I came home from London to a leaking AC. It flooded the carpet in the third bedroom - well, half of it. And the outlet in the guest bathroom doesn't work either. Could I do anything about any of it from the airport just minutes after my landing in Dallas? No, but I'm a landlord so I have to take the complaints and work orders irregardless of date or time. The previous homeowners bought me a home warranty with AHS, thank you.
How ironic is it on a day like today, after I placed not one, not two, but THREE service requests online, (at $60 a pop) that I also received my "reminder" notice in the mail concerning my upcoming expiration date. I renewed it. It costs a pretty penny, but I'm convinced it is well worth it.
Today, maintenance man James came to my house to check out my unit. He confirmed that it was a leaky AC, but that it is my main pipe. He would try to "blow it out" but if that didn't work I would have to put in another request for a plumber.
The blowing-out worked, leak gone.
Then James asked if I had any bleach.
Fail.
"No, I don't...but I should, shouldn't I? A good home owner would have bleach handy, wouldn't they?"
James smiled at me (I could tell my cute and innocent naivety would work to my advantage today - along with my sleeveless-leaopard-jungle-sundress and new wedge heels from Zara - so glad I picked today to wear this outfit!)
I smiled back, "Can you tell this is new for me?"
"First time home owner?" James asked.
"What gave that away?" I replied.
James told me to get me some bleach and he would put in a "part" - it's this "T" shaped thing - that has a cap on it so I can add bleach once a month to the pipes to avoid algae buildup. He also taught me that filters do wonderful things for "us" as people and the air we breath, but they are hard on our units - so I should buy the least expensive filter and change it every 30 days. Except in the winter. At the same time I can add the bleach to the T-unit-thing-he-installed (which I will at once purchase and keep on hand for the next service man who asks me). I can remember to do that. I've already added a calendar reminder.
James then wanted to check my freon in the outside unit just to make sure I had enough and everything was working right. I followed him outside.
I learned that I "should have my unit serviced annually". Then James told me that while my unit is the correct size for my square footage, my inside coil is .5 tons larger - so my "parts don't match". My warranty will not replace improperly installed equipment. So, as long as I keep my unit maintained, once the AC breaks down, my warranty (which I will continue to renew) will cover the replacement.
Then James serviced my unit free of charge - he said because he's not one of those guys that wants to do me wrong, he would service my unit on AHS's time and not file it on the invoice. Then he told me I was set for the rest of the year.
I got James' card to be sure to request he is the one to return should anything else go wrong with my unit.
Oh the things you learn being a home owner!
3.8.10
six degrees of separation...
It's crazy how small the world actually is. I remember when we used to fly home through Tokyo, we would ALWAYS see someone we knew. Well, Mom and Dad would, and they would know us by association - being young you never really remember your parents friends, or friends you knew when you were an infant. But I remember Dad saying, "oh look, Laura, there's the so-and-sos!" just about every time we had a layover in Tokyo.
Anyway, last night I had dinner with two friends. Dewi I hadn't seen since I left Surabaya in 1998. Karen I hadn't seen since then either, but we managed to meet up for about 30 minutes last summer when I was in London for a quick visit. Then, Adrienne and I bumped into her our first day in London this year, crossing Waterloo bridge - totally random. Karen said she was moseying along thinking to herself, "shall I go in the tunnel under the road, or stay above ground...under or over?" and if she had gone under we would have missed her! Fate, that's what that is.
Karen, Dewi and I met at Victoria station and walked to Giraffe for dinner. It was so wonderful catching up with the two of them and it only makes me hope that next year we can meet up sooner during my month here, and more than once!
Back to the 6 degrees of separation thing:
Liz (friend fro
m Surabaya days) got married in Bali in April Karen was in her wedding. Karen and Dewi were also in Angie's wedding, another friend from those days, in Indonesia last year as well. I couldn't go to Liz's wedding because I had duties at the Abbey. But mom and dad went and had a blast, and saw all my old friends - including Karen. Liz's husband Leo is in the silver industry - he designs and sells jewelry. Karen's dad brought some over to the UK a few weeks ago when her parents visited. She was telling me about how she sold some of it to a friend when they were having dinner one evening and the waitress walked over interested so Karen has her contact information to be in touch about the jewelry. As she told the story she showed Dewi and I some of the pieces. I saw a pair of flower studs I had to have, and bought them! Our waitress came over and admired everything simultaneously - ha! So...I now own a pair of earrings that one of my oldest friend's husband designed, I've never met him, and haven't seen her since the early 2000s.It's just awesome how the world works.
Meanwhile...the BSP student drama continues. Without going into the whiny details - suddenly it's our fault a student overslept 2 hours, missed her flight, and had to pay $150 to fly standby all the way home. "No one took role that morning, no one came and knocked on my door". I think she's really upset with her friends because they phoned her but she didn't wake - nor did they come to us to go knock on her door - and now she's looking for somewhere else to point the blame, because she can't blame them (and she shouldn't!). I knocked on plenty of doors that morning, after students came running to me asking to let them check on so-and-so; but in the end it is NOT my responsibility to wake your ass up to get on the courtesy bus. Sorry. It's time for you to accept responsibility for yourself. Besides, I'd have rather flown standby for $150 because I accidentally overslept than buy a whole new ticket!
If I miss my flight tomorrow, due to oversleeping, it will NOT be my fault....I will find someone else to blame.
What?
That's just ridiculous.
26.7.10
v.a.c.a.t.i.o.n.
Couldn't blog over the vacay - but I think I may have figured out how to post blogs on the go, we'll see next time. For now, here's the latest on the v.a.c.a.t.i.o.n.
THE "NICER" HOTEL IN PARIS - FIRST NIGHT.
Well we finally found our hotel. Gotta love google maps on the blackberry.
Joe asked if I was joking when we approached the door. The place looked like it had been deserted. Not just that, it looked unfinished. Read: drywall, concrete floors, paint splotches, drop cloths, dust, tape around the door handle.
Well, we had nothing to do but give it a go!
Enter Jess and Joe. Hello reception desk. We were surprised to see a computer. A man, dressed quite nicely, greeted us with a wide smile, as if the room around him was nothing to take note of.
"Bienvenue madame Lamb, votre chambre est 106, sur la premiere etage, l'acenseur ne marche pas maintenant, vous pouvez prendre les escaliers, a votre droit. Bonsoiree."
Translation: Welcome, Miss Lamb, your room is 106 on the first floor, the elevator is currently out of service (no, really?) you may take the stairs to your right.
We warily accepted our key, and turned to our right. There were drop cloths draped over everything, and a dark hallway that looked like it might contain a staircase but it was so dark you literally could not see your feet.
In an excited nervousness I asked, "Joe...where ARE we??? You'll never let me pick the hotel ever again!"
We trucked-it-up the stairs, into a newly carpeted hallway that looked promising. Upon opening the door to room 106 it was like entering another world. Cool, comfortable, small-but-chic, clearly newly renovated. The bathroom was ultra modern, marble, with one of those "rain" showers-you know the kind you always see on TV and wonder how delightful it would be to have one of your own? Let me tell you it is as magical and relaxing as the advertisements.
I suppose it makes sense to re-do the bedrooms first and then move on to the lobby and breakfast area. But goodness, there could have been some forewarning like, "pardon us while we make over our lobby".
UPDATE ON THAT "NICER" HOTEL IN PARIS - LAST NIGHT
Joe and I trucked it back to our "quaint" hotel...renovations still occurring. However, elevator worked last night! Yep, in fact we were ushered in to it even though our room was only on the first floor.
Too bad it didn't work this morning when we got in it (it was 5AM London time, so I wanted to take the elevator one flight - give me a break). The concierge had to pry the doors open to get us out, and we weren't on a proper level, we had to jump down from the elevator.
I still made it to my train on time. And what a great guy that Casanova - he rode all 15 stops with me on the metro, out of his way.
OVERALL
It was too short. We did a lot of nothing, which was such an awesome feeling after the crazy month/s we've both had. Our last night in Paris we met up with Andrew Bueno (student coordinator at The Abbey from 2004 - when I was a student) and Marina Louvet (my French prof from 2004 at the Abbey) for dinner/drinks - what an awesome evening with them at the Lizard Lounge in Le Mirais.
Now, it's a slow day (thank goodness) in London, just waiting for students to roll back in from their mini-break to check back into their rooms. Hopefully the week will remain uneventful.
THE "NICER" HOTEL IN PARIS - FIRST NIGHT.
Well we finally found our hotel. Gotta love google maps on the blackberry.
Joe asked if I was joking when we approached the door. The place looked like it had been deserted. Not just that, it looked unfinished. Read: drywall, concrete floors, paint splotches, drop cloths, dust, tape around the door handle.
Well, we had nothing to do but give it a go!
Enter Jess and Joe. Hello reception desk. We were surprised to see a computer. A man, dressed quite nicely, greeted us with a wide smile, as if the room around him was nothing to take note of.
"Bienvenue madame Lamb, votre chambre est 106, sur la premiere etage, l'acenseur ne marche pas maintenant, vous pouvez prendre les escaliers, a votre droit. Bonsoiree."
Translation: Welcome, Miss Lamb, your room is 106 on the first floor, the elevator is currently out of service (no, really?) you may take the stairs to your right.
We warily accepted our key, and turned to our right. There were drop cloths draped over everything, and a dark hallway that looked like it might contain a staircase but it was so dark you literally could not see your feet.
In an excited nervousness I asked, "Joe...where ARE we??? You'll never let me pick the hotel ever again!"
We trucked-it-up the stairs, into a newly carpeted hallway that looked promising. Upon opening the door to room 106 it was like entering another world. Cool, comfortable, small-but-chic, clearly newly renovated. The bathroom was ultra modern, marble, with one of those "rain" showers-you know the kind you always see on TV and wonder how delightful it would be to have one of your own? Let me tell you it is as magical and relaxing as the advertisements.
I suppose it makes sense to re-do the bedrooms first and then move on to the lobby and breakfast area. But goodness, there could have been some forewarning like, "pardon us while we make over our lobby".
UPDATE ON THAT "NICER" HOTEL IN PARIS - LAST NIGHT
Joe and I trucked it back to our "quaint" hotel...renovations still occurring. However, elevator worked last night! Yep, in fact we were ushered in to it even though our room was only on the first floor.
Too bad it didn't work this morning when we got in it (it was 5AM London time, so I wanted to take the elevator one flight - give me a break). The concierge had to pry the doors open to get us out, and we weren't on a proper level, we had to jump down from the elevator.
I still made it to my train on time. And what a great guy that Casanova - he rode all 15 stops with me on the metro, out of his way.
OVERALL
It was too short. We did a lot of nothing, which was such an awesome feeling after the crazy month/s we've both had. Our last night in Paris we met up with Andrew Bueno (student coordinator at The Abbey from 2004 - when I was a student) and Marina Louvet (my French prof from 2004 at the Abbey) for dinner/drinks - what an awesome evening with them at the Lizard Lounge in Le Mirais.
Now, it's a slow day (thank goodness) in London, just waiting for students to roll back in from their mini-break to check back into their rooms. Hopefully the week will remain uneventful.
Hello hello....
Hello taxi.
Hello St Pancras station.
Hello passport control.
Hello last call for boarding as I'm in line at passport control...what?
Hello Eurostar seat, I made it.
Hello Paris Gare du Nord.
Hello Metro line 5.
Hello Gare d'Austerlitz.
Hello Casanova.
Hello St Pancras station.
Hello passport control.
Hello last call for boarding as I'm in line at passport control...what?
Hello Eurostar seat, I made it.
Hello Paris Gare du Nord.
Hello Metro line 5.
Hello Gare d'Austerlitz.
Hello Casanova.
21.7.10
I am going to France in 1.5 hours...
It hasn't slowed down here that much...not really at all....just when you think it might, something comes up....
But I am going to France in 1.5 hours.
The student denies the shower renovations. Now what? There's no proof - I'll let someone else handle this one.
Multiple students file complaints against cleaning-staff male suspect. Crazy-creepy complaints. Creepy, creepy man. Investigation begins.
Everyone gets off for their LondonAWAY destinations regardless of bus drivers not knowing where they are going - or where they are staying! (was unaware they were our responsibility too).
Student has large sum of money stolen in Paris, but there's nothing much anyone can do about it.
Student decides she needs to go home for health reasons, but each time we talk it's a different story...how can we help when she cannot make a decision and her mother is not here to make one for her? Where will she fly out of? Edinburgh or London?
I am going to France in 1.5 hours.
Creepy cleaning man is fired.
I am going to France in 1.5 hours.
Student acts-out in ways unbelievable to anyone not a witness and is expelled from the program, making her way back to London soon with Asst. Director.
I am going to France in 1.5 hours.
I am going to enjoy this vacation.
I am going to France.
My phone will not work for several hours on the train.
The world will NOT fall apart.
Goodbye.
But I am going to France in 1.5 hours.
The student denies the shower renovations. Now what? There's no proof - I'll let someone else handle this one.
Multiple students file complaints against cleaning-staff male suspect. Crazy-creepy complaints. Creepy, creepy man. Investigation begins.
Everyone gets off for their LondonAWAY destinations regardless of bus drivers not knowing where they are going - or where they are staying! (was unaware they were our responsibility too).
Student has large sum of money stolen in Paris, but there's nothing much anyone can do about it.
Student decides she needs to go home for health reasons, but each time we talk it's a different story...how can we help when she cannot make a decision and her mother is not here to make one for her? Where will she fly out of? Edinburgh or London?
I am going to France in 1.5 hours.
Creepy cleaning man is fired.
I am going to France in 1.5 hours.
Student acts-out in ways unbelievable to anyone not a witness and is expelled from the program, making her way back to London soon with Asst. Director.
I am going to France in 1.5 hours.
I am going to enjoy this vacation.
I am going to France.
My phone will not work for several hours on the train.
The world will NOT fall apart.
Goodbye.
29.6.10
London on Sunday
Actually, it's Tuesday - but my cousin started writing a song for me about flying to London on Sunday, so I thought that would be a great title to my latest post.
Adrienne and I arrived safely to our Stamford Street residence - home for the next five weeks - yesterday. The flight was uneventful - except for some up-chucking by the lady next to Adrienne as soon as we landed.
I wasn't impressed with AA: they didn't show any of the movies they promised in their in-flight magazine, the in-flight entertainment system itself hasn't been upgraded since the 80's. Really, I remember sitting on the arm rest as a child straining to see the small box TV screens while mom and dad slept, that was 20 years ago. They only came through the cabin once with landing cards - so if you were snoozing, too bad. There wasn't a vegetarian option unless you requested it in advance. BUT - they got us here safely, and that's what matters.
Yesterday feels like a dream, I was in such a daze - even after sleeping the whole flight. It was just one of those sleeps where you know you got some, but it didn't register with your mind. So, bedtime came early last night.
I was up at 4am - mind racing. I forced myself back to sleep and got up at 7:30, excited for my first London run this summer...it was raining. And I forgot my raincoat. Bummer. Change of plans. Umbrella. Coffee run.
As I stood in line at Starbucks at Waterloo, in my workout gear, watching all the business men and women briskly walk by, it hit me again - I feel most "at home" anywhere but my passport country.I'm noticing a theme and if you've read any of my blog before you might have noticed too. I have to live abroad.
Now I'm thinking about what to put on our "to do" list today. Several of the other faculty arrive later this afternoon, that will be great, adn hopefully that means more hands to help out! We shall see.
Adrienne and I arrived safely to our Stamford Street residence - home for the next five weeks - yesterday. The flight was uneventful - except for some up-chucking by the lady next to Adrienne as soon as we landed.
I wasn't impressed with AA: they didn't show any of the movies they promised in their in-flight magazine, the in-flight entertainment system itself hasn't been upgraded since the 80's. Really, I remember sitting on the arm rest as a child straining to see the small box TV screens while mom and dad slept, that was 20 years ago. They only came through the cabin once with landing cards - so if you were snoozing, too bad. There wasn't a vegetarian option unless you requested it in advance. BUT - they got us here safely, and that's what matters.
Yesterday feels like a dream, I was in such a daze - even after sleeping the whole flight. It was just one of those sleeps where you know you got some, but it didn't register with your mind. So, bedtime came early last night.
I was up at 4am - mind racing. I forced myself back to sleep and got up at 7:30, excited for my first London run this summer...it was raining. And I forgot my raincoat. Bummer. Change of plans. Umbrella. Coffee run.
As I stood in line at Starbucks at Waterloo, in my workout gear, watching all the business men and women briskly walk by, it hit me again - I feel most "at home" anywhere but my passport country.I'm noticing a theme and if you've read any of my blog before you might have noticed too. I have to live abroad.
Now I'm thinking about what to put on our "to do" list today. Several of the other faculty arrive later this afternoon, that will be great, adn hopefully that means more hands to help out! We shall see.
20.5.10
this is what it feels like to live a double life...
I feel like I'm living someone else's life, actually, rather than a double-life. At least that's how I feel at the moment.
I left for France three months ago. There's a post in my dashboard that I started while waiting in the Gulfport airport, but I never published it. I re-read it just now, everything is different.
Everything different than how I left it. For the better though, so much better in some respects.
There are no words to describe The Abbey Program 2010. The students were awesome, so were the faculty, the people in the town...
Now it all feels like a dream. It's like I'm returning from my own study abroad experience again, but 6 years ago it wasn't this difficult. Or maybe I've blocked it out of my memory.
I'm back in my house - a house which I barely lived in after I bought it before moving to France. My best friend and room mate is engaged and I'm the M.O.H. (very exciting) and must research how to be a good one of those. A friend had a baby. I have a new supervisor at work and Laura Messer is moving to Austin (congrats Laura!). I'm in a different relationship than when I left - and this time I fell super hard, which is so much more than scary. My sister graduated suma cum laude from college and starts grad school in the fall. I start back to school in June.
I've been back in the U.S. a week now and I still find myself searching for familiar faces from what feels like a previous life now - my previous life in France. Jaffe Cropper came to visit me in the office and all these emotions flooded in proving that it all really happened. Thank God. Chelsea Lewis came in too - and didn't even give me time to stand up for a hug. My eyes misted over immediately. It is so rewarding to be a part of the experience these amazing students go through abroad.
I can't surround myself with enough photographs from the past three months.
The upside to all of this (what I'm viewing as the upside, anyway) is that in just one month I'll be back en route to Europe again - London, this time, for the British Studies Program. Perhaps that will provide a refreshing breath, enough to sustain me for 5 months back "home" before another Abbey Program.
Hmm. That's all for now.
I left for France three months ago. There's a post in my dashboard that I started while waiting in the Gulfport airport, but I never published it. I re-read it just now, everything is different.
Everything different than how I left it. For the better though, so much better in some respects.
There are no words to describe The Abbey Program 2010. The students were awesome, so were the faculty, the people in the town...
Now it all feels like a dream. It's like I'm returning from my own study abroad experience again, but 6 years ago it wasn't this difficult. Or maybe I've blocked it out of my memory.
I'm back in my house - a house which I barely lived in after I bought it before moving to France. My best friend and room mate is engaged and I'm the M.O.H. (very exciting) and must research how to be a good one of those. A friend had a baby. I have a new supervisor at work and Laura Messer is moving to Austin (congrats Laura!). I'm in a different relationship than when I left - and this time I fell super hard, which is so much more than scary. My sister graduated suma cum laude from college and starts grad school in the fall. I start back to school in June.
I've been back in the U.S. a week now and I still find myself searching for familiar faces from what feels like a previous life now - my previous life in France. Jaffe Cropper came to visit me in the office and all these emotions flooded in proving that it all really happened. Thank God. Chelsea Lewis came in too - and didn't even give me time to stand up for a hug. My eyes misted over immediately. It is so rewarding to be a part of the experience these amazing students go through abroad.
I can't surround myself with enough photographs from the past three months.
The upside to all of this (what I'm viewing as the upside, anyway) is that in just one month I'll be back en route to Europe again - London, this time, for the British Studies Program. Perhaps that will provide a refreshing breath, enough to sustain me for 5 months back "home" before another Abbey Program.
Hmm. That's all for now.
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