I moved in late February '04, from a fairly teeny apartment to a fairly large one. The teeny apartment did have three enormous closets and a huge bookcase, things lacking in the new digs. Two chests I ordered in mid-August have yet to arrive, leaving a good chunk of my wardrobe in large plastic storage boxes. The contractor I hired to build shelves in my kitchen to hold my large collection of cookbooks and some CDs, who is a friend, keeps putting me off apologetically because it's a "small job" he needs to work into a tight schedule. (It's going to cost me about four grand---not a "small" amount of money in my book). I cannot believe, eight months into it, that I still have unpacked boxes. The windows in my living room are flanked by two large and lovely UPS cartons filled with Christmas tree ornaments.

You get Chinese food delivered out there? How many days in advance do you have to order?

Maybe I should amend that to 'never hire a contractor.'

The annual ritual of WWIII going on outside. Fortunately the older generation of my cats was never worried about fireworks but the young'un is discombobulated, although not in a complete state of panic - can't decide whether hiding under a bed or clinging to me is the better alternative.

v

There's a celebration I don't miss. Whizz bang, indeed.

Still not time to switch off the computer and start drinking.

'course there's some sad folks who keep the computer on while drinking......

Dark rum with Grand Marnier and orange peel - the kind of thing I like.

v

I would too, if I could take the computer to the pub. I do like to be out and about.

fucking netflix! i had this great indian film called "ankur" in my rental queue--it finally got to the top and they mailed it out--for some reason it took 5 days to get to me (i normally get dvd's the day after they ship them). took it out of the sleeve to discover that it was cracked all the way through on one side. noted it on the sleeve, noted it on the website and returned it, asking for another copy to be sent to me. it took them 2 days after receiving it from me to mail the replacement out--took another 5 days for it to arrive--opened the package today to discover they'd re-sent me the very same broken dvd (either that or there's a maniac on the loose cracking all dvd copies of "ankur" in the exact same way). bastards.

After nine years of cooking on an electric stove (with a cracked oven door), Bob bought me newish but used gas stove for $120. They were to deliver it the next day, and they never called. I called the numbers on the business card: nobody spoke English, and they had to find someone who spoke broken English to call me back. She told me that they'd cracked the oven door and would deliver a different stove the next day. Did I mind black and white instead all white? Bob minded, and said he'd prefer to fix the all-white stove (which he can do; he's a general contractor who knows a good appliance repair place).

They showed up three hours late the next day with the black and white stove, which was several years older than the all-white one. --sigh.-- But wait, there's more.

Bob spent over $300 on parts to convert it to propane (had I known that, I would have happily settled with a newer electric, especially since our electricity is folded into our utilities). He spent hours running pipes under the house, and doing everything to make it work. The stove and broiler work fine, but he could not get the oven working.

We called them about this: they had set their cell phones to a Spanish-speaking answering system that doesn't even allow you to leave messages. Finally they said they'd come at 4:00 on Wednesday. But they didn't. At 6 PM, I telephoned (I had my ex, a native of Mexico, phone them). They weren't going to be able to make it after all: the part hadn't come. Don't ask me "what part," or how they knew what part was needed in an oven they'd never investigated. They weren't going to call to tell us, but just do nothing, apparently. They promised to be here yesterday at 4 PM. At 5 PM, I had my ex call: they'd be here at 6 PM -- the part was late. They didn't come. They came at 9:30 PM, and Bob told Miguel to tell them that they were not welcome to come so late, especially as they'd brought the wrong part, and that if they didn't fix the stove today, he would hire a repairman and we would be taking them to court. (They do have a place of business.)

The guy promised to be here at 5 PM. At a quarter to five, he called my ex to say he'd be here at 6PM.


It's 6:22: do you think I'm listening to the sounds of an oven being repaired?

I am not.

I haven't had an oven in over two weeks!

Fuck
shit
bollocks

Had a lovely night out with friends tonight. Cab was a bit late picking us up, but, so what, we slipped another swifty in .

Then we got home. Scott takes front door key from pocket, aims it at the front door............then drops it..........into the bloody bush by the front door that we've been moaning about ever since we moved in.

Today is a wet, cold rainy day. There we are, in the pitch dark, on our hands and fucking knees in the mud under the (fucking spikey) bush. Could we find the key? Fuck no!!!

Call Locksmith. "Yes Madam, we'll be there in 30 minutes, that'll be £120.00 + VAT call out, plus labour plus parts". Come on over I say.

Locksmith arrives, opens door with some device through letter box in about 3 seconds, shines torch into bush and finds key in about 5 seconds.

£141.00

Fuck
Shit
Wank
Bollocks.


NOW DRINKING WINE.

Sweetie darling! So sorry for your anguish.

Please, however, tell a girl on the other side of the Atlantic and residing in one of the westernmost spots in the continental U.S., is a "swifty" the same as a "quickie," and where were your friends when you were slipping your swifty in? Surely not watching?!

Tana, a swifty is a sneaky extra drink.

Mrs F - chopped that bush down yet?

Cat that goes on evening promenade in mucky wet back garden then comes home feet all mucky and wet and marches all over the open cookbooks I always have lying around

v

Cat that thinks my herb garden is a litter box.

Am supposed to have surgery eventually to remove something that shouldn't be there, but the pre-op sonogram led to a question of where exactly said item was located. I now need to have a CAT scan, which health insurance company of course has to precertify. Meanwhile, I'm in near constant discomfort (not terrible pain, just an annoyance really).

It wasn't so much dropped as I think the lock must be spring loaded

The Tate's December screenings of Robert Franks's suppressed Rolling Stones documentary, Cocksucker Blues, are completely sold out. Of course, I have been thinking for ages: Tate screenings are always empty, what's the hurry?

Turns out they've already doubled the number of showings, massive demand, no possible chance, &c.

Why does that remind me of something at the ICA last summer that we never managed to see?

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Yeah, life is full of aggravations caused by failure to book in advance.

On the other hand, I already have tickets for The Producers, His Dark Materials and Pina Bausch.

Our finance department has decided to increase the amount they charge grant holders for fringe benefits for people employed under the grant. Unilaterally and retroactive from the summer. Not a huge amount and I do have wriggle room in my budget to accommodate it without having to fire anyone but still fucking annoying.

Have to wear jacket, scarf and beret against the chill wind today. Winter is icumen in...

The new mandatory smoke/carbon monoxide alarm in my apartment;my landlord assured me that a mere push of the button would derail the thing if I did some smokey cooking.I'm roasting a chicken at high heat,things are getting indeed a little smokey,and the thing begins to screech,along with a little voice going fire...fire.I scramble up the ladder,pressing the damned button over and over,the thing still emitting ear splitting noise.I finally pull it out of the ceiling,just like I did a few years ago,and pull out the batteries...Yes,I was harking back to rock concerts only a few hours ago...now the excitement of the day is roasting a chicken,and dealing with household problems.This after I spent the morning taking my stove apart and cleaning the beast...

13-year-old boys.

All of 'em? Thanks.

Courier/delivery people. I'm delighted that they've started becoming really, really good at delivering things in the morning before I go to work, but is 6:59 three times in four days really necessary?

It wasn't breakfast.

If not truffle salami then definitely not worth the disturbance.

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Got Norge Repairmanned at the grocery store.

I completely disassembled and cleaned my Apple Pro keyboard yesterday (no mean feat). It's all back together and working just fine, but there's a single eyelash stuck under the clear plastic case.

The Star at Harome is booked up on Saturday until Oct 2005. And all rail tickets to the nearest station (Malton) are £140pp.

I have a diamond and platinum cross on a thin platinum chain. It was given me several years ago by someone who meant a lot to me. When I took off my sweater last night I realized it was gone. Hoping it will turn up in my office or apartment, but not optimistic. I am devastated.

Oh Daisy, I'm sorry. I hope it turns up.

Ripped my favourite silk shirt today

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