Saturday, May 25, 2013

I'M A DELINQUENT!

So we have another cloudy, rainy day, and it’s sweater/jacket temperature out there too. It still is awfully pretty, with the blossoms on the apple trees, and the others so leafy, waving their various shades of green. The eye is caught by colorful dandelions and daisies and bluebells and baby’s breath all over the property, taking up a good part of the lawn and peeping out from among the huge stones in the rock wall. Some would call them weeds; to me they’re another gift from Mother Nature. Each season has its charm, and we Canadians are blessed in that we have four of them every year.

The only real blah note was the radio’s warning that Hydro Quebec was giving no grace to delinquent accounts. Uh-oh! I’m on that list! I hadn’t recovered from the huge bill occasioned when my house was full of family last fall, then I received another 4 weeks ago showing a cost of 690$/month for the February/March consumption. What???

The Company assured me that it was a real reading of the meter, not just an estimate. I’m still not alone in the house; the kids are living in the basement apartment and, being young, didn’t have the notion of putting on sweaters instead of turning up the heat. Hot water, extra washing/dryer – it all adds up with a female occupant too. In any case, the damage was done; and now it was time to pay up. I called to make a deal, but the announcer was not wrong. As far as Hydro Quebec is concerned, my grace period is over on Monday. A letter had been sent, I was told. Damn. Yes, it had come in when I was not in top shape, so I hadn’t even opened it when I picked it up, then forgot all about it.

UGH! Some frantic collection calls to MY delinquent clients went out on Friday; now I wait and see. I wonder if I could have the Company shut off THEIR electricity if they don’t pay me in time? LOL, fat chance.

I’ve had lots experience with the lack of power during the winter (not for the same reason), so will prepare on Sunday night, filling the tub with water, etc. A positive note is the more favorable weather, so freezing pipes are not a problem, and one doesn’t need to put on a snow suit to go out and use the BBQ for whatever requires heating.

And...I may be getting in a tizzy for nothing. Most times something always shows up when you really need it.

Last, but not least, in the event that things slip up this time, the generator is available to assure that I get to watch my hockey finals, and that alone makes me SMILE!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

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