Crazy, Crazy Day: Plumbing, E Coli (Maybe) and a NEW iPad
So, I get up after a fitful night (coughing and feeling crummy -- I seem to be fighting a cold). I go in the laundry room where our second fridge is (the one where we bungee cord the freezer door shut), to get the cat food out to feed that cats. I suddenly notice the sink is full of RED WATER (looks like blood!!!) on both sides! I start freaking out a bit -- then realize it's been turned red from the Jello I washed down the sink the night before.
If you read my entry yesterday, I mentioned a mess when I went to put the soup away. The glass bottle of lime juice froze, broke and leaked all over. One of the things it leaked on was a package of three containers of red Jello. I wasn't going to stick that in the garbage where it would 'melt' into liquid, so I ran it under hot water until it had melted and let it go down the sink.
Anyway, now I need to stay home from work and get a plumber out, pronto. I call ProDrain (we've been using them for years now) and get Lisa, who is very nice and very helpful. They have to squeeze us in, but she contacts their guy and she tells me he can probably be at the house around 9:00. So I rush to get dressed, do my blood and put in my contacts and all that morning junk...
I've phoned Donn to cancel him for today, and find out he actually finished the WiFi at work yesterday! So I didn't need him today, anyway. He gives me a lengthy report of how things went.
I talk to sister Sue and tell her what's happening.
I have emails from the office about an entirely different IT issue and I start working on THAT.
The plumber (Mario) arrives, and I tell him the problem. I've recalled that I'd seen standing water in those sinks last night -- before the Jello issue. He assures me that the Jello had NOTHING to do with my problem. Our kitchen sink and laundry room sinks are on the same line. So we get a lot of gunk from the washing machine (even though we try to filter it out), plus we get grease and stuff from the kitchen (which he says is nearly impossible to avoid in a kitchen sink). This combination means I need the line snaked now and again.
While he was here I also had him do my bathroom sink and bathtub -- which he told me really needed it, because of my long hair. (I also try hard to filter both of those, but there's only so much you can do, after all.) Mario was very impressive and really did a good and quick job! He may be one of the best plumbers we've ever used. The cost was quite a bit, but worth it.
I ended up taking two work-related calls while he was here (!!!), if you can believe that. In fact, I was on the phone constantly all morning long, mostly about work.
Marilyn told me about the celery issue (E Coli), asking where our recent celery had come from. She was worried about me eating it and getting E Coli. The celery I put in our soup was from Freddies, which isn't on the recall list. But we had a tray of Safeway celery -- and I ate a piece in the middle of the night (when we were both up while she did her hair, etc.). So I start researching that! It turns out you can wash off around 90% of E Coli but running veggies under the tap. And boiling kills E Coli. So even if the celery in the soup had been tainted, boiling it (which I did) would have taken care of things. But, no, I didn't wash that celery from the tray! It didn't even occur to me...
Later in the day I was having symptoms associated with E Coli. So Marilyn had me take apple cider vinegar (I should have done that first thing in the morning). But that's another story...
Sue and I had talked about lunch because of my bday. But we wanted Marilyn to join us, and she had a lunch meeting today (and meetings all day tomorrow). So now we're talking about dinner tomorrow night. And my friend Adeena asked me weeks and weeks ago about spending the day with me on my birthday, so if we don't do anything else, we'll have her join us for dinner, too. That should be nice.
After dealing with IT and other work stuff until afternoon, I finally decided I'd change clothes, put on something warm and comfy and take a nap. I really wasn't feeling well and I'd been chilled all day long. I had work I should have been doing, but I decided I could do it tomorrow...
Plus Marilyn and I decided we'd go in to the office to work on Saturday to catch up. I need to set up Sheila's Profile, and Marilyn has had so many meetings this week that she's really behind.
Marilyn has been after me for months and months to get a new iPad, because mine are so old and very, very slow. I've resisted, but she wanted to get me that as a birthday present. So I finally agreed. Anyway, she phoned me around 4:30 and confirmed that we would go tonight after she came home from work. I was having 'issues' -- but got that under control before she arrived.
I got dressed again and pulled myself together and we went to our local Peninsula branch of Fred Meyer. Marilyn wanted me to get a 64 gig. I was going to get the iPad Air (not called ONE, but that's what it is). But they didn't have a 64. Sheena waited on us (she was wonderful!), and she called the Interstate Fred Meyer (not that far away). They said they had one, so we headed there. The young man who waited on us was an ass, frankly. They actually did NOT have one, they had the iPad Air 2 -- and Marilyn talked me into getting it (we're talking a $100 difference, but she favored getting the better model). I finally quit fighting her and agreed.
Nowhere on the iPad Air 2 box does it READ 'iPad Air 2.' I knew this from when I got Jeff's for him for the office. But it rings up at that price. Anyway, we bought it and took it home.
I get home and open it, and there's NO IPAD INSIDE THE BOX!!! There's a piece of metal duct taped inside the package! I'm just beside myself! I start freaking out and shaking like a leaf. Marilyn sees it, and we grab the bag and head directly back to the store.
When we get there, we see no sign of the guy who sold it to us. But there's a woman (Tammi) who waits on us. When she sees it, she immediately gets very serious and calls for the guy who sold it to us. And starts making phone calls to a manager and so on. She really did an impressive job of dealing with the situation! And she's so apologetic.
We figure the device was stolen before it ever got to the store. The plastic was on it perfectly, and the weight was right if you lifted the box! So nobody knew. But as Marilyn says, it's a reminder to ALWAYS open expensive items in the store, before you take them home! Nobody questioned our honesty for one second, by the way.
They didn't have another iPad Air 2 at Interstate -- but Marilyn had been sorry we hadn't gone back to Sheena anyway -- and she had one there. So we now headed back to the first store and purchased it. They'd given us the refund, obviously.
But Marilyn's VISA wouldn't allow the 'new' purchase! It must have been going crazy. But an expensive item. Refund the item. Then try to buy it again! Hahaha. So she had to use a debit card, instead.
By the way, she got a photo of the metal in that package and has already shared it on Facebook!
We got home (finally) and I was still shaking. I did my blood and it was 71. I hadn't eaten since lunch and had been dealing with bowel issues (sorry, TMI), so it was little wonder! I needed something to eat -- and then I was fine.
Now I want to back up one of my two old iPads and restore it to the new one. Of course that's complicated, so that's what I'm working on right now.
Then at some point I need to do the garbage and recycling (not the real week, thankfully!).
Anyway, it was a tough day. But also a very GOOD day, in many ways!
While heading back to the first Fred Meyer, I got a phone call from our friend Rob. He didn't even know tomorrow was my bday. He just wanted to hear my voice! And he was flabbergasted when I told him my age. He had no clue. He kept saying he'd believe 43, but not 63! Hahaha. Sweet guy!
I got an eCard from friends June and Jim, and am already getting greetings on Facebook. And I got a LOVELY present from my friends Charold and Rich (she's a former director -- and both she and he have been presidents of the Portland Rose Society). Actually, it was several presents. The cutest bag, some shower gel and a BEAUTIFUL scarf with roses on it. Charold gives me a gift every single year (plus she gives both Marilyn and I gifts for Christmas). She gave me the beautiful handmade blue Christmas stocking that we hang at our beach house. And the lovely crystal candle holders in our living room here at the Portland house. Charold and Rich are good people and I cherish knowing them.
Well, I need to get back to my iPad setup (sigh). And on to garbage and recycling. Plus if I am going to work tomorrow, I need to get to bed soon!!!
Good night, dear friends!
If you read my entry yesterday, I mentioned a mess when I went to put the soup away. The glass bottle of lime juice froze, broke and leaked all over. One of the things it leaked on was a package of three containers of red Jello. I wasn't going to stick that in the garbage where it would 'melt' into liquid, so I ran it under hot water until it had melted and let it go down the sink.
Anyway, now I need to stay home from work and get a plumber out, pronto. I call ProDrain (we've been using them for years now) and get Lisa, who is very nice and very helpful. They have to squeeze us in, but she contacts their guy and she tells me he can probably be at the house around 9:00. So I rush to get dressed, do my blood and put in my contacts and all that morning junk...
I've phoned Donn to cancel him for today, and find out he actually finished the WiFi at work yesterday! So I didn't need him today, anyway. He gives me a lengthy report of how things went.
I talk to sister Sue and tell her what's happening.
I have emails from the office about an entirely different IT issue and I start working on THAT.
The plumber (Mario) arrives, and I tell him the problem. I've recalled that I'd seen standing water in those sinks last night -- before the Jello issue. He assures me that the Jello had NOTHING to do with my problem. Our kitchen sink and laundry room sinks are on the same line. So we get a lot of gunk from the washing machine (even though we try to filter it out), plus we get grease and stuff from the kitchen (which he says is nearly impossible to avoid in a kitchen sink). This combination means I need the line snaked now and again.
While he was here I also had him do my bathroom sink and bathtub -- which he told me really needed it, because of my long hair. (I also try hard to filter both of those, but there's only so much you can do, after all.) Mario was very impressive and really did a good and quick job! He may be one of the best plumbers we've ever used. The cost was quite a bit, but worth it.
I ended up taking two work-related calls while he was here (!!!), if you can believe that. In fact, I was on the phone constantly all morning long, mostly about work.
Marilyn told me about the celery issue (E Coli), asking where our recent celery had come from. She was worried about me eating it and getting E Coli. The celery I put in our soup was from Freddies, which isn't on the recall list. But we had a tray of Safeway celery -- and I ate a piece in the middle of the night (when we were both up while she did her hair, etc.). So I start researching that! It turns out you can wash off around 90% of E Coli but running veggies under the tap. And boiling kills E Coli. So even if the celery in the soup had been tainted, boiling it (which I did) would have taken care of things. But, no, I didn't wash that celery from the tray! It didn't even occur to me...
Later in the day I was having symptoms associated with E Coli. So Marilyn had me take apple cider vinegar (I should have done that first thing in the morning). But that's another story...
Sue and I had talked about lunch because of my bday. But we wanted Marilyn to join us, and she had a lunch meeting today (and meetings all day tomorrow). So now we're talking about dinner tomorrow night. And my friend Adeena asked me weeks and weeks ago about spending the day with me on my birthday, so if we don't do anything else, we'll have her join us for dinner, too. That should be nice.
After dealing with IT and other work stuff until afternoon, I finally decided I'd change clothes, put on something warm and comfy and take a nap. I really wasn't feeling well and I'd been chilled all day long. I had work I should have been doing, but I decided I could do it tomorrow...
Plus Marilyn and I decided we'd go in to the office to work on Saturday to catch up. I need to set up Sheila's Profile, and Marilyn has had so many meetings this week that she's really behind.
Marilyn has been after me for months and months to get a new iPad, because mine are so old and very, very slow. I've resisted, but she wanted to get me that as a birthday present. So I finally agreed. Anyway, she phoned me around 4:30 and confirmed that we would go tonight after she came home from work. I was having 'issues' -- but got that under control before she arrived.
I got dressed again and pulled myself together and we went to our local Peninsula branch of Fred Meyer. Marilyn wanted me to get a 64 gig. I was going to get the iPad Air (not called ONE, but that's what it is). But they didn't have a 64. Sheena waited on us (she was wonderful!), and she called the Interstate Fred Meyer (not that far away). They said they had one, so we headed there. The young man who waited on us was an ass, frankly. They actually did NOT have one, they had the iPad Air 2 -- and Marilyn talked me into getting it (we're talking a $100 difference, but she favored getting the better model). I finally quit fighting her and agreed.
Nowhere on the iPad Air 2 box does it READ 'iPad Air 2.' I knew this from when I got Jeff's for him for the office. But it rings up at that price. Anyway, we bought it and took it home.
I get home and open it, and there's NO IPAD INSIDE THE BOX!!! There's a piece of metal duct taped inside the package! I'm just beside myself! I start freaking out and shaking like a leaf. Marilyn sees it, and we grab the bag and head directly back to the store.
When we get there, we see no sign of the guy who sold it to us. But there's a woman (Tammi) who waits on us. When she sees it, she immediately gets very serious and calls for the guy who sold it to us. And starts making phone calls to a manager and so on. She really did an impressive job of dealing with the situation! And she's so apologetic.
We figure the device was stolen before it ever got to the store. The plastic was on it perfectly, and the weight was right if you lifted the box! So nobody knew. But as Marilyn says, it's a reminder to ALWAYS open expensive items in the store, before you take them home! Nobody questioned our honesty for one second, by the way.
They didn't have another iPad Air 2 at Interstate -- but Marilyn had been sorry we hadn't gone back to Sheena anyway -- and she had one there. So we now headed back to the first store and purchased it. They'd given us the refund, obviously.
But Marilyn's VISA wouldn't allow the 'new' purchase! It must have been going crazy. But an expensive item. Refund the item. Then try to buy it again! Hahaha. So she had to use a debit card, instead.
By the way, she got a photo of the metal in that package and has already shared it on Facebook!
We got home (finally) and I was still shaking. I did my blood and it was 71. I hadn't eaten since lunch and had been dealing with bowel issues (sorry, TMI), so it was little wonder! I needed something to eat -- and then I was fine.
Now I want to back up one of my two old iPads and restore it to the new one. Of course that's complicated, so that's what I'm working on right now.
Then at some point I need to do the garbage and recycling (not the real week, thankfully!).
Anyway, it was a tough day. But also a very GOOD day, in many ways!
While heading back to the first Fred Meyer, I got a phone call from our friend Rob. He didn't even know tomorrow was my bday. He just wanted to hear my voice! And he was flabbergasted when I told him my age. He had no clue. He kept saying he'd believe 43, but not 63! Hahaha. Sweet guy!
I got an eCard from friends June and Jim, and am already getting greetings on Facebook. And I got a LOVELY present from my friends Charold and Rich (she's a former director -- and both she and he have been presidents of the Portland Rose Society). Actually, it was several presents. The cutest bag, some shower gel and a BEAUTIFUL scarf with roses on it. Charold gives me a gift every single year (plus she gives both Marilyn and I gifts for Christmas). She gave me the beautiful handmade blue Christmas stocking that we hang at our beach house. And the lovely crystal candle holders in our living room here at the Portland house. Charold and Rich are good people and I cherish knowing them.
Well, I need to get back to my iPad setup (sigh). And on to garbage and recycling. Plus if I am going to work tomorrow, I need to get to bed soon!!!
Good night, dear friends!