Today we moved the plants to the backyard that we planted a few weeks ago in pots in the front yard.  This year, we actually cleared a patch of grass and MM turned up the soil and everything so we could have a real garden.  (Last year we just planted plants in the corner of the yard and hoped for the best.)  MM worked for the last couple of weeks with the tiller attachment on the edger and everything.  The actual planting of the seedlings falls to me.  So, after about 90 minutes of uprooting and re-planting corn, peas, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, pumpkins and starting on the watermelons, Chatterer comes over from playing in the rest of the yard with LBoaM and says:

“The plants look great Daddy!”

Well, it works… mostly/kinda/sorta.  The repair guy was here for two hours on Friday replacing the compressor.  He said to give it 24-48 hours before we put anything in it.  It’s been almost 48 hours and here’s the issue: the compressor doesn’t turn off.  It just runs and runs and runs (no comments please about me going after it to catch it, please) and then overheats and stops.  Which, as you might imagine, is more than somewhat frustrating since we had the same problem last September.  So, I am going to call the repair people again today (even though they’re closed) and express my displeasure since it should work.  I’m also going to insist (as much as I can) that I get an appointment before a week and a half from now.  Grrrr…

LBoaM’s school called yesterday afternoon.  L had two “dirty” diapers that were far too liquid, prompting them to implement the rule that after two of those, the child needs to go home.  I’m familiar with this rule, it’s happened before.  MM picked him up, and they explained that he needed to be gone 24 hours or have a doctor’s note before he could come back.  We, of course, know why this is happening.  Obviously, the milk in the defunct refrigerator was bad, prompting a mild (albeit disgusting) reaction in L.  School was worried about flu, swine flu, rotovirus, etc.  Actually, it wasn’t a terrible day for him to be home, since today was the day the refrigerator repairman was supposed to show up.  MM took off the morning, I came home around noon (with lunch, since, well, our working refrigerator is full of things the boys need) and MM went to work.

The appointment was between 2 and 5.  The guy showed up at about 4:10.  L has been asleep since about 1:45 or 2.  Guy looks at fridge, asks when we bought it.  I said about 5 years ago since I know it was before Chatterer was born.  Guy looking at fridge puts fridge back and says “You have an inefficient compressor, and if it isn’t dead yet, it’s going to die really soon.”  Hmmm…. this sounds expensive.  I ask him how much.  He says the compressor is probably about $200, plus labor is another $200, plus the service call $55, plus the extra in the estimate totals about $500.  ”But if it’s covered under warranty,” he says, “then you’re fine.”  My ears perk up.  ”But I thought refrigerators and such only had a 1 year warranty, and I know the extended warranty is expired.”  ”Yes, but usually compressors or anything having anything to do with the sealant system is covered for five years.”  Quick, where’s the owner’s manual?  Call MM… “check the filing cabinet.”  Not there, but the date we purchased the refrigerator is there.  Go to the manufacturer’s website.  Put in the model number (not available anywhere on the receipt because the store that sold it probably wants us to call them for service) from the repair guy.  Find the manual.  $445 saved: refrigerator was purchased in August 2004.  Repair guy is ordering the compressor.  It should be here next week, and then they can install it.  That appointment will take about two hours.  But at least they don’t charge for the second visit!  

Now we just need to get through the next week without a full size refrigerator.  It’s going to be a long week.

Baby had a major kick about 10 minutes ago.

(Not that the ultrasound picture and doctor’s appointments where we heard the heartbeat weren’t official… just something about that first movement that kind of mentally confirms everything.)

I just received an e-mail from someone in my agency (not my actual office, thank goodness) that highlights one of my biggest pet peeves in life.  I kid you not, this person wrote, in response to “Thank you”… “Your welcome.”

My welcome what?  My welcome is worn out?  Or did she mean “You are welcome” in which case she should have written “You’re welcome.”  Maybe, since everyone abbreviates everything for texting these days anyway, she could have just typed “YW” and saved herself the embarrassment.  OMG.

Some of you may have noticed my blogging activity has dropped off.  In part, this is because things have been extremely busy at work.  Between getting a regulatory package out to the public and getting sued based on the fact that the people making a Public Records Act request think we have documents that we haven’t given them, work has been hectic, to say the least.

More of the reason is that I can’t really write without updating everything going on with us, and there is a lot going on right now.  Let’s go from youngest to oldest:

LBoaM:  This little boy is growing and learning and having a good time.  He knows about 12 of his letters and still wants to do whatever his big brother is doing.  Next month his school is going to start “transitioning” him to the big kids’ room with 2-year olds.  I can’t believe he’s almost two.  He’s also really into reading (just like his big brother).  And anything else that his big brother is doing.  On the plus side, maybe this means he’ll be potty trained earlier than Chatterer.  (Chatterer wasn’t particularly difficult or late in this area, but they say second kids learn things faster, and it would be really nice if that was true, especially given the news contained in the rest of this post.)

Chatterer:  Today was kindergarten evaluation day for Chatterer.  We talked to him throughout the week to let him know how it would work and what would happen.  Even without using the word “testing” and explaining that he was just going to meet the kindergarten teacher, he was clearly a little anxious about the whole thing.  This was most evident in Chatterer adopting his “shy” persona when we first arrived.  I would imagine it took about two minutes before that left, because as he was going from room to room, he was smiling, happy and practically running to the next station.  We anticipate that he “passed” with flying colors.  Now it’s just a question of convincing the school to let him in this year so he can keep learning instead of leaving him in preschool another year.  (He misses the California kindergarten cutoff date by seven days.)

Me:  Well, as noted above, work has been extremely hectic.  Fortunately the state stopped shutting down the building twice a month, so we can all accumulate our furlough days and either use them or forfeit them.  Personally, I’m accumulating mine until July when we’re planning a couple of trips and Chatterer’s school is closed.  In late June, MM is planning to take Chatterer and the dead car in the garage to Arizona to visit MM’s parents (the dead car will stay in Arizona), and then we’re planning to meet up at my parents’ house for LBoaM’s birthday a couple weeks early.  Chatterer is off school the next week as well, so I’ll be staying home with him that week.  Also, we’re planning a trip to Santa Cruz to see Thomas the Train later in July, which will be a four day weekend.  The rest of the furlough days (and annual leave) will be spent starting at the end of October, when a new member of the family will join us.  That’s right, you read correctly.  As some of you know, we’re expecting another addition to the family on or about October 24.  We don’t know anything other than that it’s only one.  However, apparently once a woman is over 35, she isn’t supposed to have kids any more.  Since I turn 37 in August, they’ve shuffled me down to the “high risk” people in Sacramento for genetic counseling and a higher level ultrasound.  That will happen on June 1.  So, now perhaps you’ll understand why the blog has been quiet.

MM: He’s been sick this week, poor man.  He’s also trying to get the backyard garden built before the seeds we planted a couple of weeks ago outgrow their starter pots.  Other than that, things for MM are pretty much the same.

That’s about it from here.  I’ll try to write more tomorrow, but I make no guarantees.