i contain acritudes

[the_siobhan]

Looks like my NaDruWriNi will happen this Saturday after all. The Frenchman's visit to Toronto has to be rescheduled so my weekend plans are cancelled.

Guess I'd better come up with some ideas, huh?

***

I have a clear memory of going trick-or-treating as a kid, wrapped up in a heavy coat while white flakes drifted around my head and piled up on the sidewalk. Tonight I took a beer out onto the porch and handed out candy while sitting on the steps and reading a book between children.

One of the kids collected a bunch of candy in his bag and then spent the rest of the night marching around the neighbourhood yelling, "CANDY FOR SALE" at the top of his voice. That one will go far in life, I can already tell.

There's a theatre group near me that builds gigantic puppets out of wood and paper mache. They have a parade every year in the park on the Saturday before Halloween so this year I wandered up to take a look. I assumed they would just walk around the park a couple of times, but they actually go through the entire neighbourhood. It was really cool - the puppets are 15-feet tall and they also hand out smaller ones on sticks to people who want to walk along. The whole neighbourhood came out, including kids and a lot of people dressed up so it ended up being a sizable parade. It started with a marching band who were playing some kind of energetic jazz that would have fit right into a New Orleans funeral. I took some pictures but between the dark costumes and the glare from the streetlights, none of them really turned out.

***

Things continue to leave the house. This week I went through the basement and gathered up a pile of stuff for the trash. I also dragged my massive wooden coffee table onto the porch but the person who was supposed to pick it up never showed. I really don't want to just throw this thing away - furniture is never made out of solid wood anymore so it seems like sacrilege to toss this one into landfill.

I think I finally tracked down all the various receipts and quotes for the basement work, so I sat down and drew up a long list, including what I've paid for so far and what still has to be done. Ended up with two lengthy emails that I sent the contractor. A week goes by, so I reached out to him by text.

"Oh, I don't have email."

Turns out the fucking email address I was using for him belonged to the guy he fired at the beginning of the year for stealing from him. So I had to print them on PAPER and stick them in my mailbox for him like it's the 19th fucking century and how the fuck is this my life?

Anyway. He picked them up this morning so we'll see what he comes back with. Mostly I need dates and dollars so I can schedule funds and time to get the other work done that the house needs. (I want a boiler that makes the water hot. And I am TIRED of flushing my toilet with a bucket y'all. I need to schedule the energy audit. When the kitchen is done I can finish unpacking. And, and, and...)

I am entering month 23 of my 4-month renovation job. Jesus fucking wept.

Comments

[dark_phoenix54]

Can you drag the coffee table out to the street side and put a 'free' sign on it? Furniture usually disappears quickly that way. Unless you're in an industrial area or something.

No renovation job ever takes the time they say it will, but yours seems to be taking all records for fuckery. I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this!

[the_siobhan]

That will be an option if I can't find somebody to take it.

[greylock]

Do not do this.
Ascribe a value, it will be stolen.

[the_siobhan]

I ended up giving it to a neighbour who said they could use it, so everybody is happy.

[cornerofmadness]

well that sucks

[the_siobhan]

It is frustrating. I just want this to be done.

[cornerofmadness]

I can only imagine. I'm only dealing with a clean out of a closet that is taking too long and I'm ready to rip out my hair

[ysilme]

Those puppets sound amazing, but the renovation stuff: what the effing hell. I currently feel even more for you than before; after a month-long break caused by exhaustion and burnout we've tackled the house of my spouses late mum again and are still in the process of cleaning it out (formerly middle-sized house with expansion from the 70s, containing things from three generations and it feels as if nothing ever had been thrown away) and deciding where to start with the renovations and conversions. Nothing has ever been properly taken care of, and the amount of things that need done is staggering. /o\ At least we don't live in it, which is a massive advantage, of course. Anyway, keeping my fingers crossed for you that there's more improvement than bother in your future! *hugs*

[the_siobhan]

Cleaning out my mothers house felt like that. So Much Stuff.

[chasing_silver]

How ... how do you not have email? As a business owner? In 2024?!

[the_siobhan]

Right?

Every contractor I've ever worked with was insanely disorganized. But there's no reason to hire an admin or a project manager because they are in such high demand they can get work regardless.

[elusis]

This week I had to print out my California non-profit's statement of tax exempt business, all 36 pages, stuff it in a manila envelope, put stamps on it, and put it in the mail.

To a department of the state of California.

You read that right: I e-filed our "form 990" with the Dept of Revenue, but the Dept of Charities and Non-profits or w/e needed me to PRINT IT AND MAIL IT TO THEM WTF.

[the_siobhan]

I have the same reaction to insurance companies that want everything by fax.

[cincinnatus_c]

I hope The Frenchman is well, but I gotta say I am glad you'll be around on here for the first Saturday, wouldn't be the same without you!

[the_siobhan]

Now I just need inspiration. That's always the hard part.

[cincinnatus_c]

"What I found in the basement" seems promising maybe. :D