Compliment of the Day

My kitchen sink clogged a month or so ago.  First I tried to snake it out myself (with some help), then I paid someone a few hundred dollars to clear it.  It worked for 3 days and then clogged again.  Then I asked the association to send someone else (not clear if this is my responsibility or not).  They did send someone.  I asked the last guy if he could specify where the clog was on the invoice. It was beyond my unit so the drain also takes input from the unit above me at minimum.  I still received a chargeback last week.

#1 - I felt really calm when I wrote back an email about the chargeback.   "This invoice states, 

"I proceeded to remove the waste arm and p trap and used the mini camera to find the clog to be in the stack about 30 ft away. I used the mini rooter to drop the clog and cabled about 45 ft out to ensure the line was clear and Draining."

I cleared out the pipe in my unit using a snake both myself and with another sewer and drain cleaning company that prior week, but the clog was clearly beyond that.

Please explain how this falls in the responsibility of the "within my walls" provision."

I didn't think this fell within the bounds of my responsibility, however I also knew that I could pay for it if need be.

#2 - Today they responded, "We re-reviewed the invoice and yes, it was mistakenly charged back to your account. We are working on reversing it. It may take a little time, but we will confirm once we are alerted of the reversal."

#3 - I am helping my brother and sister-in-law tomorrow and driving the kids to their sports practice.  I looked up if there was a nearby beach or something we could go to after and found a park in their suburb has free 1 hour long kayak, canoe and paddleboard rentals. I wonder if it is only for residents?  It didn't say that though, so we'll go check it out.

#4 - I did an online Eckhart Tolle Zoom group.  We all watch a talk of his for about a 1/2 hour and then it breaks us in small groups to share what resonates with us.  It gives written instructions in the beginning, one of which, "Please refrain from offering advice."

This is not the first time I shared what I connected with and a woman jumped in to offer me advice.  It started feeling like a push back and forth with her, and eventually said I felt "analyzed" (which isn't a feeling).  

Anyway, I wouldn't say I handled it poorly.

I wouldn't say I handled it well.

It's all practice.

#5- My niece recently starting driving with her permit.  When I spoke to my sister-in-law today she quoted my niece saying, "My goal is I want to drive like Tammy. She drives like walking."

Letters and Stories

 #1 - I got an alignment on my car earlier this week because Costco said my new tire warranty would be invalid without it. Along with the alignment they gave me $1400 in suggested maintenance based on the mileage.  I called the guy I started bringing my car to a couple years ago for maintenance to ask about the list.  A couple he had already done.  A couple he said were not necessary at all. One he said was due now, which I scheduled later this month (spark plugs).  What a relief to have someone who seems to be honest in an area that I know nothing.

#2 - I started reading Letters to a Spiritual Seeker after being reminded of my prior infatuation with Henry David Thoreau after visiting the arboretum last week.  My love has been rekindled.

#3 - "When you travel to the celestial city, carry no letter of introduction. When you knock ask to see God - none of his servants (18)." Henry David Thoreau

#4 - Like Thoreau, I write letters, and you can bet my current one is going to get some quotes from this book.

#5 - I got really frustrated because the Eckhart Tolle website was overcharging me.  I paid for a year membership this Spring and then they still started taking monthly deductions.  It took a lot of back and forth to get that resolved.

Last month I signed up for an online course, paid in full, and then saw an additional charge.  I emailed to inquire what it was, suspecting the same thing happened again.  It took a while to get a response, and then they said it was related to the new course I signed up for. I said I already paid for it in full and wanted the monthly charge refunded.  Then they refunded the whole thing and cancelled the course (this happened last time too). 

I knew this was all practice for my pain body, and I did better this round. I laughed some. But eventually I got pretty frustrated.

Finally I received a response that the charge was actually a refund because they decreased the price of the course.

The price was a refund and I didn't notice, because I already had a story in my head.