The other evening, I sprinted — or walked — up to a vacant spot in our neighborhood to catch this view of the sun setting.
After a few super busy months, I feel fatigue deep in my bones. As much as I’ve wanted to do nothing for a few days, I haven’t had that luxury. First, there are those pesky household duties like laundry, grocery shopping and cooking. Plus, we have friends staying with us for a week. They said that I didn’t need to worry about them. They’re here to scout out a local lake for a spearfishing competition in April.
But not fussing over them is not in my nature. I cooked corn beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day. Tuesday was salmon, spinach, shishito peppers and rice. Wednesday, they treated us to dinner at my favorite Chinese restaurant. Thursday was surf and turf. Haven’t figured out what to do tonight. Sleep instead of eat?
Things happen. Like a leak in the ceiling after four days of rain. It’s in my office and my husband looked up at the ceiling and said, “I’ve never noticed those stains before.”
When we stepped a few feet away, we spotted at the top of the wall next to the ceiling, hanging plaster and paint.
I walked outside with my trusty camera after taking pics inside. I went outside to see if I could see the problem on the roof.
It was in plain sight. The damage was done exactly where a solar panel support is anchored into the roof. I spent a few hours looking for paperwork online from doc-u-signs during the solar purchase and install. I read through the warranty and small print. None of this is helping my fatigue, by the way.
We went through Costco for solar. I wrote them a letter yesterday about our current roof issue. Plus, the first experience with this vendor. I wanted to contact Costco first — and not their solar vendor — to see if our problem can be solved.
When the solar panels were installed, they had to redo the breaker box. The vendor installed 220V into a kitchen outlet under the sink where the dishwasher and garbage disposal are plugged in. It should have been 120V. The dishwasher motors blew, but thanks to that little red button on the bottom of our garbage disposal, it was saved.
I paid for a repairman for the dishwasher. He said it was cheaper to buy a new one than replace the motors, which I did. Then I paid $190 for an electrician to fix the circuit. I emailed and called our rep at the solar company to tell her about our problems. She said they were so sorry! I asked the company to reimburse me for the electrician only. (The dishwasher was old and I didn’t think they should buy me a new one.)
She said they would reimburse me for the electrician. I got bounced from department to department for seven months for $190!
One day, an email arrived into my inbox from our rep, who was promoting solar to Scottsdale. The email cc’d all the solar companies in our area. I replied all and wrote about my experience with Costco’s vendor. (How many companies would love to have that contract?) A few days later, I got reimbursed.
Enough about my roof and solar issues. As Scarlett O’Hara said, “Tomorrow is another day.”
I remember my mom and what she called her “mung” days. She’d spend the entire day in her Lanz flannel nightie.
Right now, I’m thinking I would love to do that. (Hint to self — or family reading this — a Lanz flannel nightie for Mother’s Day?) I don’t have my Mom’s super power to “mung” all day. I think her manic depression as it was called back then — especially in her down cycles — helped her accomplish “munging” to level I’m not able to do. Yes, I miss my mom. I need to take a few pages from her life’s book and take a day or two off!
What is your favorite way to rest and recharge when you’re feeling over tired?
