The Downward Slide into Chaos

I had a bitch of a past week too, so I know about "moods."

First off a virus has been nibbling on the edges of my vocal cords, then to make things worse, much worse, a virus infected my computer. I fought it for five days, threw everything I had at it, downloaded stuff from the Internet but nothing quite worked. Four times I thought I had it licked, and four times it roared back. In a desperate race, I started to salvage critical files. Most I had in safekeeping already as I’m a real paranoid, and I have backup to my backup. Finally, a professional had to use 300% bleach to sanitize the machine and the thing is back, updated but with a new set of quirks I have to work around with. OK, that was one.

Two: In a spate of cold weather, my washer froze up, and trying to start, chewed through the gears. (I couldn’t remember how old it was, but I still expected it to outlast me.) A new one cost me $700. Just a basic machine, without the fancy colors and lights. I saw ones that looked like they were built by NASA and could be launched into outer space, fitted with life support, and survive reentry. They had dials, switches, push button controls, an entire console of flashing lights and zillions of programs, including single item wash cycle.

Three: On the other end of the spectrum, my son’s fridge went into a meltdown that thawed the freezer and things started going soft and soggy. That cost me another 700. Again I resisted the temptation to buy the delux versions, with French doors, ceramic colors, bottom drawer freezer compartment, and external receptacles that provided cold everything, like a vending machine. You heard me right, it could milk a cow.

Four: My other son needed a new laptop. Kiss another 700 dollars goodbye.
Five: Then the dentist called. The insurance was maxed out, and it appears I owed another 700. (Why is everything costing me 700?) This was for my middle son, luckily I have no more sons with outstanding claims on me.

Then my driveway froze. Parts of it turned into a solid sheet of ice. The ice shelf in the Arctic might be melting, but not my driveway. It had turned into a 350 yard obstacle course for the extreme sportlers.

I occurred to me that I was beset by things freezing and melting, but always in the wrong order. So I’m walking around the house, wondering what next. Savings been devastated, just when the deadline for annual contribution to a retirement fund is fast approaching. Again I’m on thin ice.
How much or how little? Come give me a figure.

So there it is. When I buy something I always turn down the extended warranty. The way I figure with the cumulative savings from all the plans, I could easily afford to replace a major item per year, but not three at one. Hence my mood swing.

One good thing, I got so hot and bothered over these happenings, that it burned out the flu that was working on me.