The Kramers are moving.....10 am Saturday, so if you are not attending your Goldfishs' funeral, taking your Chihuahua to water aerobics or alphabetizing your food storage....we thank you profusely in advance for your help :).....
If you're Mormon (or not), you have probably helped a lot of people move. Not that it's in the handbook, but is something we seem to do, often. We help our friends, and try to keep the "how much stuff could one family have" thought and eye rolling to ourselves. I have helped with some pretty crazy moves over the years and this is my pledge to all of you that this won't be one of THOSE moves, I pinkie promise :)
Every thing is in BOXES already and no we haven't packed our china in garbage bags :)
We do own a piano, no it's not grand and no it doesn't need to go up seventeen flights of stairs :)
We do expect ALL of our rug rats to help until its finished and no we won't allow them to play bumper cars with the dollies while people are trying to use them.
Yes we rented a Truck, a big one...So No it won't take 14 hours with 2 mini vans and a Suburban.
No we don't have much FOOD STORAGE, we aren't that good of Mormons yet, plus they Won't.Stop. Eating.
The China Cabinet does need to be hoisted over the deck, but its okay if you drop it ;).
Saturday should be a blast, so THANK YOU. And if we can't be friends after this, we completely understand. :)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Numb
The toughest decisions in life, never come when it is easy to make them....
I feel numb right now. My sister called an hour ago...She was rushing back to Nephi, Dad is in the ER with critically high sodium levels, Hypernatremia A condition that should not have happened in care. Kelli needed to get there ASAP....
Kelli just called to say Dad's sodium levels are the highest the DR has ever seen and he has severe pneumonia....the chance of recovery, slim and the damage from the sodium, neurologically will be quite significant sigh...Decisions.
We have decided to keep him comfortable, to wait and see....playing God sucks. Suffering sucks.
I feel numb right now. My sister called an hour ago...She was rushing back to Nephi, Dad is in the ER with critically high sodium levels, Hypernatremia A condition that should not have happened in care. Kelli needed to get there ASAP....
Kelli just called to say Dad's sodium levels are the highest the DR has ever seen and he has severe pneumonia....the chance of recovery, slim and the damage from the sodium, neurologically will be quite significant sigh...Decisions.
We have decided to keep him comfortable, to wait and see....playing God sucks. Suffering sucks.
The Fix-It Faux Pas
"I can smell antifreeze?!" I say to the Superman as we start our marathon of errends on Saturday morning. He totally rolled his eyes at me.
{I'm admitting nothing, but I have at times maybe, heard noises or smelled smells from our vehicles and worried they were breaking down (ok something was breaking down...but it wasn't the vehicle)}
I've never claimed to be normal, but I do have a slight phobia about being stranded by a vehicle...long story.....
When we stopped to put the deposit on the moving truck...."It's leaking, like alot Grant!" "I'll check it when we get home!?" "I think we should head home NOW!"
Super decides to try one more errand...as we hit the Ryan road intersection, 3 blocks from home the Van starts SMOKING and is now making sounds usually reserved for reptiles....
We make it in the driveway...
{I'm admitting nothing, but I have at times maybe, heard noises or smelled smells from our vehicles and worried they were breaking down (ok something was breaking down...but it wasn't the vehicle)}
I've never claimed to be normal, but I do have a slight phobia about being stranded by a vehicle...long story.....
When we stopped to put the deposit on the moving truck...."It's leaking, like alot Grant!" "I'll check it when we get home!?" "I think we should head home NOW!"
Super decides to try one more errand...as we hit the Ryan road intersection, 3 blocks from home the Van starts SMOKING and is now making sounds usually reserved for reptiles....
We make it in the driveway...
The Superman immediately starts ripping the van apart...."It's the timing chain seal, I don't have the time to fix it, it will have to take it in"
Grant takes it in...They first call to tell us it's not what Grant said, then an hour later call back to say....Yes it's exactly what Grant said...
Grant went to pick up our "fixed " van Sunday evening....It was no longer spuing antifreeze, but now had a knock, miss fire in the engine. The mechanic said he had a quick look, but the problem wasn't obvious....and because it was a seperate problem than we had brought it in for we would have to pay to have diagnoised...Grant chose the bring it home...
Monday evening Grant ripped apart the van again...2 minutes later he comes in the house...
It's fixed!
Really?? A wire had been taken or knocked off the distributor cap....Any mechanic should have spotted it in seconds. (Especially from the sound)
I know not all mechanics are dishonest...But it's hard not to question this ones integrety.
I don't like feeling disappointed in people.
We have rarely needed a mechanic, as the Superman can fix nearly everthing car wise. But I'm still on the search for an honest one, for the future.
We can't even be mad at the loser cruiser ...It's the First problem she's ever had...and Grant took the oppurtunity last night to change filters and plugs while it was already apart...So I guess it's all good.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Prescription for Gratitude
The Kramer offspring are VERY accident prone.....Otter bites, sticks through arms, split chins, mishaps with nail guns (x3) and terrible issues with the laws of gravity...the odder the injury the increased chance of it happening to a Kramer it seems. This fact increases my gratitude for a universal health care system in Canada....
We pay $128 a month for full medical coverage for all seven of us (work kicks in half of that)...doctors offices visits, ER, hospital stays, specialists etc...its all covered. In 19 years of marriage we have paid only one medical bill that I can remember, $32 for a doctor to fill out a form Grant needed for work.
I have never once thought twice about taking my kid (or the Superman) to the DR or ER, if they need it, we just go. Something I have completely taken for granted, until now...
My sister called me this weekend and said "Take a guess?!"" What?" "How much do you think the hospital bill was for Dad's 11 day stay?" The amount she rattled off, SHOCKED me...lets just say you could buy a brand new loaded sporty mini van, for less....
It's easy to see how it racks up when you get charged like this....
$9.40 each single Depends
$365.00 each 24 hr use of O2
$54.00 pulse ox check, each time (takes 30 seconds)
$50.00 razor (electric, required)
and the list goes on and on.
We could never afford to live were medical costs were like this.
I am grateful for our medical care and coverage. If we had to pay for it the Kramer children would walk around in bubble wrap and helmets and bathe in hand sanitizer....
We pay $128 a month for full medical coverage for all seven of us (work kicks in half of that)...doctors offices visits, ER, hospital stays, specialists etc...its all covered. In 19 years of marriage we have paid only one medical bill that I can remember, $32 for a doctor to fill out a form Grant needed for work.
I have never once thought twice about taking my kid (or the Superman) to the DR or ER, if they need it, we just go. Something I have completely taken for granted, until now...
My sister called me this weekend and said "Take a guess?!"" What?" "How much do you think the hospital bill was for Dad's 11 day stay?" The amount she rattled off, SHOCKED me...lets just say you could buy a brand new loaded sporty mini van, for less....
It's easy to see how it racks up when you get charged like this....
$9.40 each single Depends
$365.00 each 24 hr use of O2
$54.00 pulse ox check, each time (takes 30 seconds)
$50.00 razor (electric, required)
and the list goes on and on.
We could never afford to live were medical costs were like this.
I am grateful for our medical care and coverage. If we had to pay for it the Kramer children would walk around in bubble wrap and helmets and bathe in hand sanitizer....
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Sunday Dress Rules.
This won't get me any Mother of the Year points, But I must share......
The rug rats have gotten themselves ready for Church on there own for years now (minus the weekly frantic search for shoes) and we only have a few rules.
1. Modest
2. Clean
3. Ironed
I rarely pay attention to what they look like as we walk out the door...The fact that we make it out the door is, in itself its own miracle :)....
We were rushed as we walked into Church, this morning and I still hadn't noticed anything amiss....
It wasn't until Dallyn got up to pass the Sacrament that I noticed this.....
{I know how irreverent of me!}
Dallyn had done his own hair, and looked just like.... Think, SNL, Ed Grimley....
Nope, I couldn't even look at him...It was all I could do, to keep from losing it on the stand {bad parent}. Ed Grimley skits would not stop playing through my mind....I might have been the only one that noticed but, it made my Sacrament Meeting.
New Rule #4
Hair (must NOT resemble cartoon characters, vacuum cleaner attachments or anything from SNL)
Friday, March 16, 2012
Call Centre CRAZY
So it is ONE week til we move across town to a new house. It can't happen fast enough. I am the kind of person that once I get my head around something we have to do...I just want the job finished. Packing, de junking, Cleaning and sorting got old two weeks ago and now we are all ready to be done....
If the rug rats thought the last two weeks were a lot of work, they are in for a shocker this weekend, the Shed, carport, yard and deck are all calling their names, {of course they work, while the superman and Isip lemonade, lounging in our Adirondack chairs wear referee shirts and whistles and try to keep them from taking each other out with rakes and shovels and such} Good times. I. CAN'T. WAIT.
But today was my most cherished day of the entire moving process....Today I have spent hours sitting on hold, listening to crap-tastic elevator music, whilst changing all our utilities over to the new address, scheduling carpet cleaning and arranging a truck rental. Watching paint dry is more stimulating.
With the amount I paid hydro last week (we could have flown to Hawaii) I should at least be receiving a fruit basket from them, but no...after waiting on hold they tell me I need to do it on line...when I go on line it says to call in because we have a week carry over between addresses....on hold...45 minutes later I speak to Bob...Bob takes 90 seconds to set up the new account and then tells me there will be a charge of $13.89 for setting up a new account...its standard for everybody....I pay in body parts (arm & leg) every month and I have to pay more for you to hit send on your computer...I will never understand that...
The phone company was actually pleasant and nice (I'm serious) I was on hold for 3 minutes and There was no charge to move our services....
But the truck company takes the annoying cake. "Do you have a Truck available Mar 24?" "Yes, Well maybe..." "Well which is it " "It's $69 a day plus kms" "Kay but is it available?".... on hold ten minutes later...."No, I think its booked, You will have to rent a one-way truck" "Well how much is that one..." "269" "as in dollars?" "Yes, but that includes 100 km"..... (Now I suck at math but...)"Why is it so much more?" "That just what my computer says..." "Why would I pay that" "Well most people do." he says as I tell him "Thank you, but I'll call around."....
I call Budget...they have a truck, its $49/ day plus kms...sold! 3 minutes later its done.
So I think my phone Marathon is over....that was so much fun, I think we should move more often?!?!
Now if I just make the week without reverting to the fetal position.....YAY ME! Yup, I'm feeling the CRAZY twitch coming on :)
If the rug rats thought the last two weeks were a lot of work, they are in for a shocker this weekend, the Shed, carport, yard and deck are all calling their names, {of course they work, while the superman and I
But today was my most cherished day of the entire moving process....Today I have spent hours sitting on hold, listening to crap-tastic elevator music, whilst changing all our utilities over to the new address, scheduling carpet cleaning and arranging a truck rental. Watching paint dry is more stimulating.
With the amount I paid hydro last week (we could have flown to Hawaii) I should at least be receiving a fruit basket from them, but no...after waiting on hold they tell me I need to do it on line...when I go on line it says to call in because we have a week carry over between addresses....on hold...45 minutes later I speak to Bob...Bob takes 90 seconds to set up the new account and then tells me there will be a charge of $13.89 for setting up a new account...its standard for everybody....I pay in body parts (arm & leg) every month and I have to pay more for you to hit send on your computer...I will never understand that...
The phone company was actually pleasant and nice (I'm serious) I was on hold for 3 minutes and There was no charge to move our services....
But the truck company takes the annoying cake. "Do you have a Truck available Mar 24?" "Yes, Well maybe..." "Well which is it " "It's $69 a day plus kms" "Kay but is it available?".... on hold ten minutes later...."No, I think its booked, You will have to rent a one-way truck" "Well how much is that one..." "269" "as in dollars?" "Yes, but that includes 100 km"..... (Now I suck at math but...)"Why is it so much more?" "That just what my computer says..." "Why would I pay that" "Well most people do." he says as I tell him "Thank you, but I'll call around."....
I call Budget...they have a truck, its $49/ day plus kms...sold! 3 minutes later its done.
So I think my phone Marathon is over....that was so much fun, I think we should move more often?!?!
Now if I just make the week without reverting to the fetal position.....YAY ME! Yup, I'm feeling the CRAZY twitch coming on :)
Monday, March 12, 2012
The Perfect Storm
Holly came in our room this morning at 6:45..."The power just went out" It was only then that realized how hard the wind was blowing. "Go back to bed!!!"....By 8 we knew schools and ferries were cancelled and still no power....
The wind was shaking the house, like never before, standing on the second floor felt like a rocking boat.
No power meant no heat or hot water....my only saving grace....there was supposed to be a showing this morning so the house was spotless and all the laundry, dishes were done....and Madison had made banana muffins last night so we had something for breakfast....
Down side, all the books, board games we own are in boxes....
So after a rousing hour long game of "lock Bailey out of the house" the rug rats had run out of entertainment options... So, We decided to take every one storm watching (we didn't know the RCMP had advised everyone to stay home :))....
This is what Goose Spit normally looks like.....
This is goose spit today......
Hear the Titanic theme music...
The wind was shaking the house, like never before, standing on the second floor felt like a rocking boat.
No power meant no heat or hot water....my only saving grace....there was supposed to be a showing this morning so the house was spotless and all the laundry, dishes were done....and Madison had made banana muffins last night so we had something for breakfast....
Down side, all the books, board games we own are in boxes....
So after a rousing hour long game of "lock Bailey out of the house" the rug rats had run out of entertainment options... So, We decided to take every one storm watching (we didn't know the RCMP had advised everyone to stay home :))....
This is what Goose Spit normally looks like.....
This is goose spit today......
Hear the Titanic theme music...
 |
| waves and wind pushing logs across the road |
The storm was unreal....sea foam flying looked like snow flakes in the air...waves were crashing across the road....and the wind made it nearly impossible to open car doors or stand up...It was AMAZING!
Power finally came back on just before 6 pm(almost 11 hours out)....some damage to the soffit on our house and fence panells blown down...but we faired pretty well.
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