Water pipe broke

(These photos were taken after the cleanup was finished.) The water pipes under the kitchen sink broke. Both hot and cold pipes were spraying. Luckily mom was reading newspaper in the kitchen and caught it right away. However, panicking, it still took us 10 minutes to turn off the water supply. I just got up and was about to take a shower before going to my chiropractor's appointment. First, dad was hording the washroom. Second, there was no longer any water. OK there was still what was left in the tank. But mom was afraid that draining the tank may hurt it, so I pretty much washed my face and had a wipe-down with one single basin of cold water. With the vampire around, it was not good. (T_T) After mopping the floor dry, I noticed the amount of water didn't add up. Why? It all went downstairs and soaked the storage room. (T_T) Smelled very moldy and unrefreshed. (T_T)

Of course I was late for my appointment... for almost half-an-hour. Grabbed a bun as brunch and ate it in the car, then brushed my teeth at the clinic. I've never had such a bad routine fail. Nevertheless, I managed to be somewhat clean, and did not go hungry.

The handyman came before I left the house. He then went to pick up parts for repair. By the time I went home, he was done, of course. He replaced the plastic pipes with metal ones. Hopefully it would last. And mom forgot to get him to look at the leaking bathtub faucet.

Got some more stuff from Michael's. Surprisingly, the Broadway branch wasn't as cleaned out as the others. On the other hand, the good stuff were gone at LD and nothing at all at SDM.

Snapea Crisps

Photo taken last October, but these chips are on-going. Thanks A for introducing it to me. This has become one of my favorite snack! I can eat tons. Very dangerous. However, it does feel healthier than any other chips I've ever had. It's not too salty, doesn't cut the inside of my mouth, and I don't get sore throat from it. You gotta try it to see for yourself.

Geriatric / vampire

Dad's geriatric appointment... at 9. I don't even get up that early for a work day. Actually only had less than 3 hours of sleep because I was writing e-mail again. Increasingly, I get the feeling that I can't afford my Japanese friends time-wise, but they are my friends and I don't want to loos them.

We finished at 9:50 and took mom to grocery shopping. It was raining freezing rain. The streets were covered in slush. Extremely slippery. Not a good driving condition at all. (Neither for walking.)

Got home, tried to set up a chiropractor's appointment for A. Thought I had it, confirmed with A, phoned back to confirmed with the clinic, had the other receptionist, and she refused the spot the original receptionist held for me. Sigh... crap. All that for nothing. Why is it so difficult to go between 2 parties?

Not sure why, but mom set lunch up really early. It wasn't even noon. Then I tried to continue with some important e-mail, but kept falling asleep at the desk. Couldn't help it, might as well take a proper nap lying down. Set the alarm for 3. Had the radio turn on at lower volume in the background as it helps me get up. Opened my eyes again, and it was 6! AAARRRGGGHHH!!! To make it worse... the vampire is here! AAAAAAAA!!!!! I was gonna wash my hair when I get up! Now... now... I can't!!!! But I no longer care. F$%k it, I washed my hair. (Not recommended when the vampire is here.) Had dinner, yet still kept falling asleep at the desk! What's going on? What's wrong with me? Just when I thought I should go to bed anyway, the vampire sickness hit. Sigh... ended up not sleeping. Have to cancel work for tomorrow. Sigh... (T_T)

I know it's the vampire talking here. I'm negative beyond recovery. Can't help it... Why? (T_T)

Cabochons

First day of work this year. Boss gave me some chocolate as a late Christmas gift. Probably felt obligated because I gave her some bead frames back in December. She seemed to be in good mood and sold me some hard-to-find 4x6mm cabochons that I've been looking for. Thanks!

Finally got to go to Michael's and dealt with a return and an exchange. Brother brought over take-out sushi instead of eating-out. He also brought the new HDTV and set it up for us. I don't think we subscript to HD channels, so the images aren't good. Interesting enough, it's a 32-inch, which is bigger then our old 29-inch, but it looks much smaller. Might be the difference in aspect ratio.

Not sure when or how we'll be dealing with the old TV. It's too heavy for us to lift. (Even though someone help us load it into the car, we won't be able to unload it.) Plus... there are 2 bigger hand-me-down old TVs downstairs. One from aunt L when she upgraded, the other from cousin D when she moved. We can keep one of them as a backup, but this means we still have to get rid of 2.

Bus tickets

Mom just caught dad tearing up brand new bus tickets. By looking at the serial number, we know he destroyed from 0 to 6, a total of 7. At $2.5 each. He just trashed $17.50. Sigh... (OK we bought the discount booklets. We didn't pay the face value, but they still worth that much.)

Seems like 2 out of the 7 still have intact magnetic strip. I hope the Handydart bus driver would accept them. Dad is the only one using them anyway, to go to day care.

He had torn up lucky money red envelopes (with money inside) before. He really deserves to be sent away. My desire to keep him around is close to none. The only one here who really wants him around is mom.

Yes, yes, yes, old folks insane like him are disliked by the senior homes' staff everywhere. No doubt about it. He will for sure be abused and "kept manageable" by sleeping pills. I do feel wrong sending him away knowing that he's gonna be abused. But right now, he's abusing us.

Oh, and he was hanging umbrellas on the laundry rack. This is new... (T_T) I'm not sure if he's actually mindless because there is no end to his "creativity" which cause us nothing but grief.

Goulash

Managed to get up at 11 which was early for me, only to find out dad was the only one around. Which means I have to babysit him and can't go out. Was hoping to surprised A, but of course didn't work. No point of even trying. Something is always screwing me up, sigh... (T_T)

Of course dad had to shut all the curtains and turn on the lights... on a perfectly sunny day. Sigh... After lunch, he was hunting for food again, and mom got mad again, and he got mad again, and so on and so on. (T_T) No peace. No peace at all. Why? Why???

A was with S anyway, so I took my time. Took advantage of the strong dollar and made more online purchases. Cleaned up the room a little bit, but far from finish. Finally got the recording under control. Would be nice to have 1 or 2 more of those Diaso pill boxes. By the time I met A, it was slightly before 4. Too late to go anywhere. Was hoping to get that Ikea bookcase or refund some stuff at Michael's. Again... none of that happened.

Thanks for the goulash, A. Although you didn't think it was too good, I think it was not that bad.

New year's day

(Photo was taken on the 31st and unrelated to subject... geeze, what a sad picture to start the year! I didn't have time to take a Pinky picture...)
Took me over an hour to get out of bed. My back is all screwed up. The usual stretch of putting the top leg opposite to the body made my leg tingle. Must be from sitting on the corner of R's desk chair to watch the whole movie last night. Couldn't help it because none of the chair was my size. No energy at all. (T_T) Had to ditch the idea of meeting A. Or, even leaving the house.

Nevertheless, got to clean myself up from head to toe and inside-out... felt better afterward, but not without incident. Dad came in while I was sitting on the thrown. I asked him to leave, he did, slower, but he didn't shut the door. I, of course, was unable to get up. Grrrr..... That was not the first time. He had come in when I was showering. I've place some... never mind.

Recorded and filed some of my recent purchases from all those boxing day sale. Not all done, though. Cleaning up the room is gonna take much much longer. I'm just overwhelmed by the clutter and not functioning properly. Must get that book case from Ikea... but don't want A to see my messy room...

I'm starting to think, am I really really slow, or am I just too greedy wanting to get too much done? Or maybe I simply can't handle them???