Weekend roundup

Things that went wrong Friday-Sunday:

1. Received couch. Instead of "cloudless sky" blue, it was "cardboard box" brown. Sent it back. Reportedly will be receiving correct couch this Friday.

2. Received facny chrome/leather chair. Its legs are uneven so it rocks. Normally, I would fix this type of issue by sticking some sugar packets under one leg, but not when you pay grown-up bucks for a friggin' chair. My dad (who now will be known as "Nopey the Naysayer") sat in it and jiggled it all around, so it doesn't rock as much. I may or may not send it back; furniture store has been called, am waiting to hear from warehouse manager.

3. Bought washer and dryer. Went home to look at the dryer's electrical outlet. It was supposed to be either three-prong with and "L" or four-prong. It was a three-prong without an "L." Turns out the 50-year-old house just has an extra stove outlet, which people used to plug dryers into. Progress marches on, though, and now you can't do that. The outlet will have to be brought up to current code for the dryer to be installed. Enter electrician.

Here, I have to again sing the praises of my bro-in-law, who makes friends with all the useful laborers of the world. Last week, he sent me a wonderful, sweet locksmith who worked on my locks for about 5 hours. He even re-constructed on bolt from scratch. I had no idea the locksmithing work was so slow, and I was bracing myself for a $500 bill. The total was only $148. I don't know how the man makes money.

This week, bro-in-law sends me an electrician he met at the gas station. They were filling up their trucks at the same time, and bro-in-law ended up getting him to do major re-wiring in his house. So at least I know he's tested and true. One thing about this whole home-buying experience that has been very positive is that most of the people I've dealt with have been good, honest folk. If there's one thing guaranteed to keep me up at night, it would be worrying about whether or not I'm getting screwed over.

Things that went right Friday-Sunday:

1. I FINISHED PAINTING.

2. I moved in all the kitchen things I currently own. Finally, the pots and pans from my sad days on Long Island have returned from their deep sleep in newspaper and attic heat, now under happier circumstances. I found the "morenita" stovetop espresso-maker Joanna and Susan gave me, which I thought was lost in the move. So now I have identical twin morenitas, b/c my aunt just gave me one. The bounty!

3. I received two bookcases that seem perfectly fine and unblemished.

4. I watered the entire backyard, unaware (or perhaps ensuring) that a steady rain would fall all day today.

5. I washed many things and noted other signs of progress, such as a complete set of blinds, a functioning security door and re-keyed locks.