Repairs

"If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you'll never enjoy the sunshine." - Morris West 

Seems like every time I turn around these days, something breaks.  Last week, it was the furnace.  We were without heat for about thirty hours during a bitter cold snap.  Even with a couple of space heaters running, two sweaters, heavy socks and a scarf wound around my neck, I was freezing.  The house got so cold that my warm breath continually fogged up my glasses.  

The furnace repairman came early in the morning following an early evening call the day before.  I was happy because I had assumed fixing the furnace would be a short job and I would still be able to make it to the lunch meeting I had scheduled.  It turned out that the repair was simple but the part had to be ordered and once delivered, a new appointment to have it installed needed to be scheduled.  I didn't make it to my meeting.  The furnace was finally repaired after 5 P.M.  I waited all day, unable to leave until everyone had done their part.  Of course, no one would give me a time.  I didn't know if the part would even arrive that day or the next.

For my birthday last year, Cath and Nan bought me a Nespresso coffeemaker.  Each morning I enjoy a delicious latte.  It is a small pleasure that starts my day off on the right foot.  Monday it stopped working.  It is an expensive machine, a luxury I would never have indulged in for myself.  I will figure out whatever machinations I must go through to have it repaired.  But I'm disappointed.  The machine has been treated gently.  How could it possibly be broken already?

Yesterday I travelled to Owen Sound with my friend David for a client meeting.  It was a long day and a long drive.  Our meetings were good and I was glad we made the trip.  Coming home, we ran into heavy snow.  The drive was slow and my back was aching when we got home around 8 P.M.  A couple of hours later, I realized that I had left my phone in David's car.  I picked up the land line phone to call him only to learn we had no service in the house.  I have no idea why.  I used Jacob's phone to call Bell only to hear an automated message telling me that I could set up a service appointment in a window between 8 A.M. and noon this morning, but only if I could provide them with a phone number where the Bell repairman could reach me before he comes.  There is something crazy about the logic there.  My phone isn't working and I can't have it repaired unless the phone company can call me. 

David and I communicated through e-mail late last night.  He will drop my phone off this morning.  I'm still waiting so I can call Bell and start the waiting game again.