Ugh, Ginger. Much pain-go-away~ma. I've got a tooth that needs to be pulled, but I don't think I'm going to go the implant route. Especially if they've got to hammer. Eeeesh.

Easy-drain-removal~ma, Nicole.

Thanks for the hairpats, folks. I've calmed down a lot, but I'm not looking forward to calling my insurance company. I feel like I'm always on the phone with them, this poor car. This will be the fifth time into the breach for it.

Lots of feel better-ma going out to Ginger and Nicole. I strongly suggest an afternoon of slounging and watching cute boys of your choice on TV. Ingestion of chcolate, quilt-wrapping and/or animal snuggling is at your discretion.

bonny, you also have a manor/manner mix up in the letter. Otherwise, I think it looks fine. Don't threaten to withhold rent without talking to a lawyer; only about half of jurisdictions allow you to do this and then only if it's for basic services (e.g. no water, no heat). If a jurisdiction does allow you to withhold rent you'd probably have to set up an escrow account, etc., etc. You're just not there, yet.

The one thing I'd add is how & when you want the landlord to contact you with a reply to your letter.

IKEA IS PISSING ME OFF

I have Ivar shelving. It is very versatile and handy and each time I move it reconfigures nicely. You have sides, shelves, and little pegs. Over the years I have run short on the little pegs...

Apparently, there is no way to order more little pegs. After half an hour on the phone waiting I'm told I need to go into an IKEA and buy them and nobody knows how much they are. This is madness. They're litle metal pegs, fucking sell me some and stick them in the mail.

Trudy, try a hardware store and ask for shelf pins. If you can measure the holes they go into that's great, but 5 mm is pretty standard.

From the: What? This isn't common knowledge? Dept.

Shelf pins? Thank you. Bless you.

It's official. I hate today. And somehow in an hour I have to be in a much better mood, get all gussied up, and head to campus for all of the honors celebrations (English Dept., Honors Dept., and University).

OK, since people are bringing their various woes here, I have a question for the hivemind.

I have a good friend who has a five-year-old niece. The niece's mother is very controlling and has some mental health issues (depression, I believe). From what my friend has told me, it sounds as though the niece is heading into a situation much like what mine was growing up. It's pressed most of my buttons and it has me worried. I would like to tell my friend of the possibility of this and give her some things to watch out for in case the niece does head into a similar situation.

Opinions? comments? I don't have children, no nieces or nephews, I freely admit my knowledge of children is mostly theoretical. But ... I'd like to prevent this from happening to someone else.

Sparky's right. Take one with you to match them up. They have them in a ton of different sizes.

(((Everyone who needs them)))

I'm at mom's trying to convince her to actually rest. I have not been very successful so far.

(((vw)))