Finally peaceful...

This Monday bears no resemblance to the last. It has been peaceful, the weather has been great and I had a lovely time with friends at their second night of Passover seder on Saturday. The meal was wonderful and the re-telling of the Passover story was both abbreviated enough so nothing got cold and entertaining due to the presence of teens, one of whom showed herself to be a tough negotiator when she had to release the final piece of hidden matzah at the conclusion of the meal.

As for me, the only plans I have this week involve enjoying some outdoor time before a sweltering summer arrives.  The bills, correspondence and laundry have all been done, the tax preparer paid and cat food ordered. I may make a trip to the library this week though since more and more services are available online, that may not be necessary.

As a confirmed and lifelong bibliophile, I sometimes suffer library withdrawal, especially since I now read primarily via a Kindle. The nice thing about that is that many books from the library can be downloaded, and when read within their borrowing period, disappear without a trace. 

When I was a kid, one of the first things my mother did was instill the habit of keeping all of our library books in one place to avoid loss, damage or overdue fines. I quickly learned that stashing mine beneath my bed wasn't always the best idea if the resident feline was in the mood for batting, chewing or tearing. After one incident, and a rather tearful explanation to a skeptical librarian from me, my mother ordered a new book, waited weeks for it to arrive and threatened me with bodily harm if I didn't learn to keep any books off the floor.

I also miss the heft of a book in one's hand and the smell of the stacks...What about you, dear readers?

H is for HECTIC...

April 15 is the day all good citizens are compelled to pay taxes. Thus, I found myself on the horn to my friendly CPA asking where my return was since there was no sign of it in my email. After two more calls, I received the correct documents only to worry about whether my online payment went through to the IRS. Confirmation has since arrived.

 Complicating this scenario was the appointment with my AC guy who showed up a bit late after I called when he did not appear 9 AM as promised.

After determining that my lack of cooling stemmed not from any problem with the air conditioning unit but from the tarp on our rooftop, our site manager appeared with condo president in tow. She started to tell me I should just wait until the tarp was removed when he interjected to say I had summoned the correct person to diagnose the problem. Roofers were to have appeared today and have not. So just how much longer this tarp situation will occur I have no clue. I started to ask how many more days of 80 degree temperatures I was expected to endure inside, particularly since summer is on our doorstep but instead chose to have the AC man and and our site manager, a general contractor, converse on the matter.

The upshot is that the AC guy climbed on the roof and with help from another individual, folded over the section of tarp covering my unit. Additionally, his explanation of the problem was sufficient enough to get him a check from my condo association for his time, an expense I am only too happy to forego. When I told him that I had previously been told that the tarp had been adjusted so as not to interfere with my air compressor, he smiled and said, "They lied."

He added that he had never seen anything quite like this tarp and thinks of this place as a three-ring circus featuring a yes-man. I've known this for a long time. Still, it is good when an outsider confirms my existing experience. Our site manager hires people but does not check their work. In his mid-sixties, he is fat and has been injured, so does not climb onto rooftops. Those hired by this association appear to have little in the way of "work ethic," an apparently dying concept in this country.

Amid tax payment and AC contingent, a phone call from a friend brought a hot lunch and coffee. Both were sorely needed as I had no breakfast while awaiting the AC guy. Tonight, another friend will visit and help with Lukas's monthly flea treatment. Tomorrow, both the bug guy and the massage therapist are due.

In the meantime, a basket of laundry and a mop, not to mention a staring cat, are calling to me. I'd much rather read but that doesn't wash underwear.

Happy Monday.