I want a weekend re-do

So at some point this past Friday, our phone line went dead. D. E. A. D.

We found out about it because my MIL was trying to call us about coming down for a visit, and our line was busy. Which is weird because it's never busy. Especially when we're not home. But, you know, oh well - maybe we didn't hang a phone up properly or maybe the contractors did something. And, you know, it will be fixed when they leave.

Except it wasn't. They left, and the phones were still D. E. A. D. Like, not even a dial tone! And there was - GASP!!! no internet. I just about went D. E. A. D. myself.

So coming home on Friday, after a big ice storm on Thursday (which meant the power was out at the kids' school which meant I had to go back and get them and spend the day with them which was when a friend invited us over to her house to spend the day with her and her kids who go to the same school and were also home for the day because not only was the power out but buses were cancelled, even though the school was originally supposed to be open... WHEW!!), I was already a bit frazzled and told Hubby that I was at the End Of My Rope.

I was already maxed out and approaching insanity. That was before the basement flooded. Several times.

So it seemed that, not only were we destined to spend the weekend without phone or internet (because, you know, Bell can't come until Monday evening... and that was after I pushed for something sooner than Tuesday...), it transpired that our washing machine, which the drywaller said he was going to hook up on Saturday so I could do laundry on Sunday, was not actually hooked up.

Unless you count hooking up the water into the washing machine, but not the actual hose that allows the water to drain out of the washing machine. So Saturday evening, when I try to do laundry, it floods the basement. And clogs up the drain. And Hubby has to heroically clean it all up with his ShopVac, which honestly, he doesn't get enough chances to use.

And then, somehow, this furthermore means that when I take my shower Sunday morning, it also floods the basement - even though the shower is on the second floor and the basement is - well - in the basement. And then it someone further transpires that when we flush the toilet, it floods the basement. And then I break down and cry because I have been maxed out since  Friday, after the ice storm and losing phone and internet, and now I can't even flush the @#$&")&@#$&!!!! toilet without flooding the basement - well, you'd freak out too, right? (Make me feel better - just tell me you'd freak out too...)

So the emergency plumber who probably charges several winning lottery tickets per minute to come on a Sunday comes out on Sunday and snakes out the drain, while the contractor waits to see if it's him or us. Turns out, we still don't know. The drain is clear and we suspect that the snaky thing pushed construction material stuff out of the drain and into the sewer pipes under the road. Contractor suspects that it's just natural build up of gunk over the years and has nothing to do with the construction in our basement. Emergency plumber can't settle the debate and so wisely just leaves by the back door.

I make Hubby tell the story about the drywallers who, when constructing his new lab at the university, shoved pieces of cut drywall down the newly-built drain pipes, causing a flood the first time that the pipes were used. Contractor stops smiling so much.

Contractor leaves, pipe is cleared, we are able to - hallelujah! - flush toilets and take showers. Hubby takes the kids swimming at the local pool anyhow. And takes soap and shampoo, not just because health regulations require it.

Monday - Bell shows up before their time slot and I catch the repair guy as he's leaving. Turns out that the phone wire was "pinched" in the new drywall. He fixes it and - hallelujah! - we have phone and internet again. I talk with the drywaller as he is leaving a few minutes later. Oh he doesn't know what the Bell guy is talking about - yes, he had to move a couple of phone lines, but hey, we wouldn't want a screw put through them, would we? I think, would it kill you to eat humble pie and apologize and say you're sorry for our difficulties and inconvenience. Apparently it would. I remind him that, assuredly, we wouldn't want screws put through our phone lines, but it didn't seem to matter since we were already without phone service for three days. He maintains his superior attitude.

Drywaller is at two strikes now in my book.

And I have internet.