Number six or rather the actor who plays her would make a good Muppet Show guest.

Okay, update on the saga of Steph Feels Like Her Whole Life Is Going To Shit:

Went to dentist today. No trauma or anything is causing my toothache; the dentist strongly thinks its inflamed gums and gave me my annual scolding about my lax flossing habits. Will floss more, I swear it.

Steph: 1; Apocalypse: 0

Borrowed 2 window a/c units from friends last night. The Boy got one installed in the bedroom window. It took him 3 hours. Sometimes I forget that he can make any simple project into a 22-episode DIY Network program. He actually REWIRED AN OUTLET at midnight. So we still need to get the other unit in the dining room, but we are less scorching right now. (The pets are very hot, which concerns me, so I keep giving the dogs ice cubes and refilling all their water dishes with cold water and putting ice cubes in them. And we'll have the other unit in the dining room tonight. I assume. Unless The Boy has to REWIRE THE HOUSE.)

Steph: 2; Apocalypse: 0.

Leaky pipes from the bathroom are not actually the pipes; it's the contraption that makes the clawfoot tub into a shower that's leaking. I should take a picture of the contraption The Boy rigged up to catch the leak until he can fix it this weekend. So, NO FULL COPPER REPIPE.

Steph: 3; Apocalypse: 0.

The Boy looked under my car and said that the muffler issue looks like it's very near the tailpipe, so he can fix it without needing a whole new exhaust system (if I hadn't mentioned, Echos are notorious for requiring a whole new exhaust system because they *claim* it's one piece, from catalytic converter to tailpipe. But then if you google for an Echo muffler, lo, you can buy just a muffler. So clearly it's not just one piece.)

Steph: 4 (probably); Apocalypse: 0.

The dog is not going to get any younger, but she's holding on for now.

My job is...the same as it's been. We are not financially well, but we're hanging on, though I don't know how. I need to dust off my resume and start looking at the job market, but I don't think we're closing up shop any time soon. I hope.

So we'll call those a stalemate between me and the Apocalypse for the time being.

We still have to replace at least the a/c, if not the whole a/c & furnace dealie. I know that there are great tax rebates for buying energy efficient stuff, and our energy bills will go down, but it's still going to be a huge goddamn chunk of money, even for a 900-square-foot house. It just sucks that we couldn't budget and plan and save up for it. But, gotta do it. At least the window a/c units mean we have time to get estimates from multiple companies and not have to jump at the first one just because we're broiling.

So, I'm still feeling nibbled by ducks, but I guess they aren't VAMPIRE ducks. Which is a win.

And now, since it's too hot to cook anything until we get the other window unit in, I'm going to Whole Paycheck to get sushi and other cold takeaway food we can eat for dinner and tomorrow. And also pastries for Tim, since he is working his ASS off as well as being supporto guy to my weepy ass. He deserves pastries. And sex. Not together, though. That would just be a waste of pastry.

Damn, now I really want to see a Muppet Show with Edward James Olmos as the guest.

The more I hear about The Boy, the more convinced I am that he is ONE OF US.

And Teppy, you are always metaphorically scorching ... I'm assuming you mean thermometer-wise.

Good luck with the ducks, Steph. I hope they stop nibbling.

I should clarify my post about EJO on the Muppet Show wasn't a direct response to Steph's post, but I think it still stands.

Damn Tep, that's a lot of ducks.

Tep, sounds like I'm not the only one who should buy a water-pic. D'oh...stupid Irish gums!

The more I hear about The Boy, the more convinced I am that he is ONE OF US.

It went like this:

"I shouldn't use an adapter on this plug, but maybe just for tonight..."

"What the hell? This outlet is UPSIDE-DOWN!"

[Me: "You've owned this house for 8 years and are just now discovering that?"]

[sounds of a screwdriver taking off the outlet faceplate]

"IT'S NOT EVEN GROUNDED!!!"

[Me: "I could die every time I use the vibrator? That is NOT COOL."]

[disgusted exit from bedroom, muttering about outlets and grounding]

[attic sounds]

[return, with a 3-pronged outlet thingie]

"WHO DOESN'T GROUND AN OUTLET?!?"

"Oh, yeah, check THIS outlet out NOW!"

[At this point I'm trying to sleep, so I mutter encouraging noises.]

And then eventually the a/c got plugged in and the room was cool. I was sad to discover the a/c did not have a beer tap on it.

I should clarify my post about EJO on the Muppet Show wasn't a direct response to Steph's post, but I think it still stands.

I think that would make my existential angst MUCH better!

Damn Tep, that's a lot of ducks.

It sure is. Congratulations on triumphing over them! I hope you can have a restful evening with The Boy and the sushi and the dogs and nothing whatsoever going wrong.