Spidra, I can't remember off hand if you are a huggy type person, but here: {{{{{{{{Spidra}}}}}}} you can think of that as warm thoughts if hugs don't work.

I'm writing the death notice, setting up the online memorial and scanning the pictures. I may be writing the eulogy.

I wrote my father's death notice. I do not remember what it cost, if anything, to have it run in the local paper. I vaguely remember being surprised they ran it verbatim.

I wrote the Eulogy, too. Being a trained writer came in handy, as no one else in the family was ready to be coherent.

I wish you luck and condolences.

t rant

When I paid my rent, I mentioned the front bathroom toilet is having difficulties. The floater shut off valve seems to be broken, and the water keeps running. Wonders of wonders, they call it in, and I get a call that afternoon. Set up a time for the next morning. Cool. That was yesterday. Dude shows up a little early, looks at the toilet, and says "Ok, I gotta buy a replacement valve, I'll get the key from management,and it will be fixed by the time you get home."

I get home, and it's not fixed. So I call him up. "I was going to fix it, but they didn't have a key. So I'll fix it in the morning at 9:30" Cool. Today was perfect day for that. I didn't have to be in early today.

I have the door open to get some fresh air. He and his partner walk up, I say hi, and they say hi, and walk into the newly emptied apartment across the hall. WTF? So I knock on the door and ask what's going on. "Oh, the part is in my partners van, and we had an arguement last night. Call me when you get home from work, and I'll fix it this evening." I tell him it won't be til around 8pm or so. He says no problem.

7:55 pm, I call him up. He says no problem, he'll be over within the hour.

I call at 9:30. Goes to voicemail. It's now 10pm. 2 hours. WTF dude!

t /rant

Thanks, WindSparrow. I have nothing whatsoever against hugs - virtual or in person.

Omnis, I can see why that would infuriate you. I'd be pissed, too. I hope he gets his excrement together.

{{{Spidra}}}

omnis that really does suck. You are keeping a record of all this BS to share with the management company, right?

{{{{{Spidra}}}}}

I just want to say that despite the fact that you're between the rock and the hard place (why do I have the feeling I'm abusing this metaphor somehow?), you're doing wonderfully, and you are such an amazing person. And that "abstract/paper" post of yours from earlier got me laughing, just for that wording (but not for the problem, of course). I wish you well, and luck, and better understanding by all.

Ginger, continued ~ma to you and your family.

David, I'm sorry. Much ~ma to his family as well.

IbetterN: working on directing my ex-lecturer-now-sort-of-a-colleague to Firefly has entered phase 2. I'm waiting to hear his impressions on the pilot (which I re-watched yesterday, and guess what? Still awesome).

I'm sorry, Ginger. Ah, family.

How annoying, omnis. Does the landlord pay your water bill? If it's the landlord, they should have extra incentive to make the maintenance person get his act together.

For people who need to see something very cute, and can watch a video on YouTube, here is a cute little baby ferret, who is a new addition to the household of an acquaintance of mine from another forum: [link] One warning, for those of us from non-US-type places - the person taking the video and talking uses the word "spaz", which I understand is seen as quite offensive elsewhere. In other videos she has posted, she uses it quite a bit.

Writing a death notice for this family, which is a morass of divorces and estrangements, is like negotiating a minefield and paying for each step.

Sympathies, David.