Hey! Wanna hear the sound of $2,000????!!!! If you were in Las Vegas, I'm sure most of you would be going: "CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG WINNER WINNER WINNER!!!"

But here at Norman's house it goes: "PHHSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH LOSER LOSER LOSER!!!!!"

So let me explain. My husband, bless his misguided little heart, decided to do me a solid and install a shelf in my laundry room slash pantry. I really did need this shelf, so I granted him the opportunity to use power tools in my domain.

The man busted out all his toolnesses, and started searching for studs (in the wall. I know some of you have gutter minds. Stay with me). AnyHOO. We have metal studs. He managed to locate all of them, and marked each spot where the drilling needed to occur. Then he began. The first two spots went beautifully. The very last? Not so much.

"PHHHHHHHHSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS......." "SHHHHITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!" yelled my husband. "PPPPPPHHHHHHSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" "SHIT SHIT SHITSHITSHITSHIT!!!!!!!!!"

"Problems?" I questioned, wondering why my head felt curiously balloony. "IT'S THE COMPRESSION LINE FOR THE AC!!! SHHHHHHITTTTTTTT!!!!"

"What's that sound?" Strange. For some reason I was unable to grasp the severity of the problem.

"IT'S FREON! HOLD YOUR BREATH!"

"But you have your nose right up to the air stream. I feel great and happy. How about you?"

"SHIIIIITT!!"

So while the freon from the compression line streamed merrily into the house, I calmly gathered the kids, sent them upstairs (cuz it was too cold to send them outside, and my clouded reasoning was that the freon was heavier than the air and would stay downstairs. I hope I was right.) and set about opening all the windows in the house.

Then I called an airconditioning person. Who scalped us with his arrival because it was Sunday and we had to pay the emergency fees.

Then they delivered the bad news: The entire compression line must be replaced. Ouch. OK. Please fix it (I was still high on freon). Then the shocker. We must recharge all the freon. To the tune of $60/pound. Our unit requires 30 pounds.

Oweee.

So to replace the freon alone, will be $1770. Not to mention the cost of replacing the compression line. Haven't gotten the quote back on THAT yet. I'm still reeling from the cost of the freon. And the high.

I've been working overtime at work now to help defray some of the expense, which should explain my absence from the blog.

I'm sure you guys understand. Anybody want to donate to a worthy cause? If not, I'm sure I can send my husband to your house to install any shelving you need. Any takers???