Big day today – Cate got her Social
Security number.
There are many people I had to tell about
this so I spent the day trying to remember who they were and letting them know.
Our next challenge is to get our cars
registered and then for Cate to get her license. She is not keen on doing
either of these things so will need some prompting.
There are all kinds of ghastly penalties
for not complying with the myriad rules and regulations so I have a diary with
all the deadlines carefully marked.
I discovered why there were 137 people
waiting in line for the cashier at Indiana Power and Light. I received my first
bill and discovered that there is no way to pay except by cash or by check.
That’s right – you cannot pay by internet or over the phone or by direct debit.
How quaint – and antediluvian.
Naturally I wrote a check and posted it
immediately. There is no way I want to end up on the wrong side of IPL because
I dread the thought of ever having to go there again.
Cate got her new car and the second time
she drove it the boot (trunk) lid froze shut and cannot be opened. There were
some big parcels in the trunk at the time so I had to fold the back seat down
and drag them out through the car.
I could then wriggle into the trunk and
open it using the emergency handle. This is especially designed for when you
are locked in the trunk – by whoever. This is a dangerous country. Still – if
you can use the emergency handle it means that whoever locked you in did not
kill you so let’s look on the bright side.
I have filled out a form on line to see if
I can get to see the car dealer – but they are not keen. They are sending me
messages trying to solve the problem by email but no luck so far. I imagine if
they do agree to see me it will be another excruciating experience in the sad
bastard’s chairs.
Whaat, car dealerships love to see you, it is something special here in the US, we spend lots of time at car dealerships as they love us.
ReplyDeleteI cracked up laughing when I saw your use of the word 'antediluvian' - and I thought, "Are atheists allowed to use this word?" hahahaha, just teasing ... now back to reading your regularly semi-scheduled blog ...
ReplyDeleteYou have the patience of Job.
ReplyDeleteI would have run screaming from the country by now!
On two occasions, I've unwittingly engaged some kind of 'valet' feature while getting acquainted with a new car. There are people who believe me to be both intelligent and technologically savvy. Naturally, I do not tell them of this misadventure.
ReplyDeleteIn fine form pp. loving the updates
ReplyDeleteBadger, you've got more than enough on your hands at present without any further anguishes. But I must speak to you about an important and pressing issue: ghosts. Every old house has them, as you probably know. Here at my place, they're mostly friendly phantoms of monks who worked in the vineyards. We get along well together, probably because they realize that I've always been interested in monastic matters, and I adore red wine. In N Delaware Street, if you hear rumblings in the middle of the night, it'll surely be the ghost of the Republican physician William Wishard... who might not be all that happy, for the moment, about the idea of an Aussie heathen sleeping in the master bedroom where he died in 1941. As a remedy, I would suggest that you leave him various simple offerings... such as a jar of Vegemite, for example (although I can't vouch for this as a Good Idea). In any case, whatever happens, you must absolutely start to attend services at the First Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, where Dr Wishard was an elder. It's worth the trouble, no matter how weird it might feel to get back to going to church. (The parishioners will be thrilled, too, to meet up with the new lord of the manor.) Above all, if only you can get yourself into Wishard's posthumous Good Books, I'm sure he'll make a divine effort to protect you forever from prostate cancer. More seriously, I'm somewhat surprised that none of your US friends have advised you to try to attenuate, for personal security reasons, all the easily-accessible data floating around on the surface of the Internet concerning your new estate. For God's sake, don't start to publish photos and information about every aspect of your house, including your hired domestic personnel and your automobiles, soon to be accompanied by news about the excursions of Cate and yourself, leaving the property unattended. Maybe you brought back with you from Vienna a small collection of Glock pistols, and you're feeling at ease. What I'm trying to say, between the lines, is that maybe the style and content of your Vienna for Dummies might be redesigned entirely to take account of your new situation.
ReplyDeleteI believe that if you were still alive and locked in the "trunk" you could (should your hands be free), manipulate the brake light wiring to send messages to following cars. I'd probably electrocute myself.
ReplyDeleteAt the carwash today, I entertained the guy in front of me by running around the car, looking unsuccessfully for the antenna.
ReplyDeletefmcgmccllc: I think they think I have a frivolous request not worthy of their attention.
ReplyDeleteesb: I have checked the list of proscribed words for atheists and I am sure I am OK
head in the sun: Ah - if I could.......
feuillet: I have not had a car with one of these new fables things before.
lenny: Thanks
William: I have been looking for ghosts but no luck as yet. Your wise words are noted.
Sandy: I will try it next time I am in there
Merisi: I have also done that