This morning, my husband mentioned seeing water in the carpeted, finished part of our basement. Alarm bells went off in my head. "Check the water heater," I said. When Dan opened the door between the finished and unfinished part of the basement, he encountered a flood--the humidifier on our burner, which had been "fixed" a couple of weeks ago, was spewing water on the cement floor. The carpet was soaked!

I'm no dummy; when we had carpeting put down in the basement, we ordered the indoor-outdoor variety. Potential floods--from the washer, monsoon outside, or an incompetently installed humidifier--can happen at any time. However, we also wanted it to be comfortable, so we had padding installed underneath. The question now is, are we in for mold and mildew?

Dan wanted me to wait home for the repair guy, but with Connie out, that was impossible, so he had to remain home. He fretted about what he was going to do with the dogs, how this was going to mess up his time for the week, etc., but what could we do? Someone had to stay home, it had to be him, and complaining and worrying about it really didn't change anything.

The guy showed up, unstuck the stuck float valve (which they had installed, by the way), and pronounced it fixed. I figured Dan would call, demand the manager and get us free oil for the winter, but he just meekly accepted when the guy said they aren't responsible for any damage that happened or Dan having to stay home from work--nothing!

I think my husband's been replaced by a pod person, because the real Dan would NEVER allow such a travesty to occur! We have a flood in our basement, possible damage to the burner itself, a soaking wet carpet, and they claim no responsibility--after they apparently didn't properly install the float, or installed a faulty one? No, folks, I refuse to put up with that bullshit, and when I get home, I'm getting on the phone with the manager at Perillo and lighting a very painful fire under his ass. I'll start out nice, but if I get any resistance, Mrs. Nice Gal will disappear under a barrage of the nastiest diatribe EVER!

Take a breath, Robin. It's been so hard being stuck here all day, wishing I'd been able to take the day off, worrying, angry, feeling that impotence you feel when you have no control over a situation. The weather, which has been unseasonably warm in recent weeks, is going to take a turn for much colder, so I can't afford to alienate my oil company, or fire them--but don't they owe us something for this inconvenience?

Dan called our insurance company, too, but I don't know how much they're going to be willing to do for us. We have $250 deductible, so I'm not really expecting much from them, but who knows? I also have my doubts about that float. If it got stuck before, what's to stop it from getting stuck again? Dan wants to just turn it off and stop using it, since it's been such a pain in our ass for so long, but forced hot air heating is very dry, and having humidifiers in the house itself is another pain in the ass of a different variety.

Home ownership is a wonderful thing, but not when something like this happens. Then it's just, you guessed it--a pain in the ass!

Love, Robin

PS - I'm a Sagittarian, a fire sign, and I'm ALWAYS having troubles with water. Isn't that weird?

With Connie on vacation, I've been working hard, mostly entering her busywork into the computer. She doesn't give me access to the important stuff, nope, just the trash that she insists on keeping. I'll wager no one looks at this crap that she lovingly types, and I could have lived very nicely without doing so. The problem is, Connie becomes FURIOUS if I don't do this task, which takes away from what I consider to be more important stuff, like reading my e-mail and writing my thoughts here. Keeping Connie happy is important. Why? you wonder. Well, if Connie's unhappy, she makes sure the rest of us are, and being her target totally blows. So, I type her shit so when she comes back, she won't be angry with me. When I'm on vacation, she takes care of my work, but to be honest, MY work has to be done. Hers doesn't. See my dilemma?

I don't know if I mentioned two pups with cleft palates that ended up in a shelter here, but I learned today that a vet has been found to perform their surgeries (free), and I'm thrilled. There were many dog adorers who offered money, adoption and love to these sweet creatures, yet there are many dogs waiting for homes all over the world who aren't even considered for adoption, who die lonely deaths in shelters. I remember when a homeless German shepherd was found running alongside one of our parkways. A man stopped his car and saved the dog's life. There were so many offers to adopt that pooch! At the time, I remember a woman who heads up a shelter who said, "I have half a dozen dogs just like that German shepherd, but no takers. Why does an animal have to be in danger or maimed before peoples' sympathy meter go on?"

Good question. Adopt a homeless dog. Save a life. You'll be so glad you did, because dogs are such wondrous companions. And this is coming from a woman who owns a dog who sometimes bites me!

To the woman who dumped her baby at the Hicksville train station, you had no excuse because of our SAFE HAVEN LAW! You could have dropped your son off at a hospital, police station, fire department, my house--no recriminations, no questions asked. I am sure he was born alive, so you murdered him! I don't care how scared you were, or whether you were in denial of your pregnancy, or whatever cowardly excuse made you do this terrible thing, but I hope there is a special place in hell for anyone who performs such an appalling act. His last name, in case you're interested, will be Hope, like all the other abandoned babies he will join in the cemetery. He had none with you, but will carry that name with him to an afterlife where I know someone will love him.

Off my soapbox now.

One of my favorite TV shows was PROVIDENCE, the story of a woman doctor who returns home to Rhode Island to practice in a local clinic. Her sister has a baby, her father is a vet, so the show featured an adorable baby girl, many dogs, and heartwarming storylines about both. Dogs, a baby and people who loved both--that was my idea of a wonderful show. I was so sorry when it left the air.

Love, Robin

My day started out with a frantic, fruitless search for my glasses. Without them, working has been twice as hard. I can't see the computer screen without moving in really closely, and driving this morning was real scary, since I see a lot better with my glasses than without them. I thought I left them in one place, but it wasn't there when I went to get them, and now I have no idea where they are. When your day begins like that, you figure you already have two strikes against you, right? Damn!

I should be doing some work now, but I've been going non-stop since I got here this morning. With Connie on vacation, it means more phones for me to answer, and she has all this stupid paperwork to input that for her is busywork and for me, total annoyance. I should be doing that, but I'd rather be doing THIS! Bad Robin!

I wanted to add to my blog earlier than this, but it just seems easier to write from work instead of home. I can't explain why, but that's just how it is.

It was a nice weekend. I got really irritated with Dan and his anal retentiveness on Thanksgiving day, so I escaped to the gym, leaving him home with the turkey in the oven and the rest to prepare. My God, the man cooks once a year and behaves like the world is coming to an end! And he pissed me off so much, I ran away to exercise, and found myself more able to put up with him after getting some of my pent-up anger out on the machines. It was incredibly busy; I guess everyone was preparing for the upcoming feast, hoping to wipe out calories in advance.

They did fly the giant balloon characters at the parade this year, but the wind forced them to fly them lower than usual to prevent potential accidents. I didn't watch the parade, but was glad for everyone who looks forward to it that they would see their favorite characters. Unfortunately, it poured on Thanksgiving, a cold, nasty rain, and I felt sorry for the scantily clad, shivering gals walking in the parade.

Dan's dinner was fantastic, the turkey moist and delicious, the gravy perfect, the potatoes and stuffing sublime. Our only guest was Mike, and he's so close to being family, I half-cleaned the house in preparation for his arrival. Nancy and Chris didn't show, nor did Dan's boss, but at least we issued invitations to others, right, even if they didn't take us up on it?

We had three different kinds of pie--coconut custard, pecan, and pumpkin. Mike brought minty whipped cream to top them, and I provided sugar free whipped cream in a can. Brad thoroughly enjoyed the food and spent the rest of the afternoon watching football and relaxing.

Friday, Dan attempted to participate in Black Friday; he went to Circuit City, where DVD's were selling for $5 each. After waiting on very long lines for two hours, frustrated and tired, he had to give up, come home and help me take Bugsy to the vet. This is why, Dan explained, he prefers buying online. Of course, our search for Wii was fruitless, but he will get one someday.

Saturday, Dan bought himself a portable DVD player at Circuit City. The salesman who showed it to us said it was on sale for half price, $70. When Dan brought it up to the register, however, it came up for $140. The manager insisted the sale price was for seven hours on Friday and no longer available, but Dan insisted; the salesman told us it was half price, and damn it, we were getting it for half price! The manager, realizing she had a troublemaker on her hands from Dan's determined face and rising voice, gave us the sale price. Wise woman! He purchased a case for it, $10 with a $10 rebate. Free! That's how I like MY merchandise! Freecycle is spoiling me.

We took Bugsy to the Southgate Animal Hospital for his checkup and shots. He was pretty good in the car (I sat in the back with him while Dan drove), but once we got to the vet's, he began to whimper, as if he could smell the fear from other dogs who'd been there before him. We petted and hugged him, doing our best to comfort him, but he was still shivering, the poor thing. Once we got inside with the vet, Dr. Mauro explained that Bugsy has become the alpha dog in our home--and it's our fault. Biting is his way of keeping us in line. She doesn't think he was abused, she just thinks he was allowed to do whatever he wanted in previous homes and turned into this domineering little shit. She didn't use those words, but she didn't have to; we got the idea.

Bugsy was well behaved at the vet. He didn't bite them, but an assistant was holding his mouth closed, just in case. He got his shots, and she examined him thoroughly. He weighs 24.6 pounds, and she said he is NOT overweight, unlike what the groomer told me. The main thing is, he's healthy but undisciplined. Sounds like every dog we've ever had! Dan always wants to get a big dog, but if we allowed a larger dog to get away with what all the small ones have, we'd have been devoured a long time ago! As it is, Bugsy has done some major damage to both Dan and me, yet we still keep the little bugger!

Dan and Mike saw CASINO ROYALE and really enjoyed it. They invited me, but I had been napping and really didn't feel like going at that point. They rented a Pay Per View wrestling show, so I watched TV up in my room.

Brad was supposed to join Dan, Mike and me for dinner last night, but he and Dan got into a big argument over Brad leaving the adaptor for his phone hanging on the floor, where Bugsy found and chewed it up. My main worry was that Bugsy could have been electrocute, since the adaptor was plugged in, but Dan's only (and obsessive) concern was replacing the frigging thing immediately. Brad, infuriated by what he considered an attack on him the instant he walked into the house, snapped at his father, "I don't want to go out to dinner with YOU!" It made me so upset, my stomach was roiling, and I ended up taking most of my dinner home. They squared it away when we got home, but it showed me, yet again, how obsessive and irritating Dan can be. I was concerned about Bugsy's well-being, but my husband's concern was on the THING, rather than the living creatures involved (Brad and Bugsy). He's done that in the past, and it pisses me off because I question his priorities.

So here I am, back at work, no overtime, thank God. I love the money but hate to have to invest the time. I'll hit the gym quickly after work, then go home to my sweet doggies.

At least I have MY priorities straight. Now, if only I can find my glasses. . .

Love, Robin

I took a different route home last night, but I must face the fact that a lot of humans leave work at five o'clock, and the roads are crowded no matter how I drive home. It took me half an hour, about the same as the previous night, but I was less stressed, so I guess I'll go home the same way this evening.

I'll let Bugsy and Snaps out to do their business, then run up to the store for white potatoes and yams. It appears that only Mike is joining us tomorrow, and that's fine by me; we don't need to clean up for him the way we'd have felt obligated to if Dan's boss or Nancy and Chris were coming. Nancy returned to work today. She's still pale, but seems a lot better than when I drove her home Monday.

Someone just announced that it's sleeting outside. I'm not surprised; when I took my walk today, the air was raw and the sky had a cast to it I can only describe as snow-on-the-way. I'm not a big fan of snow, especially driving in it, so I hope whatever is falling from the sky turns to rain. The prediction is for nasty winds that might prevent the popular balloons from making an appearance at tomorrow's Thanksgiving Day parade in NYC. That would be a real shame, since people from all over the world come to see that spectacle every year. I hope the kids get to see their favorite balloon characters tomorrow. It's not something I especially look forward to, but I know many do.

Some factoids about me:

My grandmother (Mom's mom), who we called "Nana," was a heavyset woman who never seemed happy. My brother and cousin, Don, used to call her Nanorama or Nancity. I think Nana is part of the reason the reason my mother suffered from depression.

I take two doctor-prescribed anti-depressants, yet I sometimes still feel depressed. I don't know if it's because of peri-menopause or because my depression is so huge, it can't be contained by those two drugs. When I see what people do to each other, and to sweet, innocent animals, it overwhelms me.

I'm a morning person, so perky, you'd want to kill me. I sing, talk to myself, walk really fast and am so animated on the phone, I'm sure my co-workers must think I'm totally nuts--and I don't care!

I really wish someone had invited us to their house for Thanksgiving this year. I SO miss my mother's Thanksgiving dinners.

When I was 11, I went into the city with Lil and Norm, friends of Mom's, to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show. Donna, 5, Lil's little girl, came along too, and both of us were excited and wide-eyed over the tall buildings, gigantic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and exquisitely decorated Macy's store windows. When it started to snow, it became a totally perfect day.

Forty-one years later, Norm is dead, Lil misses him terribly, and Donna is battling breast cancer. And you wonder why I'm depressed?

I love the TV show HEROES. I want a cool ability, too!

My birthday is December 14, and yes, I do feel cheated, gift-wise, with Chanukah and Christmas falling in the same month. Also, I wish I'd been a warm-weather baby instead.

For my 15th birthday, Mom took me and several girlfriends first for pizza, then to see ROSEMARY'S BABY. It was great, but so scary!

I love a good joke, but can never remember them to tell others.

I'm thankful for this blog--and you readers who share my life. Hope your holiday tomorrow is absolutely perfect.

Love, Robin

Dan and two of his friends are going to a wrestling event at Nassau Coliseum tonight. Better them than me! I worry about this only because Mike is driving Dan, and given the penchant of the former for always being late, I'm concerned that there might be a problem. I shouldn't worry, though, since it's my concern only because I don't want Dan to get upset. If he's upset, I can guarantee that he will stress ME out, and I try to avoid that whenever possible. As far as wrestling is concerned, it's all soap opera, and while I have been involved with some soaps over the years, I do not like RAW or WRESTLEMANIA or whatever it's called now. When Dan speaks excitedly about what happened the previous night, I roll my eyes with disdain and make a bitchy remark. What really pisses me off is that they tend to hold Pay-per-Views on Mother's, Father's and other holidays. THAT should be outlawed!

When it comes to my hubby of 28 years, though, it's often difficult to avoid stress, or at the very least, annoyance. This morning, shortly before the alarm was to go off, he was holding me in his arms (romantic) while snoring and farting (not so much). I sometimes thinks he does things like that because he knows they DO irritate the shit out of me. Granted, it's one weird way of showing love. But Dan wants to be accepted the way he is--frequent-farter, bathroom-stinker-upper notwithstanding. I am guilty of frequent farting lately, too, but I don't take as much PRIDE in it as Dan does.

Wii is the latest incarnation of Nintendo console, and Dan really wants one. Locally, people waited in lines in pouring rain to do so, but Dan says he's too old to go that route. The man is getting a permanent handicapped parking sticker, for God's sake! He haunted dozens of web sites to see if he could buy one, but they were all sold out--except for those scalping on eBay or elsewhere. He knows I won't let him pay an inflated price for one, and frankly, I think we have too many game systems/games as it is that barely are played. However, Brad was downstairs last night playing a new game, so I guess I might be mistaken. $250.00 just seems awfully steep for a lousy video console, but at least Dan isn't wasting money on drugs and hookers (that I have evidence of, anyway).

I'm working another 10 hour shift tonight. Two more hours of overtime, whooppee! The trip home last night was horrific; the normally 15 minute ride took half an hour. There was one crazy soul passing on the left, passing on the right--on the one-lane New Highway! I was so frightened by this guy's actions, I hastily exited the road to get on Route 110, which was a bumper to bumper nightmare. Tonight, I'm going home through the industrial park where Dan works, and hope that works out better for me. I just hate making Bugsy and Snaps wait to be let out when I'm already two hours later than usual. This is preventing me from going to the gym, too. Believe it or not, LA Fitness is open Thursday from 8-3, and I plan to go early in the morning, before stuffing my face with turkey, stuffing, and all the trimmings.

My neck is killing me! I really need a good masseur!

Love, Robin