If It Weren't for Bad Luck...

I'd have no luck at all.

Little did I know as a child, listening to that song on Hee Haw... that it was written about me.

I came home today to find the television off. (I leave it on everyday for Miss C's viewing pleasure). It came on when I turned it on, and ran autoprogram. I didn't think much of it, since we've had storms today.

I plugged the iron in to iron clothes for the Comets game tonight, and the light dimmed. I thought it odd, but didn't worry too much about it.

As I waited for the iron to heat, I noticed that the a/c didn't seem to be cooling. I checked the thermostat and it was 80, but set on 78. I went outside and discovered that the condensor wasn't running. I came back in to make sure that the thermostat hadn't accidentally been turned onto "fan" from "automatic". To do that, I turned the hall light on, and as soon as I turned the fan "off"... the hall light, iron and dressing room lights went off. Other lights, fans and the bedroom tv were off, as well... the rest on.

So... I checked the electrical box. Everything was on, but I turned each breaker off and back on. Still nothing.

There was nothing else to do, but call MMSP. He talked me through a bunch of different scenarios, and then called an electrician for me. His guy was at the hospital with his wife who had surgery today. So I called the guy who installed my a/c seven years ago, and who was highly recommended by my next door neighbor.

And what a guy he was... getting here in less than fifteen minutes. He said it was as he suspected, I only had 110 coming into the panel. A transformer had blown, he said.

So... I called CenterPoint Energy, nestled myself into a chair on hold, for thirty five minutes... with the cell phone on my other ear, talking to everyone I had alerted of (disturbed with) my problem. I was told by CP, that 73 customers were affected by the problem and that a truck had been dispatched two minutes earlier.

And here I sit, three hours later. I just called CenterPoint again and they said the problem had been resolved. (Geez... I'm glad I called again).

I told them my story all over again, and they said they would send someone else out here. And here I sit...

• in the dark, so I don't add heat to the house
• clothed in as next to nothing as you can wear and still have your privates covered...
• in a house that wreaks of wet dog and mildew (due to a roof leak I'm trying to get fixed!).
• wringing wet with sweat and smelling like an old tennis shoe.
• it's 82 degrees in here and about 98% humidity, and I only have power to two ceiling fans.
• the only place it's hotter is outside, where I have one ceiling fan working, on the porch.
• missing a Comets game with the only decent give-away (for the first 3000).
• listening to the game on the internet: (1) they're winning their third game this season, and (2) Mistie Williams is getting playing time. (3) and now the Comets have won the game, to become 3 and 11... My friends will likely not allow me to attend another game.
• my poor Miss C is panting and pacing and miserable.
• and I'm feeling hopeless.
• really hopeless.
• seriously. really, really hopeless.
• well... at least I have my internet.