Ugggg... that just happened at our house a few weeks ago. We opted for the replacement AC at about $2500. And then after install they find another problem for the internal bit (up in the attic) another cool $2500. That hurt the bank account a bit.

I hate that happened to you. Thieves piss me off.

Keep your eye out, Fargon, they might be local and just using it for themselves. That sucks so badly. Gits. May their genitals get trapped in the grill just as it reaches temperature and their ice maker be out of order. And may they get a fake bill when they sell it on but not realize until they try to use it to pay their parking fine.

IT was in my back yard, he picked it up and put it in his pick up, and I was sleeping .
Update: The grill came back about an hour ago, he borrowed it now it has a chain and big pad lock on it.

Who "borrowed" it? and why would they do that without asking?

I hate folks who "borrow" things. The only thing in my yard the neighbors are free to borrow is the poison ivy. :mad2:

This is an industrial unit. It's 5200 just to replace the compressor. Getting another price in am from another co.....
I don't think the estimates will vary widely.:mad:

Well at least "we" are finally doing what we should have done in 2002 and 2003 instead of running off to Iraq. I hope it isn't too late.

Upsetting is a strong word - disappointed and deflated works better.

I finally got a response to my enquiry regarding a refund of National Insurance for last year.
My calculations suggested it could be as much as £200, although no guidelines are given and I certainly haven't been able to find anything which satisfactorily explains how it is calculated, so I was wary of assuming too much.

Just as well - I am not due any refund apparently.

This is more about mood than any real practical issues. Although I've been impatient for a response, at least it kept the hope of a payoff alive - like not checking your lottery ticket until you get back to work on Monday morning. This has squashed that hope and I obviously hadn't proected myself well for this eventuality because I'm gutted.

Apart from a necklace I had my eye on, or maybe a dress - I kept changing my mind - the money was going to be saved against future needs. Come the Autoumn this might have meant my trip to Amsterdam, or money towards moving out. So it's not like it was an immediate need, a bill to be paid, money owed or anything like that. So I'm lucky in that way.

There's still a possibility I will receive an Income Tax refund, but I was using the same logic when I applied for that, so sadly it is far less likely, having received this response.

I'll just mourn the loss of my little fortune quietly this weekend and pick up where I left off Monday. After all, I'm back on a stricter diet from then, so it all fits in a with a more Spartan lifestyle anyway.

I'm quite bemused that you would expect a refund fom National Insurance -I've never heard of that happening. But income tax, quite likely if you stopped earning partway through the year and whilst still below the threshhold.

Well, I looked at an online calculator, and had I earned the same amount over 12 months, I would have paid approx £200 less. Then I googled National Insurance Refund and it gave an address for queries if you thought you had paid too much.

Damn internets. Giving out information to overly-emotional people!

Am all recovered now. Without the help of alcohol I am pleased to say - which would have meant I was still feeling awful even today.

Though I'm getting a little tired of these dreams.
Dream after dream of hiding things n my bed and worriying about being discovered. Alcohol is a typical one, but the other morning it was dead bodies. I had three in the bed with me and I was torn between revulsion and comfort.

And this morning I dreamed I lost all my teeth - which I know is a common dream for some people, but a new hell for me. AND I was in terrible conflict with an ex work colleague at the same time, and I knew I would lose my job at the next review meeting, but I just couldn't stir myself to do anything about it.

I wake up and bounce merrily out of bed these days.... right.

Lets see... over $200 in food, $220 in booze, 2 days of cleaning and prep... and 3 people bothered to show for my hubby's birthday party. That leaves 8 for sures and 6 maybes un-accounted for that did not bother even calling to cancel. Bah

Now that would PISS me off! Are you going to say anything to those who said they'd be there and didn't show at least?

meh... not worth it. These people knew months ago... one couple just told me they knew there was a party, but was not sure they were invited, so didn't come. Yet I specifically said it was an open house from 5pm until 3am and even stopping by for 15 mins would be cool. Another couple went to the cabin (only 45 mins away)and another couple has been MIA for about a week.. perhaps on holidays. Hubby wasn't surprised, and we had a good time anyway.... it was just disappointing.

So we have AAA rib eye steaks for dinner tonight, freeze the chicken wings, I will freeze the seafood stuffed mushroom caps. I didn't even take the shrimp out of the freezer last night anyway, nor did I cook the veggies I planned to grill.
The booze doesn't go bad, so no worries there. Instead of making up the 3 level cupcake tree into a full shooter tree, we only poured the ones we drank. It did not give the look I wanted, but it was easier. I made 5 of each: (I used clear beer bottles. I have a capper, so they were sealed and put into an ice bucket) -vodka, soda water and orange juice, - vodka, pineapple juice, orange juice and soda water and, - malibu rum, soda water and orange juice spritzers.
The ones not drank will most likely go today, on my hubby's actual birthday :)