Water Leaks

Oh boy.  So, last weekend I get up at 6Am to feed the cats and then I go into the bathroom.  I'm sitting there quietly waking up and become aware of this weird noise. What is that?  I assume it's the insane neighbor above us doing some weird ritual.  But no, it is too rhythmic.  I put my ear to the wall and what do I hear?   NO!!!  Water is dripping inside our wall.  Crap.  This can't be good.

It's even worse because two days before the manager showed up at our door with a plumber and informs me that they have to cut yet another hole in our walls. This one behind the washer.  Now, if you come here often, you will recall the disaster of the air conditioning and the hole in the wall of our master bath.  :(

The saddest part of this is I have decided to lay off the wine for a while so not only have I not had any for weeks, I don't have any in the house.  This is NOT good.  There is a REASON for wine. This is the reason.

Naturally, I want to throttle the manager and ask what is the trouble.  Well, it appears water is leaking in mass quantities into the party room which is directly below our unit.  So, they have to peer into our walls to find what is causing the problem.  Big sigh....  Ok.  The snotty plumber comes in and cuts the hole then informs me that the water is coming from somewhere above our unit.  Exactly like the a/c fiasco.

Ok, now I have a hole in the wall.  Of course the building is responsible for fixing it.  So, I'm not waiting for the manager, who is NOT my favorite person, to call the hole fixer so *I* go call him.  His name is Mike.  His son is Nick.  Mike and Nick have a handyman company.  Mike is the brother of Pat, my air conditioning guy.  More on this later.  :D  Pat and Mike.  Don't cha love it?

So, Mike says he and Nick will come on Monday.  Ok, that's fine as Snotty Plumber has blue taped the piece of dry wall back over the hole. With MY blue tape.  Naturally, he didn't come equipped to fix the mess he made.  Jeez.

Ok, in a way I am glad this happened as there has always been this weird smell near our washer/dryer.  Now I know what caused it and it will go away once the leak is stopped.  Am I optimistic, or what?

So, now that you know I already have a hole in the wall, you can just imagine what I am thinking, right?  They are going to want to come chop holes in our bathroom walls.  Over my dead body.  We JUST remodeled the master bath and had the guest bath done a couple years ago.  Anyway, it is now 6:20Am and nobody is around.

I go to the computer to wait until 7AM when our maintenance guy comes on duty.     While I am reading emails I hear this noise.  I think it's the cats.  Nope, they are both asleep.  WTF is that NOISE!?  Holy crap!  There is water leaking into the master bedroom right through the concrete ceiling!  Then I look at the new wall Charlie just built for us and water is soaking through it!  Holy shit.

I go racing out to the lobby where I see Patrick, Mr Maintenance, arriving on his bicycle.   I nab him as he walks in the door.  Poor guy doesn't even have time to breathe and there I am.  He says he'll "take care of it".  Ok.  An hour later water is still dripping.  I go back to the lobby where I find the manager and beard him in his den.  So, what's going on, I query.

Turns out that the old woman in the 3rd floor unit who died several months ago, left the condo vacant.  It's been sitting there empty for months and a pipe burst.  Totally flooded that unit and the neighbors upstairs.  What we got was the extra.  Right through 7 inches of concrete.  Can you just imagine the mess upstairs?  Oiks.  Finally, after hours of the water being turned off, the dripping stops.  We go out to coffee.

The manager has called this company who does water clean up after disasters.  This kid named Shareef shows up.  Oh boy.  Shareef tells me that the "cure" to wet dry wall is this: they drag in this behemoth very noisy machine and drill a bunch of holes in the walls.  NOOOOO!  and then stick the behemoth's tentacles into all the holes where it will blow super heated air into the walls.  Turns out it will drive the temperature up over 95 degrees and this has to be done for...FIVE DAYS!  Go away, Shareef.

After I restrain myself from murdering poor innocent Shareef ( who has the most perfect teeth I have ever seen), I calm myself enough to ask him what about our cats.  Nope, cats gotta go.  Now, you all know Ipo.  Can you just imagine me boarding that insane cat?  Not happening.  She needs a frontal lobotomy at the best of times.  At the worst of times she gets bladder infections.  Picture me with the temperature over 95 degrees, tons of noise, water everywhere, flaking drywall and a cat peeing everywhere but in her litter box.  Not pretty.  Not happening.

So I ask Shareef if the upstairs idiot ( who I am convinced is a North Korean spy) is going to have him do the noise/heat thing as that upstairs guy had more than 20 gallons of flooding in his unit.  Shareef doesn't know.  I figure if he's doing it then it will dry up the water in our ceiling as our ceiling is his floor... mostly.

So, the next day the realtor for the estate of the the woman who died comes knocking.  She is going to take pictures of the damage.  Ok, she is darling and tells us that the family on the mainland has given her permission to tell us that no matter what, they will pay for damage.  Isn't that nice?  Does your heart good to know there are still honest responsible people left.

So, the upshot is that I doubt there will be any damage that I can't fix.  I called Charlie to ask about his wall that he built but he said he doesn't think there'll be any problem.  This is good.

So, now it's Monday and Mike and Nick show up.  They are determined to fix everything that can be fixed.  They get to work.

You remember that I told you Mike is the brother of my a/c guy Pat, right?  Well, a few months ago I looked at our a/c cover and saw it was covered with rust.  So, I called Pat who tells me he uses this company that can strip the cover down to the bare metal, acid the rust off, sand and "powder coat" so it will never get rust again.  Goody.  Just what we need.

Pat's guy comes and takes the cover away.  While he is here I have him clean the dryer venting system.  We are now about $650.00 poorer.  But, worth it.  If that cover will never rust again, I'm a happy girl.  So, I tell Pat that I want to paint the cover myself as I have faux painted our walls and will do the same thing to the cover.  I don't want a final coat on it,  just a base coat.  You know what's coming, right?

Pat tells me it will be about 6-8 days.  Three weeks later he brings the cover back and it looks like a refrigerator from 1956.  It is so shiny I am blinded.  I say, Pat, what is this?  I can't paint on this.  He has forgotten to tell the a/c cover dipper not to paint it.  Away it goes again.  Three more weeks go my and two guys bring it back.  But, it won't stay on the wall.  So, they fight with it and hammer and screwdriver and generally make a mess.  During all this they wreck the coating in about 5 places.  The entire of idea is that the coating will prevent moisture for getting to the metal thus preventing rust.  Now they have scratched it right down to the bare metal.  I call Pat.  I am pissed.  Away the cover goes again.

So, more weeks go by and I finally call Pat and say, ok, it is now 3 full months.  bring back my cover and do it now.  He just happens to have it so back it comes. It is base painted battle ship gray.  Lovely.  :(  But.... Pat can't get the screws to work either as they have coated the screws.  WHAT is the matter with everyone?  Coating screws is not too smart.  Ok, Pat messes around for about an hour and he finally gets it to stay on the wall.  Pat leaves.

Enter brother Mike and Nick.  They are done with the preliminary hole fixing but have to come back tomorrow to finish.  Meanwhile, Nick looks at the a/c cover and says, Look, Maureen, this is about to fall off.  Crap.  So, the intrepid duo remove the cover and decide they will fix it.  Oh no.  I tell them to have at is BUT, they simply can not damage the coating.  They have as much trouble as brother Pat did.  Sigh...............

Now, I can see the glint of sibling rivalry in Mike's eyes so I let him go.  They decide that they will go to the hardware store and get what they think will work and they'll be back the next morning.  Dandy.

Bright and early they show up all excited because they have what they think will work.  They spend an hour messing around being VERY careful not to damage the coating.  Nick is a marvel.  He fixes it.  I tell Mike I am going to tell Pat that his nephew and brother fixed the cover.  He laughs and tells me Pat won't like that.  I say good.  :)

Now, here's the best part... Mike and Nick don't charge me!  All they wanted was the few dollars for the materials they bought.  All I had was ten dollars so I gave it to them and told them to buy lunch.  Such a magnanimous girl, is I.  ;)

Mike then orders some jewelry for his wife and I order a custom made earring display from Nick.  It is a mutual admiration society.  :D

They leave, my wall looks great, there is no smell in the washer area, no water is dripping anywhere it shouldn't and life is good.

Some how I managed to get through all this with no wine.  I am senile.  :(

Cranberry and America

The other day, before the water disasters of which I will relate on another day, I made this really pretty kumihimo cord.  I loved the cranberry color but couldn't get a good clay match.  So I asked on the PCC forum and everyone jumped in.  So, I made this pendant and finished my necklace.  I am so happy with it!  What do you think?

Also, I made this red, white and blue pendant but I don't know how to string it.  I needs help!  HELP!  So, everyone tell me what you think, ok?  Chain? Beaded? If beaded... blue? Red?  Kumihimo?  I is stuck!  Need help!  Tanks!  :D

The Famous Cindy Lietz!

Ok, everyone!  I finally (bad moe) got Cindy's link posted here.  It's over there>>>>>>> under clay pals.  Cindy has this super duper blog that tells you everything you ever wanted to know about clay. It's called Polymer Clay Tutor and Cindy has something for everyone no matter how newbie or how experienced you are.  So, please go check it out!  Cindy is a sweetie!

Euromycetisis and Dishwashers

So, my poor Hunnibunni was sick all of July with some unknown disease.  Then he gets to feeling better and takes a few days off so we can go do stuff and BLAM! he's sick again.  AND gave it to me!  I never get sick.  Ok, amend that to rarely now.  :(


So, you query, just WHAT is this weird word in the title here?  It's a word Brian made up that covers all diseases when we don't know what they are.  You know?  When you just feel like crap but you don't know why?  Hah.  You have Euromycetisis.  We both had it.  :(  I actually think it was some godawful evil alien thing that snuck into our windows.

Anyway, yesterday when I was feeling like the Grim Reaper was knocking at my door, I dragged my sorry self to the kitchen to run the dishwasher.  Gonna boil those germs to death!  So, I load it up, put the soap in and push the button.  Nothing. Our dishwasher has Euromycetisis.  It is dead.  Now, I am not a happy girl.  I is sick and I need to murder germs!

We spent lots of money and got a really good dishwasher from Sears.  After 5 years it dies.  I have the warranty coverage so the poor Sears guy has to come out and fix it.  Takes him THREE trips because every single thing that could have died in it, keeled over.  Now, wouldn't you think that a super expensive dishwasher should not die after 5 years?  It's not like we have 15 kids and run the thing 40 times a week.

So, the put-upon repair guy orders all the parts, which show up at my door in  weird shaped boxes and then comes and installs all new computer parts, etc.  It is like brand new.  So yesterday it dies again.  18 months have gone by and the thing is dead again.  I call the nice man in Lastoutpostoftheuniverse, North Dakota or wherever he is.  He actually is in the United States!  Things are looking good!  His name is jerry and he speaks English.  Things are looking REALLY good!  I ask old Jerry, "so, Jerry, WHY is my dishwasher dead after 18 months?"  Jerry valiantly tries to maintain the Sears policy of blaming something else.  He launches into a monologue of weather troubles.  Gotta be that pesky lighting and thunder.  I say, "Jerry.  This is Hawaii.  We don't HAVE thunder and lightning."  Poor Jerry.  He doesn't know what to say now.

So, the Sears guy is coming out next Wednesday to see about my dead dishwasher.  Meanwhile germs are running amuck.  We are not happy.

We will also stay away from Sears products in the future, methinks.

Jade Troubles

We were all going to make jade pens on the forum. So I thought that would be a great idea so I trots to my table and make 2 colors of jade. I covered the pens and baked. OIKS. :( The trans was SOOO trans, the green almost disappeared and the brass of the pen guts showed through making a bilious color. Gack. So, I took it off and tried again. No matter what trans I used and how much opaque clay I used, the brass of the pen showed through. But, without brass underneath, here are the pendants I made with the left overs. ;) I think the plaqueing looks cool in faux stones.  :D

My New Shop

Oh boy, oh boy!  I'm just all excited!  I opened a new online shop at 1000Markets. It only took Kathi and Col and Ginger and Janie and several others to get it done. I'm pitiful  ;)  But it is up and running and I'm ever so happy!  So, now, will you all go look and tell me what you think?  Thanks!
1000markets.com/shops/alohamoe

More Beading

Well, I got into my stash of cool cabs that Pammie gave me.  I think this is snowflake obsidian.  Aren't you proud of your student, Pammie?  :D  This is one of the kumihimo braids that I finished with chain.  I love the way it looks.  What do you think?

Messing With Wire and Other Fun Stuff

So, I got this new book.  I'm a happy girl.  Look at my fun bracelet!  too bad it's way too big for me.  I guess I'll just *HAVE* to sell it.  :D  And I got out another book or magazine and made this crystal pendant.  I still have to make the chain for it.

And now I'm going to see if I can't track down my darling niece who is adding 10 years to her age by trying to teach me how to open a 1000Markets shop.  If I ever get it done, i'll let you know!  :D

Hi Mike!  :D  I LOVE your little girl!

The Evil Kumihimo and The Australian Outback

Now, as you all know, the Japanese come up with some really cool things.  Sadly, you have to be born there to learn how to do it.  :(  Take kumihimo.  Ok, LOVE those braids.  I got sick of the traditional chain and beaded cords for necklaces. It's all you see and I wanted something pretty but different from always with the beads and the chains.  Enter kumihimo.

Now, I had a bout of Chinese knot tying last year.  Another one of those things that you need to be Chinese to conquer.  I managed to get a couple styles down but, phrew.  I have enough brain damage.  So, I sez, Self, we will learn kumihimo.  Ok, you all read, in a previous post here, of the disaster of the first tries.  I could have rivaled the mummifiers in ancient Egypt.

Ok, I learned how to make the braids and work the discs.  Yay for me.  :(  How ever.... no matter WHAT it say, there is NEVER enough cord.  I'm pretty sure I read that you need double the amount of cord for whatever length you want your braid.  This is not true.  You need about 6 extra miles.  I have, in my fun little kumihimo box, about 30 gorgeous braids that range from 7 inches to 13 inches.  Why does this happen to me?  When you start out with a couple miles of cord, you oughta have enough, right?  Wrong.  To say nothing of all those miles of twitching cord on the floor.  With 2 cats, I am BEGGING for problems.  You guys ever notice how I seem to go out of my way to give myself brain damage?

And speaking of that...wait til you hear THIS!  Jeez.  Ok, I decide that because I have all these lovely braids that I will cone the ends and use pretty chain for the rest. YEAH!  I like this idea.  I drag out my bag of cones and do it to one braid.  Looks great! So, I leave my bag of cones on my work table so I can do the rest.  Let me just tell you how dumb this was.

In the meantime, I decide that my pal Gilly, in Australia, needs a goody box.  So, one day, I am going through all my stuff to see what I can send Gills.  I get this big box full of stuff.  It's heavy!  Bless flat rat boxes!

So, I get it all packed, get out my handy dandy little cart and trots myself to the post office where I send it winging its merry way to the wilds of the Australian Outback.

The next day I decide I will cone more of my braids.  Hmmm, where are my cones?  They are nowhere to be found.  Now, as you all know, I am delirious most of the time.  Because *I* know this too, I go looking all over the place.  I tear my studio apart.  No cones.  OIKS!  I am almost certain I have inadvertently sent them on an Australian vacation.  Oh NOS!  So, I toddle to my computer to tell Gills.

She, being the mega brat that she is, thinks this is screamingly funny and gives me shit about being senile.  Somehow I am missing the humor in this.  Naturally, Gills laughs even harder.  So, while I sit in Honolulu wondering how I will get my braids finished, Gilly is having a hearty laugh at my expense.  Is this fair?  Really.  I ask you.  :D

Rugs and Socks

We bought a new rug.  And we also bough Hunnibunni some new socks.  The socks a few weeks ago and the rug yesterday.

So, we put the rug out for the kitties to check out.  See if they approve, yanno. They did so we will keep the rug.  It's look great when I get the room painted.

So, B put a hole in the toe of his new socks.  He shows it to me and I tell him I will darn it after I wash them  DEFINITELY after I wash them.  So, today, I am folding them when he is opening the screen door to leave for work.  I ask him, Which sock has the hole?  He tells me, The Cat In The Hat pair.  (Ready??)  "The left one".  Hahahahahahahaha.  The left sock.  Don'tcha love it?  I didn't take any pictures of the left sock.   :D