We have had a leaking waterline from our refridgerator for a couple of months. Our new neighbor (who co-owns a plumbing and heating company) came over to look at it and said he would send one of his plumbers over. Well, today he came over at 3:30PM to replace the line that was leaking. He removed the plastic line and then put in a copper line. When he was attaching the copper line to my refridgerator, he screwed in a clamp to the back to hold the line in place. A slow hiss started. He had punctured the freon tank and out went all the gas. He felt terrible. He said his company would pay to get it fixed, but when I spoke to a technician on the phone, he said I probably would have to get a new refridgerator. My extended warranty is now void, too. Even if I get a new fridge, I won't be able to get it transferred over. Thankfully, the plumber took full responsibility and I won't be the one buying a new fridge, but they BETTER replace mine with the same model (or better!)

Now, I have over 20 people coming over Saturday at noon for my daughter's 6th birthday party. We will have 11 kindergartners in my house, along with my MIL, my two SILs, my neice and nephew, and two of my friends. So, now I have no refridgerator, my kitchen is a mess (from all the junk I had to take off the top of the fridge and the floor that needs to be mopped from all the water and melting stuff out of my freezer. I am hours behind on getting everything clean for the party and I have to work the next two days. I just want to cry. I threw out most of what was in my fridge because all I have is a small beverage fridge in the basement. I put milk for the kids and a few items I didn't want to have to replace, like cheese and meat. Fortunately I have an upright freezer in my garage, so I was able to move most of my freezer food into there. Still, that took precious time.

I just hope I don't have to take off work to get this rectified. I also don't want to have a bad relationship with the neighbor over this.

I tell you, every time my dh leaves on deployment or training, some major appliance in the house dies. Once it was my furnace, in February, in Colorado. Not a good thing.

Well, just POOEY on all of that! Turn the birthday party into a ... clean up the kitchen party? Recruit others to do the party things?

Nope - here it is -- sit down and cry for a good ... 10 minutes? Let it all out.... then get done what needs to get done.

Here's hoping that things go smoothly and easily.

Thank you. I am thinking about calling my SIL to come down Friday evening and spend the night so she can help me clean and decorate.

We are planning on having a make-over party... with "make your own lotion," nail painting, make-up, hair-dos with tiaras, jewelry making, and dress-up. I already have all my shopping done, so at least I can be home after work to wait for the repair guy.

It will all work out - it's just the shock of it all and the destruction of the schedule you had in your head.

My husband was not deployed, but when our kids were little he was NEVER home when there was a crisis. The pipe in the attic above the kitchen sink got a hole in it and it was raining in the kitchen from that pipe. Husband gone.

Son had a reaction to polio vaccine and ended up in Texas Children's Hospital with paralysis (temporary!). Husband gone.

That sort of thing.

Invite that SIL! Call in all hands! Good luck!

These things happen to test us. I remember with husband number one..every blasted time we got shipped to a new duty base, he was sent somewhere else for 3 months to far longer. Guess who had to do the packing and all the scut work? I learned how to move freezers and fridges (you put them on upside down carpet pieces and put ropes wound through the fronts) and how to clean the base housing for the white glove treatment exam.

Now sit down and have a good cry like others said, then call your SIL and ask for help. Lots of folks are eager to help but don't want to intrude. So ASK. Tell family what has happened.

I'll bet the same or worse has happened to them. Have a "Horrible Time" contest and give a booby prize to the worst!
Now go on and have fun at your own party. Take pictures. Get some cheap "point and click" cameras. They take real good photos nowadays.

I felt like a bad mom this week already... my kids have eaten fast food, pizza, and Village Inn since my dh left. I am struggling just to keep up with everything. It is amazing how hard it is to be a single parent with a 6 year old (as of Friday) and an 8 year old. It was actually easier when they were littler to have him deployed. It is amazing how much more energy it takes to keep up with them now. (Mom, read this. Mom, check my homework. Mom, can we make cookies? Mom, can you wash my shirt? Mom, have you seen my...? And so on, and so on, and so on.) By the time they go to bed at night, I don't have much energy left. I was thinking... quilt time, but lately I have enough energy to crash out on the recliner and watch a few minutes of TV before I fall asleep myself.

Deployment gremlins will get you every time. Hang in there.

Bummer!! Sorry this happened to you :(
But I know the party is going to work out!! Somehow it will :)
HUGS

Everything will work out and your party will be a hit. Even if you are still putting frosting on the cake when the guests arrive! (How do I know this? Happened in Georgia while DH was in Egypt) And yes they are always gone when whatever breaks, floods, or falls apart.

UPDATE - A repair technician came out and said he could attempt to fix it. He was successful and so it only cost the plumbing company $380 dollars, plus they will be doing my service for free. It only took four hours this evening out of my time to get it repaired and now the plumber has to come back and reattach all the water lines. So, there goes an hour or two tomorrow evening.

I am eating McDonalds right now because I couldn't use my kitchen to cook in with all the mess and the fridge blocking my stove and microwave.

Tomorrow, I am cooking my kids are real meal!