I'm looking for something to break a run of bad luck.

To appease downstairs tenant I agreed to rent to non smokers upstairs.

But then 'down' complained up was smoking after all. Said they didn't realise non smoking inside, would stop.

Down still complained. Up denies smoking inside. I'm in the middle and don't know who to believe. Don't want to kick people out A) with no proof and B) winter is not a good time to find new tenants even when vacancy rates are not high.

Agree to buy air purifier/smoke filter for downstairs in the hope it will pacify - still not convinced about problem but want to avoid more problems having been getting back on track after bitch tenant 2014.

Two weeks ago, fridge/freezer upstairs not working well. Waste money on call out just to find can't be fixed. Get a refurbished replacement to be delivered very same day.

Three days later, 'up' reports although it has appearance of working and the freezer does work, the fridge bit doesn't.

Later that night, 'up' reports roof leaking into attic.

Next day, replacement fridge/freezer arranged for that afternoon and roof guy to call next day.

Roof guy doesn't turn up. Try to find alternative roof guy...so many not returning calls to messages left or not available until spring. Eventually find one. Will call last Friday.

He does take a look. Can fix for about $500 maybe end of this week. Now looking at weather, fearing rain.

Last night, downstairs tenant reports washer not rinsing etc. I phone the usual repair service this morning and they fix it this afternoon.

It's a source of pride that I get things done for tenants so quickly.

Five minutes into watching the latest Doctor Who on iPlayer, email from upstairs giving notice. Thanks for everything but moving Jan 1st. (No need to have bought the purifier/filter)

Now faced with losing half rental income/trying to rent/possibly having to show prospective tenants (many of whom don't turn up) over xmas/winter period in big snow, crappy -30 temperatures.

Still been a great investment but this is all just too much coming together like this.

Really pissed off.

Ah, the peril of the rentier class.

Well at least that made me laugh

Don't sweat the small stuff, people are getting blown apart all over the world. Advertise the suite for Jan 1 and hopefully it will be a seamless move out - move in. When you're showing it tell a white lie and insinuate that you evicted the tenants because they were smoking on the sly.

Once the initial negative feelings have run their course that's the kind of attitude I adopt.

There is always that possibility. That's the way it went for years before vacancy rates increased. Even in summer months it's harder to do seamlessly.

The weather/snow/xmas are added complications. I'll probably need to sort something snow clearing wise now.

Here's hoping you aren't snowed under. The prediction for the prairies is milder and less snow than normal which my bad back is grateful for. Maybe you can get the homeless shelter to send a shoveller; tell them when it needs doing you'll phone them and they can send the strongest looking client they have to do it in 1 hour and walk back with $20.

Maybe I can get a team of refugees in on it too.

If they're available that's a great idea. Register your suite with the local settlement committee and your snow clearing team can move in on Jan 1.

This is a good one:

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witches' mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark,
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat, and slips of yew
Silver'd in the moon's eclipse,
Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
For the ingredients of our cauldron.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

That reminds me of one we did as kids.
Warning....gross

Eeww.

The last line doesn't scan. Bloody Southerners.

We learned a variation of that one:

Snot and bogey pudding;
Green phlegm pie;
All mixed up with a dead dog's eye;
Squashed worm sandwich - spread it on thick;
Then wash it down with a cup of cold sick

Attachment 123272

Congratulations.

I hereby vote that as emoticon of the month.


So far.....