Jan 20, 2020

OH DEAR, OH DEAR, OH DEAR....THE RETURN OF THE FRETTING SPINSTER

I want my mom.

After a simply wonderful weekend, the day has started with me oversleeping, bawling over soot damage, and almost driving into a pond. 

(Oh, and the tub drain is clogged again because my hair is falling out by the handfuls).

(I could also tell you that after five months of not having her, my ladytime decided to make an appearance, but that would just be way too much TMI for a Monday. )

The soot damage is bad, Dearies. Bad enough that when JB and I pulled the couch out to find his phone, I discovered that the fabric is blackened quite badly. This discovery got me looking around more, and it hit me that all of my unprotected stitching is probably ruined also. The thought of how I'm going to clean all of it up overwhelms me completely.

That was the first ugly cry bawling session in the shower.

(With the damn clogged drain).

Then, in a completely unexpected surprise, I slid off the road on my way here this morning and bumped a guard rail in front of a pond. I was already going very slow because the roads are dicey out there, and I didn't hit the thing very hard, but I was shaken to my core. (We had an awful tragedy here about a mile away in which a car went into a pond and three children were killed and the mom is critical, so that was all I could think about.)

A lovely man in a truck stopped to help me and was kind enough not to slap me across the face as I blubbered and bawled (because I think he knew what I was thinking), but he skeedaddled out of there when I started blubbering about Stewey.

(His vet building is at that intersection and I think I said something about my baby dying over there and I could have died over here.)

Geeze Louise....what a morning.

I am safe and sound, Dearies, but still a weepy mess. Fortunately, my podmates and techs are used to me being dramatic, so they have all provided the necessary cooing and patting to get me off the ceiling.

(Crap.)

(Ceiling.

(Soot damage on the ceiling.)

Enough.

I need to get my headphones on and zone out with some Flosstube for a bit. I might also watch coloring or planning videos...those are swell too!

I hope your week is off to a better start than mine. We'll turn this little goat rodeo around...I promise! If I do, I'll come tell you all about it!






13 comments:

  1. What a horrible, no-good, awful start to the week. I'd love to come and drive you home, but the commute is a bit too far.

    It's so bad when everything piles on at once. But I have confidence that you, JB, and your stitchy friends will figure out how to clean your stitching, and JB will help you clean everything else.

    If it helps, remember the old story, "Smile, they told me, things could be worse. So I smiled. And sure enough, things got worse."

    (((hugs)))

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  2. You DO realize that your, ummm...errrr...ladytime might just be adding to all of this craziness and boohooing...right? Sweetie...absolutely nothing, and I do mean nothing is ruined. Take a deep breath...well, take four or five deep breaths and know that this, too, shall pass. In times like this, I practice Pamela's ostrich theory of survival. That is, I bury my head under a pillow for a while and only come out when things are looking better. Don't worry about anything until spring. Spring always makes things look less like a disaster. Just pull that pillow over your head and wait until spring. As to the wee bitty fender-bender, I'm so glad you are okay and didn't go into the pond. It's relatively easy to do some research and be prepared just in case. I have a theory there too. I figure if I'm not prepared for a disaster, it's going to sneak up on me and get me but if I AM prepared for a disaster, chances are that it's never going to happen. But if it does, I'm prepared. The best way to survive any kind of disaster is to keep a clear head, do not panic until it's all over and dealt with. Hugs to you from Tucson where it's supposed to be 75 today. (Envy me just a little bit. grin)

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  3. Oh wow, sorry you've had such an awful start to the week! (I do agree that the weepiness can be partly caused by hormones, too). So glad you didn't go into the pond, but that must have been so scary! I think there are all kinds of methods to use to clean fabrics, etc., so hopefully you'll be able to do that pretty easily. Hope your chair time goes smoothly & the rest of your day improves! Take care.
    Mary

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  4. Thank Goodness you are secure after that mishap.. something you did not need to add to your plate.. It is over and feel gratitude for a new beginning. Hope the pros can resolve your hair dilemma... so sorry. Whatever happened to accountability? Any candles that could produce such damage should be banned.. the couch cover? An LED candle light might have sufficed with a spritz of your favorite fragrance.
    There might be a dry cleansing powder that can be sprayed on
    the needlework and brushed off with some success and no damage. Investigate a restorer for some solutions. The Hubers are expert in preservation. More importantly, close
    the door to the world and set yourself down in quietude until
    recovery kicks in. Indeed, believe it or not, this, too, shall pass, dear one.

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  5. Oh sweetie! Nothing like the hormonal swing to make you miserable. I am so sorry you have had such a rotten start to your day. It is bound to get better and the "horrible-moans" are bound to level out. Know that we all understand days like this one.

    Be careful heading home, please!

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  6. So glad you weren't hurt - that skid must have been terrifying. Hope your lady bits don't spring more surprises on you. The one good thing about old age is that despite the occasional power surge the hors stop moaning! Hair falling out? Tell the doc - I know you have thyroid probs - how long since that's been checked? (Must go for my own blood test soon.) Soot damage to your embroidery? Unlikely - if you can't see it, it's not there. Look at where the soot has collected in relation to where you've had the candles. Think how long the areas with soot have been exposed. Now consider the length of time each piece of stitching has been within that radius. Per item, it's probably not very long at all - if moving something doesn't leave a silhouette, then it's probably OK.

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  7. Scary how even going slow can easily be out of control on ice. But I wish I could skate like the car doing a graceful slide to the pavement! I have to fight my instinct and to steer in the opposite direction. Bit like patting head and rubbing tummy! Anyway Stewey would have been making sure you didn't hurt yourself.
    Oh dear, soot. I agree with Elaine - if you can't see it, it isn't there! Time to check out pretend flickers - or fairy lights with the soft glows. They look nice in a jar too, especially the little battery ones and then you can move the jar, or hurricane lamp is good, around to suit you.
    As for hormones meh, they mess everyone up - and then they make you a cranky old lady like me! LOL! Cheer up hunbun - I get down moments too and I want my dad, the ultimate cuddler long gone.
    xxx

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  8. I am so sorry you had such a rough day. Hugs!!

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  9. I hate days like that! We all have them, Coni, so don't feel bad about feeling bad! Take it one step at a time. Figure out the drain,then move on to one soot problem at time. When my mother in law had a heart attack years ago, her doctor told us that not only did she have to quit smoking, but that we had to wash everything in her apt, walls, floors, curtains, blinds, bedding everything. Yellow cigarette smoke stains are like soot. I used a spray bottle with ammonia and water mixture first and it comes up pretty quick. Just don't inhale it! After it was all done, I rewashed with dishsoap (I suggest Dawn) and water and all was like new! You may need to get like a Stanley cleaner to come in and do the sofa but the walls and ceiling you may be able to do with the two of you. Hope it works out.

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  10. you might consider contacting a company that specializes in cleaning up fire-damaged homes for some tips on how to remove soot from walls and materials. now you need some damn good and your markers.

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  11. Oh Coni, those hormonal swings are awful and I am guessing they played a good part of your mood. Breathe in and out! Thinking of you and sending you gentle hugs through the airways.

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  12. I must have missed something - what is this soot damage from? I was still getting the ladytime when I was 56! Had it removed at that point and that took care of it!

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  13. Oh, Coni! I am so sorry to hear about your day, but have to admit to laughing out loud when I came to the part about the gentleman stopping and your comment about dying. I am so glad you did NOT end up in the pond! Icy roads are treacherous for sure. Thank you for sharing your life with us!

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