If we didn't have bad luck, we'd have no luck at all...

Just over a week ago, we got *hammered* with a two-hour long hailstorm, thunder, lightning, and pounding rain. The hail was about dime size, so it wasn't terribly large, but big enough to damage all my plants and make all the berries fall off our tree. No big whoop (in the grand scheme of things).

The fun part of the storm was, I decided to have Josh check out the basement during the storm to see if there was any rain coming in because the storm was THAT fierce. He came up and said that the basement was fine and we went back to watching tv. I had a funny feeling that I should just double-check that, like a little leprechaun sitting on my shoulder, and we went back down half an hour later.

Well, lo and behold, we first walked into the laundry room and he went in first and said "all clear!" I took a look in and said "hey, what's this?" He said "what?" I said "this crack in the wall and the pool of water that's forming below it..." (insert sarcastic tone here). So I ran up the stairs and grabbed an armful of towels and trudged back downstairs. Josh had the fun job of mopping/squeegeeing the floor and I put the towels down. Heh.

The crack in the wall in the laundry room is RIGHT below our electrical panel...great place for it. On the outside it's right near our gas pipe. We have all the luck in the world. I had him call our electrician friend right away just to make sure that everything was ok.

Then we left the laundry room and continued walking around the basement and I noticed another LARGE puddle forming in the corner. So a bunch more towels went down. Then I looked up. I noticed that one of the ceiling tiles was wet...that can't be good. The problem with that leak is that we have interlocking brick in the backyard that's sloped TOWARDS the house, yes, the magoo who installed it decided it would be a good idea to do that. So now we're going to have to re-grade the backyard and re-install all the interlock bricks. Awesome! (No, before you ask, we didn't install the bricks...)

Just as we were about to leave the basement I decided to check the closet...I just had a feeling. The floor was SOAKED with water, so much so that it was trailing through the closet and back into the main room of the basement. Apparently a pipe decided to leak at the same time as the storm happened (or at least that's what the fine people at Roto-Rooter told us the next day when I called them. Originally I thought it was all from the flood, but it was all just a coincidence. Lucky us...

Anyways, now we're at the 'fun' part of the flood, we're getting quotes from various suppliers to fix the leaks/cracks and waterproof the basement. So far we've had three quotes and none of them have even been remotely the same. All we can do is laugh when we see the numbers.

I swear, if there's any more rain in the forecast, I'm just going to take the bold step and build an ark...

The wishy washy washing machine company of Walla Walla Washington...

A while back I got the dreaded phone call, you all know the one, it happens (without fail) right at dinner time. A gentleman was on the phone selling something which I've long since forgotten. The amusing thing was his name...Peter Parker. What, was Bruce Wayne taken? Clark Kent perhaps?

Today we got a knock at the door from someone, and since we didn't know who it was, Josh opened the front door but not the storm door. It turned out that it was a door-to-door salesman who wanted us to change gas companies. He asked us to open the storm door and when Josh refused, the gentleman patted down his pockets and said "I don't have a weapon!" Umm, ok? Thanks for telling me? It's still our right to not open our door if we choose. Though in all reality, if he had a weapon, our all glass storm door isn't much protection. :P

We both found it mildly amusing, if not downright annoying, that he kept talking after we both said we weren't interested in switching. He kept talking about the benefits. We knew he heard us, but he kept yammering on.

Goodbye George...

You were a comedic genius and I'm glad Josh and I had the opportunity to see you in concert years ago.

(The clip is safe for family viewing...trust me, it took a while to find one that was G-rated.)

Taking a trip down memory lane...

I've decided to break my long held rule and post a picture of myself. Heh. If you know me, you can probably pick me out of that photo. Sadly I haven't changed much in the 28 (probably grade three or so) years since it was taken. There's a reason why I'm posting it.

I was on Facebook this week and out of the blue I got contacted by a couple of people I haven't seen in 25 years...since public school. Yup, grade six, people. For the mathematically challenged, I'll be 37 this year. ;)

One thing led to another and a bunch of other people started contacting me, and I contacted other people and things kind of mushroomed from there. Well, now it looks like next month we're going to be putting together a reunion of sorts. How freaky is that? The world works in mysterious ways, doesn't it?

The one thing that everyone has been saying to me after "Oh my G-d! Rhonda!", is "Are you married?" and "Do you have any kids?"

So far I've been avoiding that proverbial landmine by saying "not yet", I mean it's a safe answer and sort of the truth. Technically, she's not here, yet. It's not like I'm going to tell them my life story on Facebook, but what should I tell them when I see them next month? In a way I'm asking for advice, but also I'm just sort of venting, you know?

I know a few of you think I'm crazy for going to the reunion, period, but I think it's going to be a hoot to see these people after all this time.

Happy birthday, Josh!

Happy birthday to my husband, my best friend, and the most patient man I know. I love you, Josh!

21 gun salute

I figured that the title was apropos when talking about this month's LIDiversary and especially who it's about. Last summer we met Special K and some other fine Buckeyes on a fantabulous road trip through Ohio and Kentucky. She, and the other women I met always amaze me with their strength and perseverance through this hard process. I've learned so much from all of them.

When I asked Special K what she wanted on the bracelet to represent herself (though really I knew before she told me), she chose the penguin. Gee, what a surprise... ;)

We cut back this month and decided to go with gingerbread men instead of a cake. What better way to 'celebrate' crime-fighting than with a couple of Batman gingerbread men? It was only when we were at the cash register paying for them that I turned to Josh and broke down laughing. He turned to me and asked what was so funny. I said, "Isn't it a bit ironic that we've got Batman gingerbread and I just put a penguin on the bracelet?"

We walked out giggling like idiots...

How do YOU think a piano playing cat would sound?

January 20? 22?

What difference does the *actual* date matter since the 22nd was a Sunday? The CCAA did a huge batch (numbers-wise) this month! Finally it feels like things are progressing a little bit. It took a month off our total wait time, instead of our expected referral arriving sometime in November 2011, we're now expecting a referral in October 2011. Woo. Can you feel the excitement? ;)

Yes, this is sarcasm people.

I am excited about the prospect that the next batch, possibly covering CNY of 2006, and being just as large as this past batch, that it might just shave off some more time. It finally feels like things *might* be moving forward.

Congrats to everyone seeing their child's face for the first time this week...

Cuteness overload...

...but be careful to turn your speakers down a bit, it scared the crap out of me. :P

Thanks Spitgirl.