you are at a light or have to yield to a pedestrian, as indicated in the lane.
3) To quickly mount or dismount your bicycle.
4) As a pedestrian to get from your car to the sidewalk and/or back.
5) As a pedestrian to get from the sidewalk to the crosswalk and/or back.
I think that's about it!
Oh, another request? If you're parallel parking, please be careful! There are those flexible barriers, but if you hit one of them, you're probably going to give an oncoming cyclist a heart-attack. :)
And, yes, I know there are rude cyclists. I can be one. But the bike lanes give such a sense of security, they should be secure places!
KTHXBAI
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