When moving into a brand new place, one should expect to encounter some glitches. I now have hot water, but the heat seems to want to act like air conditioning. Oh, yes, it will be fixed. I had to learn how to use the microwave oven, my new dishwasher, and washing machine and dryer. The oven is no problem, because that’s where I keep my pots and pans. Everything is different, but discovering the new can be fun.

What’s not fun is turning off the light at night, crawling under the covers and discovering a light shining into your eyes through drawn blinds.  At first, I thought it was the spotlight on the tree beneath my window, so the next morning I called down to the gardeners to point the spot away from my window.  Unfortunately, they are probably good gardeners, but speak no English. Consequently, I ran to get my Spanish/English dictionary and shouted “No Luminaries en mi bordello” (unfortunately that is not a Spanish word.)  Anyway, they got the message and pointed the spotlight away from my window.

It didn’t help!  The next morning, I opened my door to get my newspaper, and one of the construction men was standing in the hall.  I said, “Are you an electrician?”  “No,” he replied, but these fellow are.  Are you having problems with the lights in your apartment?”  “No,” I replied, “But the light in the stairwell next to my apartment is shining into my bedroom.” He then explained the dilemma to the other two men, and all three of them marched into my bedroom to see the cause of the problem.  One man took pictures of the light to show to his boss.

Now, I am convinced that between yelling out the window about my bordello, and 3 helmeted men coming out of my apartment at 7 a.m., I will get a really interesting reputation with my new neighbors. I don’t care.  If that light keeps waking me up at 2 a.m. I will confess to anything.

Esther Blumenfeld