doing business in NOLA

Back to painting and cleaning today (which is probably really for the same intent as a dog pisses on a fire hydrant), then I called the landlord about the plumbing. Bathtub doesn't drain, toilet doesn't work right, bathroom sink drains slowly, and kitchen sink's water pressure is a trickle. He has been calling plumbers and can't reach a one - and those he actually corners are so overwhelmed with work already.

OK. Hopefully Tami doesn't mind if I stay at her house longer. He won't charge me rent until things are fixed. Hopefully it's soon! But, I'm prepared for it not being so.

So then I went to his office to make some phone calls.

First was the LA DMV. The first number didn't work because the phone company was having difficulties (the message said). The toll-free number did.

Do I have to take the written test in LA to get a license? No, but in addition to my social security card and birth certificate, they require a letter of clearance. "Letter of what?!" I asked. She told me to call the CA DMV and ask them to write me a letter of clearance.

What the eff does she think, that I have some friend there to chat with? WTF? And when I google it, other states require I send in the license to get a letter - so I couldn't drive legally, not even to the DMV?? And California doesn't say anything about how to get one. So now I'm looking on the Lousiana website and it says NOTHING about that. But, the office is closed now. Good grief. And here is an interesting tale of such things. So I think I will take my entire filing cabinet full of documents with me and hope for the best.

OK, I'm thinking, a small fluke.

So then I call the electricity to get it set up in my name. I'm expecting needing to go in person, to bring a deposit and documents, etc.

I did not expect what I got. Apparently there's been no service at my address since 2005 (despite me using electricity and gas daily, and there having been tenants earlier), and to get service I will have to hire a licensed electrician and also a licensed plumber (and see above about that) to sign a certificate that I am to fax to the electric office and then wait 48 hours for approval to have the account set up.

And this point my landlord is screaming at some man on the phone about a crazy woman stalking him for a job, so I don't ask him immediately WTF.

So I decide to try another one. Auto registration shouldn't be so hard, right?

I finally get through the phone queue ... and the electricity goes out.

And that's pretty much where I am right now, though the electricity did come back on eventually and I got some more painting and cleaning done. Sweating so hard that my hair is as wet as if just-showered.

Next week I'm volunteering with Habitat for Humanity all week, but the next week I'm free to sort all this stuff out. Though, it may take more time than that. Sigh. I can blame Katrina all I want, but this level of chaos took longer than a year to make.