Changing Spaces

No time to mope as, the next morning, my new tenants started their moving in process. Lots of changes for me and for them. The apartment had been passed from English PhD candidate to English PhD candidate for the last 20 years. But, this time none were in need of a new apartment, it seemed. So my new tenants come from the Music Department and needed space for two cats, a harpsichord, a marimba, a vibraphone and assorted drums as well as themselves.
Negotiations and problem-solving took place during my March visit. There have almost always been cats downstairs -- though usually one at a time. Property managers frown on pets but I do not. I informed the manager that two pre-existing cats deserved a change of wording in the lease which had said, grudgingly, “One cat” It was up to Peter and Brian to find places for all their musical instruments and to assure me that all practicing would be done with mutes.
On July 16th, it made me feel good to see the happy smiles on their faces as they began to savor having left the student-filled apartment complex where they had been living. At last, they had a place of their own (except for me upstairs, of course.)
Day 1 was cleaning-and-painting day


Day 2 was the actual moving day – and, in the evening; introducing the cats to their new home.

Day 3 was moving-in-the-musical-instruments day.

Camm's room is now the harpsichord room.

Paul and Maggie's dining room is now the domain of Brian and his friends.

Lucy poses prettily.

Simon prefers to play.

Most subsequent days have been “trying-to-get-the-phone-to-work” days. And, of course, the Internet connection.( I am keenly interested in my tenants’ internet connection working properly as they are kind enough to connect me to their wifi, as did their predecessors, which allows me to communicate with all of you.) The first few days, we were caught up in a problem affecting half the city. An underground wire had short-circuited and fled up a nearby telephone pole melting wires and depriving half the city of phone service for up to two days. Last Monday, their phone was finally connected and we were all happy for several days.

Then, we had a private short-circuit, caused, perhaps by a lightening hit or perhaps by a hungry squirrel. The telephone guy, who was becoming our best friend, can’t be sure. But he swears he’s fixed it now. Fingers crossed.