Hotter than Hell and Climbing
Today I went to pick up Jacob from his dad's house. Technically, I picked him up from school, but, that's not important. I get him all summer. David and I didn't so much as kiss and make up over our argument from a few nights before as just sort of 'move on', so to speak. We're back on 'pleasant terms', which basically means we're not going for each other's jugulars at this precise moment. Anyways, as I said, this drive to get Jacob takes four hours each way. So, I spent eight hours on the road today with my niece in the backseat and Ken driving. I always have these big ass anxiety attacks whenever I drive up to David's. I suppose that's a hint. *Laughs*
In Salinas, it is nice, cool, and windy. In Bakersfield it's 106. I'm surprised I didn't get sick with the rapid climate changes and massive jumps in temps, but, I digress. When we got back to Bakersfield, Michael, Ken, Jacob, Emily, my mom, and I all went out to Mexican food (Around sixish, I suppose). My mom told me on the drive to the restaraunt that Bakersfield had been experienceing power surges all day. Sure enough, at dinner, the lights at the restaraunt kept going on and off and dancing with flickers in between.
When we got back to my parent's home we all noticed that the inside of the house was nearly as hot as the outside. This really didn't make any sense as we had the air conditioner running. About fifteen minutes later, all the lights go out, the air goes off, and even the alarm shuts off (As this has a back up battery, it was kind of weird). We all assumed at first it was another black out. After lighting candles we really didn't want to light (It was already over a hundred in the house) we sat patiently for the lights to come back on. They didn't. Walking into the front room I notice that the porch light is on at the house across the street. I decide to investigate. Not only is that porch light on, all the porch lights are on as well as the street lights. Only our house was dark. Really strange.
I went in and told my mother what was up and she says, "We must have tripped the fuse box then". So, I went out. The Main circuit wasn't flipping on. It was rather irritating and as we've already had trouble with the fuse box (My parents have spent hundreds fixing all of them in the past two months) I called the neighbor over to help me. The kids, meanwhile, are all in the pool cooling off and splashing around having a grand ol' time. I'm craving to join them, but, I don't fancy sleeping in a dark hot house much, either. So, I remain at my post by the damn box. The neighbor finally gets the main ciruit flipped on and two seconds later we hear this horrible and loud noise. It sounded like a plane was crashing in the neighborhood. We all run around looking up (Seriously) and I notice the air conditioner on top of the house has smoke billowing out of it and fire coming out of the vents on the side. Hmmm. I think to myself this may be bad so I inform the neighbor that our roof is on fire. He quickly shuts the main circuit off again and the air conditioned continues to smoke for a few more minutes before surrendering to solitude once more. We sent for the electrician. He's there within the next half hour (It pays to have the electricians girlfriend as an employee of my father's, I suppose).
Long story short, we're without an air conditioner tonight at my folks house and it's hotter than hell. We get a new air conditioner tomorrow, but, it's costing $4500.00. I was tempted to 'jump ship' and run to my house where the air conditioning sucks majorly, but, at least, is still present, until my mom gets the AC replaced. But, that's not very daughterly of me, now is it? Besides, my niece is stuck at my mom's because my dog wants to eat her face off and my two kids don't want to get too far from the swimming pool. *Le Sigh*
In Salinas, it is nice, cool, and windy. In Bakersfield it's 106. I'm surprised I didn't get sick with the rapid climate changes and massive jumps in temps, but, I digress. When we got back to Bakersfield, Michael, Ken, Jacob, Emily, my mom, and I all went out to Mexican food (Around sixish, I suppose). My mom told me on the drive to the restaraunt that Bakersfield had been experienceing power surges all day. Sure enough, at dinner, the lights at the restaraunt kept going on and off and dancing with flickers in between.
When we got back to my parent's home we all noticed that the inside of the house was nearly as hot as the outside. This really didn't make any sense as we had the air conditioner running. About fifteen minutes later, all the lights go out, the air goes off, and even the alarm shuts off (As this has a back up battery, it was kind of weird). We all assumed at first it was another black out. After lighting candles we really didn't want to light (It was already over a hundred in the house) we sat patiently for the lights to come back on. They didn't. Walking into the front room I notice that the porch light is on at the house across the street. I decide to investigate. Not only is that porch light on, all the porch lights are on as well as the street lights. Only our house was dark. Really strange.
I went in and told my mother what was up and she says, "We must have tripped the fuse box then". So, I went out. The Main circuit wasn't flipping on. It was rather irritating and as we've already had trouble with the fuse box (My parents have spent hundreds fixing all of them in the past two months) I called the neighbor over to help me. The kids, meanwhile, are all in the pool cooling off and splashing around having a grand ol' time. I'm craving to join them, but, I don't fancy sleeping in a dark hot house much, either. So, I remain at my post by the damn box. The neighbor finally gets the main ciruit flipped on and two seconds later we hear this horrible and loud noise. It sounded like a plane was crashing in the neighborhood. We all run around looking up (Seriously) and I notice the air conditioner on top of the house has smoke billowing out of it and fire coming out of the vents on the side. Hmmm. I think to myself this may be bad so I inform the neighbor that our roof is on fire. He quickly shuts the main circuit off again and the air conditioned continues to smoke for a few more minutes before surrendering to solitude once more. We sent for the electrician. He's there within the next half hour (It pays to have the electricians girlfriend as an employee of my father's, I suppose).
Long story short, we're without an air conditioner tonight at my folks house and it's hotter than hell. We get a new air conditioner tomorrow, but, it's costing $4500.00. I was tempted to 'jump ship' and run to my house where the air conditioning sucks majorly, but, at least, is still present, until my mom gets the AC replaced. But, that's not very daughterly of me, now is it? Besides, my niece is stuck at my mom's because my dog wants to eat her face off and my two kids don't want to get too far from the swimming pool. *Le Sigh*