Who in God's name arranges their movers to come at 1:45 in the morning?
Apparently there is a utility elevator in the courtyard... right under our bedroom windows. These guys are talking like it's 5 in the afternoon and they're standing on opposite corners during rushhour... Coral has been gifted with sleep and obviously... I am not so lucky. Here's to hoping it stops soon. And- I'm thirsty and drank all the water - I don't like the tap water so I have to wait till the morning.
OH YEAH
This is the second time I've moved someplace and had the refrigerator freak out on me. It froze all of our food on the lowest setting. So we tried all the settings thinking maybe we just read it wrong. No, it froze even more. So we turned it off - and oh, shocker - everything spoiled. All of our food went bad and that is a disgusting thing to have happen!
And then we turned it on again, figuring that frozen things could be defrosted.... and it's decided to work. Correctly. Yea!
Showing posts with label neighbor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label neighbor. Show all posts
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
a goodbye to the boys across the hall - and a moment of reflection
As I was waiting for Coral to return from the bank and my old landlord to arrive for the final walk-through I was standing in the open doorway to my empty flat, somewhat impatiently as he was running late and our taxi was due in 15 minutes. I had a few moments to reflect on what had taken place there during our initial 10 months in Prague. And then the door directly across the hall opened and a man stepped out.
You are already acquainted with this particular family - both here, shortly after our arrival and here, far more recently. They were kind enough to contribute to my decision to move when the time to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of our Prague 10 residence arose.
There were two guys that lived there - the monstrosity was much taller than the guy who had walked through the door. There was a mother who made an appearance very now and then, and during our last major encounter, she had a young girl with her, video taping the experience. To be quite honest I'm unsure how many people lived there as occasionally there was an old guy who'd open the door and be the one literally throwing the monstrosity across the hall... perfectly aimed to hit first my buzzer and then the door. He'd had plenty of practice.
So, I was standing there, waiting, an empty and aromatically pleasing pristine flat visible behind me, and this guy gave me a half smile and turned to lock his door. We had never talked, but as we were leaving the place forever I decided to initiate a conversation. After confirming he spoke English it made things much smoother.
I said goodbye, he asked about the new tenants, there was a bit more small talk - and then he apologized. I looked at him and he said, "I'm sorry, for, for everything, you know. Everything that happened, I'm sorry." And then he left. And I appreciated the effort, late and minor, but all the same, the acknowledgment that what had happened had been wrong.
After I went inside I had a moment when I realized - he speaks English(yes, things sometimes hit me late)! And I thought about my verbal tirades surrounding the ongoing frustration with his family - we were the only 2 occupied flats in our wing for a while and I had no qualms about expressing my extreme disgust and distaste upon discovering another unwelcome experience at their hands (the two links are just a few of our experiences). I felt bad for a moment - what if they had heard and understood - my language was far from choice, my words left no doubt to the extent of my frustration and dislike - what if I had offended them???
And then I thought - seriously Jen?? Seriously? These people smeared shit on your walls and you're worried about offending them by saying 'shit'? I would have felt bad if I had ranted to that extent and volume (NOT muttering under my breath) IF there had been anyone else around, but honestly, the physical release also led to an emotional release - when I had gotten it out vocally I also got out the anger and feelings of helplessness and increasing tension they had been a source of - and as they had been so egregious in their behavior - I decided that was something I really didn't need to beat myself up over, at all.
And I moved on.
You are already acquainted with this particular family - both here, shortly after our arrival and here, far more recently. They were kind enough to contribute to my decision to move when the time to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of our Prague 10 residence arose.
There were two guys that lived there - the monstrosity was much taller than the guy who had walked through the door. There was a mother who made an appearance very now and then, and during our last major encounter, she had a young girl with her, video taping the experience. To be quite honest I'm unsure how many people lived there as occasionally there was an old guy who'd open the door and be the one literally throwing the monstrosity across the hall... perfectly aimed to hit first my buzzer and then the door. He'd had plenty of practice.
So, I was standing there, waiting, an empty and aromatically pleasing pristine flat visible behind me, and this guy gave me a half smile and turned to lock his door. We had never talked, but as we were leaving the place forever I decided to initiate a conversation. After confirming he spoke English it made things much smoother.
I said goodbye, he asked about the new tenants, there was a bit more small talk - and then he apologized. I looked at him and he said, "I'm sorry, for, for everything, you know. Everything that happened, I'm sorry." And then he left. And I appreciated the effort, late and minor, but all the same, the acknowledgment that what had happened had been wrong.
After I went inside I had a moment when I realized - he speaks English(yes, things sometimes hit me late)! And I thought about my verbal tirades surrounding the ongoing frustration with his family - we were the only 2 occupied flats in our wing for a while and I had no qualms about expressing my extreme disgust and distaste upon discovering another unwelcome experience at their hands (the two links are just a few of our experiences). I felt bad for a moment - what if they had heard and understood - my language was far from choice, my words left no doubt to the extent of my frustration and dislike - what if I had offended them???
And then I thought - seriously Jen?? Seriously? These people smeared shit on your walls and you're worried about offending them by saying 'shit'? I would have felt bad if I had ranted to that extent and volume (NOT muttering under my breath) IF there had been anyone else around, but honestly, the physical release also led to an emotional release - when I had gotten it out vocally I also got out the anger and feelings of helplessness and increasing tension they had been a source of - and as they had been so egregious in their behavior - I decided that was something I really didn't need to beat myself up over, at all.
And I moved on.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Further, albeit cleaner, adventures of the poopy person
For those of you not up to date, you may want to take a quick detour for the History of the Horrible Man in the Hall before continuing so that you will fully appreciate what you are about to see.
Coral was late for school today. There was a giant snoring man in the hallway - and the sweet sickly smell of far too much alcohol exuding from his body. She stayed home rather than deal, but only for a short bit, just until the manager come over and tried to wake him... and failed. But under his strong and authorative supervision she walked around the huge lump in the middle of the floor.
The guy is still out there, the smell off his body is over-powering, and we are moving in 2 weeks and one day.
Was this the right decision - it's more expensive and this week I've been questioning myself. This morning, the world has given me, Yes, Yes, Yes, a resounding YES!!!
*** udpate - this guy is an ASS!!! He just hit his Mom as she was trying to drag him in to the apartment when he refused to get up - he finally go up just so he could hit her and then stumble through the actual doorway before passing out again.
Coral was late for school today. There was a giant snoring man in the hallway - and the sweet sickly smell of far too much alcohol exuding from his body. She stayed home rather than deal, but only for a short bit, just until the manager come over and tried to wake him... and failed. But under his strong and authorative supervision she walked around the huge lump in the middle of the floor.
The guy is still out there, the smell off his body is over-powering, and we are moving in 2 weeks and one day.
Was this the right decision - it's more expensive and this week I've been questioning myself. This morning, the world has given me, Yes, Yes, Yes, a resounding YES!!!
*** udpate - this guy is an ASS!!! He just hit his Mom as she was trying to drag him in to the apartment when he refused to get up - he finally go up just so he could hit her and then stumble through the actual doorway before passing out again.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Dog Poo, People Poo
Two things I'm not sure I mentioned:
One - there is dog poo everywhere. People will say, oh, just like Paris - NO nothing like Paris - the stench is unreal, and I do mean everywhere. Not so much in our district as the downtown area - it's horrible, you really have to watch the sidewalk or you'll step in it.
Two - We've had an occurence with our neighbor across the hall when he was, well, inebriated. His Mom kicked him out - literally, physically, he was put in a headlock and shoved out of the apartment. He then spent hours and hours hollering and buzzing at the door for them to let him in... we managed to fall asleep that weeknight, but only after midnight.
How did these two totally unconnected things happen to be raised, as if they had some importance?
Well, the neighbor, or maybe the neighbor's friend, showed up just before noon today, buzzing us, buzzing them, and finally gaining admittance to the building - and then buzzing the door across the hall. He went in and out and was trying to get back in and calling and talking and hollering, and we were in our apartment preparing to leave for the day.
I had to check through our peep hole a few times as our door was buzzed and it sounded like someone was knocking, but he was just drunk and stumbling and knocking in to things.
Not thrilled.
Unfortunately, not the worst of it either.
At some point in time he had an accident. That's the nice way of putting it, and as I know family reads this I'm letting you know to skip to the next paragraph if you want to avoid a more graphic description. Skip down now... The guy shit himself and then walked around the hall, stumbling, grinding it in to the carpet and our doormat.
For the family version... He went #2 in the hallway and didn't clean it up.
We were leaving and opened the door as the door across the hall was opening to the drunk - and there was an instant recoil on my part as the smell hit me. We had to regroup and plan our exit strategy and then we made it out - we spent hours and hours up at Prague Castle today - photos and more details later - and then started dreading coming home.
Apparently, with good reason.
Six hours later and they've not cleaned up. Not at all.
Gross stuff again so skip to the next paragraph if you want to avoid it....NOW... fortunately it's dried a little so the smell isn't so immediately nausea inducing.
I am at a loss and frustrated. And disgusted.
Just this morning the kid had mentioned how much she loved our apartment and we were discussing how much we loved being here, and had no desire to move.
The yuckiness must stop.
One - there is dog poo everywhere. People will say, oh, just like Paris - NO nothing like Paris - the stench is unreal, and I do mean everywhere. Not so much in our district as the downtown area - it's horrible, you really have to watch the sidewalk or you'll step in it.
Two - We've had an occurence with our neighbor across the hall when he was, well, inebriated. His Mom kicked him out - literally, physically, he was put in a headlock and shoved out of the apartment. He then spent hours and hours hollering and buzzing at the door for them to let him in... we managed to fall asleep that weeknight, but only after midnight.
How did these two totally unconnected things happen to be raised, as if they had some importance?
Well, the neighbor, or maybe the neighbor's friend, showed up just before noon today, buzzing us, buzzing them, and finally gaining admittance to the building - and then buzzing the door across the hall. He went in and out and was trying to get back in and calling and talking and hollering, and we were in our apartment preparing to leave for the day.
I had to check through our peep hole a few times as our door was buzzed and it sounded like someone was knocking, but he was just drunk and stumbling and knocking in to things.
Not thrilled.
Unfortunately, not the worst of it either.
At some point in time he had an accident. That's the nice way of putting it, and as I know family reads this I'm letting you know to skip to the next paragraph if you want to avoid a more graphic description. Skip down now... The guy shit himself and then walked around the hall, stumbling, grinding it in to the carpet and our doormat.
For the family version... He went #2 in the hallway and didn't clean it up.
We were leaving and opened the door as the door across the hall was opening to the drunk - and there was an instant recoil on my part as the smell hit me. We had to regroup and plan our exit strategy and then we made it out - we spent hours and hours up at Prague Castle today - photos and more details later - and then started dreading coming home.
Apparently, with good reason.
Six hours later and they've not cleaned up. Not at all.
Gross stuff again so skip to the next paragraph if you want to avoid it....NOW... fortunately it's dried a little so the smell isn't so immediately nausea inducing.
I am at a loss and frustrated. And disgusted.
Just this morning the kid had mentioned how much she loved our apartment and we were discussing how much we loved being here, and had no desire to move.
The yuckiness must stop.
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