Electrocuted or NOT Electrocuted

Good Morning Arizona!!  Only because it gets lighter there sooner than here.  The weather could not be better, but I hear there are storm clouds on the horizon for this winter.  That means there will be gutter cleaning sometime soon.  My plan is to hire someone to clean the solar panels, and ask them to clean the gutters at the same time.  I'll use my best "I'm afraid of ladders" excuse.

SO ... it was paper signing day.  This is a pretty cool service.  The Title Company has a list of mobile notaries in the area.  You get their name, their picture and even the car they drive.  My appointment wasn't until 11:00, so I did a little sewing.  

I've learned my lesson in the past with these complicated patterns.  I try to lay everything out first to be sure I get the correct fabric in the correct place.  Ripping one of these things apart can be detrimental to your sanity.

This section only has four squares.  I already spent two hours cutting out the pieces for those four.  I worked at it for five hours yesterday and didn't even finish the one square above.  It still needs to be sewn together.  This is the pile of scrapes from those two squares you see.  Maybe I'll finish it before I die!!!

There was a knock at the door.  IT'S THE NOTARY!!  Wow ... the paperwork ... and it's not nearly as bad as California paperwork.  It's crazy the wording they use.  Why in the heck don't they just write it down in plain English, instead of "there has been no period of non qualified use (as per section blah blah blah) after December 31 2008, as required by section blah blah that the amount is excludable under section blah blah!"  True or False.  No kidding, we had to look up every section on the internet to see what the heck it said so I would know how to answer it.  CRAZY!!!  And that was the EASY one!!

The second big problem was the wiring instructions.  There were three separate sections, but only TWO to fill out on the papers.  Thankfully the sweet girl was patient enough to let me call everyone involved to find out what to do.  Finally, over an hour later, she was off!  YAY!!!  I thought I would feel relief, but it wasn't forthcoming.  Maybe when it's all said and done.

Onward and upward ... Bob called after lunch for a chat about this outlet.  He's trying to get his phone service and his new fancy phone figured out and I'm trying to fix this outlet.  He said I wouldn't get electrocuted, that he would teach me how to replace it.  I wasn't feeling it at all, but grabbed my tools and we went to work.

He told me what to do every step of the way.  It took awhile because I had to do so much of it left handed, kneeling on the hard-as-a-rock floor because this outlet is on the side of the kitchen island.  At long last I got the outlet disconnected.

That's where I got to laughing so hard I couldn't even talk.  I asked what the little black paper things were on the screws.  Oh ... just to hold them in place so they don't fall out before you buy it.  But this one doesn't have that.  "What's holding it on" he asked.  I started laughing.  I don't know what got into me, but I didn't want to tell him ... a piece of scotch tape I put there because I lost the black thingy!!  

Anyway ... I wasn't the least bit comfortable with all those wires sticking out, but I continued.  I finally got them hooked on to the new outlet, but had a terrible time getting it all stuffed BACK in the box.  Finally ... success!  I put the cover back on, flipped the breaker and plugged the fan back in.  It worked!!  No sparks or fire came exploding out the holes!  NOT electrocuted on this day.

Is it fixed now?  I have no idea.  The test will be plugging in my computer all night long to see if any of the blue stuff appears on the plug.  So far it seems to be okay because both the fan and my watch charger are at least working.  I'll let you know tomorrow.

As for today ... I'll be sewing a bit, then resting up for another fabulous night of BINGO!!!!!