Tuesday &c
David, who has been taking care of Harbour Village since its beginning twenty-something years ago, walked up yesterday just as we parked the car at the lobby door and got out to start unloading. While we were away, David was overseeing the work going on in 7H and above us as HOA's contractor, a leak specialist, worked to identify the source of the water leak that's been plaguing us since Hurricane Michael.
David said the contractor did indeed find where the water has been coming in, and that it is scheduled for repair. This was good news and a tremendous relief to us.
During earlier work by a different contractor, the shutters had been taken down, then reinstalled upside down. Which is not exactly a major problem when Russia is bullying Ukraine and folks in Fort Meyers are in shock after Hurricane Ian.
Still to be repaired is the hole that, a couple years ago, was cut over the window where the water was intruding, but the piece is here on the floor beside me, so later this morning I will put that back in place and tape it as a temporary fix. The hole affects the HVAC, draws air from the void; and also I'm concerned that it could admit creatures.
Possibly condo wolves, predators with suction front feet and wheels in place of back feet, that, on darkest nights, roll silently up the sides of buildings searching for live things to prey on. Which is the reason we never sleep outside on the porch, and also why we no longer leave the sliding glass doors open for the cool, fresh salt air at night.
The living room dining room area are loaded with plants that, in clearing the porches against a possible hurricane during our absence, we brought inside. Seeing that we like the porch not so crowded, we will try to find ways to keep all but a couple of the plants inside. Linda enjoys plants and working with them, so there are quite a few potted plants here.
Hot & Black: while we were away the October shipment of my club coffee arrived, and I'm enjoying my first mug of it now.
Mentioning Ukraine and hurricanes Michael and Ian reminds me of the totally fickle nature of human concern. Once the media, televised live coverage, has made the most of it, exploited the shock value of any calamity, everyone loses interest and moves on to the next hot newsworthy event. After several months of it, Russia's ongoing atrocities in Ukraine are page two news now, American citizens in Puerto Rico will be years recovering from their hurricane devastation and so will folks in South Florida, just as we are still coming back from Hurricane Michael four years ago. What you find is that everyone else moves on and nobody cares: you have to look after yourself. Same when someone dies, sympathy, back to work and life, soon forgotten and everyone moves on. Maybe not being destroyed by life as it hits us is a facet of human nature that enables us to keep going.
Did I mention the great oysters I had yesterday? Locally farmed, excellent. Cold and salty. The shells are long and narrow, and with deep cups. For some years The Station, but we now have a new favorite restaurant in Apalachicola. Half Shell Dockside, up Scipio Creek just north of Water Street Hotel.
RSF&PTL, eh?
T