DECEMBER HAS UNDONE ME.

It didn't start out bad.  In fact, the episodes of snow were almost magical.
But, Friday the Thirteenth, alas.  It was ugly.
Monday, the sixteenth, a black cat ran across the road in front of my car.
I muttered to the cat, "Running a little late, my dear, aren't we?"
Ah, but I should have known!
......

Well, here it is, Viewer Dear--the good, the bad, and the ugly.

All good.
All good!
(Yes, he's wearing an apron.)


......
And then.
My computer crashed.  And when I devoted an entire afternoon to trekking to the store where it was purchased, and standing, sitting, standing in an everlastingly long line, I got these words from the woman who was (it seemed to me) lackadaisically checking it out:  "There's nothing wrong with your computer.  Have you talked to your server? Oh, and by the way...your one-year warranty just expired a few days ago.  If you want to renew it, it'll cost you two hundred dollars.  It would have been one hundred, but you let it expire!"

......

Dear Viewer, 

With a little prodding, you may recall that I'm a landlord.

I've got an empty unit.  By a one-woman vote, it's Least Favorite Unit.
It appears to have suffered from lack of tender loving care during entire tenancy of previous dwellers (in excess of three years).
Must I translate for you, Reader Dear?
Grime!






In addition, hands down, this is my Least Favorite Time of Year to be dealing with re-rental.

     "Now" also takes the prize as Worst Time of Year to be Installing New Vinyl in Drafty Old House.  "Keep the heat turned up high for several days in advance of installation, and following," instructs the installer.

Immediately, the weather snaps unseasonably cold.
......

And the plumber?  "You're not going to believe this," he tells me by phone"* but I'm over here to fix the dripping faucet, repair the washer hoses, and re-set the toilet, and the toilet is totally busted! Big cracks all over; if you knocked it too hard, it would fall apart! You can see it's been leaking for quite a while. I'm going to have to get you a new one.  And...uh...the water heater is shot, too."
....
*Five minutes post-black cat.




.....
Full Moon Redemption

......
And then...BAM!*

......

*(totaled my car)