An observant writer's take on relationships, health, living in Chicago, unusual experiences, the news, retirement, books, hobbies, volunteering, smart shopping, and anything else that's on my mind
Observances of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, including festivals, Regency-themed balls, concerts, talks, exhibits, and parades, were reported around the world. That I did not note my favorite author's semiquincentennial until December 16 had come and gone tells how much I’m neglecting the news to avoid hearing the name Trump.
When you’re facing major surgery, your surgeon will load you down with information. At the first meeting with the Midwest Orthopedics surgeon who would replace my right knee, she gave me a folder with two dozen pages about the procedure, medication, exercises, and frequently asked questions; a preparation checklist; and a postoperation guide. I went home from surgery with another folder. But all the information still didn’t forestall surprises, including these.
In a recent letter to the Asking Eric advice column in the Chicago Tribune, a homeowner wrote that her walls and ceiling had been painted the wrong colors. The store gave the wrong paints to the painter, who didn’t check the cans.
“Who’s at fault here?,” she asked. “Is this just a live and learn situation?”
While saying the store may have gotten the paint codes wrong, Eric blamed the painter: “He should have checked the product he was receiving before he left the store. . . . He should have offered to fix his mistake, if not for free, then for a discount.”
Eric added, however, that “sometimes mistakes can’t be painted over.” I’ve lived with those kinds of mistakes.