Into each life a little rain must fall, but why is ours yellow?

This week was exciting and frustrating at the same time.



I have had what one would call a humorous life. Not one of those lives filled with endless laughter due to good times but one of those lives where strange and unexpected events like some gigantic pie in the face delivered by the heavens snaps me laughing into reality.


So why should anything shock me now?


Take for example the first day of school, not just any school but the first day of Junior High School. I was oh so grown up walking to the Junior High school with my Elementary School friends where we would meet other kids from the district's other Elementary Schools. Filled with excitement and venturing into the unknown wearing some of my finest back to school clothes I tripped and fell into a rather large shrub on our way to school that seemed to swallow me whole. Ok, yes I am clumsy and falling into shrubs, out of a tree, down steps is not something new for me. I stood up dusted myself off and proceeded to the school yard.

I had put myself back together and picked every last piece of the shrubbery from my hair as I entered the school yard. Looking across the yard at all of the unfamiliar faces I was excited to meet new friends. Only the first friend that greeted me was not the kind I needed. You see a stray dog entered the school yard and wandered through the clicks I would come to know, the jocks, the A-listers, etc and made a beeline for me.

I had been chosen by this humble creature. Sure he was a bit mangy and flea bitten but he was heading my way. Like some John Hugh's teen flick there I stood while in slow motion the dog hiked his flea bitten leg and pissed on my good mood and new school shoes. What was I to do but laugh? So too is the story of this week.

We headed into the week with much excitement as walls suddenly took shape under the veil of primer and the trim sporting a coat of paint. We watched in awe as the painting crew cloaked in white like some Anti-Ninja team sprayed paint on the ceiling and walls. In fact one of the Painting Ninja's was able to climb into the dormer room window with his spray hose so as to not track through the rest of the house. It was amazing. Now for the pissing part.

The first phone call was that of the Fireplace Store who informed us that our Jotul wood burning stove that is being shipped from the mother land to be assembled in Maine was delayed due to the constant Nor’easters that kept the shipping lanes closed. These are the same storms that flooded our new basement. As Scott relayed this news my first reply was "of, course" it is delayed. You see, I have only two requirements for this new addition one was the woodstove the other was the icemaker. I never had an icemaker growing up (yes, I am a deprived child). I was the icemaker. Filling the ice trays and performing that balance act to get them into the freezer was a challenge. (Remember, clumsy child). And if due to laziness the ice trays remained empty it was warm drinks for all. Only after getting married and moving out did my parents splurge on that fridge with the ice maker and due to our kitchen circumstances Scott and I never had that luxury. I am in my own mini global warming environment where I am forced to gather Ziploc bags of ice from my mother's freezer and chip away at them during the week like a receding iceberg.

Fearing that my icemaker equipped fridge/freezer would be delayed as well I contacted our appliance dealer who assured me that we were on schedule for delivery on the 12th. Fantastic! The cabinets will be delivered on the 5th . . . .



Yet another phone call. This time it was Doug from Sterling Kitchens. Scott took this call and kept me blissfully in the dark until he hung up. Guess What? Did you know that the Kraftmaid factory had a fire? Yes a fire, and unfortunately your cabinets . . .you know the rest. Yes another piss on the shoes. I am perhaps one of a few whose kitchens caught fire before ever being installed.

So there you have it, the excitement and the frustration. Yes we are laughing, oh and by the way while the phone was ringing a third time Fenwick was barking and growling and wrestling Maggie to the ground which is his gentlemanly way of tell us he has to pee. Deciding to answer the phone instead of taking Fenwick outside as I was fearing the worse like ice makers are no longer available on any appliance I hear the recorded voice telling me to get out and vote while Fenwick can no longer stand it and pees on the floor.


Are you laughing yet?