February 3, 2012

Today is “do-over” day for us!  Kind of like the movie Groundhog day.  They will re-deliver my new dryer today and this one is the same Electrolux brand as the pedestals and the washer, so hopefully it will be a match and all will be well. 

I just completed my second phone call all in French and was able to ask the man if it was coming today and at what time.  I know he said yes and I think he said 2PM.  They do the clocks on the 24 hour schedule here, which really makes sense, but I am still converting in my head.  It’s just funny to hear 14 o’clock or 20 o’clock. 

It is also do-over day for our dinner at the co-worker’s house.  We had to cancel at the last minute which I’ll explain next.  I felt terrible since I know they probably went and bought extra food and prepared and cleaned…….all the things I’d do.  But, they were very sweet and invited us for tonight instead. 

We called Lindsay and Ross’ parents last night for some sympathy and some laughs.  It had become one of those days!!!  Ross did say I could write about it, so I’m not in trouble for sharing.

So, the saga of the day…………………Ross was to return the rental car as his company car was being delivered.  A co-worker has had the vehicle for a year and will be returning to Sweden.  Ross is to finish out the mileage on the lease and then we’ll get a new car.  It is a Volkswagen Passat Station Wagon, so it should be a good car.  So, Ross goes outside at 2:00 PM (or 14:00) with the HR lady and meets the guy.  He pulls up in the car which looks like it’s been through a war. Windshield is broken, taillight is broken, scratches everywhere and it’s filthy.  Then the guy said he forgot the snow tires at his house and would have to go back for them.  His child was asleep in the back……..So, Ross, being sweet, said, fine, go ahead but I must leave by 5:30 as we have plans tonight.  HR was very upset at the condition of the car (Ross wasn’t thrilled either), but she said he is to get estimates and they will repair everything and get it cleaned.  However, we’ll have the hassle of dealing with it all.  But, it is a car we don’t have to pay for and he only has to have it for 30,000 more kilometers, so we’ll just go with it. 

What I don’t understand is how just because something is provided for you, how do you not care enough to give it back in good repair?  It’s kind of like people who know someone else is paying for a meal out and they order everything because it’s “free”.  To me that’s just bad character showing!!  Anyway, the guy has known for months that his car would go to another; so in my mind, he should have had it fixed and brought it in good condition.  So, at 5:30 he calls Ross and says he’s running late……when he arrived at 6:00, he said that the gas light had just come on so Ross would have to fill it on his way home.  Really…….no gas either……..why am I surprised?  Then the guy got into a rental car with his wife and child and they left for the airport to go home.   Ross was cold, tired and frustrated by then and knew he needed to get home to pick me up so we could be at the couple’s house by 7:00.  So, Ross fills up and heads home.

Part two of the story…….now we can laugh……a mile down the road the car starts sputtering and dies.  Ross was able to pull it to the side of the road.  He called me and we were both saying: “oh no, you’ve got to be kidding”, when Ross realized something awful.  In his rush and in the dark, he accidently put gasoline in the car and it takes diesel.  So, now he’s stranded, doesn’t know how on earth to get a tow truck (at home we keep Alton Edge Towing on all our phones just in case) and he speaks way less French than me and I’m not that good.   So, he called Eric, his boss, who is a super nice guy.  Eric came right away and helped call the tow truck.  The VW place was nearby so they’ll get the tank drained and fixed, hopefully by today.  Eric had Ross drive him home and then Ross brought Eric’s car home here.  Eric’s wife will have taken him to work today.  Of course Eric got laughing and said he couldn’t wait to get to the office and share the story.  Ross knows he’ll be the brunt of the jokes for a while……”new guy puts gasoline in a diesel”.  When Ross called the leasing company to explain and was apologizing the guy was super nice and said “oh don’t worry, you’re not the first one to do this TODAY”.  

Now, gas pumps are another very confusing thing here….trying to figure out which is which.  Diesel is labeled either “diesel” or mostly as  “gazole” which to me seems like it should be gasoline.  Gasoline is not labeled except for numbers like 95, I guess for the octane.  So, it is confusing.  Ross says it’s his own fault, but I’m still blaming the other guy, had he left the car full, Ross would have had time to process the whole thing and would have gotten gas during the day and would never have done this!! 

By the time he got home it was after 8:00 and I had quickly put some food together.  So, tonight, if we have the car back, we’ll try dinner again.  What really makes him mad is that it was 100 euros of gas, which equals about $140.00, now down the drain (literally).  What we pay in dollars for a gallon in the US is what it costs for a liter here.  It is sooooo expensive.  So that was sad too……so next week while he’s gone and I have the car, I won’t be going too far in my experimental travels.  I think this car should get good mileage, at least I hope so!  I want to watch him fill up a few times so I can get it straight before I attempt it.  It would look really bad if I messed it up after this.

I told Ross that the one good thing for me is that he’s done the first big dumb thing, so now when I do them (and oh I will), I won’t feel so bad.  The calls to family helped, sympathy then laughs.  Honestly, stuff like this you just have to laugh and move on.  It makes me realize how difficult missionaries and others have it when they are immersed into a foreign language and culture. And, this is civilized, I cannot imagine going out to some of the primitive areas without any amenities. I may laugh at my toilet in the front entry hall by the living room, or the tiny kitchen things, but at least I have them!!!

Good news though, our ship has arrived with our things, it seems like there are no customs issues.  The new things I had itemized so they will just pay the tariffs on that and the plan is to bring it for unloading and unpacking next Wednesday and Thursday.  The hardest part will be that Ross is out of town and all of the furniture from Ikea will need assembly; table, chairs, dressers, nightstands, bookshelves,  TV stand, coffee table, etc.   I’ve asked if they will assemble the bed and get out the couch for me.  Then I can function a bit.  Then I’ll just go box by box, put away and assemble what I can.  That sure will keep me busy while he’s away, which is good.   Putting the kitchen together will be the most consuming.  It will be creative planning for sure!!  So next week I may have some “assembling” stories for you.  That’s not really my thing!!  The hard part is knowing when to have all the rental things picked up so I have them until the new is here but not have both sets in the house at once. There is no room for that!!  But, I’m not up for spending a night on cold tiles!!  Should be interesting!