You dared me, America! Well ~ my friend, Marian, dared me.

As my Facebook peeps know, we had an electrician here yesterday.  Half of our power wasn't working.  He came, was very nice, but we couldn't help but notice his "assets".  I went for the camera and Robin gave me the evil eye.  Afterall, he was nice. 

Turns out he's kinda a handy man.  Had him look at our above the stove microwave.   It was dead.  He assured me that I could go to Lowe's or Home Depot and get a new one for $79.00.  He was going to be in the area today and would be happy to swing by and install it.  I asked him if he trimmed dogs' nails.  Unfortunately, he's not all that.

Called my mom.  For Christmas, I had asked for a gift card to Lowe's or Home Depot for you don't want to know what.  OK - I wanted a bidet.  Had them in our two houses in Miami.  Once you go bidet, you don't go back. 

I had mentioned it to Robin about two weeks ago.  "Hey, since neither of us really need anything or anything for the house, let's ask my mom for a Lowe's gift card for a duvet."

"Why would you get  a duvet at Lowe's?  They don't sell them there."

"Yes they do.  Remember I checked them out before?  Lied and said it was for my aging mother who ain't what she used to be?  Remember?"

"You mean a bidet."

"Whatever.  You know what I meant."

So anywho, Santa Mom put money in our account today.  She basically accused me of wanting microwaved food over clean "parts".  No, I want the eyesore that is Iris and Joe's 30 year old microwave that we've been borrowing since they left outta my kitchen.  (Joe's selling point on insisting we take it, "Look.  You put food on the plate and it turns.  How do you say...it votates.")  More counter space trumps clean private parts.  (And FYI, they're clean.  Clean enough.  They'll do.)

Woke up this morning and the power was off again.  Called him to advise him of same and to try to get an ETA.  Said he'd be here after noon.

Ran my errands, one of which was going to Lowe's.  Went straight to the appliance department and asked where the $79.00 microwaves were.  The man looked at me as if I had two heads.  "Uh, our cheap ones are about $179.00."

Crap.  (Speaking of duvets.)

Went to the back wall and found my exact microwave.  $199.00 marked down to $75.00!  The hardward for hanging it was missing.  No worries - we have that.

My goal was to make it home by 12:00.  Pulled in at 12:00 on the dot and the electrician was right behind me.  Fixed the lights (again) and hung the microwave.  He was here for maybe ten minutes.

Yesterday, on a Sunday, he was here for over an hour.  Charged $75.00 and Robin tipped him $25.00.  Too much in my opinion, but I figured he'd give us a break today.   So it was much to my chagrin, while he was finishing up, I asked him how much the write the check for. 

"$100.00!!!!" 

ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!!!!  He was bragging yesterday about how quickly he'd be able to switch out the microwave.  And he should have been back here anyway because he hadn't fixed the original power problem.

Wrote the check and snapped the picture.

Called Robin, proudly told her about the picture and she accused me of being a 12 year old.  Then I told her what today's visit came to.

"Post the damn picture."