When talking about the process of getting settled in to my apartment, I'm reminded of how it is when you're introduced to people. And besides, I like to consider my apartment more of an entity than a lifeless mass of bricks and wood and concrete. As with humans, in which there are always little quirks that reveal themselves within a few days after the initial excitement of meeting, my apartment too has some irritating qualities when it lets its guard down. 3 things in particular come to mind: orgasms, cold water, and pigeons.

The first started sometime last night in that semi-dream delerium of Tylenol p.m. There's no telling how long they were at it, but it did go on for a while. Long enough for me to think she had to be faking some of those times. Thank god I had taken sleeping pills, because I did manage to go back to sleep after that interlude of breath, screams, and a few whispered demands.

The next explains why I've been spending most of today nude. I was trying to do the responsible thing and actually bathe today, but the hot water just wasn't working. I guess the hot water heater hadn't been used for months and was hesitant to start suddenly working for me. So I tried all kinds of things, leaving the water run for a long time, turning it off, flipping some electrical switches, all while wildly cussing out the cold water. But, nothing worked and I'm not known for being patient, so I plunged in after all, even tried some French cuss words, but ultimately took a cold splashy bath.

Now for the pigeons. There is a flock of pigeons who reside just outside the main window of my studio. They like to hang out under this window, flirting and mostly shitting on a condemned passageway that used to link this side of the apartment with the other side. Pigeons are sick, and they make odd throaty coos. They're even annoying when they leave-that blasted flutter of their filthy wings. But don't get me wrong, I still love my apartment, and these quirks can probably be overcome. After hours of the switch being turned up, I actually got my hot water to work, it hopefully won't be too long before I make my own noises on this side of the wall, and surely there's a pigeon repellent of some sort...

Oh, and A texted me last night, thanking me and apologizing too. He said he was sorry for how he acted, he had been stressed at work, and he said my present was "magnifique"-I included a drawing of his balcony view on the back of my thank you note. So I think that made amends, I do need to give him his keys.