someone please convince the Power That Be that may is far too early for 103+ degree temps, please? we went from just barely getting comfortable to cooking over night and it doesn't look to be cooling off any time soon. it's particularly unpleasant when your ac doesn't work.

monday maintenance did make an appearance and fixed the cooler. a couple of hours later it broke again. this time it sounded like the belt. i called it in. tuesday nobody showed, so i called in the evening to find when someone would be sent over. i was told wednesday. wednesday came and went without a glimpse of a maintenance man. i have called again today, reminded the office that the temps hit at least 103 yesterday and i would really rather not go through another day without my ac. i have again been told that they will get someone out here today. i'm not holding my breath.

in the meantime, i am using a few tricks to keep things as cool as possible. i've been sleeping downstairs on the couch with the window open to let cool air into the apartment. early in the a.m., i shut the window and trap that cool air inside. i open my blinds only enough to give me some light and i keep all lamps and lights in the house off. and i have a fan blowing in the living room. when it starts heating up, i have a spray bottle full of water and i get myself soaked. finally, unless it's microwave or crock pot, i ain't cooking. i cooked on tuesday and just about died. yesterday we all had a big salad instead.

unfortunately these measures only help as long as you stay inside, which i couldn't do over the past few days. monday i went to the rental office to turn in paperwork. since our rent is income based and hubby now has a job, there's a lot of paperwork. i hope i turned in the last of it, but i may need to resubmit something i thought i already turned in, which would mean another trip to the social security office. yech. tuesday was blood day. as he usually does every so often, my doctor is checking my iron levels among other things, including whether or not i have the ulcer bug. since i've had an ulcer since i was 14 or 15 and have been on ulcer diets and meds ever since, this is a good thing to look into in my opinion. and yesterday was the dog day: lil miss gypsy was shaved for more summer comfort. god she looks weird. but she's panting less and looking a lot more comfortable already.

i'm glad one of us is.

i'm just thankful i get a break now. cooler or no cooler, the house isn't as sweltering as it is in the shade outside. with any luck, today (which is supposed to hit the high 90s - and the humidity is already in the upper 50s) i won't need a heat induced nap and i just might get some work done.

course, it would help if i had a working cooler.