#671

I made the switch from heat to air conditioning yesterday evening. I had some windows open, but there was no breeze, and the furnace hadn't gone on in days, and it was nudging 80 in the kitchen, and I was cooking, so I thought it was time. Big mistake. I'm freezing today. I'm trying to resist switching back because it's supposed to get into the 70s tomorrow (and because it's a pain), which means into the 80s in the house. Maybe I'll just go to bed early and sleep late.

The van got its new sensor this morning (free!), and I took the bubble wrap and a magazine rack/table to the Elmendorph, and a huge load of Jay's clothing to the Salvation Army. That was weird - I had filled out the receipt form in detail, and they signed it, but no one made any effort to ensure that my list had any connection to what I actually dropped off. Given what was on that list, I might have some trouble convincing the IRS it's for real.

I think I'm going to be donating a lot of my clothes, too. I pulled out a pair of jeans this morning that I hadn't worn in a year, and they're huge. The crotch seam is literally 4 full inches below where it should be, and the front is so loose it flops when I walk. I can't believe they ever fit! I'm going to have to go through the closet and try on all my clothes.

Somebody has been calling and hanging up before the recorder starts, several times yesterday and today. Three times it was when I was just coming in the front door, and they hung up before I could get to the phone. Last evening I was worried that Fishkill might call while Roman was here, so I had turned the "screening volume" down, and when the phone rang (while we were eating dinner) I didn't answer. It must be someone who knows how many rings I have it set for, because they hang up right before the tape picks up, which also means it's probably not "spam". If it's anyone reading this, please leave a message. You're driving me crazy!

Something else that's driving me crazy - the tax assessment. They reassessed everybody last year, for the first time in about 10 years, and everybody's assessed value pretty much doubled. (But the amount of tax stayed the same. Except for some people who got hit really hard - Piper said his quadrupled.) Well, today I got a letter from the town - they've raised my assessment. They now value my house at $350,500. Huh? It's a ranch, three bedrooms, living room, kitchen, informal dining area, laundry room, 2.5 baths, fireplace, walk-out unfinished basement, 2-car garage, 1,700 square feet on 1.3 acres, on a dead-end street, in a rural area, with a well, septic tank, above-ground electric (as in "telephone poles") and NO other services. (It's also full of mice, spiders, moths, and possibly carpenter ants. Does that count for anything?) Grievance Day is May 23. That doesn't leave a lot of time for research. I need to find out what other comparable houses are assessed.

It's funny - all the neighbors seem to think this house is the largest on the street ("...oh, yeah, the real big house, with the daffodils..."). I'll say, "well, no, it's not that big", and what I get back is "Oh yes it is - I saw when they were building it". Well, hey, I live in it! There are several neighbors with at least as large a footprint AND a second story! Sheesh! Look at the flippin' satellite photos! A third of that roofline is garage! Sigh.

I don't understand.

(On the other hand, in my life I have lived in at least 14 houses before this one, and this house has by far the largest kitchen I've ever had, with the most counter and cabinet space. I will never again be happy with less. I'm officially forever spoiled. (Which isn't really true at all. I know what my priorities are, and I will happily trade "the big house" and the huge kitchen for something of greater value, should it ever be offered.))