At Least the Bar is Open

things are coming along much more slowly than anticipated with the house. I still don't have tables and entertainment center/stand on order, no bedding or mattress either. I still need to get some towels and flatware as well. The kitchen is pretty much good to go though and the cable and internet are hooked up. At this point, I have about 6 total chairs and a kick ass TV to go along with the fully stocked bar and at least a few pint and highball glasses. Basically the hearty can head this way, get drunk, riad the fridge or pantry and sleep on the aerobed or floor. Hopefully at this time next week large amounts of progress will be made. The tables should be on order, the towels and flatware will be taken care of, hopefully a mattress will be in the works and a majority of my furniture should be delivered. I also plan to do some yard work and paint the garage. Neither of these should be a big deal but are going to take a few hours. By 9 each night, I will probably be shot...so the Jack won't take quite the hit before I crater for the night. A couple big weekends and things should be all good and maybe I can start enjoying the promixity to the lake as the neighbors hit it up last weekend and said it was wonderful.

Third times a charm

When shopping for appliances in Charlotte, Queen City appliance has pretty darn good pricing. Your pleasurable experience will stop there! If you have the ability or desire to rent a truck/Uhaul and your own team of movers, then maybe. I am guessing "delivery" from the box stores will be cheap enough to offset this expense and the difference in prices.
This morning, at about 10 AM, the third attempt to deliver my fridge and dryer occured, finally with success. Last tuesday they were to be dropped off with washer and TV as I wrote about previously. This happened about 4:45 and I was supposedto be in class at 5:30. Showed at 7 and quickly began finding out my purchase location was a mistake. Since then I have had no less than 5 other people tell me the prices are good but service sucks worse than the carousel-o-morons you deal with in the box stores. Thanks for the advanced warning (not that I asked anyone really but they knew I was shopping)folks! I willsay the delivery guys were not too abd andtoday's crew, as opposed to the guys from last tuesday and Saturday were extremely quick. I think it was a more balanced squad with both capable instead of one who was pushing to get done and the other quite slow. Grand total I was given a combined 12 hour time period in which to wait for my appliances. I played last Tuesday to a tee, showing up at the house after them though I was promised advance notice that never happened. Saturday they arrived at 11:15...tail end of the AM delivery time frame. I had little to nothing to do that morning either as I still had essentials shopping to do prior to unpacking as it took maybe 30 minutes to unload that mornings run. Today they had me captive until 11 with installation and everything. I was the second stop. Wow, that's bad turnover between stops. About 3 yesterday I received a call confirming the PM delivery for today. Needless to say I was one notch below "It fell the f*ck off" pissed. Apparently my comments to the dispatch and service people were well heeded at some point. Having not received a later AM, first stop confirmation I called in around 6:15 and left a rather scathing message. When I finally talked to someone this morning I wasscheduled for thte second stop. Amazing what threatening forcing a refund and taking business elsewhere will do I guess. I'm just happy I was home as I thought about heading to work and forcing them to call but had taken enough stuff home to work on and keep busy this morning. That same 1 hour note on the ticket from last week was put into affect 10 minutes prior to delivery. How do I know. I used the one hour delivery warning as ample time to get to Hardees 5 minutes away for breakfast and watch the Queen City truck turn towards the house from the drive thru lane. I was back in under 15 (slow ass drive thru) and they were unloading as I pulled in.
Now if the dryer will have cut itself off and the fridge will still be on when I get home things will be back on track. I'm just happy I was home when they came by.

Success

Many of us stress out about our jobs and everything that we have going on. Most of this readership, if not all, is college educated and at least attempting to be upwardly mobile in our respective careers. With this in mind and the pressures we all put on ourselves, or have put on us by in various ways by others, I like to reference back to the following quote. Apparently there is a debate about who actually wrote it, at least as far as the site I am copying the test from indicates. I'll give attribution to Ralph Waldo Emerson he is given credit on the small framed copy of this I received for high school graduation and it has traveled with me since. I re-read it the other day while packing and wanted to share it with you all.


Revamped to include the long version I mentioned in comment.

"The definition of success--

To laugh much

To win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children

To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty

To appreciate beauty

To find the best in others

To give one's self

To leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition.

To have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived--

This is to have succeeded."

~ Emerson

Casa del Wha

Well it is official, I am now a homeowner. On top of the lovely check that passed across the table I was able to partake in the continuing downward spiral of going into debt. House debt is one thing. Real estate at least holds it's value if not appreciating. The wonders of appliances and furniture...not so much. After moving some stuff immediately after closing then enlisting help from Poot both Friday and Sunday and a little assistance from Skippy and Nobrainer Friday night, I was able to get about 7 cra trips worht up to the hosue. Needless to say the cars were completely loaded down but no run was pointless. At this point, a few kitchen items, clothes and my bedroom furniture is all that remains in the apartment. Hopefully with a little U-Haul action this weekend or a pickup truck, that will be knocked out as well. One good run with the truck should be all it takes to get the dresser, mattress and box springs. The ole Jeep can handle the rest.
After most of the moving was taken care of, the spending began. It started with a run to Target for basic maintenace stuff. Cleaning supplies, paper towels, etc. Three bills later that was over. The next day it was Lowes for a vacuum and drill/saw Black and Decker set. Nothing nice as it is a rechargable battery set up and don't expect the battery to worth a damn in a year. After this is where the real fun began Sunday afterrnoon. One appliance store stop (I had shopped the boxes over the span of a couple weeks and stopped by this place Saturday on referral) and I walked out with a new fridge, washer, dryer, and, drum roll please, 42" Plasma HD. Yes, it began to sting at this point but I was only half way through the madness. Next stop, Haverty's. Here I knocked out a master bedroom set (King Bed, 3 drawer TV Chest/armoir, two night stands, and dresser/mirror) as well as a couch and love seat for the living room. And then I was done for the weekend. By this point my head was pounding, I was usinga little fuzzy math to justify everything and figure out exactly when things would be paid off as each of the two big purchase stores had 6 or 12 mo same as cash offers that I coupled with money down via our friends at Visa. Hey, the hell with the check card. I want the damn points. I think I have enough for a toaster now...sweet! This weekends agenda: finish aforementioned moving, find a mattress (no go at the furniture store or local rertailers) probably at a local manufacturer then find a coffee table, end table, and entertainment stand. It would be nice to find them all in the same wood, but I'm not holding my breath. I guess that wraps things up. I'm sure as many of you as possible will get to see it at the shin dig I plan on throwing around the 4th of July. More news to come on that at a later date.


Monday night Amendment: Ofthe four appliances that showed up, The TV was in one piece, and the washer is installed. They brought a dryer with a standard rear vent instead of the side knockout like I requested (standard feature but must be requested) and the fridge wouldn't turn on. Lights were on inside, but the compressor wasn't home. Neither was the mouse on on the treamill to run the water dispenser. Now I have to deal with scheduling all this crap for Saturday morning. Plus they didn't give me the hour notice they promised. More like 5 minutes. Good thing I was up in the area for work anyway. Hopefully this isn't a bad house omen!