NOT HAPPY JAN !!!!

Spell Frustrated.

C.H.I.M.E.R.A.

If you look up the definition in the dictionary there will be a photo of me beside it!


In September we got quotes to have our house insulated. At that point the Australian government was offering a $1,600 rebate to homes with little or no insulation to get them insulated.

We picked a company that have been around for a while and that seemed reputable. It was the more expensive of the two quotes we got, but their quote included the cost of lifting our roof.

When the salesperson came around to measure up for the quote I advised him that the porch & 1/3 of the back of the house would need to have the roof lifted. The rest of the house could be accessed by a manhole.

The salesperson advised that their plumber would need to come around and have a look at the roof before he could give us a quote. He asked if it was OK for them to access the yard & get up on the roof if they need to? I advised that I work during the day, but I was happy for them to come into the yard at any time, even if I wasn't home.

We received a quote. The quote didn't say that it included lifting the roof, however the e-mail that it was attached to stated that the reason it was so high was because they had to allow for lifting the roof.

When we accepted that quote, our troubles started.

1. The first 2 men turned up at the scheduled time, however they hadn't been advised that the roof needed lifting. They were only able to do the bit that they could access by the manhole so they did that & left, leaving the additional insulation under our house for the rest of the roof.

2. Someone turned up at 7:00am a week or 2 later, without notice or warning. They asked where there was a power point, I showed them one downstairs (no introductions made, but they were wearing the company shirt). Next thing they were up on the roof briefly & then they left, leaving a bag of insulation open on the roof.

3. Phone calls to the company reveal that the fellow was an apprentice & wasn't sure how to lift the roof. Problem is after that it became windy & then started raining & they can't work in the wind or the rain.

4. A few weeks later, all the insulation disappears. Another phone call to the company & we are told that they have completed the house. DH advised them that they can't have because there was a small portion left to do inside the main part of the house (that requires us to let them inside). They call back later & advise that they haven't done it & that it can't be done as we have a clip lock roof. DH says not good enough & they say they'll send someone over to have another look.

5. Fast forward several weeks. We have had a number of people from the company around to look at the roof. We get told different things, but basically it is hard & expensive to lift clip lock roofing. We say not our problem. We have a quote & they have done half the job already before telling us this.

In the meantime the government grant has reduced down to $1200, so the delay has already cost us another $600.

They threatened us with court. We told them go ahead as they have quoted to lift the roof & they haven't done what they quoted.

They have tried to get us to sign off. We refused. We have also threatened to call the government hotline which will then mean their company gets audited by the government body responsible for the rebate.

Many of our phone calls are not returned although eventually we will get someone who 'does something' (precious little that has been so far - they keep sending people out to have a look but nothing happens).

Currently we are waiting to hear back yet again (since being threatened with legal action & threatening straight back - at least now we are in direct contact with the manager). We will continue to allow them a bit of grace to see what happens, which is why I haven't named them yet. Although I will have no hesitation in doing so if this keeps up.

Currently I am regretting not going with the cheaper quote which would have meant getting our own plumber in to lift the roof. It seems if that had happened it would at least be done by now.

NOT HAPPY JAN !!!!

Bits & Pieces

Conversation on the way home:

Mummy (to Little Bear): Are you my girl?
Little Bear: NO!!!
M: Are you Daddy's girl?
LB: NO!!!
M: Oh, OK. Are you Cheetah's girl?
LB: NO!!!
M: Well whose girl are you?
LB: I Ma-Mar's girl ! Hmph!

Hours later:

Mummy: Come and get dried
LB: I don't want get dried!
M: Don't you want your Scoobie Doo jammies on?
LB: I don't want Scoobie Doo Jammies on!
M: Don't you want a bottle?
LB: I don't want bottle!
M: Well what do you want?
LB: MA-MAR !!!!!!

(Ma-Mar is Grandma in Little Bear language).


And this little gem from Cheetah tonight (who is in Grade 5)

Cheetah: Mum, how long is there between grade 7 & grade 8?
Mum: What do you mean?
C: I mean how long between grade 7 & grade 8?
M: You'll have to explain what you mean. Are you talking about the holidays?
C: Kind of, I mean between finishing grade 7 & starting grade 8. Do I get like a year off or something?
M: No.

I think there might have been some disappointment that he didn't get a year off, but I'm not sure what he intended to do with his gap year when both his parents work ???

(For non-Queenslanders, Grade 8 is the first year of highschool here).

You might also notice that Cheetah's explanations leave a bit to be desired. He thinks an explanation is to repeat the question word for word, slowing it down, emphasising the important words & raising his voice.

IT'S A BOY !!!

CONGRATULATIONS

ROO & REE

Baby K born at 9:20am.

Weight: 6lb 10oz

Length: 50cm

I can't wait to see photo's

Ree is a very good friend of mine who lives way too far away. Today she and Roo brought into the world a beautiful baby boy who will be known here as Baby K until we find him a better name.

These guys have had it a bit rough in the past but they are a gorgeous couple and will make a lovely family. I am dying to see photo's of their little man (c'mon guys - it's been almost 10 hours already!!!) and can't wait to meet him, although that will be a few months away yet.

Congratulations guys!

(and seriously - photo's already !!!)

Update on Little Bear

Back at the doctors today with Little Bear - this time the Pediatrician.

We saw the GP on Tuesday who diagnosed ANOTHER chest infection (that's 3 in less than 3 months), prescribed antibiotics, requested a chest x-ray, and referred us to the Pediatrician, Dr J.

Dr J was booked out until the new year, but was lovely enough to make room for us so we had our appointment today.

Dr J did a very thorough workup (we were in her office for a bit over an hour). She thinks the chest infections (which are bronchitis) are a seperate issue to the recurring fevers. She has given us a prescription for stronger antibiotics & told us that Little Bear will need to take them for at least 2 weeks, maybe 3.

We have to get another blood test done in a couple of weeks & this time we need to get it done when Little Bear is relatively healthy.

She thinks the recurring fevers are something called PFAPA, which means they will keep occuring until Little Bear grows out of them, but they are treatable & not life threatening, just annoying. Prior to dealing with the fevers though, she wants to get this recurring bronchitis sorted out.

She doesn't think Little Bear has asthma, but she said we do need to keep an eye on that given that both her parents & her brother all had childhood asthma. She said it is possible that there is an asthma component to the bronchitis but it seems unlikely at the moment, as she couldn't hear any wheezing & I haven't noticed any wheezing.

So the game plan is stronger antibiotics, a blood test in a bit less than 2 weeks, doctors appointment in 2 weeks & we'll see what happens from there.

Blood Tests Today

Little Bear is sick ... Again ... It's been on average every 2 weeks for the last 5-6 months.

This morning we go for blood tests. We are visiting Grannysaurus straight after & then Aunty McTavish & the clan this afternoon to try and help us (both) forget about the blood tests.

Please pray for answers. Little Bear gets so sick each time it's heartbreaking to watch and not be able to do anything.

Little Lost Boy - needs good home !

Last night DH & I decided that we would like to see a show. There was some sort of variety concert showing at the civic theatre which we thought would be nice.

At half time however, we were surprised to find this little urchin sitting amongst the foliage staring at the theatre goers with his big beautiful eyes. He was a bit scruffy & very dirty. Obviously doesn't have a mother. He was a happy child though and after chatting to him for a little bit (he has a magnificent vocabulary for an orphan - we couldn't shut him up) we heard his story.

He is an orphan. He lives in Neverland with a group of other lost boys too. He loves this carefree life, but I could see from the way he looked at us, that what he really yearns for is a family.

I asked if I could take his picture and I might be able to find him a mother. He gave me his sweetest smile and I think this is a very good looking picture if you can just look beyond the ragged clothes & dirty face, there is a really sweet little boy in there who would make someone a very good son.


























Actually - never mind!

After looking at this photo again & remembering his innocent excitement as he chatted to me about his life in Neverland, his fear at the evil pirate Captain Hook who tries to kill Peter Pan and the lost boys, and those beautiful eyes...

I think I will keep him instead.

When is a fever not a fever?

Just to update you on Little Bear.

Perhaps all those prayers worked a little too well (if that's possible).

Today she still has a temperature (around 37.5) but it was not high enough to keep her home from kindy & definitely not high enough to justify turning her into a human pin cushion when the likelyhood is that this is just a cold. Her temperature hasn't gone down, but at the moment, it doesn't seem to be going any higher either so I will wait & see what happens overnight.

I really don't want her to be sick, but I am dreading these blood tests (having gone through an agonisingly traumatic experience - for both of us - when Cheetah was 3) & I just want to get them over & done with & get some answers. The longer it takes, the more anxious I am getting about the whole testing procedure.