Just Great, Another Blog!

OK. Taking the dive into blogging here, inspired by others who have done the same. Although I might not be as prolific as some, and I don't get to cook much (so don't expect many delicious dishes featured here), I have been keeping some notes on things I have done recently, or strange events that happen from time to time.

For example, this weekend I finally got an air conditioner, although the process didn't occur exactly as planned! Originally, I assumed my apartment's electrical wiring would be insufficient to handle the addition of an air conditioner unit as is. I have only one window and one outlet near it in order to install a window air conditioner. Add to this the complication that its a sliding, casement window that was hastily installed when they renovated the exterior, and you can imagine the resistance I got from the landlords. The husband seems to be a heat-freak - he loves summer and enjoys sleeping in 95% humidity! The wife hates it and sleeps in her central air. Right there I got to know more about their relationship than I cared to. In any case, I asked for her to get an electrician to install a new, dedicated outlet right by the window for the air conditioner that I would purchase and install (it's good to have friends who are carpenters). This request was made in between their family vacations at the beginning of July...

One month and three heat waves later, she finally gives me an answer. Apparently, her electrician - if one ever showed up - told her that the existing outlet (where my computer and half the lights in the apartment are connected) was more than sufficient to run an A/C. Of course, I'm sure the electrician noticed the computer he had to move to check the outlet... In any case, not only did she not install an outlet, she bought the air conditioner too! She was concerned about getting the most economical and low wattage unit she could find (i.e. cheapest in all ways). My thoughts were running along the same lines, but I prefer to get the features I want when I buy something. My only thought during this process was that I didn't have to suffer through all those nights and spend all that money on movie tickets during July - I could have just purchased an air conditioner, popped it in the window, and let them know when they got back.

Saturday evening, after coming home from an outdoor birthday party in the heat, I was shocked and amazed to see an air conditioner in the window, already running. It was doing a great job of cooling the space, but there was a large board nailed across the window, the unit was screwed into the board for support, but the unit was made for a normal window and left a gap of about 6 inches along the entire top - definitely large enough to let in the army of gnats, mosquitoes, moths, and other creepy crawlies from outside! This was unacceptable (luckily the landlady thought the same thing), so the unit would be replaced come Wednesday with a larger, more appropriate unit. At least that was the plan. Until then I would have to do without the air conditioner they just installed! I DON'T FREAKIN' THINK SO!!!

I explained that there was rain a'comin' and that the humidity was gonna skyrocket in the next few days. She seemed sympathetic and decided to have her son (the contractor) put up insulation board around the unit, thus blocking some moisture and the bugs. Living in a garage, you get used to the plethora of insect life that thinks it belongs there, so I didn't mind the occasional intrusion, but I'm so glad they blocked off the window to keep the spiders at bay! However, yesterday I noticed that the unit doesn't stick out very far from the window and the foamboard now partially blocks the side vents. I'm sure this isn't good for the A/C motor! Also, most A/Cs tend to drip water when it is very humid - I have not seen any moisture fall from this one yet and it's been running 3 nights. Now I'm starting to worry. I guess we'll have to see what happens on Wednesday, as the landlady seemed to be quite pleased with her son's work with the foamboard. In fact, she mentioned off-handedly, that the A/C might have to stay that way for the rest of the summer (a condition I'm not too pleased with, mind you).

In any case, I now have an air conditioner and I've slept well the past few nights - almost as well as I do in the late spring or mid-autumn months before they decide to raise the heat (damn cold-blooded reptiles that they are). I've been moderate in choosing the temperature setting - no lower than 73 degrees at first and slowly raise to 75 at night. I really only want to break the humidity so all my book covers stop curling and it doesn't feel like I'm sleeping in a bowl of hot soup! The heat and humidity also bring forth the worst odors from the canal behind the house, especially when the nearby waste-treatment plant starts running after hours. The layer of moisture actually traps these odors and spreads them for miles in all directions. If that wasn't bad enough, I'm only two towns away from the local garbage dump! And people wonder why I want to be as far away from Long Island as possible....