Taking the Trash Out... or Not...

Otherwise known as....In Praise of Summer Vacation.

This morning I woke up at five o'clock per my incessant cat's prodding.  (It always kills me that after she does all in her power to rouse my sleeping self, she falls asleep at the foot of my bed, exhausted from her efforts.)  During the school year, my 5 a.m. kitty alarm isn't nearly the problem that it is in late June, when the only reason I have for getting up is lazing about and catching up on the reading I didn't do during the school year, when I was either too busy or too preoccupied to settle into a good book.  But it is late June, and for the next couple of weeks, until she realizes that it is now my routine to stay in bed at least until 6:30, I must suffer the 5:00 wake up MEOWs.

I know... there are worse things.

So, at 7:30, when I had already had a morning nap after reading from 5 to 6, I rose and made coffee.  10 cups-- far too many for a morning of solitude but I suppose I was feeling ambitious.  I drank coffee diluted with organic skim milk and delved into Veganomicon-- a compendium of vegan recipes. 

Let me be clear:  Lots of cool people are, but I am not vegan.  It is a way of eating that peaks my curiosity, though, and I had purchased Veganomicon about three years ago.  This particular cookbook, while full of interesting recipes, did not make the cut of cookbooks that did not go into storage while I was between places of my very own.  Until 3 weeks ago, this cookbook, along with many, many others, was bound to a cardboard box inside a climate-controlled U-Haul facility.  So, this morning, I was reacquainting myself with all Veganomicon had to offer.

I was so excited about the day.  My first full day of doing... ummmm... basically nothing.  Ahhhh... summer!!!  I had the day completely to myself, with two exceptions:

1.  Driving over to my mom's to take out the trash.  She's out of town for a couple of days, and had asked me to water her plants.  Yesterday when I watered the plants, the house smelled kind of funky, so I bagged up the little bit of trash that was in the can, and set it out on her front porch.  Today was trash day.  I knew that the trash folks didn't come until afternoon, so I set my agenda to include driving to Mom's in the late morning and bringing the trash to the curb.  No biggie.

2.  Meeting Jess at Pier 1 at 6:00 with her roomy Subaru to pick up dining room furniture I ordered when I found my apartment in Camo-Wearer's Stream, a mere twenty minute's drive from Mom's. 

I couldn't believe that I had the whole day virtually to myself!!!  (Life lately has been anything but.)

Why is it that the best laid plans always seem to be undone in most horrible circumstances?

I drove to Mom's around 10 a.m., somewhat irritated when discovering upon arrival that the trash had already been picked up.  (I assume they were attempting to avoid severely inclement afternoon weather.)  In lieu of taking the trash all the way to the curb, I put my key in the door, intending to put the trash in the bin stored in the garage, and then return next week-- earlier in the day-- to take the trash out yet again. 

When I opened the door, I couldn't believe my eyes.

It was bad.

Really bad.

Water.  Water in the bathroom, water in the hallway stretching halfway through the dining room, water in the front and middle bedrooms, which are-- make that were-- carpeted.   I uttered words that cannot be written in my g-rated blog and promptly closed the door.  I knew I needed help.  There were some folks by the pool, socializing.  I asked them if they knew my mom.  They had just moved in, and didn't.  Nonetheless, I immediately had two men come over and ascertain the situation.  One shut off the water to the unit.  The other told me I needed to call a plumber and disaster specialists.

Then they left.  It was just what I needed to spring into what I do best.  Crisis mode.  Emotions shut off and I do what needs to get done.  Within an hour I had a team of folks in the house, dealing with the water and what had caused it.  I called my mom, my sister, and GDA, to apprise them of the situation, but let them know that everything would be okay and I was handling it. 

I did not get the day to myself. 

Far from it.

Arrrrgggghhhh.

I am just glad that I went over to water the plants yesterday (at my mother's insistence).

I am also glad that the trash had already come so that I had a reason to open the front door in order to open the garage door.

Everything happens for a reason.

I am still having trouble getting the smell out of my nose, despite having showered and dousing myself in several vanilla-scented products.

I persevered and met Jess this evening, and am proud to report that I am typing from my very own pub table.  I have wanted a pub table for a long time. It was definitely worth the wait. 

Over the next week, and probably much longer, I will assist in restoring the house back to normal, because that's what I do.  Thank goodness for summer vacation, and all that this break allows.