Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Adulthood = overrated

Yesterday was an interesting day.  For the past year, we've been noticing an occasional freeze over on our A/C line going out to the unit.  It wasn't all the time, usually when we had to turn it on because the house wasn't cooling down despite being cool/cold outside.  Since this ecard about covers my feeling...


...I wasn't going to risk having it turn into an issue.  I found a deal through a high rated company and we made the appointment last week for yesterday.  In the meantime, the Mr did some research on our potential problem and found that when that freeze over happens, it's likely down on Freon.  Now, in case you've got an old girl like ours (18 years to be exact...she's officially an adult), you may or may not know that the R22 refrigerant used in older units like ours is being phased out by 2020.  Of course new units are more efficient and such but despite having it checked...um, never...but are religious about filter changes, we're not replacing it unless we had to.

The dudes arrived and looked in the HVAC and said all looked good.  The Mr told him about the issue we were having and he suspected the refrigerant was low.  He said he wouldn't be able to know how low it was until they started filling it initially.  He said it would be $122 for the first pound and $100 for each pound after.  I told him we weren't going to spend $400-600 and he said no that he'd rather see us put that toward a new unit for that kind of money.  Oh, I'm sure you would, sir.  I mean, he wasn't trying to sell us one but I just got rid of a car that was 12 years old last year...we're all about running something into the ground.  Once he started filling it, he told us it was two pounds down so we told him to fill 'er up.  He checked it up and down, inside and out and while she has some miles on her, she's in perfect working order after the refuel and holy crap is it cold in here now!  I mean, I thought it was fine before but this is like make sure you're wearing the thick bra in company cold.

After they left, we got in our strength workout and while it wasn't a big calorie torcher, we both pushed the arms to failure and that's what it's all about.  That and the hokey pokey.

When we were done, I checked a website to see if the rug that was out of stock the night before was magically available.  Guess what?  It claimed it was!  I ordered it and a rug for in front of the door.  It wasn't my first choice but I just wanted the whole rug thing over with.  Ten minutes later I get an email saying they need to talk to me about delivery times.  Oh yeah...backordered.  Small rug will be available in July and the main rug...October.

Let me break that down...four MONTHS from now!

I looked up at the wall...

Twitched...

Then contemplated running head first into it.

Instead I decided to run to the antique store where I got my Annie Sloan paint and grab the quart of Paris Grey I needed since the little test pot I got barely put one coat on the furniture and another quart of pure white since I'm certain I'm going to run out before it getting properly coated.  $90 for paint.  How I wish that was a typo.

Then we went to a local area rug dealer where a little old man came out and flipped all of the rugs.  I told him what I wanted and he proceeded to flip every single rack and show me nothing but the opposite color of what I specified.  Finally, to get us out of there, I faked liking one and asked if he could write the info down and we'd come back with a swatch of a couch material.  Oy.

We decided it was a movie night and took advantage of the phone call we got to come back to the overpriced video store for half off.  We rented The LEGO Movie and Her.  (affiliate links) Both were good distractions from a day when I preferred not to be an adult.  I'll take 1982, playing in the pond with my next door neighbor chasing lightning bugs and listening to Duran Duran on the radio, please.

Any recent situations that have made you want to revert back to childhood for a day or two?

(This post contains a few affiliate links.  Should you choose to buy through them, you'll get a smiley box at your door and I'll get a few cents to keep the blog lights on.)

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12 comments:

  1. Yeah spending several thousands on a new A/C is one of the last things I would like to do. I know it's something you get stuck doing sometimes though as an adult but if we can postpone that one then we're that much better off. They presumably only get more efficient every year right? So why not wait a few more I say!

    I feel so bad for you about the rug order. It was like you finally found something that you liked enough to click the order button on and then boom - right back to square one again! We'll keep looking just hang in there!

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    1. Yeah, the A/C is running perfectly all these years, I'm definitely in no rush to replace it especially when we're not sure if we'll be moving in the next few years or staying until they peel our bones off the floor.

      I know, that SO ticked me off. I just wanted to cry and I feel like we will never have a rug and I DON'T want to settle for something when we're spending that much money. Sigh.

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  2. Sounds like if your AC will keep going, you'll just need to top her up right before the refrigerant phases over and she'll be good to go. I envy people with central air. My swamp cooler does ok most of the time (except when the motor catches fire) but when it's humid there's just no hope for it. I would love to have a nice consistent temperature and dry air throughout the house, but the price tag is out of our range. Plus I'm pretty sure hubby and I would just fight over the thermostat. He'd like it to be snowing in July, I'd be fine with not having to wear a jacket.

    Actually this whole summer has found me wanting to be a kid. I have a lot of things that need to be done that I'm just putting off because "I don't wanna" (said in a whiny pitch leading to a tantrum). Gonna tackle a few today and reclaim my adulthood card.

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    1. Yep. He said we should be good for quite a while so I'm glad about that. Okay, I've heard of swamp coolers but I seriously just had to look up how they work. I salute you, miss. I cannot deal with humidity or a ton of heat. We set it on 70 at night and 75 during the day. I can acclimate if absolutely necessary (IE-power is out) but since I've lost weight we've been able to adjust higher. I used to have it set to 68 at night and 72 during the day. Maybe if I get more off I can even more on energy bills?

      Tackle some easy ones to get off the list. Save the big ones for another day...week...month. I know, I'm not very encouraging. ;-)

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    2. Sorry I made you do extra research.:) I live in a pretty dry climate (or the thing wouldn't work at all) so most of the time it's fine and it uses far less energy than central air or a window unit. Days like today that have super high (for us) humidity though it doesn't do a thing. It was 80 in the house when I turned it on, and it's still 80 in the house - but to be fair the outside temp has gone up 5 degrees.

      I know when my SIL lost weight she got to where she was cold all the time and pretty much stopped using her AC altogether except on the very hottest days.

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  3. Yep, so many times I'd rather be a kid. Then I realize the problems I had as a kid seemed just as big to me then (even though in reality, they were NOT), as my problems seem to me today. It's all perception. I've noticed since the weight loss I'm cold when we go out to eat, to the bowling alley, shopping, etc. I take a jacket with me, which seems stupid when it's 90 degrees outside. I don't need it outside, but inside--BRRR! I even turned up our thermostat at home. We've always had it set around 70. This summer, it's at 74. Part of that is for Du. His hormone shots gives him hot flashes, then shivers. It's like he's going through menopause, and I can relate.

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    1. You know, I think even when my parents were going through their divorce, which sucked, I still found a way to make that one of the best summers. I'd take a carefree day from my childhood hands down right now instead of being in the garage humidity laden sweat box trying to keep my face from sliding off while repurposing our furniture. Hey, if you need a jacket inside, you take it!

      I'll take being able to set the thermostat a little higher and save some money in this age of inflation eating up every penny.

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  4. Oh my goodness, how I hear you!!! My 20-year old daughter lately wants nothing more than to be a "grown up" and my hubby and I are both like "HA!!! Good luck with THAT!!" Have fun being a "grown up"...because trust us, it IS overrated! ;-)

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    1. I think we all want to grow up so fast and there's a reason there's such a nostalgia boom of toys from our youth and such because we realize that short window of time when we aren't is soooo small. Everything everyone says is true...time flies, enjoy this time when you don't have as many responsibilities, etc but you can't tell someone that. I make a point not to say that to younger cousins but I do laugh and say "you need to find your way and in 10 years or less, you WILL realize that your parents weren't just full of crap and your journey into having your invincibility will begin it's stripping process. Enjoy!" LOL

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  5. To answer your question... Every day of my life! LOL! The things I'm facing now have me wanting to be a young innocent girl with no point of reference about death, taxes, disappointment, etc. Too bad I can't just sit there in my Hollie Hobbie hat and apron and make my chocolate cake with the white frosting in the Easy Bake Oven while I sat on a tiny stool with the big wooden spatula waiting to take that devine treat out before the light bulb could cause any harm.... then play with my Weebles happy as a clam. Yep, that's what I'd rather be doing.

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    1. Ooh, that sounds like fun! Can I come over? I'll bring my Strawberry Shortcake and Fashion Plates!

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  6. What state do you live in? I work for an HVAC company in MD and R22 is around $50 per pound. Good God I nearly died when I saw that price.

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