Friday, December 21, 2007

little things add up

WARNING! WHINING/VENTING inside!
Work is work. If it wasn't challenging, they wouldn't pay me. Don't tell my leadership, but I actually enjoy challenges and solving problems. But I still want paid.
You know the saying, "Don't sweat the small stuff." The small stuff can be pretty annoying sometime.
For example, I went to Carousel VW in Iowa City to pick up Jill's little Jetta. 51,000 miles and it was due for a milestone checkup. I paid the bill, said thanks, got in the car and drove out to the stoplight to go back to work for the evening. What the heck, I thought. I am taking the next 12 days off, I might as well clean my desk and organize for my return. While waiting for the light, I notice that the CHECK ENGINE light came on. UH OH. So I navigate a bunch of left turns to get back to the dealership and go back inside the service dept. and tell them about the light coming on. The man behind the counter asks if I had left the property before it came oh. "Yes, I was at that stoplight, 50 yards from your driveway"
Oh, well then you need to make an appointment. If you have taken the car, it must be unrelated to what we did. I thought he was joking. After 20 minutes of discussion, I left. In my car with the light on. I am not done with them, but I had lost my temper and further discussion would involve swearing and not be productive. (but it would feel good)
Jill calls me and tells me I need to pick up Kat because her boss has asked her to work late. Since I am in IC, we work out a swap where she picks up Kat and brings her to work and we swap cars. I tell her what happened at the dealership. She is livid.
When I get Kat at home, I realize that she is more than just REALLY hungry. She wheezes and rasps when she breathes. So I steam her and hold her and then change her into PJs. She goes to bed and I fall asleep watching my 19" 18yr old TV, waiting for Jill to come home.
During the night, Jill wakes up because of Kat coughing. Really, it sounds like barking from a seal. Jill steams her in the shower, smears Vicks all over her chest and feet (have you seen that email flying around?), rocks her in the chair and pounds on her back to loosing her chest. Jill is up from about 1 till 455. Then she wakes me up and tells me that I better forget about my hunting trip vacation cuz I am taking Kat to the DR, be there at 8am when they open!
So I my plan is to go to the DR and hear that Kat has a cold, then take Kat to Carousel VW and discuss remedy for their actions. This all changes when the Doc doesn't say "cold", but rather, "bronchitis, nebulizer, Albuterol, ear infection, Amoxicyllon, and predinizone; have a nice day". I am still not sure what the prednizone is for, but the rest of the crap takes 2 hours to track down all over town. I got Kat home at 1130, fed her, nebulized her (which SHE likened to being gassed with pepper spray) and put her down for her nap. Sweet Dreams, kiddo!
So, tired, no hunting, still don't know what is wrong with the car, worried about sick Kat (BTW, these are NOT in order of importance), Jill still sick, still pretty upset about treatment from dealership. Of these little things, healthy family members are big things. Everything else is a little thing. But, jeez, do I need a bunch of little things all at once? Oh, well. Might as well go to work from home.
PS. as I read over this, I realize how incredibly fortunate I am. Two cars, two jobs, house, mostly healthy spouse, mostly healthy baby that is happy 98% of the time, not stranded on the road, the list is really lots longer. I got life good.

1 comment:

Jenny said...

Holy Cow! Poor Kat! Although it seems like you won't get through this time, and she'll be sick all the time, you will. You'll forget those nights when you're awake more than you're asleep. One thing you won't forget is how much this little person needs you so much, and she can't help herself - but just needs to be held. Hold her tight, kiss her, make her sleep as much as possible, because she'll grow up so fast! However unpleasant, these moments will become your memories...