Spinning Tops...

The title is how we feel we're moving these days!  So much is happening - and not happening -  all at the same time right now. 

Professionally - Harris is looking for a new job, as his professional opportunities in our current area have dried up.  This weekend we are heading to Maryland for him to interview with 2 different baseball organizations.  We're both going because we want to scout the area for housing.  If we don't sell the house, we may have to rent it out just to be able to cover all of our bills plus the additional rent expense.  Question of the week for us - Is this even possible???  I am doing research on reciprocity of my teaching license and trying to figure out how it would work for me to teach in another state.  Remembering during all of this that I have to maintain health insurance with zero lapse because, as we all know, the minute you go without coverage suddenly everything becomes a pre-existing and non-covered condition on a new plan.

On the Homefront - Remember Hurricane Irene???  The one that came thru in September???  Well, we're still trying to get a new roof put on our house.  For various reasons, it has taken forever and there's still nothing.  I am trying to hold onto the last of my patience with my contractor, but if there's not something tomorrow I think I may be moving on.  We're also having no luck selling the house because - BIG SURPRISE - nobody wants to buy a house that's had tarps on the roof for 4 months.  Plus, our realtor has not done anything to try and sell the house since listing it online in June.  He's going as soon as we get the new roof on.

Babywise - Because Harris will likely be in a new position in June, he won't be able to go with me to India.  I've asked my mom to think about going with me so that I don't have to do this alone.  We got together and had a yard sale this past weekend at my house.  All proceeds are going towards paying off the last trip to India - thus allowing room for the next trip.  We did well - made about $400.  One goal for this week is to get my desk & credenza, collectible dolls, and a cedar chest listed for sale on Craig's List.  IF I sell all of that, and get the price I want, I should be able to pull another $1200-1500 to put towards expenses.  We are also going to have to refinance the house to try and pull enough money together to do another round of surrogacy.  Because the laws changed after "the bubble burst" a couple of years ago, this will take about a month.  Harris can't change jobs during that time or we won't qualify. 

So, in summary, our minds are spinning like toy tops on a wooden floor.  When we lay down at night, we either pass right out or lie awake for (seemingly) ever, with possibilities and questions running thru our minds.

Showers of Joy!!!

I couldn't be more THRILLED to be in our new Tulip Apartment tonight!  Sandeep worked with Dr. Shivani's office to make sure that Harris and I were both totally happy in a new place where EVERYTHING WORKS AT THE SAME TIME!!!   The apartment is great; the Internet works great; the showers are hot and have pressure!  It's exactly what we had wanted from Tulip House Apartments when we made the arrangements.

I must give lots of thanks and high praise to Dr. Shivani and the staff at SCI for their help with getting the move organized.  I just cannot say enough about how much they have worked to help us in this transition.  It was SCI (Dr. Shivani personally) who worked out an agreement for our benefit.  Sandeep, the Tulip owner, called and offered to change the apartment if the problems were not fixed by morning.  In fact, he came over during the night and early in the morning to check and see how things were progressing on repairs.  What we have learned is that the motor on the pump that supplies our building's water tank had burned out and so no water had been pumped in for several days.  In effect, we were dry.  Since then, we have learned that the government controls the release of water in Delhi and only sends it twice daily.  If you miss one or both of the collection times, there is no make-up for that...you just have to wait until the next time.  It is because of the pump issue that the water problems happened, not because of a problem with the actual apartment itself.  Because of the language barrier, we had not been able to understand any of this until Sandeep came and educated us as to the water system in Delhi.  Knowing that the pump was in the process of being fixed, but wasn't totally corrected, it seemed best to move. 

Our concern was that if we moved, we would no longer be close enough to walk to the doctor's appointments daily.  The agreement was reached that we should move to the Tulip apartment in GKII and Sandeep would take care of the cost for a driver for us daily.  Sandeep even took care of moving all our things, under his personal supervision.  He stayed at the new apartment with us after moving for a while and had both a plumber and electrician come thru to check all outlets and water pipes to ensure they were working.  He has also left us with someone (like a caretaker) who will come and supervise the cleaning people and meet with any repairmen if something should a problem come up.  That leaves us now free to explore the famed M-Block Market and visit with friends away from the apartment.  I am so happy that I can't stop smiling over the move!!!  We are pleased that everything has come together and that Sandeep took such interest in making the remainder of our stay as wonderful as possible.  We are grateful to both him and SCI for helping us to move into a place where we can be at peace.

Bottom line, if there is a problem, you have to speak up.  I am so glad that we spoke up and allowed Sandeep the opportunity to take care of the problems.  For us, he honored the arrangement and we are satisfied with the way that he is taking care of the move's ramifications.  We are so much better off now and are eagerly anticipating hot showers tonight before bed!!!  WHOO HOO!!!

New Bedroom (1 of 3) - You can see the bathroom attached!

Relaxing in the new living room!

Oh, and as an added bonus, there were 2 monkeys at the end of the street when we were unpacking today!  MONKEYS!

To Stay or To Go...

Before reading this, I have to say that it is written while I am very frustrated (and it's compounded by 3 days of hormone injections).  Maybe it will look better later...I doubt it though.

As I write this, it is now almost 11am Delhi time and I am STILL in my pajamas - not because I am having a lovely relaxing morning, but because our water is not working correctly for the 3rd day in a row.  The first few days we were here, the plunger that changed the faucet to the shower wouldn't hold.  Then, there was no water in the kitchen at all (washer or sink), yesterday there was no hot water at all (which made us late leaving for Agra), and today, there is nothing but a trickle of water coming out of either shower unless you want to turn them on to fully cold.  Call me crazy, but I don't think I should have to take a cold shower in an apartment that was advertised as having 2 bathrooms with their own hot water heaters - the implication is that each will have hot water available. 

I appreciate that each time we have had an issue, the owner, Sandeep, has sent someone within a reasonable (and sometimes surprisingly quick) time frame to try and take care of it.  That's not the problem at all - the problem is that each day there has been something wrong with the apartment,- and I am not sure if we want to continue staying here thru the 19th because it seems like we are dealing with something different everyday.  To date, we have had these issues:

• Water line in washer clogged causing water to leak all over the kitchen floor to an aprox. depth of 1 cm and allowing for sewage to back-up into the floor there also.  As you can imagine, it smelled just lovely.  - One of the guys working for Sandeep came over and unclogged the line that night, mopped the water up, and explained the problem.
• Internet didn't work the first day we were here - fixed quickly thanks to a call from Rachnna
• No water in the kitchen from about 9pm until about 10am, water ran out mid-wash cycle (clothes now smell a bit mildewed) - When the guy came to look at it, we were in a rolling blackout and the water had come back on, but he wasn't able to check the washer.
• No hot water yesterday morning in either bathroom - we flipped the hot water heaters off and on several times and then waited a while for them to warm up...45 minutes later, we were ready to go.
• Today, no hot water pressure to take a shower - it's not just "weak" water pressure, it's so little that it takes about a minute to try and come out the top at all, like the pipe has to fill up and roll out.

Apparently, in retrospect having written this and read it again, all of our issues have centered around water.  We did give permission for them to come in on Monday while we were gone to Agra with the plumber to look at everything.  I have no confirmation of what happened, although the beds were made so we know someone came thru and cleaned at least.  If he did come, as he was supposed to by Tuesday morning according to Sandeep and Rachnna, why are we still having water problems? 

At this point, Harris and I are just really frustrated and feel a bit trapped.  We chose Tulip House Apartments because they would have both a kitchen and a laundry.  But, each day, there has been a problem with the water which has impacted the functionality of either one or both of those.  So, the question is, do we stay or go?  We put down a 5 night deposit and I had my bank to wire another week's rent Monday morning.  So, in all, we've paid for 12 nights and only stayed for 7 so far (including one we missed because we were delayed in France).  If we move, we lose either the kitchen or the laundry as far as I can tell, plus it would cost more per night.  The rent here is $99.27/night with all taxes added in.  It's also within walking distance of the Clinic and Hospital.  Those are all pluses. 

Decisions, decisions, decisions.  I write all this just to keep things straight because I am trying to keep track of what's happening.  Since starting to write this, 3 people have shown up (1 cleaning the apartment, 1 cleaning the kitchen, and one manager pulling the apartment cleaner to try and figure out what's wrong with the water).  It's kind of like a zoo in here - oh yeah, and I'm still in my pajamas with no makeup and greasy hair. 

I am also supposed to have a blood draw for Estradiol level today at some point.  I'd rather not have to go out greasy and yucky, but may not have a choice it appears.  All I want to do right now is cry.  Even Harris, who usually tells me to relax and hang on, is frustrated and irritable at this point.  How much, if at all, is the stress going to impact what we're doing here?  Am I asking too much for everything to work at the same time?  Is that not normal here?


Now, finished writing this, all 3 people have left and the resolution is this.  We still have only a trickle of water in the shower if it's not cold.  The manager will be back with a plumber at 2pm to check things.  And, Rachnna just called to let me know a driver will be here to take me to Dr. Modi's office for blood draw at 1pm.  I guess it's going to be a cold shower for me today.  Yay.