Monday I finished helping 86-year-old Ben Taylor get moved from Olympia to Tacoma, which included cleaning the old place. My vacuum and orbital floor polisher tripped the electrical switches, so Lisa and I ended up having to do everything in the hardest possible way, and there was a lot to do in there! Oh, well! We got it done!
Today I went for an INR check (all good there — 2.3) and dropped off my van at Dodd’s Automotive to have the driver’s seat fixed so it slides backward again. (It will also get an oil change and anything else it needs if they can get to it today following the driver’s seat diagnosis and repair. If that’s a quick fix, it will all happen today.)
If the driver’s seat fix, regular maintenance check, and oil change on my vehicle doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, I will see if I can schedule a trip to the Dental School at U of WA in Seattle next week or the week after to see if I’m a candidate for an implant and, if so, what the cost will be.
Tomorrow I have a dental cleaning. I may have to borrow Jackie’s car to get to that unless my vehicle can come back home today.
NEXT WEEK MIGHT BE LESS BUSY
On Saturday, March 12th, the 5th episode of EVER NEW will get underway at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time. So far, that’s all I have on my calendar except for a manuscript that is due to come in soon which I will need to edit and enhance. The author said it would be about ten days, and it has been about a week now. So, any day now, that should land on my desk. (I edited another author’s manuscript about ten days ago. She was thrilled to her toes. Her name is Tara Fox and she teaches people how to play mindful golf. Booklocker is publishing her title.)
People love the way I edit/enhance for them. I’m looking forward to editing the new one. It’s a manuscript about overcoming a devastating injury (extensive paralysis) and becoming a world traveler and extreme sports junkie. It’s an inspiring read! It’s also funny in many places. If the author gives me permission to name him and share the book title (he probably will, I just haven’t asked yet!), I will point to the book when it’s published. (Booklocker is publishing this one, too.)
SCHEDULE TWO WEEKS AWAY
So far, all I have scheduled for the week after next is Patches’ vet appointment to have her TSH level checked to see if she needs a higher dose of thyroid medication. (I think she will, but we’ll see…)
UNEXPECTED EXPENSES RECENTLY
The driver’s seat diagnosis alone could cost between $100 and $350 (that’s the estimate that Cooper’s Auto on Canyon Road in Puyallup gave me), and the fix itself would add to that, so I’m expecting a rather large bill for the van. (It has been a great van and has cost me very little money to date, so I’m not complaining. It has 107,000 miles on it. It’s a 2004 Kia Sedona.) I’m bracing myself for something along the lines of $750-1200 for all of it, but it’s feasible, I suppose, that it could go even higher. What I know for sure is that Dodd’s Automotive, my regular place, won’t screw me in any way when it comes to estimates or anything else.
My 32″ flat screen TV crapped out on me, so I got a new one for $179.00, but recycling the old one plus an old monitor added about $60 to the cost. (Best Buy charges for taking in recycled items these days).
My kitchen sink faucet sprung a leak, so I had to buy a new one ($113.00) and pay a plumber to put it in for me. The item and installation added up to $300. (I gave the plumber a huge tip because he has come out several times to help me without charging me anything for his trips or his easy fixes, so I thought it was high time to give him an appreciative tip of $100.00.)
I also got an orbital floor cleaner ($159.00 as I recall) for my kitchen and hallway floors to make cleaning days easier on me. I probably would have waited to get that, had I known these other things were gonna pop up, but hey, I’m glad I have it so I’m not gonna bellyache!
I owed an additional $745 in taxes. (I was anticipating a nice refund, so this was an additional unexpected expense. ACK!)
It’s amazing how quickly unanticipated expenses
can add up when they all happen within 30 days.
UPDATE! $71.08 is all Dodd’s charged me, and that included a synthetic oil change! The mechanic got the seat pushed back, but says not too pull it up again because it won’t go back again automatically and it’s not something I can do on my own manually (easily).
The part to fix the seat has been discontinued, so they will look for a seat at a wrecking yard and see if he can get one for me (within reason, price-wise) to replace the existing seat and put me back in business with a working seat. WHEEE!
I love Dodd’s Automotive in Tacoma on South Tacoma Way!
They deal fair and square.
