So, in the course of two weeks, we had:
1. Biblical rainfall, including a threatened dam failure down in Rockville where I grew up (Thank God the one I live on now survived with just using the spillway)
2. My sister had a panic attack on Friday necessitating a trip to the hospital.
3. On Saturday, my father returned to the state where he is now living for a temporary work assignment. When he got back, a friend picked him up at the airport and took him home. Said friend didn't show up to work on Monday, and coworkers became concerned because no one could reach him. My father went to his house to check on him, found his car there and the house locked up. Called the sheriff, they broke in, and found the poor man dead. My dad just moved there last winter, and doesn't have many friends there.
4. The contractor shows up to start work on my bathroom only to discover that the water in the basement wasn't coming from the shower after all, and that the exhaust fan wasn't hooked up to the ductwork, so that is why it wasn't working to ventilate and keep the mold down. Since the basement stayed bone dry in all this rain, we now don't know where the hell the water is coming from.
5. On Monday night, when I went to go pick Trout up from Girl Scout Camp, my van wouldn't start, and began making very, very strange noises when I took the key out of the ignition. BigDaddyFish couldn't take me to the shop to get it fixed on Tuesday because he had a huge deployment coming up at work on Wednesday. We only own one car that can fit all 3 kids in their car seats, though technically Trout can ride without a booster under the law, it is just unsafe.
6. BDF takes me to the shop, anyway, because although the van took a jump just fine, it still was making strange noises and the lights were flickering. We figured it was more than just the battery. Our shop is wonderful, though not convenient, but we can trust the guys to do right by us. While we are on the way, BDF's number 2 guy on his team at work gets in an accident (yes, still more biblical rain); he won't be at work. I plan to drop off my van and get Enterprise to "Pick me up" as they advertise, which I've done before at the shop, and then BDF can go on to work. Enterprise is out of minivans. Out. Of. Minivans. I'm short and have 3 kids in car seats - normal cars are not an option for us. Girl on phone was not helpful. We leave van, pile all three kids in the commuting car, and drive back toward home to see if the local Enterprise has any minivans. One exit away from home the shop calls. They dropped everything and fixed my van. Took 'em 30 minutes, tops. New battery. Don't know why, old one is only 2.5 years old and it's supposed to be a 5 year battery, but whatever. We turn around, go back and pick it up. It works, but now the lights that indicate the air conditioner is on and if we are recirculating the same air are flashing on and off. Shop doesn't know why. I do. Demonic possession. I pick up the van with the kids, it drives just fine and everything works fine, so I plan to just contact the church about an exorcism on my van.
7. BDF's uncle goes in to have his carotids roto-rootered to clean 'em out. For some reason they can't go in through the front, so they go in through the back of his head. Why? Who knows. Much fun and excitement ensues, leaving the poor man paralyzed in the throat. He is sent back to his room with instructions to eat (!), and of course he aspirates something and gets pneumonia. He finally gets stabilized with some competent people in charge who put in a feeding tube in his stomach, and he is recovering well, we are told. Of course, he is several states away, so we are getting information 3rd or 4th hand, for what it's worth.
8. My 82 year old grandfather threw his back out.
So, how was your two weeks?
Incidentally, it did finally stop raining, the weather has been beautiful, all sick/hurt people are recovering nicely, and I'm making friends with the demon in possession of the electrical system in my van. The space shuttle went up successfully, we had a great fourth, and my little baby boy is kicking up a storm. Life is good.
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