As you know I have been without heat for a while now and this morning there was a glimmer of hope. When I left the office I called the HVAC man to inform him that I was leaving work and will be arriving at the apartment in 25 minutes. When I walked in the door, there was still no power and no sign of anyone awaiting my arrival. After roughly 20 minutes of tidying up the place, I got a knock on the door. Shortly after they began disassembling the old broiler (65 years old!) I get another knock on the door. It’s the electrician to figure out the power outage issue. As I’m showing all these people where the necessary switch boxes and transformers are, I get another knock on the door. Pepco. After about 45 minutes my power turns on! YAYAY!
I wait a bit will they work on my broiler, throwing pieces out the back door and making a huge guncky black mess on my floor.
“Hi, sorry to bother you but I need to take off and got back to work, do you mind locking the door on your way out?”
HVAC “Oh, well actually we have a broiler but we have to go pick it up.”
“Oh, this is news to me. I thought it hadn’t arrived yet?”
HVAC “Oh no we’ve had it. We need another 15-20 minutes to finish taking this one out and then we have to go pick the other one up. Should be back in 20-25 minutes.”
“Okay well I’ll wait till you get back and then I’ll take off how does that sound?”
Waiting. Waiting Waiting. After a little over an hour AFTER they left I called the receptions number “Oh I’m sorry I can’t get ahold of them.”
So basically I ending up leaving a note on my back door saying to lock it on their way out. I had to leave the door unlocked for them….
I get home late that night to discover...THERE IS HEAT IN MY APARTMENT! YAYAYAYA!
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Friday, 4 November 2011
Let There Be Heat!
Halloween weekend ending up being pretty cold in the district. It actually snowed a little bit, yuck! We have a little space heater which helps, but I knew that Nov 1st was a great time to get the broiler turned on for heat. I called my HVAV guy and met him at the apartment. He was there for about an hour inspecting and trying to light the flame.
Conclusion: BROKEN.
Hopefully I will be getting a new one sooner rather than later. As for now, the space heater will have to do.
Jacob and I were Zombies this Halloween! MWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH
Conclusion: BROKEN.
Hopefully I will be getting a new one sooner rather than later. As for now, the space heater will have to do.
Jacob and I were Zombies this Halloween! MWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH
Kirsten Goes to the Dentist!
It’s the morning of Oct. 17th and I make my way into the bathroom to start my morning routine. As I’m brushing my teeth, I remember. Today, I go the Dentist. Yuck. Unfortunately I have been a bit behind on my cleanings since getting new insurance and moving to DC. I’m dreading the outcome if the visit. Actually, I’m dreading getting into that awkward chair where my feet are up and my head doesn’t quite reach the headrest so it’s extra uncomfortable. I leave the office around 11:30 to ensure I have a solid 30 minutes to Metro it to DuPont and find the building. Not surprising, I get very lost. I ended up using my navigation on my phone but forget to remember that it was taking me the long route since this area is full of one ways…smart Kirsten, real smart.
I finally end up at the sketch building about 20 minutes past. I called several times on the way to ensure they understood my tardiness. It looked like an apartment building on the outside. I buzzed the correct button for their ‘suite’ number and the door opened for me. I got off the elevator to the fifth floor and what do ya know, it is an apartment building. I open the door to the ‘supposed’ dentist office. I walk in and it’s like an office for little mice. They transformed a small apartment into a dentist office. My first instinct was to leave and find a new dentist, but I forgot to change out of my heels before leaving the office and the 50 minute walk had my feet hurting. I took a seat and waited for my name to be called although I was the only one in very cramped front room.
Two ladies came to get me and I had to carefully maneuver around the dentists as we was performing on another patient. I had to hold my breath and move slowly by him while scary sharp objects were inside this poor woman’s mouth. Seriously? What if I sneezed and bumped into him as I walked past and the sharp tools when through her cheek? Okay, why didn’t I leave when I had the chance!
First thing’s first, X Rays. This must have been Dental Hygienists first week because she was shadowing another. One hygienist’s looks at the new hygienists and goes “Okay you do the rest, I will be right back.” My eyes widen. She starts jamming this awkward tube with weird shapes coming off it into my mouth but it’s not working. “Hey I need help!” she yells out. The hygienists walks over and goes “Like THIS!” and jams it into my mouth. OUCH!
After the horrific X ray experience the dentist arrives to inspect the damage. In this little closet we are in (Not kidding! The door was taken off and my chair is slanted in the little room), he puts the air-sucky thing in my mouth and is working with sharp scary tools in my mouth when suddenly his movement causes the air hose to come loose and the air-sucky thing fly’s out of my mouth and starts moving all over. He is frantically trying to figure out what happened and yelling for help. I just lay in the awkward chair looking at everyone like a deer in the headlights.
After another 30 minutes of teeth cleaning and teaching me how to brush my teeth with a giant toy teeth, it’s time to go. As he is talking to me about the visit, I’m not even listening. All I can think about is never ever ever coming back to this place!
I have a cavity. So in other words I’ll be back Nov. 12th.
Dang it.
I finally end up at the sketch building about 20 minutes past. I called several times on the way to ensure they understood my tardiness. It looked like an apartment building on the outside. I buzzed the correct button for their ‘suite’ number and the door opened for me. I got off the elevator to the fifth floor and what do ya know, it is an apartment building. I open the door to the ‘supposed’ dentist office. I walk in and it’s like an office for little mice. They transformed a small apartment into a dentist office. My first instinct was to leave and find a new dentist, but I forgot to change out of my heels before leaving the office and the 50 minute walk had my feet hurting. I took a seat and waited for my name to be called although I was the only one in very cramped front room.
Two ladies came to get me and I had to carefully maneuver around the dentists as we was performing on another patient. I had to hold my breath and move slowly by him while scary sharp objects were inside this poor woman’s mouth. Seriously? What if I sneezed and bumped into him as I walked past and the sharp tools when through her cheek? Okay, why didn’t I leave when I had the chance!
First thing’s first, X Rays. This must have been Dental Hygienists first week because she was shadowing another. One hygienist’s looks at the new hygienists and goes “Okay you do the rest, I will be right back.” My eyes widen. She starts jamming this awkward tube with weird shapes coming off it into my mouth but it’s not working. “Hey I need help!” she yells out. The hygienists walks over and goes “Like THIS!” and jams it into my mouth. OUCH!
After the horrific X ray experience the dentist arrives to inspect the damage. In this little closet we are in (Not kidding! The door was taken off and my chair is slanted in the little room), he puts the air-sucky thing in my mouth and is working with sharp scary tools in my mouth when suddenly his movement causes the air hose to come loose and the air-sucky thing fly’s out of my mouth and starts moving all over. He is frantically trying to figure out what happened and yelling for help. I just lay in the awkward chair looking at everyone like a deer in the headlights.
After another 30 minutes of teeth cleaning and teaching me how to brush my teeth with a giant toy teeth, it’s time to go. As he is talking to me about the visit, I’m not even listening. All I can think about is never ever ever coming back to this place!
I have a cavity. So in other words I’ll be back Nov. 12th.
Dang it.
Monday, 10 October 2011
Allison's Wedding Weekend!
On Friday, October 7th I boarded the plane at Ronald Reagan National Airport at around 11:30 AM to make the first of two flights to Fargo North Dakota. It was my best friend Allison Pipers wedding and I wasn’t going to miss it for the world! I’m rather comfortable in my expensive seat, ready to nap away then next two hours and 19 minutes. The turbulence was on the rough side at the beginning of the flight, but nothing I couldn’t handle. We were about 45 minutes from Minneapolis when I saw people running up and down the aisle. I quickly took out my earphones and started looking around franticly. I noticed a large box being quickly brought up to the front of a plane in the hands a flight attendant. I saw that the wording started with a ‘D’ but I couldn’t quit decipher exactly what it said. After about 5 minutes we were informed that a gentleman in first class had a minor heart attack and the pilot was planning on kicking it into high gear to get us on the ground. What I failed to inform earlier is that we sat on the runway for 25 minutes before taking off from Washington, therefore making us 25 minutes behind schedule. The pilot came on the overcome and announced that it was roughly 45 knot winds in the Minneapolis area, therefore prepare for a rough ride.
Great.
We raced to the runway with high speed and the plane was whipping back and forth, it felt like the wings were going to touch down first. We ended up getting there 10 minutes AHEAD of schedule. The paramedic’s met us at the runway to get the gentlemen off the flight as soon as possible.
Okay, flight one is complete.
It’s 3:00 PM and I’m preparing myself to board yet another flight. My head stopped spinning but my stomach hadn’t. As I step on my short 32 minute flight to Fargo, I thought I was going to faint. There were two seats on either side and about 10 rows deep. So I’m going to get back up in the air with these high winds in this? Seriously.
Like I expected, it was a crazy and very nauseous ride to Fargo. The 32 minute ride felt like hours of pure hell.
I land in Fargo at 4:35 PM. My mom picks me up at the airport and headed to get some medicine for my motion sickness. Nothing a few hours at Macy’s couldn’t handle ;)
Allison’s wedding:
BEAUTIFUL!
It was so wonderful to be back in North Dakota to visit friends and family. I had such a blast at Allison and Jacob’s wedding.
Party Bus: Check
Dancing: Check
Driving to Michaels: Check.
I got home last night and my flights were actually very nice. Very little turbulence and went pretty quick. Jacob picked me up at the airport, stopped quickly at the grocery store and then spent the night cheer for the Green Bay Packers. 5-0 Baby.
Great.
We raced to the runway with high speed and the plane was whipping back and forth, it felt like the wings were going to touch down first. We ended up getting there 10 minutes AHEAD of schedule. The paramedic’s met us at the runway to get the gentlemen off the flight as soon as possible.
Okay, flight one is complete.
It’s 3:00 PM and I’m preparing myself to board yet another flight. My head stopped spinning but my stomach hadn’t. As I step on my short 32 minute flight to Fargo, I thought I was going to faint. There were two seats on either side and about 10 rows deep. So I’m going to get back up in the air with these high winds in this? Seriously.
Like I expected, it was a crazy and very nauseous ride to Fargo. The 32 minute ride felt like hours of pure hell.
I land in Fargo at 4:35 PM. My mom picks me up at the airport and headed to get some medicine for my motion sickness. Nothing a few hours at Macy’s couldn’t handle ;)
Allison’s wedding:
BEAUTIFUL!
It was so wonderful to be back in North Dakota to visit friends and family. I had such a blast at Allison and Jacob’s wedding.
Party Bus: Check
Dancing: Check
Driving to Michaels: Check.
I got home last night and my flights were actually very nice. Very little turbulence and went pretty quick. Jacob picked me up at the airport, stopped quickly at the grocery store and then spent the night cheer for the Green Bay Packers. 5-0 Baby.
Thursday, 6 October 2011
The Adventure Continues...
September 29th:
At 11:30 last night Jacob woke up yelling in pain. He had blood running out of his ear and we rushed to the ER. We sat there for 2.5 hours till we could see someone while I held gauze to his ear to help with the bleeding. He saw a nurse for about a minute who checked his blood pressure and temp, then told him to wait for the doctor. After another agonizing hour while he was bleeding from the ear and in excruciating pain, I went up to the front desk in tears begging someone to help us. We finally saw a doctor at 3:30. His eardrum popped that night, which caused him to be bleeding out and in lots of pain. Around 4:15 AM we took off for a 24/7 Pharmacy on the opposite side of town, waited for pain meds and antibiotics and got home around 5:30. He is doing a lot better now, on lots of medication. We have no idea what caused the popped eardrum, but in a couple weeks he should be healed. To add the icing to the cake, I was harassed by some guy in the waiting room and it started a fight with some other patient who was trying to defend me. Oh Geez.
It’s official, I’m writing a book.
October 5th:
I lost my phone last night. Cool.
I was naturally a mess and very upset, but I eventually breathed when Jacob calmed me down. Guess what! There are some good Samaritans in the District!? I had been calling and texting my phone constantly to see if someone would pick up or find it. I lost it around 7:15 PM and I got a call about 8 PM from a guy who found it! He was giving it to his mother who will be at the Canadian Embassy today for me to go and pick it up! Seriously, I sometimes give up on people and then they turn around and surprise you.
At 11:30 last night Jacob woke up yelling in pain. He had blood running out of his ear and we rushed to the ER. We sat there for 2.5 hours till we could see someone while I held gauze to his ear to help with the bleeding. He saw a nurse for about a minute who checked his blood pressure and temp, then told him to wait for the doctor. After another agonizing hour while he was bleeding from the ear and in excruciating pain, I went up to the front desk in tears begging someone to help us. We finally saw a doctor at 3:30. His eardrum popped that night, which caused him to be bleeding out and in lots of pain. Around 4:15 AM we took off for a 24/7 Pharmacy on the opposite side of town, waited for pain meds and antibiotics and got home around 5:30. He is doing a lot better now, on lots of medication. We have no idea what caused the popped eardrum, but in a couple weeks he should be healed. To add the icing to the cake, I was harassed by some guy in the waiting room and it started a fight with some other patient who was trying to defend me. Oh Geez.
It’s official, I’m writing a book.
October 5th:
I lost my phone last night. Cool.
I was naturally a mess and very upset, but I eventually breathed when Jacob calmed me down. Guess what! There are some good Samaritans in the District!? I had been calling and texting my phone constantly to see if someone would pick up or find it. I lost it around 7:15 PM and I got a call about 8 PM from a guy who found it! He was giving it to his mother who will be at the Canadian Embassy today for me to go and pick it up! Seriously, I sometimes give up on people and then they turn around and surprise you.
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
September 23rd 2011: WISCONSIN WEEKEND
On Wednesday the 21st I’m on the couch resting. I had left work early that afternoon to try and sleep of this terrible head cold I had come down with. I was on the phone chatting with my boyfriend Jacob about a car issue that has just arisen. Apparently he brought his car into the shop to have them look at a leak, turns out his left axel was all messed up. There was a part available that they could overnight. The part was still in another car so Thursday they were to take it out and ship it. I had a scheduled flight for Friday, Sept. 23rd to flight from DC to Milwaukee arriving at 12:30 PM. The part was to arrive at the mechanics Friday morning and Jacob would just be a couple hours late picking me up and we’d be on our way. No big deal right?
So after I freaked out for a couple hours I started to calm down, take some cold medicine and try to relax. Then I heard a huge crash. I run to the window and about 15 cop cars come out of nowhere, they start blocking off the streets and you seeing some running action. Within in seconds there is a police helicopter circulating. I see my neighbors outside so I go out to find out what just happened. Apparently there was some sort of police chase and he finally crashed into one of the cars on the street. That was all I could hear till a group of kids, whom I see every day, walk past us and soon two cop cars rush up to us and tackle these kids. They all had three handguns in their waist band! I see these kids every day.
I found out later that this was a stolen car from a block down that caused this ruckus. I also found out that it will be wise of me to stay away from a certain group of people who migrate rather close to my front door.
It’s Friday morning and I just got through security at the Ronald Reagan National Airport. I make one last call to Jacob to confirm that we’ll be all good to go. He said that he received a confirmation that the part had been shipped and will be arrived to the shop sometime this morning. Phew! I get to Milwaukee around 12:40. We decided that I should get a hotel room in Milwaukee because it might be a while till he can arrive and get me since with the delay. I jump on a free shuttle to the Holiday Inn Express near the airport. I get there with a rumbling stomach and the shuttle driver offers to drop me off at a nearby local restaurant for a bite to eat. I’m still not a hundred percent so I end up taking a little nap at the hotel. It’s nearing 4pm and I still haven’t gotten a call that the car has been finished. After a while of passing the hotel room and freaking out, Jacob calls me with the news. The wrong shipping information was put on the package and it will not be arriving till Monday morning.
(At this point all Hell breaks loose)
I’m wondering if I should book a flight back to DC the next morning or would it be too expense? We decided that I’m going to stay in Wisconsin and drive with him Monday morning granted my office is okay with me missing Monday and Tuesday. Since Jacob’s car is in the shop and his dad’s car isn’t working due to a recent accident where a deer came out of nowhere! I was stuck in Milwaukee alone for the night. Jacob borrowed a car and left Eau Claire (4 Hours North of Milwaukee) early Saturday morning to come pick me up and take me back to Eau Claire for the weekend. We basically just hung out and spent time with his family and said some goodbyes till we’d be back. It turned out to be a good weekend.
Monday morning we wake up and start re-packing Jacob’s life. Since he is a typically boy, I had to use my girl super powers to re-organize his ‘organized’ packing. We got a call that the part was en route to the shop and should be done around noon. Perfect! We could get a good 10 hours in today and then only eight left on Tuesday! That sounded like a great plan.
Wait why would that work out? Isn’t everything supposed to be utter chaos?
We got the car around 4:30, packed it full in the pouring rain, and were on the road by 6:20. We made it to South Bend Indiana around 2:45 AM and stopped at a hotel for the night. After a three or so hour nap we woke up and hit the road again. Not to mention a pit stop at the local Wal-Mart to get heavy medication for Jacob’s ear infection that was extremely uncomfortable for him. To say we were exhausted is an understatement. The scariest part of the entire journey was the PA Torn Pike…needless to say we will NEVER take that again. 2 plus hours of winding through mountains with speeding semi’s racing past us and no shoulder to speak of…yuck.
We got home and unpacked at 8:30 last night. We were exhausted. We were relieved. We were finally home.
Oh yeah, the car that has become the most unreliable car known to mankind became the smoothest 18 hour car ride…I guess it was worth the wait!
So after I freaked out for a couple hours I started to calm down, take some cold medicine and try to relax. Then I heard a huge crash. I run to the window and about 15 cop cars come out of nowhere, they start blocking off the streets and you seeing some running action. Within in seconds there is a police helicopter circulating. I see my neighbors outside so I go out to find out what just happened. Apparently there was some sort of police chase and he finally crashed into one of the cars on the street. That was all I could hear till a group of kids, whom I see every day, walk past us and soon two cop cars rush up to us and tackle these kids. They all had three handguns in their waist band! I see these kids every day.
I found out later that this was a stolen car from a block down that caused this ruckus. I also found out that it will be wise of me to stay away from a certain group of people who migrate rather close to my front door.
It’s Friday morning and I just got through security at the Ronald Reagan National Airport. I make one last call to Jacob to confirm that we’ll be all good to go. He said that he received a confirmation that the part had been shipped and will be arrived to the shop sometime this morning. Phew! I get to Milwaukee around 12:40. We decided that I should get a hotel room in Milwaukee because it might be a while till he can arrive and get me since with the delay. I jump on a free shuttle to the Holiday Inn Express near the airport. I get there with a rumbling stomach and the shuttle driver offers to drop me off at a nearby local restaurant for a bite to eat. I’m still not a hundred percent so I end up taking a little nap at the hotel. It’s nearing 4pm and I still haven’t gotten a call that the car has been finished. After a while of passing the hotel room and freaking out, Jacob calls me with the news. The wrong shipping information was put on the package and it will not be arriving till Monday morning.
(At this point all Hell breaks loose)
I’m wondering if I should book a flight back to DC the next morning or would it be too expense? We decided that I’m going to stay in Wisconsin and drive with him Monday morning granted my office is okay with me missing Monday and Tuesday. Since Jacob’s car is in the shop and his dad’s car isn’t working due to a recent accident where a deer came out of nowhere! I was stuck in Milwaukee alone for the night. Jacob borrowed a car and left Eau Claire (4 Hours North of Milwaukee) early Saturday morning to come pick me up and take me back to Eau Claire for the weekend. We basically just hung out and spent time with his family and said some goodbyes till we’d be back. It turned out to be a good weekend.
Monday morning we wake up and start re-packing Jacob’s life. Since he is a typically boy, I had to use my girl super powers to re-organize his ‘organized’ packing. We got a call that the part was en route to the shop and should be done around noon. Perfect! We could get a good 10 hours in today and then only eight left on Tuesday! That sounded like a great plan.
Wait why would that work out? Isn’t everything supposed to be utter chaos?
We got the car around 4:30, packed it full in the pouring rain, and were on the road by 6:20. We made it to South Bend Indiana around 2:45 AM and stopped at a hotel for the night. After a three or so hour nap we woke up and hit the road again. Not to mention a pit stop at the local Wal-Mart to get heavy medication for Jacob’s ear infection that was extremely uncomfortable for him. To say we were exhausted is an understatement. The scariest part of the entire journey was the PA Torn Pike…needless to say we will NEVER take that again. 2 plus hours of winding through mountains with speeding semi’s racing past us and no shoulder to speak of…yuck.
We got home and unpacked at 8:30 last night. We were exhausted. We were relieved. We were finally home.
Oh yeah, the car that has become the most unreliable car known to mankind became the smoothest 18 hour car ride…I guess it was worth the wait!
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
5.9 Earthquake
It’s a little before 2pm and I’m standing at my desk chatting with my fellow co-worker when I notice her face turn white with confusion. The building started shaking slightly then erupted in a large quake. I immediately went to all fours. This 100 year old building I work in was moving like Jell-O. It was unreal! It ended up being a 5.9 Magnitude Earthquake. Which the West Coast ‘eat for breakfast,’ but the difference is our nations’ capitol wasn’t built to with-stand earthquakes. It was bit freaky, but kind of exciting! This was my first earthquake experience and it’s fortunate no one was injured and no major damage was caused to this historic place.
We evacuated the buildings and after a while, we got sent home! I was lucky that I grabbed my purse on the way out but I did walk a mile home in my high heels...ouch. My apartmnet was good, besides a couple pictures feel off the walls but nothing broke.
Experience Earthquake. Check.
What else does is this District going to throw at me? A hurricane on Monday… I'm ready.
We evacuated the buildings and after a while, we got sent home! I was lucky that I grabbed my purse on the way out but I did walk a mile home in my high heels...ouch. My apartmnet was good, besides a couple pictures feel off the walls but nothing broke.
Experience Earthquake. Check.
What else does is this District going to throw at me? A hurricane on Monday… I'm ready.
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