Where Ladybugs Roar

Confessions and Passions of a Compulsive Writer

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

This is the end and some very nasty words will be said.

That's right. If you have sensitive ears, cover your eyes. (It's not like you'd be hearing this post--unless you read everything aloud--in which case you're a freak.) You have been warned. If you choose to read on, be it on your own head.

The first very foul word is head gasket. Well, that's two words--and anyone who brings that up will hear more filthy language. Anyone familiar with cars knows those two words don't come up when things are sitting pretty. No one says, "I bought this new car and the head gaskets are awesome." If you didn't shudder just a little when you read "head gasket" then you've clearly never had one blow or heard of the horror involved. The husband has narrowed it down to that.
He threw some car jargon at me about exhaust leaking from somewhere that it shouldn't be. He's the king of all mechanical in our house--I just am here for show. I'm the beauty--he's the brains. (Which is another scary thing considering I'm sitting here in scruffy pjs after a very late night.) If the husband can do it--which involves a lot of tearing into the engine and may require tools we probably don't have--it'll be $300. The husband is skeptical. I've come to realize that the husband can do anything--but the tools and time and frustration--that's a different story. In the shop--it'll take anywhere from $600-1500.

Cough* What? * cough

That's right. There is nothing like trying to come up with imaginary money in December. I've mentioned before how expensive raising two Autistic children is, but if you missed that--we're so much in debt that there is no relief in sight--and we're tapped out. There is no way on this earth or any other we can afford that.

Here is the next dirty word. Ready?

Bacterial infection. Okay. That's two words too. It's probably like serial killers--they require two word or three words/names to be truly evil. The husband went into Urgent Care last Friday because he had a bacterial infection in his chest. He's on antibiotics right now. It crept into my lungs yesterday. I couldn't lie down without coughing until the medicine finally kicked in. This morning--my throat feels wrong--really wrong. The plague is upon us.

This one is filthy and only one word. Theoretically, that should make it less evil if my above theory is correct.

Short. Honor Six's middle met my epilogue last night. I'd written the epilogue a long time ago, and I just connected it to the main plot. In theory, that means I've finished Honor Six. Before any rejoicing takes place, I'm only at 60K-- as in, at least, 15 K short of where it should be--and 20K shorter than the rest. It's a whopping 40K shy of Honor Among Thieves. Nightmare. I know that some parts need to be fleshed out. I burnt the midnight oil last night to blaze through the plot points. I think I finished at 2 am. Still--that is very, very, very short of where it should be. Nightmare. Nightmare. Horror.

The last foul word is both clean and dirty and my nemesis.

You know what it is--it plagues me. I even have nightmares about it. Laundry. I have clean clothes to put away. Dirty clothes to wash. Out-grown clothes to pack away for Heidi. Clothes. Clothes. Clothes. I hate it. It makes me want to go cry in a corner.

So, that's my sad Tuesday tale. We have no money for Christmas. We have a car that is about to suck our souls out--like a vehicular vampire. I'm coming down with something that is already easing into my weakened lungs. Honor six is short and her mother dresses her funny. Plus, there is always laundry. Damn laundry. I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! A curse upon your growing family of outgrown jeans. A curse upon your stupid endless stray socks. A curse upon your towels that take ten years to dry in this damn cold, muggy weather. A curse upon that nasty, damp smell that you get if I leave you in the washer over night. I spit upon the fact that sometimes I must dry and rewash just to get that smell out. Do you hear me, Laundry???!!! I hate you more than anything!

Today sucks massive rocks. You were warned. If you read this post, you have only yourself to blame.

That is all.

17 comments:

  1. Wow, I'm not sure whose post was more depressing, mine or yours. I think we should hold a contest. No, I take that back, if I lose that would just be one more thing to be depressed about. Just be thankful you have a husband that can take care of your *gasp* head gasket. My husband changed the oil once at it cost over $3,000.

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  2. My goodness. I had a bad last week. You can have this one. Sorry about all that. At least you don't live next door to Howard and Moira.

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  3. This is why I don't post on Tuesday. I think Tuesdays are worse than Mondays.

    Wendy, you always mange to give us humor during your bleakest moments. I shouldn't have been laughing through your curse on laundry, but it sounds like mine and I can't very laugh at MY Horrible Laundry and Terrible Ironing. Clothes are so vile, so the worst ever, I can't think of anything bad enough to call them (slap!).

    What doesn't make me laugh is the thought of you and your family with this financial hardship right before Christmas. I'm so sorry about that.

    Tina's oil change story is funny. I think she's right. At least it's conceivable that your husband could do it. My husband would be out there in the garage too. He can do anything also, as long as he can get a hold of the tools... although when he changes the brakes on our van I'm always terrified for a day or two. I mean how, exactly, does he know how to do all that? He didn't go to mechanic school or anything. (He used to fix jets in the Navy, but STILL. Cars seem vastly different).

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  4. Oh you poor thing! Car problems around the holidays are just not okay. Hope you feel better soon and your Wednesday is better than your Tuesday.

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  5. That sucks, I'm really sorry. I know the feeling. Moving into the house just before Christmas has sucked up all our savings, especially since we had to throw several ks away on a bank stuff-up. You have no idea how angry that makes me.
    I hope things get better. I find locking the laundry in a spare room is helpful. Out of sight, out of mind.

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  6. Well, I'm in a sort of similar boat. I'm trying to figure out where to get extra money for Christmas without touching the evil,evil credit card. I despise that thing, but I've had to resort to it's clutches far too much recently. I'd look for a job, but there are none around here now. Seriously. Hope things get better for you soon.

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  7. Oh no you didn't just call Honor short! (steps back) You are either going to get kicked or have pointy things sticking out of you. I would be more careful if I were you!

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  8. Ha ha hahaha! Love it, Jaime!

    Wendy, you really should've known better. It IS Christmastime... next you'll be talking about job openings for Santa elves. Tsk tsk

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  9. I had a friend who just had a gasket problem. Firestone quoted him ~$500, but he found a local place that did it for $65 (Firestone wanted to charge him $90 for the part, when the dealer only charged $12... nice)... Hope you can find some sort of deal and that this heaping steaming pile of bad luck will turn around soon.

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  10. In the words of Rodney Atkins:

    "If you're going through hell
    Keep on going, don't slow down
    If you're scared, don't show it
    You might get out
    Before the devil even knows you're there"

    A little country song to make it all go away...

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  11. Oh no, Tina, that's horrible. $3000? Whoa! Hey, at least someone has been sending you yummy vampires to chomp on.

    Matt, your neighbors are surreal. It's completely insane.

    Diana, I will admit that laughter is tastier medicine than cinnamon apple thera-flu.

    Natalie, I hope we can get things squared away for Christmas as far as a working car goes.

    Jade, locking up the laundry will also deal with the clothes that are dirty enough to have grown legs. Good idea!

    Melane, our evil credit cards are full--that is the truly depressing thought.

    Jaime, *Snicker* I can't believe you snagged that. Yes, I did call her short. I'll have to watch my back for the next few days. I'd hate to find a Tuck tucked into it.

    Bane, it is a huge steaming pile of bad luck, isn't it? It sucks rocks.

    Steph, nailed it! That's exactly what I needed. We'll tip-toe out of hell as fast as we can.

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  12. I'm a day behind on blog commenting, so here's hoping you woke up today with some kind of good news.

    Car problems are the worst - hubs and I went from owning our cars outright to taking on two car payments earlier this year. It wasn't for the pleasure of driving newer cars, either. Our cars both went to scrap metal heaven.

    Thinking of you. The banker in me wonders if you might consider a home equity line of credit.

    Money SUCKS.

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  13. I'll be back later to comment but I think you write some "Honest Scrap" and I've given you an award on my blog: A Squirrel Amongst Lions.

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  14. Amber, we got our house three years ago with a smoking deal due to it being an estate auction. The plan--as we were accruing this massive amount of debt which I don't regret (my kids are both mainstreamed--that's something few parents of Autistic children can say.) The plan was to get a home equity line of credit to deal with it. Then, the housing market tanked--completely and totally. We're so screwed. Our house is worth what we paid for it--and thank goodness we scored such an amazing price on it. Screwed. Seriously.

    Money sucks.

    GwOE, thanks for the award. (I've received it already--in fact, I've received nearly all of them, but I just didn't want to clutter up my blog with anything more than I've already got going on.) I haven't received the "awesome" award. Hint hint to everyone. That one--should I receive it--I will be forced to put up. Not that I ever use the word awesome. Never. Ever.

    If I received it, that would be so awesome sprinkled with awesome, though.

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  15. I'm sorry you're having such a rough time, Wendy. I really, really hope you get some good news soon. It sounds like you could really use it.

    I know with just one Autistic child the bills for therapy/meds/etc. can really stack up, although we thankfully have a secondary insurance that picks up what the first misses. And then there are the trips to Seattle for services that aren't available here. It's what needs to happen and it's worth it, but it can really take a big chunk of money and time.

    I'm keeping my fingers for a magical windfall to land in your lap sometime very soon.

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  16. Darn it! I knew there could be no way your blog had not received it. I should have emailed you to confirm. Well at least you know I love your honest scrap.

    And I think your husband needs extra kisses or lovin' or something. Just for looking under the hood. My hubby, god I love him, would not know how to open the hood. Kid you not.

    And I agree with Diana, even in your hardship you find humor and I have guilt for laughing along with you.

    I'm going to send some of my mojo your way.

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