Grumpy Hot Friday

Croton Point Park

If this isn’t the worst Friday night I have ever spent in my life, it has got to be up there with those others that for now I don’t remember, grumpy as I am with this particular one. No, I’m not complaining.

Yes I am! Of course I’m complaining. I have a right to. I didn’t ask for this Friday night, and I didn’t expect it. I just got it. John is away and I'm dealing with this all by myself.

First of all, it’s 92 degrees in this bus. I am wearing as little as I can without becoming a campground stripper, but it doesn’t do much good. The washcloth I soaked with cold water is actually mildewing as I write. It’s so hot the dog took a nap at nine this morning and hasn’t stirred since. He’s not dead, I don't think.

What happened was this: Yesterday I wanted to go to NYC, so I washed my hair. Of course I did. You always wash for the big time, don’t you? We had all three air conditioners on, so John turned on the generator so I could use my hair dryer.

Suddenly all three air conditioners went dead. Was this my fault, I ask you? Not really, I learned today. We just shouldn’t have tried to air-condition the entire coach when we were plugged in to 30 amps.

Who knew from amps? It was working, the coach was cool, and I wanted to dry my hair. No biggie, I thought.

Apparently it was such a drain on the campground’s meager electrical supply that once we switched over to generator power, it didn’t know what to do with all that electricity, so a power surge occurred, frying the outside hookup and almost causing a fire, and apparently killing all our A/C compressors. God knows what that will cost.

So the nice guys from the county park came over and spent almost the entire day working on the outside hookup. They got it fixed, and that’s when I learned the trouble wasn't just outside; it was inside too. So now I have power, but only fans, and no air-condish. OMG it’s 92 in here.

Meanwhile, I did what housework I needed to do, which was basically washing some dishes, and Phil the park worker came to the door. His face was pale. Funny I hadn't notice that before.

“Did you just use the bathroom?” he asked.

I told him, no, I’d done the dishes. The relief was immediately apparent. “Oh,” he said, “because you’ve got a leak in your sewer line and it just soaked my pants up to the knees.”

Eyuuuu. Or maybe phew. It wasn't the bad water. It was good water.

Then I looked down at my hands, and the dish-washing (seriously, two glasses, a pot and a dish, give me a break) had managed to chip two brand new French manicured nails – which I had done yesterday, at a cost of $40.

“Sorry,” I said, “Keep on working. I’ve got an emergency.” I jumped in the car. I decided I wouldn’t go back to the original nail parlor. It was too far, and I was too hot, and they were too lame at French manicures. I went locally.

Ah. It was air-conditioned.

I sat for a heavenly 45 minutes, decided I’d get the whole manicure completely redone – because after all, when I do the dishes tomorrow, I’ll probably chip another two fingernails.

Joy fixed my nails, Pat gave me a backrub, and Lee the owner charged me $80.

What!!!!! I’ve never paid that much for a manicure, even a costly gel manicure like I usually get. Tops is $40. But this time, to keep my fingers looking well-tended, I have thrown away $120.

Not only that, the air conditioner fixer (or almost-fixer, if you will) deserved a tip, so I gave him a bottle of water, then a beer, then $20, then one of my favorite necklace creations for his wife. Then his two assistants were looking sort of left out, so I gave them each a pair of sterling silver earrings from my collection.

This day has cost me in the neighborhood of $250 and it’s still 92 degrees in here.
You’d be grumpy too.

I was going to treat myself to dinner out, but instead I settled for Kraft mac n' cheese, not the healthiest dinner, but comfort food at least.

I think I’ll take myself to a movie. But only if I can sneak Zeus in; we're compatriots in this rotten Friday. And if I’m lucky, they won’t notice I’ve brought my jammies and pillow too. I'll let you know.