those plans of mine

Remember a month ago when I had that plan to go to the Provo house, clean like a mad woman, snag a bowflex and get that place rented?

Well.  Sometimes you can have a plan, with a list even, and still not get things done like you wanted them done.  Or maybe you can get things done eventually.  Which is the case with this plan and that list.

No, there was no bowflex for me.  But I got the place all tidied.  I thought I was ready to rent it, but then
there was that apparent tornado and remember that post about bricks nearly smacking me in the head? 

And there was the flooding of the bedrooms.

So of course, then we took that little sidetrip to Cali, which was, as always, pretty great for me.  Not so much for Jack since he had to come home early to tend to his mom.  That situation was a bit intense for a while but seems to have settled down for now, which is actually nothing to complain about but is instead a bit of a breather and something to be very grateful for.

But then, well, someone had to decide what to do about the flying bricks and collapsing chimneys and the flooded bedrooms.  So I decided.  (Well, not really all by myself at all since the Californians weighed in as did Jack.)  We hired a guy to cut in a drain in the concrete at the bottom of the stairs at the front door of the apartment.  (Check, no more flooding there.)  We hired a guy and his kid to repair the chimneys.  (Check, no more flying bricks or dampers and dang if they don't look quite fine again.)  Jr and I did some serious pruning of the neighbor's trees that had overgrown the roof.  (Check, back away trees, no more blowing around at our chimneys.)  I hired a company to replace the basement windows (Check, no more water flooding into the bedrooms) and picked out some new carpet that was installed earlier this week to replace the flooded carpets (Check.  So nice on the feet.  And the nose--yum new carpet smell.)  And in a couple of weeks, there will be new soffit and fascia and seamless rain gutters (Check, away with you rain, go out to the garden now!), which, along with the new windows, will make this a cozy, dry place to live, especially while walking barefooted on the new carpet. (Check.  Seriously.)

So this past few days has been the time to get new tenants.  Many people call, text, email.  Many say they will be at the apartment at various times on various days to see the awesomeness that is this apartment they highly desire. 

So, you might ask, then why do they not show up at the appointed time?  Or perhaps that is what I was asking after driving there again to wait for apparently no one.  Dorks.  That's what they are.  Inconsiderate dorks who do not deserve to live in this cozy soft to the foot place. 

But then yesterday and today, some of them arrived to see the place.  Let me just note that it is hard to be the one deciding who should get to live in this place.  Ultimately what I want from renters is twofold--pay the rent on time and take care of the place.  Period.

So.  Do I go with the one who has no work history?  Do I choose either of the ones who have three children?  How about the mom with the sons who won't stop chasing the ducks even after the mom asks them to stop three times?  Do I pick the one with the new puppy who hasn't peed in the house in like, six months?  Do I go with the almost married couple who doesn't want to sign a lease for another two weeks or the ones who want to wait six weeks?  Do I go with the guy and his sons who are hesitant to sign up for the electric service with the city?  See, everyone has a story and probably any of them would be okay or mostly okay, right?

I chose the two guys who have been contacting me for several days.  One of them has a service dog, an adorable pomeranian named Shellie who has been his companion for five years. Shellie is a well-behaved indoor dog who has absolutely no desire to chase the ducks.  Her owner and his friend have job and housing history and seem like they will take care of the place.

That's all I ask.  Although a bowflex would have been nice.

pretty nice chimney, right?