A little virtual primal scream . . .

 

Our stars are out of alignment.

Or we've pissed off some gods.

Or we got entirely too lackadaisical about how smoothly things were actually going for us as we stayed pretty sheltered in our little house in the mountains.

The refrigerator replacement (and all the spoiled food) was not a cheap fix.

And now the washing machine is expressing its unhappiness by flooding the first floor.  Donald has been consulting people, ordering parts, etc etc etc.  The final verdict is not yet in.

And if you're in need of serious dental care, Sweet Jesus it'll cost ya.  I don't know about elsewhere, but here in the NC mountains dental implants run about $4,000 per tooth.  (Another reason I haven't minded wearing a mask).  My implant appointment happens soon, then it will be Donald's turn.

An inexpensive, but very sweet piece of jewelry I ordered from Paris has been stuck in Chicago in Customs since April 19.  Filing a claim with the Post Office gained me a response of "it's stuck in Chicago in Customs."  They make it sound like Customs answers to no one.  If I never get what I ordered, it's Customs' fault, and oh well.  

I was finally so annoying on the phone with the US Postal Service today that the poor, very nice, but very frazzled woman trying to help me transferred to me International Postal Service.  

The guy who answered the phone seemed confused as to how I got there and after listening to my story he agreed I needed help.  

The on-line form for filing an International claim that the US Postal people kept insisting I needed to fill out can ONLY be filled out by the sender, not the recipient, and that wasn't happening.  Nice International Guy filled it out for me, even while we were having a wee bit of difficulty understanding one another.  It took us about 40 minutes of conversation to get the task done.  I now have a U. S. Postal Service Claim Case Number AND an International Postal Service Claim Case Number.  

And I've learned a lot about Customs.  First off - if you order something from another country, say your prayers, click your heels and cross your fingers that it does not have to go through Chicago Customs.  You can read hundreds of horror stories on-line.    

Fact is - I had ordered something from this same shop in Paris before this particular fiasco and it was here in less than two weeks.  It did not go through Chicago.

Customs can hold your mail/package for up to 45 days.  Why?  Good question.  They've been holding my piece for almost that many days.  Almost.

The International Postal guy said they would actually attempt to talk with someone in Customs for me.

What?!

Really?!

I love this man!!

He says if I don't receive my package, or hear something regarding my new International Claim within 15 days from today to call them back, but he did not have a direct number that would connect me to him.  Waaahhh.

If I don't hear back and have to call them again, I will.  But oh my LordAMercy, I do not want to.  

WHY can't people just do what they're supposed to do . . .  <sigh>

And the thing that has finally broken my heart is my much loved Kindle Fire is as dead as fried chicken.

I use my Kindle Fire more than I use my laptop, and I have come to prefer reading on it over reading print books.  (Don't judge me - to each her own, right?).

So.  New Kindle Fire on its way.

That my story, my whine(s) for the day.  

Virtual primal screaming isn't nearly as stress releasing as the real thing (which yes, I have already done), but writing out feelings is a pretty good release.  Writing AND screaming?  Wow.  Feels pretty darn good.  I recommend the combination.

And a glass of wine.