Thursday, August 05, 2010

Finally! Relief from the heat!

Do you remember just about two months ago when I had two computers die on me within a very short time? At the time, I remember asking (as in screaming at the heavens) what the odds of such a thing happening could be. I also remember asking what the odds of something similar happening again, at least relatively soon. Well, apparently the answer to both those questions is 100% because the same thing happened with my air conditioning. On Sunday, July 18th, the compressor (the big thing that sits outside) crashed and I was without AC for most of a week. Then on Saturday, July 31, the air handler (the big thing that sits in a closet inside) crashed and I was without it until yesterday.
Incredible. I honestly don't know how it's possible that I haven't snapped and completely lost my mind.
There are very things more miserable than being without AC in Florida in July/August. Dwellings built for central air conditioning aren't designed to be cool without it. For instance, in my apartment, all the windows are on the same side. So even if there were a breeze (which there is not) it wouldn't circulate through the place anyway. Attempting to sleep was the worst. The thermostat, the one component of the system that has marched right along like an obedient little trooper, was reading as high as 93 as late/early as 4:00 in the morning. At that temperature, it's difficult to breathe, you sweat right through your sheets and any benefits of taking the coldest shower possible (and I took a lot of them) evaporate...literally...within seconds of stepping out of the water. It's downright disgusting. I honestly don't know what I would have done if it had gone on much longer.
I think the old system was really old because it's amazing how quiet the new one is. The old one rumbled and hummed so loudly I couldn't hear my phone if it was in another room. This one just kind of hisses and makes about as much noise as my refrigerator. I guess that probably means my 'fridge will be the next appliance to crash.
Of course, I'm not the only one who lives in this apartment. The cats have been just as miserable as I have been, probably even more so since they're covered in fur and can't leave. I made sure they had plenty of water and did everything I could think of short of shaving them. I was pretty sure that gesture would not have been appreciated.
While the repair guys were here yesterday, making frequent trips in and out of the apartment, I locked the cats in the bedroom so they wouldn't freak out and run outside. I left for the day, praying nothing would go wrong and I would come home to cool air. Thankfully, that's exactly what happened. I opened the bedroom, apologized profusely to the cats and fed them dinner.

Later I found out exactly what they thought of the recent downgrade in living conditions and my efforts to resolve the issues, particularly leaving them alone with loud, strange men and forcing them to play kittycat Anne Franks while I was probably out somewhere, swimming in the chilly, crystal clear water of one of Florida's many natural springs (which is exactly what I was doing):

If there's a more effective and emphatic way of expressing displeasure with someone than throwing up in their shoe, I don't know what it is.

1 comment:

Drum Riley Calhoun said...

This has happened to me on more than one occassion. The cats sleep in my shoes, and the pugs puke in them.

(excuse the late comment, catching up on your blog, which I love BTW).