First Grader

The bus stop is the same as last year, although it seems that only TPT and 2 other kids are at the bus stop. One of the other kids is starting kindergarten today and had no intention of getting on that &^%$*#-ing bus. She bolted twice. Her mom wasn't able to carry her on the bus and her older brother (2nd grade) wasn't able to cajole her. So the shrieking kindergartener was driven to school. We'll see what happens with her tomorrow. TPT, on the other hand, hopped right on the bus and happily went off to school.

I can't believe that I have a kid in first grade. I swear she was just a baby shrieking in her crib just a couple of weeks ago. Now she's in first grade. How did that happen? College is just around the corner, I guess.

ThePinkThing, may you have fun and learn lots this year.

The AC guy is here -- could the heavens open and angels start to sing?

The AC repairman arrived about 10-15 minutes ago. He turned on the AC from the thermostat (we turned it off last night). The damn thing started right up and began to blow cold air. I could have kicked it. But thankfully he stuck around to make sure it kept running. While he was outside looking at the outside unit, the inside part crapped out (it took about 5 minutes). Now he is in there making grumpy, sighing sorts of noises.

I am in hopes that it will be fixed today.
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Updated 2:45 pm

It works, it works!!! Forget the repairman singing -- I'm singing. This time it was a capacitor or a thingamajig or a hooziwhatsis. At this point, I don't care, because it works.

Careful what you wish for...

"Break a leg"? That's the advice which has been given to actors for like a zillion years. Well, don't say it to judges, because they may take you seriously.

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor fell at LaGuardia Airport, when she was on her way to DC for visits with more Senators. She apparently was seen and treated within 2 hours and made it to DC in time for a 2 pm meeting with Senator Grassley. Why doesn't that ever happen when I go to the ER?

H/T to the Washington Post

I'm so hot AGAIN

We replaced our furnace and central AC unit a little over 3 years ago. The ones we replaced were 27 (!) and 19 years old, respectively. The new AC unit died last year right around this time, when it was 90+ degrees. Apparently some freaking bug got fried on the "coil", which is a crucial AC unit innard. So we sweltered.

Today, I turned the AC on for the first time in a few days, when the inside temp in the main level of the house hit 78. Eventually, I figured out that the house really wasn't cooling off. Being relatively smart, I opened the back door to listen for the compressor and heard... ... ... nothing, of course. The outside AC compressor unit has crapped out again. So we turned off the AC at the thermostat, waited 10 minutes and turned it back on. No dice. TheHusband flipped the fuses just in case (although they were both in the "on" position). Nope.

ThePinkThing came downstairs saying that she couldn't sleep because she's too hot (duh, it's 85 degrees up there...). So we went around the upstairs opening every window, because (thankfully) it is at least 15 degrees cooler outside than inside. We also put a fan in TPT's room and turned it on. I am in hopes that she will fall asleep, and not decide to stick something in the fan "to see what happens".

Why are modern products so damn crappy? This is a Carrier unit, which is supposed to be good, but it has crapped out twice now in 3 years. Granted, I don't know how long the prior AC unit went between breakdowns, but it never broke down once in the almost 6 years we used it. We only replaced it, because I wanted a more energy efficient unit (hah, an energy efficient central AC unit; I must be smoking something), and the furnace had given up the ghost. So we decided to replace the AC unit at the same time. I totally regret it now.

I'm hot.

Crazy drivers! (updated)

While I was driving to work this morning, I had an uncomfortable experience. Mine is a "reverse-commute" in that the majority of the traffic is going towards DC, while I head away in the morning, and vice versa in the evenings. So, unlike many of my local compatriots, I actually drive at highway speeds on the highway.

This morning, I moved into the right hand lane about 1.5 miles before my exit into the local lanes. The entrance for the previous exit is about 1 mile before my exit. A silver Honda Odyssey (the quintessential Mommy van) wanted to get onto the highway from that exit into the exact spot where I was. She apparently was coming up at speed and was expecting me to slow down to let her in. The only problem with that scenario was that she was in the entrance lane in my passenger-side blind spot. I literally had no idea she was there. So she stomped on her brakes (which was when I first noticed her) and zipped in behind me.

Big deal, you think. Why are you complaining about this?

Well, she then proceeded to flash her brights at me and beep her horn, which did not make me move out her way, mind you. My exit from the main lines into the local lanes was coming up rapidly, and I got off there. Mommy Van got off right behind me and then tried to cut me off. WTF? Not wanting to get into some sort of vehicular fight with a raving Mommy Van at 8:40 am, I put myself directly behind a big lawn service truck and stuck there. Mommy Van then got in behind me, got off with me at my exit, and turned onto the local street, right behind me. Again, WTF? My office building is basically right off the highway, so I turned into the complex. Mommy Van followed. I really didn't like that, so I drove slowly around in the parking lot in a big circle (with her following me), while I wrote her license number on a piece of paper. I then slowed down even further (with her still following me) and held up the paper (and my cell phone) so she could see it. She got the point and drove off.

I still say, "WTF?"
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Update 5/19, 1 pm

I had another WTF-driving incident this morning. TPT got on the bus, but I chatted briefly with one of the other mom's at the bus stop. Annoyingly, I then met up with the bus two stops later. The bus has its red lights flashing and stop sign out on the corner of "G" and "H" Street (it is on "H" St) . I dutifully stop, although I am actually on "G" St. A big Mommy Truck pulls up behind me and obviously objected to my stopping. She beeped once, but when I didn't go, she zoomed around me with tires squealing. When I caught up to her at the stop light, she gave me the Hairy Eyeball™. WTF?

Was I wrong? Am I not supposed to stop in that situation? And anyway, it takes all of 2 minutes to load the kids, and then you're on your way. Maybe I am just a Crazy Driver™ magnet. If so, then I will have to demagnetize myself...

It really is true...

...that if your sinuses are filled with snot, it eats away at your brain cells. Trust me here.

If you remember, I was sick at the end of last week and missed work on Thursday and Friday. This morning I got up (sort of grudgingly, because I didn't get to sleep until about 2 am), did all my usual morning stuff, got ThePinkThing off to school, said goodbye to my brother who will be setting off on his journey this morning, and came to work. When I finally checked my calendar to see what was planned for this morning, I realized that I had scheduled the day off. I had totally forgotten that I took today off to see my brother off. But since I was already at work, I decided to stay. How totally annoying. Maybe I'll leave early...
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update 5/11, 1:35 pm

Yes, I will be leaving early today. My brother will be starting tomorrow due to being underslept. He went to bed about the same time I did last night...

A six year-old's vision of the working world

While we are Jewish, we have family members who are not. We spent a lovely Easter at our relatives' house, and ThePinkThing came home with two Easter baskets.

Conversation at breakfast this morning, as TPT viewed her two Easter baskets with great satisfaction included:

ThePinkThing: Mommy?
NeuronDoc: Yes?
TPT: I can't wait until I'm a grown-up!
ND: Why?
TPT: Because then I can eat candy all day, when I'm at work.

(Kid, you have no idea. I wish I could eat candy all day, but my waistline protests...)

Hope you all had a great Easter.