A week, maybe 10 days ago, I went to lock the deadbolt before going to bed, and stepped on the welcome mat next to the door. My sock was instantly soaked through. Upon closer inspection, water was leaking under the door and filling the little area right in front of the door. We’ve had a lot of rain lately and it’s sounded especially loud right outside the front door, but I guess it’s been coming inside as well. We kept saying to each other, we have to get this fixed.
A few days later, the front door started splitting – the front and back panels coming away from the frame – leaving splinters of wood and paint all over the (still soaking wet) floor. We finally made the trek to the office to tell them that we needed a new door. They sent a guy out who spent all of 3 minutes here, and put some screws in the two panels to keep the door together. Yay! We then pointed out the wall by the front door, which the other day formed a huge bubble of water from a leak inside, as well as the ceiling where you can see water stains forming. He said he’d have to wait for it to dry out and then they would repaint. (Good luck anything drying out here right now.)
Today two new guys came out and looked at everything. They radioed the office and called it a “huge mess” and I think once or twice stopped themselves from saying bad words. (“Hey, look at this.” “Oh, shi….”) They tore up part of the wall, pulled out all the soggy insulation, disconnected the wiring (did I mention this is the wall with the main light switches and outlet?), and cut a vent in the ceiling so it could dry out and stop storing water. They promised to come back to shave part of the door: since it’s so swollen, it’s really difficult to get open or closed. They also made many disparaging comments about the other guy, who didn’t really do anything and also didn’t have us sign anything, so there’s no record of what he did do.
We actually kind of need a new door, I think, especially since we’ve both been having difficulties with getting our keys in both of the locks.
So today ended up being sort of productive, not that we had to do anything, but we did oversee it.
Also today, we took my car’s right front tire to Firestone to get it patched up, after a kind patron at the show yesterday tracked me down and told me I had a flat. I thought I could put the spare on myself, just to get home, but then Jenn the Production Manager said she’d help. Then while we were assembling our tools (thank God I have a spare tire and a jack, although no wrench, but she had one in her trunk), Margot the Literary Manager was walking by and stopped to hold an umbrella over us. Then while I loosened and pried off the plastic “hubcap,” two of the tech guys came walking by after gorging themselves on burritos, and said they didn’t want to get in the way. I said please get in the way, and then they proceeded to put the spare on. But I still think if I had to, I could have done it myself.
When I picked up my newly repaired tire today, the woman behind the counter asked if my husband was going to put it on the car for me. I said, “We’re going to put it on together.” Then she gave me my receipt and a free wall calendar of Pacifica. Bonus gift.
Don’t worry, we still had time to watch lots of TV, including The Pregnancy Pact.
The Cameraphone Diaries 