T. G. I. Tuesday

I have a friend who lived in China and told me tales about shopping. For example, in order to buy a bottle of bleach, it wasn't just as simple as walking into your local Wal-Mart, picking up your bleach, slapping your cash on the counter and going home.

Instead, it was a matter of going through a network of people who may or may not have seen a shopkeeper who carried bleach, arranging transportation into Beijing (these were ex-pats who lived in an international area of town), finding the said shopkeeper and then negotiating the price for bleach. She told me this process could take a week. Only a week? That doesn't seem that bad any more.

My Wayward-empty house drama is entering its third week. So far, the only thing accomplished is that I am tired of writing about it. Otherwise, nothing has gotten done except for me building up a generous amount of frustration, coupled with a healthy serving of youhavegottobekiddingme!

I might have mentioned the insurance adjuster works in the office one day a week? I am not sure what he does the other four days. I suspect it involves a boat and a fishing pole. His voicemail says he regularly checks messages and promises to call by the end of business that day if the caller leaves a message. It seems, this is true only if that caller isn't me.

The insurance adjuster did not see a reason to call me back to get information on my home. When I spoke with him today, he told me it was because he spoke with my husband last week. All my husband told him was to call me. When the adjuster called me today, he was wondering what on earth I wanted. Apparently I didn't get the ESP signals to send the estimate for damage, a police report and photos of the damage into him to move this along. I would have known he needed these things if he had returned one of my sixteen messages.

The contractor gave me a bid on the home. It took a week. And, it was missing some relevant things like fixing the the floor. Did I mention there is a soft spot in the master bedroom floor where someone dropped an elephant? The floor joist is broken. I have been assured anyone standing there will automatically plummet into the den below. The contractor did manage to include a quote for painting. Did I mention Wayward painted the walls navy blue? By the way, they can get the work accomplished in four to six weeks.

My painter also gave me a quote on just painting. It put the contractor to shame. About half the price in a quarter of the time.

The Birmingham police station tells me I need to come into the downtown precinct to pick up the police report. I patiently explained the logistics to the records officer. After clearing up I was in Phoenix Arizona and not Phoenix City Alabama (and I did not know her cousin who lives there), she and I were on the same page. I would not be coming in. Her next suggestion: send a self-addressed stamped envelope and a $5 bill to her and she would kindly send me the report. I asked if I could have someone with a power of attorney just come by with $5 and pick up the report. She considered for a moment and decided that it seemed reasonable.

So, now all I need are the photos I have been waiting for from the contractor. He was supposed to have sent them yesterday. And, all this will be submitted to the adjuster for him to review. You remember the adjuster don't you? Yes that one. He only works on Tuesdays.