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madamesilverspurs

(15,800 posts)
Tue May 18, 2021, 06:59 PM May 2021

Stooged

My gremlin is back. Poor thing was apparently feeling left out and decided to make himself known again.

He started with my portable oxygen machine, which just up and quit a few days ago. They came and picked it up to send to the shop, and left me with some tanks. Being out of the usual wine-bottle size tanks, they gave me the ones that are shaped more like watermelons, heavy and with a carrier designed to be worn like a backpack (not happening). Anyway.

The over-the-sink rack I ordered from Amazon arrived, purchased to give me a handy place to dry the nebulizer parts that require washing after each use. Three of the four legs assembled easily, but the fourth refuses to cooperate. The thing is sitting in its flattened box in the middle of the living room, laughing at me, and waiting for me to pack it up and ship it back (as if those things can ever be repacked to fit the packaging). The more disreputable parts of my vocabulary have gotten a bit of exercise.

Then today I got in the car to head out to a doc appointment and then a run to the pharmacy. And the car wouldn’t start. This is the third time the brand-new battery has failed. My underthehood helper is coming by tomorrow to make sure that the battery dealer does the right thing.

So, I called the doc’s office to let them know I would be missing my appointment. Forgot that my phone doesn’t like their phone system; sent them a text explaining my absence, still waiting for a response.

Meanwhile, a friend answered my call and picked me up to drive me to Safeway to get scrips and meds. She pulled up in front of the store to let me off, and I had to stop when only halfway out of the car; somehow, I’d managed to get tangled in the oxygen hose and could neither exit nor sit back down. The hose had gotten wrapped around my leg and had also looped itself over the under-seat lever that adjusts the seat forward or backward. Since I was stuck halfway out the car door, my friend had to turn off the car and come around to my side to disentangle her inconvenient passenger, a task that would have been much easier had we not been laughing at the absurdity of it all. Suffice it to say that the drivers in the cars behind us did not share our amusement.

The rest of the venture went smoothly, thank heaven. Got the pills and groceries home, my friend helping to bring everything down the stairs to my apartment. We couldn’t help noticing the clothes dryer sitting in the hallway, indicating that the laundry room is once more out of commission. Looks like part of my evening will be spent doing a bit of hand laundry, given my lack of means to get to a laundromat right now. Am I having fun, yet?

Gotta say, I’m quite grateful that most days aren’t like this one. Somehow, it’s just plain embarrassing to be all three of the stooges simultaneously. Now I’m going to take a nap. That should be safe, right?


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yonder

(9,664 posts)
1. The car seat/oxygen hose thing sounds like one of the funniest sight gags I've ever seen.
Tue May 18, 2021, 07:12 PM
May 2021

John Candy in Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Where he's trying to take his coat off while driving - which gets caught in the seat adjusters. Because it's too hot, from a cigarette causing a smoldering car fire he doesn't yet know about.

I'd say you're safe for awhile because everything happened at once.

wendyb-NC

(3,322 posts)
3. Every now and then
Tue May 18, 2021, 09:20 PM
May 2021

I have a day that is non-stop, one in a million mad capers, out of slap stick comedy although it doesn't feel that way, in the midst of it. When I was working, full time, several many years ago, I'd say to a co-worker or two, let me ask you something, do normal people have days like this?

I'm so glad things turned around, you accomplished a lot, you're a trooper, and you have very supportive, and the best kind of friends. I love that you remembered to be grateful, and embrace the serendipitous blessings, that help. thanks for your sharing.


abqtommy

(14,118 posts)
4. I once was buying a lot of batteries for a vehicle then decided to check the voltage
Tue May 18, 2021, 10:55 PM
May 2021

regulator that provides charging voltage and current to the battery while the car is
running. Oops! A critical wire was cut somehow. Did I feel foolish! But then I often do.

Then today Comcast dropped another channel out of my/our lineup. Maybe one of your
gremlin's friends is hanging around here!

madamesilverspurs

(15,800 posts)
5. I felt foolish
Tue May 18, 2021, 11:15 PM
May 2021

when I crashed my brand new VW bug into a sailboat on Louisiana a few blocks south of Central in ABQ. Even the cops laughed at that one!


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abqtommy

(14,118 posts)
6. I can do better than that. I had myToyota stolen out of the Smiths parking lot at Lomas
Tue May 18, 2021, 11:32 PM
May 2021

Last edited Wed May 19, 2021, 07:17 AM - Edit history (1)

and San Pedro. I left the keys in it. That was definitely a foolish not good day!

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