I bought a drill last week. My drill and I bonded yesterday over curtain brackets in the kitchen and then today we (my drill and I) moved our fun into the bedroom. Now there are more curtains in the house, making it homier. The bedroom looks especially nice.

I found out from my ins. company that I need to make some modifications to the front of the house to make it safer to walk up the stairs. That means pushing back the electrical upgrade a few months depending on how much that will cost. My tenant also had some issues with a leaky pipe. I’d called Roto-Rooter first and the guy tried to charge me 200 bucks plus the part to replace one measly pipe. I sent him on his way and called the handyman I’m sharing with other people. This was all yesterday. I saw his truck parked outside today and now it’s not there. I’m assuming some fixing was accomplished. I don’t know. I am not calling the tenant because part of me doesn’t want to hear that it might not be done yet.

Later this week I have to install smoke detectors in the tenants’ bedrooms. My friend the drill will be helping me out.

My other tenant has yet to pay me rent. they usually pay on the 15th. It’s the 18th. I left a phone message.

Some guy in the city fire department is helping me research fire records on my house. I was told there was a fire in the basement in the 1950’s, so I want to find out more about the extent of the damage and all that good stuff. This house was built in 1920.

Since I don’t have a washer/dryer in my house yet, I’m flirting with the idea of wash and fold service. Thanks to my friend Pat I haven’t had to go to a laundromat since I moved here. The idea of wash and fold is titillating to me. I feel like I could use the time I’d ordinarily spend in the laundromat to do other things.

Today I’ve been reading my old journals from the mid 80s all the way up to college. The older I get the less interesting the entries have been. At some point I could possibly share these with you. We’ll see.

If i suddenly stop talking about the house, it’s because I got paranoid. I don’t know if you know this but if you google my first and last name, this blog is one of the results. I’ve been aware of this for a long time. Don’t try this at home!

not for this time, but in the future… does anyone know someone who would snowblow my sidewalks?

I’ll pay, obviously.

the springer spaniel.

very cute, but totally anti-climactic. You can tell Lester Holt is disappointed.

The standard poodle may have just gotten some boos from the audience as the best in show competition kicks off.

Favorite: PBGV (left) - the winner in tonight’s hound group. Beat those poodles and that dandy shrimp-looking thing (right) too!

In bunk dog show news, the poodle lobbyists are obviously paying off judges! Not one but two poodles are in the running for Best in Show in New York at this week’s Westminster Kennel Club Show.

First up - in the toy group (left) it’s the toy poodle who beat the Pug and Brussels Griffon. The only silver lining is that the poodle muscled the Pekingese out of first. That is small comfort as later in the non-sporting group competition, ANOTHER poodle took top prize, this time a standard (right).

I smell a scandal!

Time for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show! Right NOW on USA!

Objects of unknown origin left at my house yesterday:

- a pair of sunglasses

- a hair clip

- a button

- a pair of socks

Anyone want to make any claims?

It was recently pointed out that the house - perched on a corner with excellent visibility from the second floor - has a three-ward view of our city. This is a fact that I happily haven’t been able to get over.

I got my first rent check last week. It’s a strange feeling to look at a check of that size knowing that you’ll be getting one just like it every month (oh and then there is your other tenant who pays you later in the month so that check will be coming every month, too).

I seriously don’t know why more people I know don’t own multi-family homes. I mean, unless I start having tons of kids, this space up here on the second floor is plenty for me. I have to keep reminding myself that the hassles of being a landlord are yet to come. It may not always be like this. Still, I think I got a pretty sweet deal, what with some quiet, respecting tenants here already.

Is it sickening that I keep talking about this great house? I have to keep tabs on that.