Now: build a bonfire

I seemingly can't win these days. Twenty-five days after the gas was shut off, it was turned back on... and this was after that 41-degree night.

But now... the furnace doesn't work! It's a more modern electric start (which saves on gas, haha), and it does try to ignite, but the gas doesn't whoosh in like it should. The stove works, the water heater works, and one thing I don't do is play with gas, so the shutoff shouldn't be turned off. This is NOT something I really want to tell the landlord for fear of retribution!

The funniest news? I don't think my roommate can tell electric start furnaces from any other furnace, since a bunch of struck matches were found next to the furnace. I also found struck matches near the water heater, one week before the gas was turned back on. Somehow, he knew the stove was electric start. Wait, maybe I should move it just to find out!

Not much else to report, basically because of distraction. Too many loud people around me at the store where I'm typing this, though I observed with interest a young boyfriend/girlfriend combo at the computer next to me. They were looking up football stats, with the GIRL doing all the commands as to what team & what players to look up! I know we're not supposed to stereotype about genders these days, but it's still strange for me to see for some reason.

Update: Getting somewhat better

I deleted the last post because things are not as glum as they once were. For one thing, the power came back on after 17 days off. Yet the GAS is still not on after three days of promising it would be. With it getting down to 43 degrees tonight, I worry just a tad.

Everything else should be taken care of by the end of the week. And no, I'm not moving - yet. As for the roommate, who's off galavanting in the Phillipines again -- he may find things are a little different when he gets home. I've yet to speak to the landlord on this situation but will, and chances are he may take my side.

Sorry to be brief but I'm on one of those pay-as-you-go computers with three days remaining before the next paycheck! Hope to update soon. And I do have tons of blog info to share with you once the internet at the house gets back up!

Six-week basic training in "roughing it"

I am sorry to report that my posts here will be fewer & more further between for this month and much of the next. Thanks to that bone-headed ex-roommate (who I believe I detailed about in June or July), our power at the house has been shut off for a minimum of six weeks. This is about how long the current roommate & I have calculated it would take to pay off a 4-figure past due balance, plus reconnect fees & service charges.

We thought at first this would result in our immediate eviction, but the landlord begged us to stay, simply because his name is involved in the electric as well; and he needs the electric turned on before he can re-rent the house.

I am sorry to say that I may sound self-centered, but this I cannot handle. I am in the process of relocating at this time, even if it's to a dingy hotel for a week at a time. A person needs to bathe, eat some meals in the house, and be able to read at night, or at least listen to the radio. In my case, if I don't have active room circulation while I'm sleeping, I will wake up in a cold sweat. It's happened the past three nights, and have been tempted to sleep outside each night.

I don't feel I will be necessarily disowning the landlord, since I will still be doing what I can to get that bill paid off. He's allowed us eight days' extra leeway in paying this rent. He does side with us, and all of us are SO against that ex-roommate, whom my father knows pretty darn well. (Apparently, those that learn the slowest learn the hardest.) And here's a funny follow-up: this person didn't know why I wouldn't smile at him when he passed me in the hallway at work that night.

But personal comfort always has been & always needs to be a first priority. One of my favorite sayings is that you are the only one who has to live with yourself 24/7/365, so you better make things good for yourself first. Am I not going to bathe but once a month for six weeks? How many cold sweats can I take before I really become sick? These are chances I cannot take, and I'm sure these are chances my landlord will understand.

This ex-roommate is a puppet for his father; at times I can see the strings coming out from the hands. Well, where's a pair of scissors to cut these ties that bind me and will allow him & his father to boldly go to where they deserve to go?