Good Children

Tour Guide

While haunting the internet this morning trying to find something "historical" for a preschooler to do, I came across this site which offers a lot of information about the French Quarter and surrounding neighborhoods all in one place. It'll come in handy next time I have to play tour guide.

A lot of it you probably know already but I think what impressed me most was the quality of the site and the fact that all of the links worked. It's obvious that the city had nothing to do with its creation.

Things I've learned today

I have been in front of the computer all day trying to make the deadlines set for a new blog that I will be writing for. They are terribly unorganized but as soon as I know what the URL is, I'll be sure to share. We're supposed to be going live on Monday and I can't access the editor to upload my text. In addition, I have no idea how they intend to pay me since they have neither my bank account information nor my address. Anyway, I've learned quite a few things in the course of 15 hours or so ...

• I work best under pressure (but I kinda knew that)
• By allowing Adelaide to run around naked all day, I do less laundry
• Adelaide can walk around with a fork placed vertically between her butt cheeks
• Daisy really likes TV
• Though I feel guilty about how much Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was played today, I did manage to get an awful lot of work done.

Water. Finally.

About three years ago, the faucets in our house were turned off for about six weeks. For some reason we just weren't home to use them. Anyway, when we did get back to running the water, our kitchen faucet had lost a great deal of pressure. First it was the cold water, then the hot water started acting up. I blamed it on the city figuring that if there were geysers of water flowing in the streets, surely it might be affecting my house.

Then, years later, it hadn't gotten any better. The "plumber"* who worked on our house said that I needed to have the pluming replaced as the old pipes were clogged. However, when I went under the sink and checked the lines going into the kitchen faucet, they were fine as were the other faucets in the house. Then about a month ago, the sprayer in the kitchen ceased to work and that was the final straw.

I went to Home Depot today and picked up a new kitchen faucet and golly, that was the problem all along. The old one was so full of sediment that it ceased to work. I'm sure that there was some way to clean it out but considering that it was probably the cheapest faucet available to begin with, I saw no point in wasting my time messing with it.

So now, WATER PRESSURE. I'm so excited. I'm going to cook pasta, fill water balloons and do dishes by hand every night this week.

You know what was running through my mind the whole time I was tidying up after completing the repair? "Gee, won't the housecleaner be happy that the sprayer works when she goes to clean the sink next time."

You see, I can find the time to move hot water heaters, switch out sinks, refinish bathtubs, blog, and mow the lawn but I just don't have the drive to clean the damn house. Eh.

*I use quotes because this guy was a questionable human being, never mind a trained plumber.

Everyone's a critic

So, I hired my new favorite contractor to paint the apartment. They also had to replace a ceiling. The total was cheaper than what someone else would have quoted me but it still hurt a bit. Then I asked how much it would cost for him to tile the bathroom floor.

"One hundred dollars, you buy the tile."

I couldn't pass that up especially when I found out that his guys would take out the toilet, sink and bath and put them back in. [at least I hope they are planning to put them back in ...]

So, wanting to go with a more modern touch, I picked slate tile for the floor. They'll still have the claw foot tub but the slate makes it look a little fresher.

Today after the tile guy finished, I walked over to take a look.

"Did you pick out this tile," he asked?
"Yes. You don't like it?"
"It's nice but not for bathroom," he replied.

So then I thought that I was crazy for a while because I really like the look and I had to Google "slate bathroom floor" to assure myself that this was not some crazy hairbrained idea. Well, I found that if it is a crazy idea, it's a popular one.

Geesh.

On a related note, since we have bought this house I have painted four rooms blue and I've hated all but one. What is it about blue that seems like such a good idea on the paint cards but makes me angry in practice?

Taking the Good with the Bad

In five years that we have owned this home, we have had four sets of tenants. If there is one thing that I have learned during this time, it's that I don't like being a landlord. However, it's the only what that we could afford the house, the neighborhood and we get a sweet break on our taxes.

This last tenancy lasted three years, one federal flood, a home addition, and the birth of two children. All in all they were good tenants and good people. I think that we all had high expectations but there were some issues that grew into resentment until finally communication broke down. The worst was that The Husband and I battled constantly over how to manage the property.

I couldn't help back take it all very personally. I felt like I had lost control as I watched The Husband make poor choice after poor choice to the detriment of our property.

I have made The Husband assure me that he will have no role in managing the property from here on out and that he will defer tenant questions to me. This is how it was with previous tenants as none of them sought to undermine me by going behind my back ... but that's over now. Grrr.

I should be breathing easy but I won't be happy until the repairs are complete next door.

I never have to see them again and they forgot all of their silverware and cooking utensils.

Escapes

I've managed to escape two mornings in a row to go to Starbucks to get some work done (oh, and to breath). I hope this will be a regular occurrence on weekend mornings as I think I've landed a second writing gig. Besides, The Husband works six or seven days a week and I need to take what I can get.

In between posts this morning, I did happen to peruse the headlines and this escape was very Hemingway-esque and quite an elaborate story about the one that got away.

Themeless

I can't decide on a theme. I know it's annoying  but until I have the time to sit down and to make something my own, I will not be happy. Sorry.

I need to faller

I cleaned up the toy room today which meant that Addy's mission for the rest of the day was to turn it into a knee deep disaster zone once again.

While she was engrossed in her mission and Daisy was fumbling with some beads, I took a moment to lie down on the floor. Addy promptly left and returned with two blankets and a pillow for us to share. We were both lying on the floor, forming an "L" with our heads at the apex.

"Goodnight, Baby Daisy." I said, watching the youngest continue to amuse herself happily.
"I need to faller," Addy said.
"What?"
"I need to faller."
"Um, OK."

With that, Adelaide sat up, planted her hand firmly in the middle of Marguerite's chest and pushed. Daisy of course cried instantly but was more annoyed than anything else. I scolded Adelaide once more and ran down the list of things that we don't do to Daisy ... kick, hit, push, bite, or suffocate. It was difficult for me to do this with a straight face, however.

You see, I said goodnight to Daisy while she was sitting up so it made perfect sense to Addy that it was her duty "fall her" and push Daisy into a prone position.

TGIF

Best Mother's Day ever

I've only had three but yesterday rocked. I got to sleep in late and then was treated to breakfast of chocolate milk and pain au chocolat from La Boulangerie. THEN we actually had people over; two grown-ups and a small child.

We all sat in the backyard, ate sausage and chips and drank beers and cider. We even had a bottle of champagne to class things up a bit. It worked out wonderfully and the kids somehow dodged most of the debris.

In the midst of all of the FUN, the new tenants come over to sign their lease and they even wrote us another check. Yippee! Our old tenants move out in 6 days ... not that I'm counting down or anything.

There goes the neighborhood

Seriously. I'd heard he'd found Jesus in Texas but I figured he was dead.

Harry's back.