Can't Stop the Rain

Last night window panes rattled as thunder boomed. Rosie the Cat stayed close to us, and we fell asleep to the sound of heavy rain.

I woke up around 5:30, with rain still falling steadily, facing the following dilemma. If I drove the car, I could sleep in another hour and still make it to work on time, and also not get all wet while walking two miles to the bus stop. If I took the bus, I might get wet, but then I would be able to read one of my new library books, and also stay committed to my pact to be somewhat car-less this month in observation of Earth Day. I guess I really wanted to read that book, because I decided to take the bus. Either that, or I really love the Earth.

I got very wet.

I felt somewhat foolish about choosing the bus. I mean lots of people (myself included, before getting my first car at age 26), can't avoid getting all wet while waiting for the bus. I could have, at least on this particular morning. And let me tell you, my feet were wet all day as I sat in training, some of which was good, and some of which was clearly not very well thought out.

But being a person who doesn't mind getting Economical, or the trials and tribulations that sometimes accompany frugality, has granted me a tremendous amount of freedom. When I hear my colleagues and friends bemoaning the fact that they can't leave jobs they hate because of financial obligations or debts, I feel very, very lucky that I can pay all my bills on a minimum wage job.

Of course renting a small apartment from a slum lord has its downsides.

This morning, the leak that was formerly just bubbling plaster in the bathroom turned into steady stream. M was late to work as he haggled with the land company. But the thing is, we don't care if water is pouring out the ceiling into our bathroom, so haggle is not exactly the word I'm looking for. We've been dutifully reporting the leak every few weeks as we noticed a crack, then a bubble, then damp plaster, then falling plaster, etc. each time we noticed a change. But one would think that they might care, as something that would have been an easy fix a few months ago, is now something of a disaster.

Anyway, our bucket is only so big, so all M wanted to know was if they planned to come over sometime in the next hour, so he could leave the bucket, or if they would be by many hours later, in which case, he would need to stay home and change the bucket, which was steadily filling up, and which, left unattended, would likely spill all over the floor and into the first floor apartment.

Again, not that we care, but....

So, eventually they came and the leak appears to have stopped, as did the rain. Happy endings all around.