Tuesday, November 20, 2007

irresponsible nora

I sabotage myself every time I go on vacation.
I need to figure out a way to trick myself in to packing and being ready to go.
Like, um, right now, for example. My plane leaves in seven hours.
Am I packed?
Have I confirmed the cat caregiver?
Is the house clean enough to let the phantom cat caretaker in the house?

Hell no.

My intention was to leave work around 3:00 today.
Ha! Everything went to hell in a (very expensive) hand basket.

A pallet was overloaded and the forklift could not lift the very heavy load of frozen chicken high enough to clear the freezer floor. The tines of the forklift caught under the lip of the freezer floor and peeled it back. Exposed wires and bent metal was the result. I just could not believe it! I was stamping on it with my little feet and hitting the floor with a hammer trying to solve the problem. I believe that a hammer can fix almost anything, and a bigger hammer can fix the rest.
I had to call the repair man and pray the the stuff in the freezer did not spoil -- because the door would not shut.

And one of our refrigerated box trucks was in the shop.

In the meantime there was a computer issue. I was on the phone with our tech support (at the tune of $110/hour) correcting a user error.

What else could go wrong, really?

The other refrigerated box truck got a flat tire.
On I-65.
During rush hour.
Full of food.
I whipped out our credit card and bought a tire and someone to rescue the truck and driver.

Our box truck that was in the shop has a jury rigged refrigeration unit. Someone had modified the diesel to gas and it never worked right and was impossible to fix. The cost to fix the latest problems was going to cost around $1500.00 and that is with the donated labor. The repair guy called to tell me that he'd found a much newer diesel unit for $2700.00 in Cincinnati. I had the tech guy on the other line. I told the truck guy great - buy it. He could not believe that I was making the decision so quickly and wanted to discuss it more. I asked him, bottom line -- is it the right thing to do? Okay, then do it. I went back to the $110 guy that I had on hold.

I think I spent about $6000 in the span of an hour.

I finally left work at 5:30 - and hour after the normal (what ever that is) quitting time.

I did some laundry and headed out again.

The best part of the day?
Celebrating LuAnn's birthday.


And cupcakes. Cupcakes make anything better.



I'm going to grab a few hours sleep and pack in the morning.

Nothing can go wrong with that plan, right?

4 comments:

Teresa said...

Have a smashing vacation! Goodness girl, you deserve it.

Rachel said...

Mercy, when it rains it does pour doesn't it? I think you are ready for a vacation!! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Nora!! Put your feet up girl!!

Jamie Dawn said...

I'd like to make $6000 in an hour, but not have to shell out that kind of money for repairs.
Have a yummy Thanksgiving!
Yummmm.... cupcakes!
I wouldn't mind having one of those right now.

Anonymous said...

Nora,
I leave for Houston in 2 days. I have not even a pair of socks packed. I need enough clothes for a week, but can do laundry there.

There's always tomorrow, right?

Enjoy the vacation!