2022-10-03 - 9:39 a.m.

Thank the Lord my new tenant is so very chill! She doesn't even have a set of keys to my front door and has no worries about that. There is a lock that none of our keys worked on. There are TWO locks on the front door- one which is a deadbolt I do have keys for; but then a separate key for what has been the pre-existing lock of a keyed entry with just one of those turn key locks on it.

After gathering ALL the kids and my keys we confirmed NO ONE could unlock the bottom lock when it was locked.

DANG

So I have to replace it.

So Sat I had gone to the hardware store and intended to do the cheapest repair-

and was looking at the locked doornobs but saw you can buy just the cylander for the inside and swap out that locking mechanism with new lock and key. So I called and consulted with a kid and asked "Does that bottom lock have a circle in center where it looks like the lock itself can come out?"

She said yes; so I bought the lock insert and opened it and made 2 copies of the key. I mean I have done this before, right? ( I swear I have)

So it should not be hard.

Turns out the key that DOES have that cylinder that may be swapped out is the top lock of the deadbolt- which works and we all have keys for and not the bottom door nob lock. Darn.

BUT that opening package and copy of keys was OK--- impulsive and not well thought out and overly optimistic..

It was $19 +change total... (oh with one other key copied) At the time I did comment " I am taking about a $5 gamble here this will work... I hope it works."

So I KNEW it possibly would not ... but took that risk anyway just to save time and not have to run back and forth. Cause if it DID work and I had managed to get the lock swapped out I knew I would not have time on Saturday morning to run back to the hardware store before I had other obligations!

CE la vie..
I know I can't return the two keys that were copied that have no use for. BUT The hardware store OFTEN will take an open and taped up package back ( I HOPE!!!) I will at least add a 3rd key to that package and if my teen wakes soon will add the 4th so if someone buys a once opened package at least they get the bonus of extra keys!

I just hope our little hardware store takes the item as a return.

I am trying to true up my bills and see what cash is on hand. I decided to go ahead and spend the amt given in the check of the security deposit and NEXT MONTH put THAT check in the dedicated bank account for the tenant security deposit. MAINLY cause I never got over to the bank and had no way to deposit the check but in person- and its a freaking drive... and on Saturday we had the Chili cookout set up at my church. So I had only time to get so much done-
and the more I thought about it , it would be just STUPID to pull that same amount out of my 401 K now for bills and be paying that when in one month I can drop the rent check right into ecrow.

I feel like that will be the case- that I am on the cusp of landing work.
If I don't I WILL still need to pull money and shift the amt of the security deposit into escrow anyway. Just to deliniate and keep the funds separate. I figure the one month is OK but longer than that not!! ( I mean some folks are not even as diligent in having a dedicated escrow account when they rent. But really a security deposit really is the TENANTS MONEY and needs to be in an escrow account. I just didn't want to leave a check around for too long. Seriously I was already experience the ADHD moment of having to look for it forgetting where I set it down! DANG.. I just felt BETTER once it was deposited and the option to get that done on Sat was my account- which has a couple autodrafts that are about to be pulled!)

Post office closed at noon. Chili cook out set up obligation from 10 to about noon. I was trying to scramble and buy the lock set; and mail off a package to my one kid of their mail ( including mail from the Registrar! That kid registered to vote here!) etc...

and had my 1pm meeting and then the date with my DC guy. I would have LOVED to be able to leave early enough to hit the bank en route and just depost that check but that would have taken so much longer and it was stressing me to consider trying to fit that in...
AFter being up the night before to get all the laundry in the whole house done before the tenant moved in.

SO Main point here-

My tenant is here ; just moved stuff Sat but she stayed elsewhere until tonight
BUT does not yet have keys to the front door!! SO I have to get this done ASAP.

Just a rant for a moment. I am so happy she is so chill about not having the keys yet. I could give her the key to top lock but makes no sense as going to rekey it and the bottom together.

TODAY

OK ramble and vent done. Just relieved she is chill about this. She does have a lock on the basement door! So her place locked. Mine has the bolt lock so we can lock it as well. Just that she could not get in without someone opening that door. (There is literally NEVER no one home here! EVER)

I am really tired. Got my bedroom cleaned a bit. One less box of crap. There is still the big pile of clothes to fold and sort and maybe get rid of some of that is on my davenport/couch. I had the typical intense allergy attack when cleaning. My sinuses are still reacting even an hour later...
OH that weekend I was worried I was sick and might have a cold or COVID? I called and no one could cover but the symptoms were mild AND once I got to work they were gone. I noticed I was FINE all the days working BUT once back home they happened again. So it was not a cold at all but allergies. When my house is shut up I have bad allergies.
Its a pain. There is something here I am highly allergic to. Could be my own dog for all I know- and I am fine when all the windows are open in the summer and spring. THIS IS LIKELY WHY I HATE AC And LOVE OPEN WINDOWS

I used to think it was just the dust in the system when I first turned it on ( That does trigger allergies! IN any building when that transition happens I am miserable at first) BUT I think there are other allergins here kicking in. The thing is my eyes have not been overtly itchy , just the nose reacting- sneezing and running so I thought it was a cold at first.

Allegra does not work for me apparently. That is the allergy medicine I have tried this past week. I had a harder time sleeping in DC Sat night and felt more reactive to my guy's dog then too.
He has a beautiful black lab.My breathing felt a bit labored but it was not a full blown obvious asthma attack anyone else would notice. It was not so bothersome I could not stay there and was not really disruptive other than not being able to sleep as well as usual I think.
But I have to remember to bring my inhaler next time as well as take a DIFFERENT allergy medicine than allegra. I took that RIGHT before leaving and it just doesn't work well enough. I also have to remember to carry benadryl!

So here is my shopping list and plan for today:

1. Return stuff at little local hardware store I like to support
2. Go to Home depot for the new lock set ( Sure I like to support the small local shop but hey they are more expensive so for larger purchases sorry...)
3. SANDPAPER!! I did pick up painters tape but somehow FORGOT that on Sat morning. We are at a standstill til have it on the painting project of kid's room.
4. Another Allergy med and Benedryl. I might have a coupon for these..and a pharmacy run might happen too.

My allergies have kicked up for sure the past couple of days.

DANG as I was writing I mentioned this to my kid who is sitting here. I said I am allergic to something here.

Kid said "The tenant is a smoker. I could smell it when she came in"

OH dang...
I Hope I did not fail to list non smoker only for basement rental?

SHIT we had lots of conversations from interested folks who wanted to know if it really meant NO CATS.

Smokers for me are as bad as cats. I DO NOT want smoking in my house... shit that would suck if I failed to address that. Cause if I did not list that then it is on me-

having just signed a lease.

Seriously.

If she smokes not much I can do about it now after the fact if that was an oversight on my part.
I am hoping that it is just that maybe she spent the past couple days in a smoke filled place- home of a smoker ; or she went out Sat night and didn't wash hair yet and it was absorbed...
YES if you go out it lingers...

and for us who are sensistive we pick up on it ( actually react!) REALLY quickly.

I didn't notice it as was ALREADY congested from my cleaning my bedroom. My allergies were ALREADY full blown so now I can't smell a darn thing. BUT That does explain why they are still exaseprated an hour after stopping cleaning- may have been reactivated.

I really like the tenant and think this will work out. EVEN if she is a smoker! I think if so hope it is not bothersome to me.

It did occur to me that moving the couch from the basement back up here possibly is the source of the irritation to. When we bought those couches the one definately smelled like smoke and I cleaned it a few times to try to get rid of it. I was having a reaction to the couch itself! So annoying.

Will see...
can't worry too much as these are all unknowns at this point anyway.

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