well, i was hoping that the entry i wrote today would be all about how we'd finished the painting and had moved back in to the bedroom.
sorry to disappoint.
the painting is just not going well. ray spent all day yesterday sanding down drips and runs that had solidified into irregular bumps all over the walls. some of the spots he sanded turned into huge, gaping holes in the paint... all the way down to the original base coat. there is a lot of touch-up work to be done. plus another coat of paint. (the 4th.)
i'm not sure how we're going to get everything touched up. i asked a painter friend of mine how we should proceed, and he suggested that we either just start over with primer on those spots, or we try to spackle them if that didn't work. he also suggested i could hire him for about $100, but i'm going to use that as a last resort, because...
...i just found out my car needs $530 worth of work.
oh, and did i mention that we're having a tree cut down in the back yard, at a cost of $650?
this is not going to be a fun month. (because let's not forget that ray & i will be renting a car to drive to florida to visit his family for christmas. cha-ching! another $200 or so.)
anyway, my CRX just started making these horrendous scraping, rubbing noises in the steering column as we were pulling out of the driveway to head to the beach. in my optimistic naivete i assumed it because the car was loaded down with 3 days' worth of vacation crap... but the noise didn't stop after we unloaded, so i decided that i'd take it in to honda specialists when we got back.
so i did, and now they're telling me that i "need a new steering wheel". i know it's gotta be much more than just a steering wheel though, 'cause a steering wheel don't cost no $530!
so i've submitted my question of confusion to the CRX Si bulletin board; we'll see if anyone can clarify my problem for me. (usually the folks at honda specialists are very straightforward about repairs, but this one left me scratching my head. i need more info.)
the one good thing in this tale of woe is that i currently have 2 paychecks in my pocket, one from 'cheapy' and one from the durham symphony. yay! the DSO check barely covers the tree removal, though, so while it helps (definitely) it won't be hanging around in the wachovia vaults very long.
and speaking of durham symphony, i not only stage managed the concert last night (hence the paycheck) but i also performed. one of the horn players was unable to make the concert, so i played the dress rehearsal & concert. it had been about 9 months or so since i'd last picked up my horn so i was pretty rusty, but luckily the parts weren't that difficult to sight-read. mostly easy christmas arrangements and stuff. it was good to play, though. it made me realize how much i miss it.
oddly, after the concert one of the percussionists asked if i wanted to play a church gig with him in a few weeks! ha! i think i did actually laugh in his face, i'm sorry to say. "andrew," i said, "no one should be paying me to play... i totally suck right now." and he said, "well, you don't have to take the money!"
he's so funny, that andrew.
so i complained that if i agreed to the gig i'd have to practice, which i hate. and he said, "but it's good for you!" yeah, so are lima beans.
i politely declined, but i'm still giggling that someone out there is deperate enough for a horn player that they'd pay me to toot mine.
Posted by xta at December 1, 2003 1:52 PM | TrackBack