Ok, just ONE tree is falling, but talk about a complicated evening!
In the midst of the AC drama, we had a big monsoon storm roll through. During the peak of the wind and soaking rain, my husband arrived home from work and informed me that one of the 30 foot trees alongside our house was about to fall over onto our neighbor's roof! This was the same sweet neighbor who was preparing to have us stay over while our AC is awaiting replacement.
The fire department was called out and offered some sage advice along the lines of, "Ummm, yeah you should probably have someone come out and take out that tree."
Ya think??!!
Try finding someone to come out at 9pm in the middle of a summer monsoon to take out a massive palo verde. It ain't gonna happen.
So, our other sweet neighbors then volunteered their house for my family and the next door neighbor with the tree about to fall on her living room...
SLUMBER PARTY!
My husband did his best to fashion a makeshift prop/tie line to hold the tree up until morning. The worst of the wind had passed, thankfully, so the tree actually held. We all slept, cool and safe, at our neighbors' house.
By morning, we were well into the 90 degree+ range, and the smell of a hot and stuffy house was getting pretty bad. My husband was on the neighbor's roof, taking down the leaning tree, the girls were at school, and I had all but given up on getting anything accomplished as far as work from home. I frantically packed things we'd need over the weekend, as it became obvious that we'd need to relocate temporarily.
Our landlord generously offered to put us up in a vacation condo nearby that is owned by her in-laws. We tried to put a positive spin on things and think of it as a little "staycation" (I know, I hate that word too...). The condo was in a new brownstone development close to ASU. It was beautiful! I wish I'd taken my camera, because this three story, two bedroom condo had everything...a huge, flat screen tv (hubby liked that), a basement playroom, a sunken garden tub, a reading loft, ohhhhhh...it was so nice!
There was just one little problem...
The owners live in Michigan and had not been out in a few months. They also had apparently overlooked the water bill, because after relaxing for a few hours and enjoying CNN on that huge tv (who knew Manhattan could be under a tornado warning, by the way...sorry, ADD moment), I went to wash one of my son's sippy cups and discovered there was no running water!
Phone calls were made, the bill was paid electronically, but being that it was after 2 PM on a Friday, those hard working City of Tempe folks decided it was too late to have someone come over and flip whatever switch needs to be flipped to restore water service. So, we packed up (again) and headed for a hotel.
It had been a long couple of days and the kids had been such troopers in the midst of discomfort and chaos. We decided to splurge a little and stay at one of the local resorts. Truthfully, it wasn't really a splurge, because no tourists in their right minds come to Phoenix in August anyway, so there are lots of deals to be had. Rooms at the place we stayed run in the same price range as any decent motel this time of year. We were able to let the kids enjoy some fun in a beautiful pool and waterslide while we gave thanks for the miracle that is modern air conditioning.
We got the call on Saturday morning that our AC would be fixed that day, so my husband raced home to let the repairmen in while the rest of us continued to enjoy that beautiful pool. When checkout time rolled around at noon, we discovered that our wonderful landlord had called in a gift certificate for the cost of our room.
WE LOVE HER!
So, by Sunday our house was back to being livable as far as temperature goes. Sunday and Monday were devoted to the tasks of cleaning up the mess left by the installation of a new AC unit and trying to catch up on housework and the multitude of things I was supposed to get done for my job on Thursday and Friday.
Here it is, Tuesday morning, and things are settling down.
I am sitting in a Starbucks, munching on a fruit plate and sipping my iced coffee. It's not even 9:30 yet, but I've already conducted a training this morning and finished a big chunk of a project that's deadline is tomorrow. I'm waiting for traffic to die down a bit before hopping on the freeway to head home. I'm trying to decide what feels best about today. Is it the fact that when I get back to my house, it will be a comfortable 78 degrees? Maybe. I suspect the best thing about today is that I am here, and not in a classroom. My boss is confident enough in me to have me doing trainings solo now, I am earning money again, and I am content.
Things aren't perfect, but they sure are better!
By the way, a HUGE thank you to MICHELLE for your offer of a place to flee the heat on Thursday! I didn't see your comment until yesterday, but thank you for thinking of us!
2 comments:
Wow! You've had quite a weekend!!!
vacation, all i ever wanted, vacation, happy to get away! take them when and however you can! so much fun! another family adventure at its finest!
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