where I live

Ah yes, construction. 7 out of 10 years. You are mad, I hear you thinking. And I am not a raving lunatic from it all. No, I am a calm, gentle person. With a massive headache. And no sleep. A bit irrational.

I live in a suburban city, in a desirable area known as 'The Core', meaning it is close to the lake and downtown. I moved here before rent controls were lifted, so I got a good deal. People from these parts, of a certain era, will proudly point out when I tell them where I live that this was the first highrise building in this town, built around 1962. It was a big deal back then. And a prestigious address. There was a concierge (which explains the strange configuration of the cavernous lobby) and if you look closely and know that it was there, you can see the outline of where the fountain used to be in the front. That was then. Things had gone downhill over the years as neglect from various owners caused a bit of ... decay. There had been a variety of new property management teams doing cosmetic work after I moved in. Finally, someone with the sense to actually work on the structural stuff took over. Really, wouldn't you feel safer with the parking garage not leeching salt? Or the roof caving in from the weight of all those SUVs. Or the tree roots snaking in through the pipes? Or the bricks getting repointed? Or the new windows that fit properly and do not rattle every time a wind blows off the lake, or lets the snow in between the screen and storm window? YES, you would say. Well, all this requires construction.

It should not have required that the parking garage be done three times due to shoddy work being done the first time. That took 1 1/2 years. My answering machine outgoing message said: Please leave a message as I cannot hear the phone ringing, and cannot be bothered with the yelling necessary to be understood. I'll return your call after 5pm. Or on the weekend. Or not. In which case try again. We had a shuttle bus to take us to a parking lot three blocks away where the old grocery store used to be. Actually, that wasn't so bad in the hot, hot summer as it was air conditioned. Then in the winter, the warmth made it worthwhile not walking. And it was one way to meet your neighbours. And everyone was affected. Great bonding.

But, it wasn't done properly, yet. Nooo. So now it was being redone again. Except, someone forgot to put in the drainage. We've had alot of flooding then frozen deep puddles. Just like how if you could join your freckles together you'd have a great tan, well if these puddles were attached we could have had a skating rink, which might have been fun. Gauging the depth of each puddle and dodging the icy patches was only fun if you were watching from up above, safe in your living room.

This time, this second redo, (or is it now the third?) not everyone is affected and there is much grumbling. The off site parking lot is farther away. And the town's traffic has grown substantially. That old parking lot where the grocery store used to be? It's now a condo. There are several more condos being built in the area. Tiny units that I could not afford. Units that I could not possibly fit everything I own into.

Strangely, perversely, the more other people complain, the more I sink into calmness and serenity.

It helps that I park on the lower level and do not have to keep moving my car. Or wait for the shuttle. And I now have an air conditioner. And a notice came around yesterday that all should be completed next weekend. Weather permitting. It is supposed to rain all weekend. Sigh.