Had to move to a new cubicle again today (yes, I just moved to a new one in March; they want all the people in each of the different branches to be close to everyone else in their branch, which is sensible, but I wish they had moved everyone all at once). This cubie is a little smaller, but I have more privacy and for the first time in my entire CDC career my computer is facing forward, so I can actually greet and speak politely to people when they walk up to talk to me! I had to move two rolling cabinets to the "new place" and roll two back as replacements, and between that and lifting all the training books out of one drawer and putting them into another, my back was screaming at me all afternoon. By the time I went to lunch it was hot and I was so sweaty I broke out in a rash.

On the way home I believed the wonderful electronic traffic map which said there was "a low impact stall" on I-285 West blocking one left lane. Since I ride in the right lane all the way home I figured I would live through it.

It took me two hours to go about 12 miles. By the time I reached alternate routes, I knew the alternate routes would be backed up with commuter traffic.

And it evidently wasn't any "low impact stall," either. An ambulance came roaring through about halfway through the ordeal, and when I finally got past the site there were at least a half dozen DOT trucks plus other construction vehicles doing some sort of patch on the road.

I got home and decided to take care of the line of ants that have been running across the "crack" (the dividing between one slab and the other) in the driveway midway between the street and the house. So I went inside to get the dog to walk her first and the den was warm. Ran upstairs and sure enough the blower was going, but not the compressor. I swore a lot, walked the dog, then ran outside to do the spray. Before I went back upstairs I checked the breaker box. Sure enough the circuit breaker for the compressor had gone off. I turned it back on, turned the A/C back on. It worked for about three minutes and tripped the breaker again. So I called the repair, but they charge $125 to come out at night. They couldn't repair it anyway; we don't have a good light in the back yard.

James was home by this time and we opened all the windows. Five minutes later an ant came strolling across the kitchen counter. Granted it was staggering because it would have had to have gone through the insecticide, but still...I know they eat ants in some countries and they're considered a delicacy, but I'm sorry, I don't care to have them in or with my food.

I'm about to scream. I'm trying to put aside money to fix things, and then other things go wrong. We need a new HVAC but it would just about empty my savings to get the unit. And we need new windows; already two are being propped up with sticks.

At the moment the ceiling fans are whirring, the attic fan is roaring, the bird is singing, and I'm casting a jaundiced eye on this really boring special on Discovery called The Science of Star Wars. Did Lucas pay them to do this or did they pay Lucas to do Star Wars plugs? Whomever paid whom, they need to get their money back. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

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. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 8:38:00 PM

Comments:

What the heck are you using for insecticide, anyway?

J.

# posted by  Jerry : 10:19:00 AM

 

Ortho. It does work; it did on the driveway. I think the ant came in the kitchen when James opened the window. They come from the roof off the trees. What we need is the lawn "granulated." There are little ant holes everywhere. It's just that the stuff is so dusty the last time James poured it in the spreader he got dust all over him and then we have to tramp through the den to get to the laundry room and I'm worried about the stuff getting scattered around and poisoning all of us, especially Pidge being so small and sensitive. I've asked Steve if he can do it.

# posted by  Linda : 11:21:00 AM

 

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