now we wait.

Saturday late morning the tree guy texted me, asking for photos. I said "it's bad" and sent him photos. He said "$3000, we can have a team out this afternoon"

So I said yes. I'm not going to dicker on price* and I was grateful they could come.

They came - as is typical for workers here a sizable crew of Hispanic guys; two of them were comfortable enough in English to speak with me. The lead guy described what they were going to do, I told them to go ahead, and he could text me if they needed me. 

So I went down to the church and practiced the sermon I'm giving (the minister is taking vacation; I have to write another one this week, but I'm going to wait until after I talk to the electrician to even think about it)

No texts from the guys, but I did go back once or twice to just peek. The first part went really fast, it was the big old bole part that took more work because it required more careful going. One of the later times I checked back in, the oldest guy on the team (perhaps 60?) came up to me and asked if I knew there was a small hole in my garage roof

Dangit. I thought I might have escaped that damage. He said "yeah, you can't see it on this side" (so at least if there's a leak, my lawnmower won't get rained on - it's electric so that could be bad). Then he said: if you have a ladder I could climb up and photograph it.

Hhahahhahhhahah. I have a ladder but it's in the garage, which only will open (currently, as I don't have the pullcord disengaged) with an electric opener, and the "back door" in was blocked off. Oh well. So I'll find out either after I get power back, or once I get a roofer, depending on how things go

It was about 6:30 when they got done.

*it's possible my insurance will pay for it. My actual agent wasn't in yet this morning but his assistant said "they usually cover removal of one tree" and this was one tree, and if so, I've already covered my deductible.

I ran to Pruett's and bought a few things I could eat cold (there is a small fridge in my motel room) - some cheese, some grapes, a bottle of kefir, a loaf of brown bread and a jar of Nutella. I might have been able to retrieve my Nutella from home but meh, going back there depresses me a little right now. 

So I spent Sunday in a holding pattern. After church (and I got my lunch paid for at least) I went to my friend Dana's and retrieved the raspberries and blueberries out of her fridge, because I can eat those without any preparation. 

And then this morning, back at it: went to my insurer's office but the main dude wasn't in; an office worker helped me as much as she could but they inexplicably do not keep a list of recommended electricians. So i called the place Dana recommended back; apparently they have too much going on right now but the woman recommended another guy - and he's available, he's supposed to call me in about an hour to let me know he's on his way. I later found out when I talked to my secretary (who owns a few rental properties) this is someone she would recommend so I feel better about ti.

I'm just hoping the damage is easily repaired and there aren't too many code corrections that need to be done (the city has to sign off on it before power can be restored). My fear it it'll be something not-fixable without an entire rewiring of the darn house, or it can't be brought up to code, or whatever. I'm not allowing myself to hope that it'll be fixed by the end of the day today. 

(Even if it is? I'll set the air conditioning to an intermediate temperature and let it cool off overnight as I've already paid for tonight's motel room. And then just check out tomorrow morning. I have no cable or internet at home and still a hole in the garage roof, but I can deal with that later on)

The one wrench in the works is we're supposed to have storms today which may block the guy being able to work. 

I have my tree removal receipt, I will get receipts from the motel when I check out (supposedly my insurance will cover it), I will need a receipt from the electrician and the roofer, I am not sure if my insurance will cover the cost of the cable restoration seeing as it's not "essential" for living in the house but I'll get a receipt anyway. 

I hope this is over soon. This has been upsetting and exhausting and is a level of "adulting" I do not like