The primary reason for light posting:When I arrived at the apartment Monday evening, after a good sales day at job #1, and switched on the AC all appeared to go well. Cool air began to flow bringing down the temperature and humidity that had built up all day. This week has been the hottest of the summer, so far.
After prepping supper I began checking email and realized that I was sweating. That's not the way it ought to work. Checking the thermostat I noticed that the room temperature had actually climbed 5 degrees. The air blowing from the vents was no longer cool, but hot. WTF?
Switched off the unit, left the ceiling fans running and opened the windows. It was 10 degrees cooler (?) outside. A chat with the landlady sent a tech out the very next morning to fix the problem. We thought. He arrived before I left for work at job #2 and I asked if he needed access to the apartment to do the work. I could have left the door unlocked and he could lock it when he was finished. He assured me that as long as he had access to the basement and the compressor outside all would be taken care of.
Not so much.
Arrived Tuesday evening to find a note on the doorknob explaining that he would need access to the air handler which must be located in the apartment. How this could be, neither the LL nor I had a clue. We searched and searched, then at last came upon a rectangular piece of plywood afixed to the ceiling of a small closet used as a pantry. Removing this cover we found the air handler in the small crawl space in the attic above the pantry. The opening was so small that I knew the tech who had been there that morning would never fit through. How embarrassing that would have been...
Placing another call to the repair service I explained the whole situation and highlighted the fact that the next tech must be very thin. The appointment was made for Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. Another night of heat, gulping lots of water, and with little sleep. Thunderstorms came and went with no change in the temps or humidity.
The tech arrived 5 minutes early on Friday at a steamy, hot apartment and performed miracles. Well, it seemed that way to me. He replaced the clogged air filter (not knowing the unit was in the attic the filter hadn't been touched in the 8 years it's been up there), then went to work on the compressor. Within an hour cool air began to flow and I was able to breathe again after 4 days in simulated Hell. He hung around a while longer poking and prodding all around the outdoor compressor, then I helped him seal the access hole to the attic.
While he fiddled with his diagnostic widgets outside, I dressed for another day at job #2. Believe me, I hated to leave the cool, dryness of the apartment but knowing what awaited me at evening made it all worthwhile. Another good day at the restaurant followed by a festive end-of-shift cocktail and I was on the way to the apt. Switched on the AC with some trepidation, changed out of the work drag, took a shower, and threw on shorts and a tee shirt. It was already comfy as I listened to the Pet Shop Boys sipping a G & T. I treated myself to a surf and turf supper of baby top sirloin steak, shrimp, zucchini, and a tossed salad. Yes, above is the actual supper from last evening. and while the pic isn't very good, the food certainly was. The first full meal I'd had all week. This heat and humidity kills my appetite.
What a luxury to sit in quiet coolness and enjoy a real meal for a change. As the old song goes, "you don't know what you've got til it's gone." But, we got through it and all is well.
Another plus - it turns out that I didn't have to work a half day today and that is a very good thing. I have been chopping onions and garlic for the Jerk Chicken and wouldn't you know, I am missing one ingredient - orange juice. Maybe I can "borrow" some from the LL. Not in any mood to fight traffic or the heat for a half cup of OJ!!! Jeez.
More later.
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Sorry to hear of your AC problems. My neighbor's AC died last week. They have a 14 month old child. Child and mother had to go to her Mom's because it would be a week until the new AC unit arrived. My neighbor stayed at the hothouse because he works at the Beebe Emergency Room. Their house is new like mine, only three years old. One would think the AC unit would last longer. Not so. He's out about $5,000 to replace the unit.
ReplyDeleteHere at work a couple of weeks ago the AC on the fourth floor died. It smelled like someone peed in the hallway. A clogged filter was the cause. It had not been changed since April 2006.
If it helps at all, you're not alone in your sweat.
BTW, your meal looked good. Big Bob and I ate at the Fisherman's Wharf last night. Don't go there
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I feel your sweat. My window unit died a week ago and I can't afford to replace it because the windows are a unique design. Finally found a place that stocks them, but since they were gearing up for Winter, it will take another week before they ship a new unit to me.
ReplyDeleteI am dying here.
THC
I know what it has been like this week to your northwest - uuggh! I cannot imagine how you survived without the A/C. I am glad the problem was solved and that you had a chance to enjoy it.
ReplyDeletejerk chicken sounds lovely, I'll have two please.
ReplyDeleteHaven't had your Jerk Chicken since you lived in NJ. I can taste it even now after all those years. Spicy, but not too hot.
ReplyDeleteI hope you got the OJ from your landlady to finish the dish.
Jade
BTW, how about some presentation on the plate? A la Fusion, squirt some colored liquid to paint the plate? Your dish looked good but it was lacking that Final Touch. A swirl of color. I'm just saying.
ReplyDelete