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TODAY, DEAR READER, THE SUBJECT IS VENTING. Go ahead, take it either way--I am covering both! As soon as I finish being grateful that the venting at my apartments never caused a fire, then I'm going to vent like crazy. I'm going to gripe and whine and complain and give you the rundown on this afternoon's meeting with the Dryer Vent Wizard.

Last week one of my tenants had shown me the curious phenomenon of air coming through her dryer's lint filter when her bathroom exhaust fan was running (the dryer door was open, but the dryer was turned off). Strangest thing, too--her bathroom ceiling was splotched with water stains and it was obvious water had been seeping down the walls.

Now, Dear Reader, I know that I'm always arrrghing about some trifle or another. Lots of little arrrghs here and there. But look out, because this is a long and sustained one, and it's very well-warranted, if it has to be me who says so! Okay then, cover your ears.... AAAARRRRRGHH!

Four months ago--just four months ago--before the current tenants moved in, and because of a long history of water on the bathroom ceiling of this unit, and numerous scrapings of curling paint, and numerous re-paintings, and numerous attempts to remedy, I had a fix-it man come and study and stew and tear a hole in the ceiling and tape together duct work and blow out the vent pipe and install a new bathroom exhaust fan to replace the one that was working just fine! When the invoice arrived, he had not only charged me for seven hours of his labor, but six more hours for labor by his female "helper." (He'd mentioned her not at all, and she wasn't there [I was] while he investigated the problem for an hour or so and tore up the laundry closet ceiling and did most of work (or so it appeared). On his second trip there, I stopped by to check on things, and noticed a woman was hanging around, picking up lint from the ground below the vent outlet. Working space at the laundry closet ceiling allowed for no more than one!) It was an outrageous overcharge, Reader Dear, and believe me, I know of such things. But lessons are yet to be learned. I questioned the charges, but ultimately paid; and my consolation was this: Now, at least, oh hallelujah, at last...this ongoing quandary of water on the bathroom ceiling was resolved! (Did I say hallelujah already?)

Uh, huh. Well. It was all water over the damn. Ooops, I mean dam. And there it was again last week--water on the ceiling!!

And that's how it came to be that I searched online and found the Dryer Vent Wizard. He spent two hours, and I spent two hours at his side (well, you know, not up on the ladder or anything--just picking up lint and making sure that there were no mysterious others laboring [or loitering] for hours!)






Although I did leave his side when a thunderstorm arrived and he wasn't quite finished installing the vent outlet cover.

I went and sat in my car until he was done.

And then I drove home, and I sat in my car until the rain was done.
Because you know, Reader Dear, how...
when it rains...




IT POURS!!


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(And now...just before I finish up the venting...
geez, gutter spouts are overflowing thither and yon!
It's such a mess! And when is this endless down-pouring going to end?!!.....)

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