Friday, August 08, 2008

last straws

A dear friend sent me some flowers on Thursday to cheer me up, which was much appreciated. (She knows who she is. And I’m sending her a big hug.)

But then disaster struck. Our lovely builder came to redo the door in our utility room… but unfortunately he couldn’t do it because he discovered we had a problem. As in a burst pipe. Which at one point we thought was under the screed, but luckily turned out not to be that (the idea of having all the units taken out, the floor hacked out and then rescreeded – nightmare).

Dealing with the insurance claim was fairly horrible – and I speak as someone who has insurance qualifications. (How do they treat people who are less used to dealing with legalese?) It was all ‘no no no, you’re not covered’. Er, I paid for all the extras. Why am I not covered? ‘It’s an exclusion.’ Doesn’t say that in the policy…

Luckily the assessor’s office was really switched on and explained to the insurance company that I was covered for the leak detection and fixing it as well as for the damage caused by the burst pipe, and made them do what they should’ve done in the first place.

Given the ongoing family crises, I could really have done without the hassle. I ended up bawling my eyes out yesterday because I have had ENOUGH. All I want is my nice, happy, quiet life back. No serious illnesses, no deaths, no plumbing hassles. (That’s as much as I’ll say here.)

The assessor is coming on Tuesday. In the meantime I have a huge hole in my utility room floor. If someone knows how to bottle patience, please send me some. (Madam scoffed my chocolate stash so I couldn't even use that!)

At least we have my best aunt and uncle visiting us on Sunday. I'm planning a barbecue, but it'll be one that can be cooked indoors if need be. The way this week is panning out, it'll pour. (Did I mention that it started on Monday morning when, with my arms full of laundry, I opened the door and stepped straight into a pile of vomit, courtesy of Kleptodog? And it hasn't really improved since...)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

OOOh doggy sick! Poor you, Kate.

What an utterly horrible time you are having right now. Fingers crossed here for a sunny barbecue and an extreme upturn in events for the coming weeks.

Sending cyberhugs. Would cybermops be any use?

Best,

Rach.
XXX

Unknown said...

Oh yes, poor you. It must feel like some kind of conspiracy-- somehow the big events in life we manage to cope with, no matter how difficult and traumatic it is, but dog sick and burst pipes are just Not On...

Sending hugs. (And more chocolate!)

Nell Dixon said...

Extra hugs. Leaks are so not fun. My worst one wasn't in my house. It was when were looking after my in laws house while they were away. I went in to move the post and water the plants looked up and saw the ceiling ballooning down. I literally grabbed all my MIL's china - v expensive stuff and shoved it in the kitchen seconds before the whole ceiling fell in. Turned out it had been leaking from the loft but had run down the cavity wall between the two built in wardrobes upstairs and then into the lounge ceiling. All the clothes in the wardrobes were damp too. We had to meet them at the airport two days later and explain why they had no ceiling and no clothes.

Anonymous said...

More hugs. So sorry to hear that you are in the wars.
Totally not fair. X

Melissa Amateis said...

Aw, Kate, so sorry to hear you're going through this. Sending hugs your way.

Jan Jones said...

Aw, hon! Isn't it always the way? Just when you think things can't get any worse, the pets start throwing up.
(((((((((hugs)))))))))

Liz Fielding said...

((((Kate)))

All this and dog sick, too. I hope the rain stays away until after the barbecue.

Just don't set it up anywhere near the fence or the garden shed...