oil painting

Thanksgiving has passed and the wether is getting really really cold. 5 years living here, hands down this year is the coldest ever, in a house without built in heater ( or with a broken built in heater) 

last week or so, it was raining, and I love sleeping with the sound of rain ( more like little ice) hitting the window's glass. I thought that night I would read book and sleep like a sleeping beauty, but heck no, suddenly the electricity went off. puff 

then I hurried down and see that my living room's electricity ( and the kitchen) is still on. It seem that I have use too much electricity. 

I thought I needed to find the box to restart the electricity, but I couldn't find it, not even in the garage. 

I call the manager and it went to his voice mail. 

I knocked on my neighbor's door and to my surprise, she was wearing double bathrobe with super huge, thick pair of socks.. ( So I'm not the only one that was suffering, I guess). She, unfortunately also doesn't know where the electric box is and told me she was using the fireplace for her bedroom. 

So I heard from one of my neighbor that Unit 6 has live here for 7 years or so. I thought they might know, so I knocked on the door. 

The lady and his son came out, I told him my issue and he immediately offered to help ( thank GOD) 

The box is actually at the lower cabinet at the kitchen, near the floor, and near the sink ( how dangerous...) 

Than he told me that the building is so primitive that they still use this fuse thing and that I have to buy a new one. 

The idea of not having electricity for the night is killing me!!! how am I able to sleep with the wether below zero, and no heater at all... T T 

He told me that they should have change this thing before I moved in, because it is so old fashion, and that the electricity is not compatible with the new gadgets. For instance, the new heater uses 12 amp, and the limit for one fuse is 15 amp, which means I can not watch tv, have computer on, etc when my heater is on... 

He told me that new building probably have 30 amp for one button ( yes, they don't use fuse anymore..) 

and that this fuse, we have to buy every time the electricity went off. Also that I have to be careful not to get zapped while I install the new fuse in. 

So he asked me if I really need to get the electricity on my bedroom on, and he took out the burnt fuse and replaced it with the fuse that was formerly for my living room.  Now I can have heater on my bedroom on, but my living room is totally dark. 

He explained to me what I should do tomorrow and suddenly my phone ring, the manager called back. I didn't want to talk to the manager, cause... ermmm I don't know why either LOL. 

So I asked him to pick up the phone, and he talked to the manager. 

The manager told him, to let me know, that if the electricity is off, that it is none of his business and that I should call PGnE" 

Then I asked him, " what did he say?" 

then he replied me with a sigh " he's a jerk" 

I was astonished as the phone is not completely off yet ( the manager is still on the line) 

Then I turn the phone off, then he tell how much he dislike the manager...Which I can understand why. LOL, I also told him that the manager have this vibe around him that makes you do not want to talk to him . 

and he replied almost sarcastically " OOhhh, you don't want to call him, he's a jerk, he doesn't care, he just wants you money" I'm amazed by the honesty as no one ever said it so boldly.

 Last time one of the neighbor left their key inside the house and they were locked from the outside. I remember that Tim, the son of the manager, who show me the house, told me that if this happened that I should call the manager. But the manager told my neighbor that he was on vacation and that they need to call a locksmith. 

So in the end they dealt with their issue themselves, now I think I understand how this building is run. 

I think every building have different management. James, the manager of my former apartment is totally a different person.. Once, my furniture was left by Fedex at the lobby, and I called james, and he told me that the Fedex guy should brought the furnitures up to my apartment. However, if they fail to do so, that he would ask his guy to come and help me. ( James, at that time, was also out of town, but he doesn't use it as an excuse...) 

At one point I feel really horrible, but then my classmate told me that her dorm's heater is also not working. She was studying in the apartment wearing coat. she sleep with quilts and her roommate sleeps with her coat on. 

I know it sound horrible, but the fact that I'm not the only one that's suffering make me feel a little bit better HAHA