Just a drop in the hat

Rich, I ain't. Poorer, I'm getting.

Elizabeth broke her cell phone and since I already owed her $75, she and I headed to the Sprint store yesterday to replace it. I got off easy. The replacement was no longer $75 but only a mere $59.95. Okay, I'll accept that. And with luck on my side, the weekend was looking pretty good. I should head to Vegas.

However, early this morning I discovered that we had a broken toilet... one that just kept running and running. And since we are having guests tonight, it had to repaired. Quickly. At weekend plumber rates.

Now with that toilet fixed, we suddenly had a second one decide to go out on us as well. IT decided to run and run. I guess in sympathy with the one that no longer could.

So, my tally was running. And since our garbage disposal was acting up, we had to have a garbage disposal expert visit us this weekend as well. It had begun to smell like burned wires.

So in comes the garbage disposal man and after writing him a check for $39 - even though there was nothing wrong with the garbage disposal - we found ourselves now calling the dishwasher man. Yep, the garbage disposal was fine, it was the dishwasher that had blown up. Dishwasher kaput and company was still coming tonight.

But that's not all. Of course not. We're Kahles. That's never all. So... let me tell you that it's hot in Texas. And the upstairs A/C decided to go on strike at the same time. Oh, did I mention that company's coming?

Actually we've known that the A/C was on the fritz, we just wouldn't believe it. We kept pushing it, trying to get it to buck up and work. Come on, be a man! But alas, no amount of coaxing could bring those burned coils and broken connector box back to life. But.. we got lucky. We have home owner's insurance and that would only bring the cost to fix that appliance to $55 plus parts. Well, it would've cost $55 if Rick had remembered to contact them through the insurance. Nope. He called them directly. Good ol' Rick. We not only were charged for a full service call, we got the weekend rate, too! Which ain't cheap. $308.99 to be exact.

About $1000 later... we now have a cool upstairs. And only one remaining broken toilet... that should be repaired later today. While our guests are here. Should be an exciting evening at the Kahles.

Oh, and the dishwasher? Well, I'm online shopping for dishwashers right now... and deciding if I really need all those fancy features that bring the cost of the dishwasher to over $1000. Nope. Just clean the dishes. And don't break them. That's only $299. Plus shipping. And tax. And delivery. And installation. Could this weekend get any better?

And before you think this weekend escapade through my wallet was through, well, Elizabeth brought me her list of things I still needed to pay for, for the summer. By June 1st. Which today is.

Mission Arlington - $75, Church camp - $200, Cheer camp - $240, Band camp - $175 plus uniforms. Thanks for the warning, Liz.

You can stop keeping track. I have. Especially when I opened yesterday's mail and found a bill for my thrilling ambulance ride the day my back decided to misbehave. The $495 that I thought is was? $664. I guess that thrill ride went up.

And despite all the moaning coming out of my wallet this weekend? I'm still happy that I don't owe that $220,000 to the IRS. That's the only thing that really could've made this day better.