Still Here!

Just up to my neck in stress!  

We figured out what we're doing as far as insurance goes, although it has been un-fun getting to this point.  I did the research and picked a plan which would work for Otter and me, Bill will be able to get insurance where he works.  It's not the best plan, but it's ok because it will bring the cost down enough so that we can actually afford the plan for me and Otter with our current carrier.  But yesterday, they nearly convinced me that it would be a mistake to stay with them.  We called them and went through the entire application process and were just about done, when the girl who was helping us realized she had put the wrong zip code and she wasn't able to correct it so she had to transfer me back to an actual agent.  He then basically tried to bully me into getting the government assistance to pay for it - which will NEVER EVER EVER happen, and then he lied to me and told me that the plan (which I had already picked out and was happy with) was not available and in fact, never had been.  He then informed me that they didn't have anything at all in that price range and he was very rude.  *RHTW then told him to cancel the application and that we would probably be going elsewhere entirely.

We considered enrolling along with Bill at his employer's insurance but I got online and checked up on what he told me.  And discovered that he was lieing through his teeth.  I called them back again - and talked to someone else.  She couldn't quite figure out why he told me what he did, then she figured out that even though I had told him repeatedly that it was for 2 of us, not my husband but just me and my daughter, he thought I needed to insure all three of us.  Although at the time, he told me it was just for the two of us.  I told her that I was interested, but she also helped me to find an even better and cheaper plan which meets our needs.  However, Otter was not with me anymore (she was at work) and they had to be able to ask her if she was enrolling since she's not a minor anymore.  So, they got the process started and then they suspended it so we could finish it today.  I went over to her apartment after work, this time I took my computer in case they needed to email me and it took about half an hour.  They called me when they said they would and it was easy.  I'm going to call them tomorrow and request the proof letter we need showing Bill's lack of insurance effective 1/1/16 and then he can finish the enrollment at work.  I'm also going to complain about the idiot agent from yesterday, I did get his name.

That's one stress fairy vanquished.

There are more.  Otter's move in next Wednesday.  The day before Thanksgiving.  She has to work the night before and then the late afternoon shift on moving day.  We have a 60% chance of rain.  It's out the door, down three flights of stairs, across the parking lot/grass area, in the door, back up three flights of stairs and into the new apartment.  We are going to try to get it all done in one day, but it might not be possible to get the old apartment cleaned so I may well be going back over there on Thanksgiving Day itself to finish up the cleaning.  She has to work Black Friday.  I'm probably going to spend Black Friday collapsed on the couch!

That's another one at least tamped down to manageable.

We got the booth finished up last week.  We basically built it from scratch and this time we've done more with the booth itself.  We took the machines up there one day last week and the store opened last Friday.

Bill built the booth sides with peg board.  The boars across the back and one side are to give it enough strength to hold pachinko machines in cabinets.  There are also boards on the back side which are not visible,they are between the 2x4's that make up the frame.

He used light hog wire across the top of the booth.  It's bolted down.

He strung Christmas lights across the top.  Each booth has electricity access and he has a timer so that the lights are only on when the store is open.

We bought two packs of kites at the dollar store a few years back and I found them in the closet the other day.  He attached them to the top and also used paper Japanese lanterns.  Since this picture was taken, he added two red lanterns between the blue ones.  He was going to insert small lights inside the lanterns but he didn't like the way it looked so he went with the Christmas lights instead.

The sign is a plywood board with a plastic car wrap type label.

Since this picture was taken, two of the machines have been sold.  They were sold off of our website, but that didn't happen until after we'd carted them up to the booth.  They were in my living room for weeks and weeks and not a bite, but as soon as they were out of the living room (and my way!), two of them sold.

The view from the front of the full booth.

Bill has a poster on one side which explains what pachinko machines are, also there are pachinko balls, board feet (for support for table top machines) and how-to restore dvds.  Also our business cards and a free information flyer.  The bulletin board at the top has pictures with the progression from before restoration to after.

Now, we just need someone to come buy machines!

Now, I'm just waiting for the rest of my stress fairies so I can beat their heads in!