Was In A Ticked Off Mood All Day
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
November 9, 2007 10:24pm CST
Some of my friends will remember that some months ago, our building had an only one day notice about electrical work that was to be done in the building. Signs were posted up on the entrance doors on a Friday, and the electrical work was to be done in our building the next day, Saturday The electricity in our building was to be completely shut off from 7 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. What ticked me off then was the fact that we only got one glorious one day notice about it--I have sarcasm as I say that. I was concerned about the food I had in my refrigerator/freezer being ruined. Now when you're on SSI Disability and get food stamps one can't just go out and restock on food again. I took the advice of many folks here when I posted my first discussion about this to just make sure to keep the freezer shut tight and not open it, and open the fridge part only sparingly. Took the advice and it worked. Everything was all right, well except for my ice cream. :(
okay. Here's my rant for today.
I have to confess to not feeling great lately, and knew I probably had some kind of bug in me. Now I'm not one to rush to a doctor unless I'm at death's door practically, so Thursday night I made up my mind to go to the docs today (Friday).
Okay, now I'm a night owl, go to bed latish, and get up late. When I did wake up, it was to a dreary, dismal overcast day, so dark out it almost looked like night time. So I stumble out of bed, and my habit is, to go over to my computer desk, and turn on the light, and I really needed the light as it was so dark. Turn on the light. Nothing. No light. I then traipse over to the kitchen flick the light on. Nothing. I'm like WTF? Then I'm thinking, gee did my electric bill go through yet??
Well, ladies and gentlemen. Nope it had nothing to do with my not paying my bill on time. The friggin landlord and the electricians decided to have some MORE electrical work done in our apartment building from 8 a.m. until 5p.m. AGAIN switching off our electricity in the entire building AGAIN..and without any "warning" to us tenants.
Gee. Terrific. So once again from those hours, until around four in the afternoon, our electricity was out again. I still resolved to go to the doctor's anyway cause first of all wanted to see why I was feeling like crapola (turned out to be bronchitis and am now taking anti-biotics) and also, I just didn't want to stay home practically sitting in the dark. Yes, I have candles, and flashlights, but like whoopdedo. But gee, it was so much FUN trying to get dressed in near darkness and don't ask my trying to get some kind of make up on in the dark (don't wear much, but hey, want to look half way civilized)
So once again though my big thought was, oh, no, my FOOD. I had just stocked up on a lot of stuff the day before, getting ready in a way for some of the things I plan to have for my birthday dinner and Thanksgiving--both during the same week. I happen to bump into our jerk of a super on my way back from the doctor's and I said how come none of us got any warning about this electrical work? He didn't give much of a reply, then I said, and told him about my food and how I had just stocked up on a lot of stuff and asked, will the landlord compensate us monetarily for any spoiled food? And he just looked at me like I was daft.
But geez, was this right? I mean a lot of people in the building might also be stocking up on food for the upcoming holiday. So why the hell, the electrical work now and the risk of tenants maybe having spoiled food? Fortunately everything was all right, except for my Eddy's ice cream AGAIN. Drat!
What aggravating, unexpected repairs have been done in your place be it home or apartment building where you got maybe no warning about? Were you fuming too?
9 people like this
19 responses
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
10 Nov 07
I've learned one thing to be true in life, pyewacket, and that is that we are always expected to follow the rules religiously, while others don't think the same applies to them. It is very inconvenient when management does not give you sufficient warning that work is going to be done in your building. I'm glad your losses were not greater. I guess you will have to take the ice cream as a loss.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Nov 07
Either that or make a lot of ice cream sodas. LOL Yes I was lucky and really amazed no food had defrosted
2 people like this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
11 Nov 07
We (my sister, my children & myself) lived in an apartment complex in DC. It was a nice place to live, in a quiet but interesting area, an easy journey to all the places we regularly traveled, including conveniently located bus stops in the immediate vicinity.
But, to prove the 'theory' that everything contains 'good aspects' and 'bad aspects', we discovered a few problems with the place... the most incredibly huge cockroach population I have ever seen in my life, the elevators were out of service far too often, and frequent and inconvenient electrical work!
The place where I live now is a small community tucked way back in the mountains and power outages are a regular occurrence. Although I don't find the ones here as irritating as the ones at the Berkshire apartments. The ones here tend to happen mostly when it least affects me. I am thankful for that!
I've got a big freezer. It's not the deep-freeze of my dreams, but it's an independent unit with many shelves, and unless my garden is in full-swing and all the local hunters have gifted me with tenderloins and such, I rarely have enough stuff to fill it. I just recently happened on an article, I forget where I found it, but it talked about filling the empty spaces of your freezer with plastic containers full of water, that way during outages it helps keep the food content frozen.
I don't think anything would help though with ice-cream. Personally I would have considered it the perfect justification for eating a quart of ice cream (I could even manage a half gallon, I'm sure... 'course I might spend the rest of the night fighting the urge to puke, but it would be worth it to not have to throw my ice cream out!) And I would gladly focus on that as a positive aspect.
And speaking of positive aspects, that's one thing that I've started doing in every situation in my life (when I remember to do it anyway). Every time something happens that isn't what I would prefer to be happening I ask myself "How does/can this situation benefit me?" I highly recommend it! It is excellent exercise for the imagination as it inspires lateral thinking... so much more effective (in most cases) than tackling the problem head-on. And it leaves me in a much better mood and feeling so much more empowered.
The next time they pull a stunt like that, you can go lounge in a milk and honey bath, with maybe a few rose petals chucked in, and put loads of flickering candles in front of the mirror, and phukk all the pressures!
Oh, and I suggest a lap-top, or some other kind of battery powered music player. I've got my file of 'Temple Music' that invariably calms my frayed nerves.
But then again, I love being my own guru, so I'm pretty open to my own advice.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Nov 07
Well at least my apartment building is only three stories high and is a walk up since there's no elevator so gee, I do get my aerobics by climbing up and down the stairs..I'm on the second floor. Ugh..cockroaches. Thankfully we don't have too much of that or another winner that is spreading in our neighborhood. More and more buildings now are infected with bedbugs...eeekk..You don't know how desperate I am for a nice new bed. So many times I see perfectly great mattresses out in the garbage, and am tempted to grab at one, but then whoa! Must be a reason such a new looking mattress is being thrown out. My friend in CA has gone through three mattresses in two years due to those critters.
Well one stress reliever I do, is to take a hot soak in a tub with candlelight and incense all the time..LOL But gee, milk and honey bath with some rose petals sounds great!
Well it would be awhile before I can ever think of a laptop. I waited five years as it was to get my own computer and used to rely on the ones in a library..But might start hunting around for a battery operated radio or something
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
12 Nov 07
No worries there about bedbugs in my apartment...LOL. And, eek about lice. I have almost to the waist hair myself.
Was a bit paranoid one time though. lOL. One time I'm on line waiting to get my stuff checked out in Walgreen's. The woman ahead of me, very nicely dressed and everything, proceeded to put her items on the counter to be checked out...she must have had about twenty rid-lice products, I uh, moved away from her rather quickly..LOL
2 people like this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
11 Nov 07
Don't get a radio for your soak! What if every station is playing sh!t for music?! No, you want to be able to select with precision what you listen to!
Bedbugs. Ugh! Are you getting bites, or just paranoid about getting bites? I don't know which is worse, cockroaches, bedbugs, or lice.
When my daughter was a kid she had a friend sleep over. I had a huge king size bed and we all slept in it together. As it turned out, her friend had lice, and my daughter and I both have long thick hair.
Man I couldn't get rid of those little fukkers. And then finally, after dosing my head in chemical poisons again and again, I had a teacher at my daughter's school tell me that a blow dryer would kill them. It did. I bet it would kill bed bugs too.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Nov 07
The other tenants are always complaining about something with the landlord..doesn't seem to do much good though. Hope to feel better soon too
1 person likes this
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
10 Nov 07
There is just no excuse for that. They should have warned you about the electric being out. They are just rude! It figures that the ice cream went. Darn now what are we going to eat when I come over? You know how I love my ice cream. I hope you feeling alot better today hopefully the antibotics have started to work. I will fly over to your house and bring you some delicous ice cream. Hows that? Hugs!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Nov 07
Well it turns out the ice cream isn't too bad, and I'm forcing myself to eat it up so it won't go bad, as my kitties are holding me hostage and making me eat it..LOL. Oh, yep the antibiotics are already starting to kick in, yuk, and now have a queasy stomach from them..can't win there. If you want to fly over here though with more ice cream, can do :)
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
11 Nov 07
I would be homicidal.What happens at my apartment is we lose the use of water without warning. But electricity, that sounds like a class action suit waiting to happen.Your birthday is coming up? Well have a happy birthday.
2 people like this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
11 Nov 07
Ooh! The 19th. It is coming soon.Are you a Scropio?
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Nov 07
Thank goodness at least one thing, I have a gas stove rather than electric so at least I was able to cook food. Yup my birthday is Nov 19th :)
2 people like this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
10 Nov 07
Hi pyewacket! That is very inconsiderate of your landlord! Unexpected repairs in our home usually annoys me big time because my day to day activities will be all changed somehow. But what really ticked me off are inconsiderate people who tells you to do what they ask you to without even asking or considering if you have some things to do for the day, like as if you have to drop everything off just to do them a favor and if you can't, they make you feel guilty about it. Sometimes, you just don't understand some people.,and just want to strangle them. haha.. Take care and have a nice day.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Nov 07
Well one time, this was when the plasterer was to plaster the apartments after all the electrical work they actually did IN the apartments and left nice big gapping holes all over the place when they rewired. So three times the plasterer was supposed to come and do my apartment and was a no show--then one day I'm getting dressed and ready to go out. My doorbell rings. It's the plasterer coming out of the blue and wanting to work in my apt that day..said nope no deal I HAD PLANS. Oh he did eventually come, but nope I had plans that particular day and wasn't about to drop everything to accomodate him
2 people like this
@lilyruth (723)
• United States
11 Nov 07
Your luck here we do not even get a days notice so keep in mind some are not as luck to get a notice here Im washing my face in the morning and all of a sudden the water got turned off boy oh boy was I hot. But things like that happen in this cookey world of ours and we have to suffer others ignorance. Calm down be happy its bad for your blood pressure to get ticked off like that. Smile I want to invite you to respond to some of the discussion I have written Id like to know your opinions..
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
12 Nov 07
Okay I'll smile..hehe. and yes will look at some of your discussions. Trying to catch up here, spent the day doing some cleaning--what fun..NOT
2 people like this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
10 Nov 07
Pye that is so wrong he should have given you plenty of warnings
What if you would have opened the freezer to see if that was working
Your Landlord needs to start respecting his Tenants I think someone should kick his Butt
I hope you get better soon Sweetie and keep warm
Also drink lots of hot Lemon
Love and Hugs and get better
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Nov 07
Well I would love to personally kick his butt..LOL Thanks gabs, I've been drinking my mint tea, but maybe will try the lemon
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Nov 07
Oh Pye, it's not fair that you should have to go all through this again, especially at this time of year, when it's cold and dank, and you're not feeling to good, toboot. I'm sure there's something says that you shouldn't be made to go without heating and lights when the days are so short and cold.
We're lucky, where I live because access can't be gained to our electricity fuse boxes or anywhere else in the flat without our giving them permission to come in. The flats and houses are self-contained, and nobody has a skeleton key. The fuse box is in the shed outside, which I always keep locked because I have a freezer and a petrol mower in there. So, I've not really had too many problems because we are warned by the housing association when work is to be done and if they come outside the times stated, we can refuse them entry.
Brightest Blessings for a quick recovery, my dear friend. x
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
12 Nov 07
That system you have sounds so much better than ours. We actually have two systems. The electrical units/fuses in the basement that hook up to all the apartments then individual ones in each apartment, still if the electricians decide to work on the system that hooks up to all our apartments, out goes the electricity..real bummer :(
1 person likes this
@sigma77 (5383)
• United States
10 Nov 07
I don't recall ever having this problem anywhere I have stayed. I think the owners should have given everyone notice of this ahead of time. You cannot change the practice of these owners, but you might be able to move into a place that is more responsible. You bring up some good points about losing food and other possible consequences. When the power goes out, anything can happen to sensitive electronics or other equipment. Sounds like the Super is not so swell. Best move to the countryside and invest in solar or wind power..lol.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Nov 07
Believe me I sure wish I could move, but the rents are so ridiculous here..about $1,200 for a glorified studio, and the only reason my rent is so low is cause I've lived here for so long. Yes, I freaked out about my computer. At least when we did have that one day warning before, before I went to bed I shut down my computer and unplugged everything. So I was lucky nothing was damaged to any power surges. No, the super is a jerk too, a real "A" kisser to the landlord
1 person likes this
@Kowgirl (3490)
• United States
10 Nov 07
The more I hear about NYC The happier I am that I don't live there.
The laws are different here. The only time we don't get a 48 to 72
hour notice is when there's a fire. Each building has a fire alarm
and if the one in your building goes off you are expected to get out
fast. What they did is not right...unless it had to be done to protect the tenants.You were lucky that your food didn't
spoil I would be looking into the tenants rights law to see if there is
a way to stop this from happening again. BUT it could have been because
the fire inspector was making them do this repair work. Faulty electric
wiring can cause a fire and lots of damage.
Look on the bright side...You are now living in a safer place.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Nov 07
They've been doing all this electrical work since for eons we've been on the old fuse system and all this rewiring was to switch to circuit breakers. There is no real "law" about when notices are supposed to be given to tenants about doing kind of work, but yes, unless it's some dire emergency once is supposed to be given ample notice of anything ...I did happen to read up on such tenant rights long time ago
1 person likes this
@3lilangels (4639)
• United States
10 Nov 07
well my friend first of all i just want to say i hope you feel better and have a quick recovery.well i feel the landlord should of warned the tenants,that was so wrong to do and i would of been mortified,especially because you are not feeling well to begin with and then this crap happens thats not fair.i had a situation before where i live.i was working on a client coloring her hair and when it was time to wash out the hair color i put the water on and it wasn't working.i almost had a heart attack because the color needed to be taken off and theres no freaken water.so we both started to panik and the first thing that came to mind was to grab every water bottle i had in the frige and start washing the color out.thank god for gallons of water that i did have because the water didn't come on till i was almost done.well i did get all the color out and everything was fine,thank god her hair was short lol.but the owner of the park didnt tell us that the water was gonna be shut off that day.now since everyone complained,they give letters out to let us know ahead of time.i was so mad.pattie
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Nov 07
Gee how nice that they didn't tell you the water was going to be turned off...NOT. That was good thinking though to grab at the bottles of water and use that instead. And figures that the water gets turned on again when you were almost finished.
1 person likes this
@peanutjar (5198)
• Canada
10 Nov 07
Hi,well it has not happened to me fortunaltely but to my mom this summer when they had to do repairs on the dam beside her building.They shut the water supply to the town.so no one had water for 2 days as a result so she had to buy alot of water.They did give a notice but she did not know about it due to the fact that they announced it on the radio the day before and alot of people there does not listen to the local radio station.They should of put also flyers in the weekly paper,that way alot of people wouldnt of been mad,haha.
Peanutjar:)
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Nov 07
Oh gee how nice..NOT. Yes they should have circulated some kind of flyers to announce they were going to shut off the water for the whole town. Too bad your mom couldn't have gotten reimbursed somehow for the money she spent to buy water.
1 person likes this
@BayleighGray (4334)
• United States
10 Nov 07
Bless your heart Pye, they should be telling everyone with a memo to each apt. Something! I mean is there really that many tenants in this building!? Geez. Make an effort of somekind.
Id be p!ssed off too. Especially if my Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream got all melted and ruined. ;o)
Bay xx
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Nov 07
Mine was the Eddy's Expresso Chips...waaaa!
2 people like this
@BayleighGray (4334)
• United States
10 Nov 07
Mmm Expresso Chips sounds really good. Im thinking I will be making a trip to the grocery store later on looking for that! lol
Bay xx
1 person likes this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
19 Nov 07
WHAT!?! No warning!!
That's outrageous!
I would think the only way they could do that was if was an emergency! And apparently it wasn't or your landlord would have mentioned that.
1 person likes this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
19 Nov 07
Not surprised from what I've heard of your landlord.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Nov 07
Nope, no emergency, but then we do have a lovely landlord...uh, NOT
@meme0907 (3481)
• United States
15 Nov 07
Hey pw,
Sorry to hear you're still having trouble w/ your landlord-my ll is so cool he had his man come by & fix my last problem before I even woke up-I called to tell him the problem had been alleviated when I got up & he told me his man had already came came by this morning to fix it. I have a wonderful ll-he's pretty cool.
+'s
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Nov 07
Gee, can I have your landlord?? LOL
1 person likes this
@ChaJudLeoBit (1656)
• United States
25 Nov 07
Well, I don't have to worry about unexpected repairs, since I live in a house, but I do have unexpected disconnecting of utilities. I hate when the water is turned off! I usually don't realize until I try to flush the toilet. I've wondered before, what if they came and turned it off while I was in the shower!! If my hair was full of shampoo and my body lathered up... and the water goes off!! Would the guys wait to turn it off? They can see that the meter is running, so water is being used. Would they care?? I just go turn it back on, but still... if I was in the shower, that wouldn't be too convenient!
1 person likes this
@ChaJudLeoBit (1656)
• United States
10 Dec 07
Interestingly, they did turn it off a few days ago!! But it was while I was sleeping after working all night, so I didn't know until I tried to flush the toilet after getting up. And since I usually shower at night, I doubt that would ever be a problem.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
25 Nov 07
Well here's hoping that they never unexpectedly turn the water off while taking a shower..that would be horrible :(
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
12 Nov 07
god,your landlord is a jerk :(
i'd have to say..hmm..there was a lot of crap when i lived in apartments,but the one that absolutely cheesed me is the landlady in this one place (the same place with the upsidedown door lock) decided to level the dirt street running through our complex.
without notice.
with a steamroller.
right outside my window.
after i worked the nightshift.
oh i wanted to kill her.she was doing everything possible to get the old tenants to move out so she could raise the rents.
@irishmist (3814)
• United States
13 Nov 07
I hope you are feeling better. That really sucks about the power. Hope nobody in the building is on any machines that they need to survive. They should of let everyone know, thats just downright rude. I don't recall ever having any type of problems in the past, just could of slipped my mind though.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Nov 07
That's one thing they never seem to consider if someone is on some kind of machinery for their health.
