February 9, 2008
I apologize for being absent as of late. It’s just that we moved to our new house with these lights with a mind of their own, our computer keeps shutting down and then for reasons I can’t exactly pinpoint at this time, I have bought this DOG.
I choose D, all of the above, as my answer. The question being ‘Why are you continually popping Advil tablets and Starbucks shots?”
So, one thing at a time. Let’s start with the house.
It’s fantastic. We have this enormous bonus room now and Delaney walks into it everyday completely bewildered. We still have the same floor plan as last time in regards to us being on the main level and the kids being upstairs. We love this, for reasons I believe to be extremely obvious. And we have a back yard. A real one!
Where things start to go awry is when you turn on the lights. Which, unfortunately, is MUCH HARDER than you could EVER POSSIBLY imagine. And not just the turning on of lights part but the STAYING ON of lights part and the turning OFF of lights part as well. All three. Which I can attest to as of late, is done much more often in a day than coherently realized. Have you ever mentally noted each time you touch a light switch in your house? BECAUSE I HAVE. AND IT’S A LOT.
Someone thought it was REALLY cool. And high tech. And super savvy. To have these “smart lights” installed in this house. Lights that are MOTION CONTROLLED! Who wouldn’t want that! Who wouldn’t want to turn OFF the kitchen lights at night only to have them TURN BACK ON AGAIN as you MOTION to leave the kitchen! Who wouldn’t want to sit down to eat dinner only to have the lights go off in the middle of your meal because you’re NOT MOVING! Who thinks it’s cool to have them SWITCH BACK ON AGAIN when you get up to get more milk! YAY! It’s like living in a RAVE! Flickering lights all the time!
I’m telling you. The grave reality is WORSE than it sounds.
I sent an email to the Realtor that went like this:
“Hello! The house is great! We love the house! Everything’s lovely! But tell me, can you ask the Sellers just a real quick little question for us? HOW DO WE GET THE LIGHTS TO BEHAVE LIKE NORMAL LIGHTS? Just regular old conforming old fashioned lights? We appreciate the fanciness of it all, but really, we would just like the lights to stay ON when we tell them to and then stay OFF when we tell them to.
Thank you kindly. Our marriage and the future of it thanks you as well.
Sincerely,
The Battle Station Family”
We got a reply with the most glorious information possible within it. The NUMBER of the home automation people. The responsible party. Sweet Mercy, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And it stays on when I tell it to. Hopefully this issue shall be remedied shortly. I will keep you informed. And in the mean time, think of me tonight as you turn your lights off. And be grateful for what you have. A light that does not MOCK YOU.
Secondly, on the computer side of things. Let it be noted at this time that buying a new HP computer with Windows Vista on it (which ALL computers come with now) is quite possibly the WORST decision you will make, aside from perming your hair in high school. We have had MORE problems with this thing in the last 6 months of owning it than Mitt Romney has had in his bid for the White House. Which is to say, a LOT of problems.
It shuts down unexpectedly all the time. One of the fans is broken so the tower keeps overheating. It did not come with WORD on it either. I repeat. Our computer did not come with Microsoft WORD on it, the single most basic and widely used computer program in the history of computers. Just stupid stuff like this. We despise our HP. Go with a Mac. I wish we had.
On to Annie, our new dog. I have to say, we are extremely proud of her. In the week that we have been living at this new house, she hasn’t had a SINGLE accident in the house. I know, right? After practically insisting that she shat and piss all over the last house before we moved and then confusedly FREAKING OUT every time she did, we knew we had to take a different approach at the new place. And we have been very diligent. She is being kennel trained, taken outside several times a day to do her thing and then when she is allowed to roam within the house, it’s only in a very defined area with vinyl flooring and a baby gate on guard. It’s worked like a charm but that’s not to say that it hasn’t been constant work to maintain the regimented plan. Plus she’s kind of a princess. She’s truly not even a real dog, she’s more in line with the sloth family. Which, fine. To each her own. It works. And Delaney is still SMOTHERING her with love.
The only thing I have been truly bummed about lately, with the exception of the lights, is the fact that we are “on hold” with the adoption stuff until we get our paperwork in line again. When you move, you have to have an addendum done to your home study to make sure your new place is suitable for kids, meaning no breeding of pit bulls or making of drug labs and things of that nature. But it’s somewhat of a time consuming process having the social worker out to the place to inspect and then write up the addendum and then send the addendum in to the Immigration Services again for re-approval and yada yada yada. In the mean time, you have to go on hold while this is all sorted out which means that although you can keep your same place in line when you go back ON the list, in the mean time, you are not eligible to receive a referral.
Which means I don’t have that daily excitement and anticipation of getting a referral and running to the computer to check other referrals. Which I guess is good since running to the computer these days would result in flickering of lights throughout the house and then who’s to say the computer wouldn’t crash when I got to it anyway?
Annie and I will, instead, behave like sloths and watch all the caucuses and primaries around the country. What are your thoughts on those?
Posted by Jamie @ 7:57 pm • random goodness
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February 9th, 2008 at 9:22 pm, Dana Says:
I know i shouldn’t be laughing at you delimmas, but I can’t help myself. You simply describe them too cleverly. And even though I hate laughing at the fact that your lights are a bit mental, you would be laughing at me if I were going through the same thing
Are ALL of the lights in the house like that? if so, I be taking a shower is quite an adventure…just make sure no one puts nair in their hair instead of shampoo…that would be rather unfortunate…
February 9th, 2008 at 9:38 pm, Chandra Says:
Whew… you weren’t kidding. You have a lot going on! I purposely held off on my I600 until we were moved b/c of having to deal with that. I didn’t know that, once approved, you have to resubmit if you move. What a bummmer! Is the reapproval faster then getting the 171H? Sorry for the questions. I just hope it goes quickly for you. However, I’m happy to hear you get to reclaim your old spot once you get back in the process. What a headache. It’s all so hard at times. I hope the lights are fixed quickly and you can go back to enjoying your new home! Happy Saturday Night! I cleaned kitchen cabinets and walls at our new house today. Well, 8 years new house that is.
February 9th, 2008 at 10:30 pm, Anna Says:
I’ve been so worried about you! I’m glad to know you’re ok even though you’re not “ok” but that it’s just your house that’s possessed and that you haven’t gone crazy from snow. If it makes you feel any better we just found out we have to move in June. With 2 one year olds, and I will be seven months pregnant. And the weekend before we have to go out of town for a wedding. I guess we both need out lives to magically turn into a Corona commercial with the hammock and sunset (and cold beer).
February 10th, 2008 at 12:28 am, Bethany Says:
I really do love reading all your posts. SOO thats what happens with WHFC when you move! I’m actually SHOCKED that you have to go on hold for that though! Good to know…note to self ‘DONT MOVE.’ But really in adoption land a wait is a wait is a wait is a wait is wait is a wait…wait did I say it enough to make it go aways NOPE!
xoxo Gurskes
February 10th, 2008 at 12:51 am, melissa Says:
You’re a great writer. My thoughts about the primaries…they’re so frustratingly antiquated. They were created before it was possible to count every person’s vote in a national election but I dare to say that in the past 200 years we’ve made some modest improvements in technology, so why can’t we have plain old popular votes? Maybe I’m missing something, but it annoys me to no end.
February 10th, 2008 at 1:14 am, Julie Says:
Yep, ya should’ve gone with a Mac.
February 10th, 2008 at 8:18 am, dcrmom Says:
My thoughts? Egads, I have to VOTE for one of these people? LOL!!!
I want a MAC. But I’m stuck with this old Dell. Oh well.
Congrats on the new house! And on figuring out the lights. Did you buy or rent this time? We need pictures.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:01 am, Melissa Says:
Glad you’re back! The house sounds amazing and your lights remind me of the lights at the grocery store frozen section that go on when you walk through. It makes me feel special that they’re coming on for me! Can’t wait to see pictures. Of the house, not the computer.
February 10th, 2008 at 2:52 pm, Lou Says:
Can’t wait to see pics of this fancy house….. Hoping you are back to plain old boring flicking of the light switches.
I feel your pain with the paperwork. We are STILL waiting for FBI letters saying we haven’t committed any felonies in the last year since we adopted Anne Pearce. I hope the prostitution and drug arrest don’t show up….;) They can’t give us the homestudy until these come, thus I am dossierless right now. All the while my sweet little Essiebabycakes gets a day older EVERY day. Good news is I’m going to visit her in just under 3 weeks!! SO EXCITED!!!! I am just praying that I can take my dossier with me when I go!!!!! Hope your stuff gets rushed through and you are referral ready!
February 10th, 2008 at 7:38 pm, Karen Says:
I have a motion-activated light over my back door. One night last spring I was mystified as to why it kept turning on and off. I finally went out to investigate, and found a pair of young racoons, ahem, “courting” on my back deck. I turned off the light to allow them some privacy.
I hope your SW updates your file speedily.
February 10th, 2008 at 9:00 pm, Jess Says:
Wow, what a mess with the whole moving and adoption on hold thing. I am really not looking forward to the whole green card application thing we’ll be doing once we get married. Ugh.
Anyway, congrats on the move! Flickering lights and all.
February 10th, 2008 at 9:05 pm, JMC Says:
I’ve heard nothing but terrible, horrible, no-good things about Windows Vista. I guess Microsoft has such a lion’s share of things that they no longer need to produce products that ACTUALLY WORK. Anyway, sucks about the lights, but I LOVED the picture in my head of your family sitting around the dining room table having dinner in the light and then suddenly in the dark. Good luck on getting normal lights back, and congrats on the new house!
February 11th, 2008 at 3:31 am, HabeshaChild Says:
Glad to hear that Annie is a rock star (no surprise there).
And sorry to hear about the strobe light effect in your house - that would make me want to stab myself in the eye with a fork.
I am coveting a Mac, big time. You are adding fuel to the fire.
February 11th, 2008 at 11:27 am, Utah Jennifer Says:
You already bought a house?!?!?!?!? That is awesome! Was it one of the houses you had on your blog? Do you love it more than life itself?
Congratulations!… even if the lights suck.
February 11th, 2008 at 1:43 pm, misty Says:
Oh my goodness. Those lights would send me up the wall. There are some things that I have ZERO tolerance for…
Which leads me to wonder, how did the realtor get them to stay on for showings??? Did you guys notice it when you had walk throughs?
Who would EVER think that’s a good idea? Of all things… seriously…
And yes. I am having a new laptop built and I am getting xp put on it…
February 11th, 2008 at 2:56 pm, Angela Says:
I’m donning my pacifier necklace and glowsticks, now!
RAVE ON!
February 11th, 2008 at 5:30 pm, BlueCollarAdoption Says:
Congrats on the new house and the yard! Now you can start looking in your local shopper guide or craigs list for a swing set! And the elections…I have to agree with Melissa that we should have a popular vote, I mean really- in this day and age it is rediculous the delagate crap. Now that my man Edwards dropped out I’m standing behind Obama, but who ever comes out ahead with the democrats will get my vote. More of the Iraq war and war with Iran Mr. McCain? No thank you old man.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:29 am, mandy Says:
Yay a new house! The lights would definitely make things interesting. Turn them all off and use some Coleman lanterns. LOL. Are you using Fugee Mamma’s decorating techniques?
I’m a semi-political junkie (the job kinds of requires it). Its definitely interesting…like WV having their republican caucus when the people don’t vote until May…crazy!
February 12th, 2008 at 6:20 pm, Renee in Seattle Says:
Oooh, new house, cool. Please post pics so I can drool and be jealous of your stuff.
My prediction: Obama over McCain with a 3 point spread.
February 14th, 2008 at 11:15 pm, Erin O' Says:
Lights, oh my! When our guys came home to us, the lights were flicked on and off until light bulbs exploded, shattering shards of glass everywhere. They somehow mixed up the on/off mechanisms so that when you tried to flick the switch the light wouldn’t go on, so you’d have to walk over to turn it on, only to discover the light switch was in the wrong position, and then have to walk back over to the switch, and…
I think it was 3 months before the light switch situation stabilized around here. Be forewarned. You think you have problems now…
February 15th, 2008 at 9:04 am, katy Says:
Good for you for crate training Annie and being regimented about it. It will make your life SOOO much easier in the long run, and make your new house smell better too. And make Annie, Delaney, you & Mike happier. Its like a miracle. Just kidding. Congrats on the new house. Sorry about the hold thing. I don’t think it will matter, at the present rate of movement. As for primaries, I’m all for a popular vote. I wish Obama & Hillary would run together but I understand why they won’t. Either one would be a tremendous relief to me. Good luck with the training - hard, but so worth it. I have found with my dogs [who have issues, so take it with a grain of salt] that nothign matters more than consistency.
February 17th, 2008 at 12:02 pm, Jennifer Says:
Congrats on the new house! I hope the lights are working fine now!
It reminded me of the clapper commercial. Clap On…Clap Off. I always wanted one of those things.
Anyhoo, I have an award over at my place so come by and pick it up!
February 18th, 2008 at 2:19 pm, Mrs4444 Says:
Everything okay??? Long time no post…
February 20th, 2008 at 1:09 pm, starfish Says:
OMG the visual of you all sitting at the dinner table with the lights going on and off made me laugh out loud. I know the motion sensor light in our yard drives me nuts, I can’t imagine having to wave your arms every two seconds when the lights go out INSIDE. I hope it gets resolved soon!
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:36 pm, haze Says:
LOL, sorry I have to laff at your plight - I hope the lights have been figured out by now.
Vista SUCKS BIG BOBO!! I have it on my new Dell and am loving how it flashes the blue screen of death for a sec before shutting down - for NO REASON. Love IT!
Your pooch is so very cute. I love those sorts of breeds.
Congrats on your new home. Pictures please.
March 21st, 2008 at 3:50 pm, Fully Operational Battle Station » Oops Says:
[…] finally had my appointment with the blasted lights people. The evil techie trolls that they […]