December 10
Today I met with Dr. Vogt for a first consultation. He looked in my mouth, and sure enough, just like all the other orthodontists I’ve seen over the years, he recommended four teeth be pulled, and two years of braces. I’m not surprised. At least he didn’t recommend head gear, like that other doctor! I really like his attitude. He’s young, not stuffy, and his staff has a really happy, casual attitude. He’s also the father of a toddler, which makes me like him even more. I felt very comfortable there.
Well, my friend Heidi has spent two years in braces with him, and she speaks highly of his practice. I feel comfortable enough to go ahead with it. I feel kind of sick about pulling those four bicuspids, but I suppose if enough orthodontists tell me they must go, then that must be the case. If I want straight teeth, those bicuspids must go. I feel bad about it, but I’m determined. I think I’m going to go through with it this time. I’ve never been able to picture myself with straight teeth. And they will only get more crooked as I get older. It’s really now or never.
Anyway, I was pleased to find out that I could eat almost anything I want, as long as I’m good about my oral hygiene. I could also use my electric Sonicare toothbrush (I was afraid I’d need to use regular ones, which I dislike).
The next step is x-rays. I was able to schedule them for the day after tomorrow. I want to move ahead with this.
December 11
The electrician called this morning and said he could start the wiring for the spa. A little unexpected, but great! He measured some stuff, I wrote him a check, and he went off to buy the materials.
December 12
The electrician came back and upgraded our electrical box. He did what he was supposed to, but then there was a big, unpleasant surprise. He put a big hole in our stucco, outside where the old breaker panel was. He needed to do this to accommodate the new, bigger panel. I wish he’d have told me about that beforehand, because it will probably cost me several hundred dollars to get that fixed. I would have suggested putting the panel in the different location that did not involve breaking up stucco. Damned half-assed contractor! He told me he “forgot to mention that.” Yes, the fun begins….
And yet there’s more. Later in the afternoon, the electrician called to tell me that my credit union would not cash my personal check, because my signature had changed. It took me a minute to realize that this guy must be really hard up for cash. Who the heck cashes a business check? Why didn’t he just deposit it into his own account like a normal person, instead of going to my credit union to cash it?! I had to waste my time contacting the credit union to assure them that I had indeed written the check, and that they should cash it. I regret ever hiring this guy. I got his name from a friend. Oh well, too late now.
December 13
I got the x-rays taken of my mouth today. Uugh, I hate biting those x-ray film things; they always make be gag. But I got through it. They took 20 of those x-rays in addition to the panoramic films. What a pain.
I never realized how truly crooked my teeth were until I looked at the photographs they took. Yes, they not only took x-rays, but photographs. I don’t think the last place took photographs. Now I’m more convinced than ever that I must get this done. How have I gone through life looking like this, all these years? Suddenly, I feel embarrassed.
December 14
Nothing much happened today, but I feel really sick about pulling those teeth. I feel like I’m butchering my mouth. I need to get past this. I really want straight teeth, and I don’t want to chicken out again. Hubby is right; it’s not very attractive to have crooked teeth (disclaimer: he repeated that he’d love me no matter how crooked my teeth were). Now that I realize how crooked they truly are, it really bugs me. So I’m at odds with myself: I want to have straight teeth very badly, but I feel sick about pulling those bicuspids. I need to work this out.
December 15
The spa came today, and it took most of the day for them to haul it up to the deck. But it’s there. Now, we just need the electrician to come and hook it up. He did the conduit work today. I can’t wait! We can’t believe that we actually bought a spa, and there it is, on our deck! After years of thinking about it, we finally followed through!
December 17
The guy from the window company came out today to give me an estimate for the windows. Unlike the other flaky companies, (which I met with before I began this journal), he calculated a price right then and there for me. Those other flaky companies too my measurements and never got back to me.
Anyway, I was very impressed. I liked his products and his professional attitude. I’m going to call his references and if the company checks out, I think we’ll go with them.
December 18
The electrician came back and hooked up the spa. I am so annoyed that he is flaky about coming to my house and finishing the work: one day he’s here, the next day he’s not. He says he’s coming, and then he doesn’t show up. I was so excited when he finally finished the work, and the city inspector gave his blessing. I filled it with water, and then went to the spa store to get the necessary chemicals after I picked my younger daughter up from school.
By 3 p.m., after I had picked up my older daughter, the spa was already 75 degrees. I turned it on to run the pumps, and that’s when disaster struck. I couldn’t shut it off. Then I realized, hey, I don’t have an owner’s manual. So I called the spa store. Soon a technician (the owner’s son) came out. I was sure it was a simple fix. Well, it wasn’t. Something very strange was wrong with my spa. I was so incredibly disappointed. Then, when I looked closely at the inside of my spa cabinet, I noticed a laminated sign, which said, “This spa shown with options.” My heart sank. This spa was a demo, and maybe it was a lemon. I knew it had been “in the factory” and wasn’t made specifically for me, but I didn’t buy it knowing it had been a demo or on display anywhere. There’s something fishy here, and we’ll need to get to the bottom of it.
After troubleshooting the spa for almost two hours, the technician concluded that the circuit board was cracked. How it got cracked was anyone’s guess. Maybe it came that way; maybe the stupid electrician cracked it when hooked it up. In any case, they would need to order a new circuit board. With Christmas around the corner, this was going to take a while. What a royal pain.
In the mean time, the technician pointed out more half-assed things the electrician did. So maybe I have two lemons: a bad electrician, and a bad spa.
December 21
I called the references for the window company, and everyone gave them glowing reviews. I think we’ve found our window company.
I think I’m coming down with a cold that I caught from one of my kids. When I catch a cold, it usually turns into an exhausting ordeal of coughing fits for weeks. I’m going to try to rest more, and take zinc lozenges and Vitamin C.
Great, right at the beginning of Winter Break. For those of you without kids, let me tell you, Winter Break is no break for us stay-at-home Moms. We considered sending the girls to “winter camp,” but decided not to spend the money (it was going to be almost $500 for two weeks!) So now I’ll suffer with being sick, and two kids messing up my house every day for two solid weeks. Oh joy.
December 26
My cold and cough are in full swing. I went to the allergist for a nebulizer treatment. This is the only thing that cleared up my cough last year. Hopefully it will work. I hate how jumpy the Albuterol makes me, but what can I do? Those braces will go on in a few weeks, and I don’t want to be having coughing fits!
December 29
The new circuit board that LA Spas sent out does not work, for some reason. Apparently it is the wrong board. Vern (the owner) tried to hook it up, but the water stopped heating after a couple of hours and now sits at 70 degrees. I’m at my wit’s end with this already. I have a big expensive tub of cold water on my deck. We probably won’t be able to get the damned thing working until January. I’m so pissed off.
December 31
I was impressed that Vern from the spa place came back today and jerry-rigged the spa so it would work. He decided to bypass the 24-hour water management system and just hook up the pumps and heater. Now we could use it tonight for New Year’s Eve! I couldn’t believe it was finally working, heating up the water, etc. As midnight drew near, we slipped into that steamy 100-degree water, watched the clouds and stars, and smiled as the clock stuck 12 and our neighbors honked their horns and celebrated. This time next year, my braces will be on for almost an entire year. How weird!