What I really want to know is: does anybody in Maryland have plumbing that functions properly?!

We don't. The Hub, in a valient effort to be fiscally responsible (i.e. as much of a cheapskate as I am) always uses bar soap until it is little teeny tiny slivers.....which then just melt away, clogging the drain. And then - just eeeew. Take my word for it, it's gross, and there's nothing to do but go out and buy a botttle of Drano. And sometimes that doesn't even do the whole job - he has to go get the plumbing tool he calls "The Snake" - I mean that really is the name of the tool, not some weird name like Hosni the vaccuum cleaner. And that's even worse because....

stuff that was never supposed to see the light of day again is suddenly BACK out of the drain and scarier than ever. Honestly, it's like that movie The Ring only more horrifying, because it's taking place right in my very own bathroom.

And that doesn't begin to cover the extent of the plumbing problems I run into on a routine basis. The T.D.'s toilets back up regularly - so much for their "luxury apartment!" I had to go after one with a plunger while working over there today.

Then there's the whole issue of Island Girl's house. Like us, they only have one bathroom. But there, the toilet isn't seated properly, and so one has no idea when it is apt to back up. This is such a worry for Island Girl that she has started to call the the thing "Hank" and politely ask it how it's feeling before she tries to use it. When I suggested that it might be more useful to try talking their landlord she just rolled her eyes.

"We might as well be talking to the cows out in the pasture for all the good it would do. Every conversation involves her asking if my wheelchair has done any damage to the floors or the trim."

"I think I might be tempted to ask HER if she knows it's not exactly legal to make you and the renter in the basement share the same electric bill. I bet I could have a real productive conversation with her." I said hotly.

I was hot because a) it's been 90 degrees here every day for five days, and the air conditioning over there isn't exactly in perfect working order either b) It pisses me off when people are unkind to the disabled and c)I was trying to unclog the drain in the kitchen by use of a plunger, some vinegar and baking soda, and prayer. I don't know what's wrong with the drain in the kitchen, but this is the second time it has seriously backed up. And when I did get it unclogged it spat at me out of the part of the sink where the "sprayer" is supposed to go. But, of course, the landlord was too cheap to put one in, so there you go.

I hope it cools off tomorrow, the way the weather forecasters predict.

I think this is what you call being in a bad mood.