Too Cold: Back to September 1990

Make this cold weather go away. Hard freeze warnings are out for the rest of the week. There were snowflakes on my truck this morning when I took out the garbage. I feel like a “wuss” complaining about a few flakes after reading journal entries of my friends who have been bombasted by REAL snow!

This time of year is always reflective for me. As my paperwork arrives for January, I try to tie up the loose ends of 2009. I always keep one year of utility receipts on file. With the start of 2010, I’m safe to shred the paperwork from 2008. It makes no sense, but at least I shred the stuff now. When I sold my house in Lockport in 1997 I had boxes of paperwork going back to when I bought the place in 1978!

I was going through my old paper journal to pin down when Joe and I made the trip to Buffalo to buy a Victrola from a friend. I have forgotten so much of all we did. There could be the makings of a movie in those paper diaries I have squirreled away.

I’ve said “ad nausium” everything I own has a story behind it. Here is the story of my stove as it was recorded back on September 1 & 2, 1990. I’ll transcribe the entry exactly as I wrote it at the time and add the clarifications in italics and bold.

Saturday, September 1, 1990:

Ride up to Buffalo with Gary to see Chris. The house was beautiful. His ex had broken in and striped the place. Chris was a good friend from Gary’s “Ohio days”. Chris and his boyfriend had split and Chris was moving back to Ohio. He had to sell the house. His ex broke into the place and stripped all the wallpaper from the walls! It was an ugly divorce! He wanted Gary to store some stuff for him. Touring the house I fell in love with the Tappan stove in the basement. Chris said I could have it, but Sunday would be the only day I could have to move it out. Ended up moving a fountain and two plants in large clay pots. Stopped over to Harrys. Ralph was over. Had to borrow some moving straps. Harry was a good friend at the time who lived near-by. Drive back to Lockport – go to the Union Hall for a beef on weck. Was starving. The Nylons were at Artpark. For many years I was a volunteer usher at Artpark in Lewiston, NY. This was a state park for the arts, originally planned to make culture accessible to everyone. Lawn was mobbed. Margo was there. Ushered on the second tier. Good crowd. Demonstration going on in front. We really had to check tickets – no trouble. Great show-still kind of loud-wore earplugs. Stopped by Joe’s. Joe had the best front porch on Niagara St. It was a gathering spot for the crew. Rula had his truck on the lawn. Rula’s real name was Randy. We called him Rula after the Russian model Rula-Lenska- “I was not always this beautiful, I use oil of Olay” fame. Doug over and Noreen. New Rap song out, “I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get up!” Noreen can do it perfectly. The fire trucks go to the group home down the street. We all had to go investigate. Gary (another Gary from the morning trip) was chasing Doug all over. As the trucks pulled away, Rula laid down on the sidewalk and kept saying, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!’ sick crew!

Sunday, September 2, 1990:

Up early and splurge on the Southern Slam at Dennys. Service horrible. Joe calls – head over there for late brunch. There is no getting Christopher on the phone. Go to peek in the windows of Gary’s house on Waterman St. Someone is working on it. The poor place is a shambles. This crazy Russian took us through. He was saying how he would rip out all the woodwork, etc, etc, etc. God that must have been a beautiful house. This mad Russian was saying how he was going to paint the peaks of the house using a 20 ft pole with a brush tied to the end of it. Good grief. Scared of that. This Waterman St house was a huge beautiful old place that had been carved into apartments. Gary had the chance to buy it when he bought “Eleanor’s house” on East Ave. This house had been trashed. Mold was growing on the walls from tubs and sinks that had been purposely let to run over. The woodwork was beautiful oak. The church next door bought the property and demolished it for a parking lot. Head up to Christopher’s. Find the monitor top to a GE refrigerator so have to get it for Gary. The neighbor’s can’t believe it! The Woman of the house said someone already took the bottom half! Monitor top refrigerators are notoriously heavy. The top compressor unit just lifts off. We figured whoever took the bottom part was going to return for the top. Gary had a monitor top refrigerator and wanted to have a spare top!

Still no Christopher. Go “curb shopping" and come back. I’m really upset, I want that stove. Only one thing to do. Break into the house through the basement window like Mike did. When Gary and I were up Saturday, Christopher showed us the window his ex, Mike used to break into the house. I noticed at the time there was only a bent nail holding it shut from the inside. I got “that look” that scares all those who know me. My mind was made up, nothing can change it. There were families all around this house having picnics and generally enjoying life, and here I am breaking and entering! Very easy to do. Unlock the back door move out the stove. What a heavy mother. My back is killing me! Get it all strapped down. Go to Anderson’s on Sheridan Drive. B-B-Q, curly fries, and Vernors. Top it off with an Arctic Whip. Feel really fat. We got lots of looks.. Gary’s truck looked like a delivery truck from 1930 with a monitor top and 1927 TappanRange! Unload the stove into garage. Then over to Gary’s to move the monitor top. Ralph was there. What a slug. Ralph was living at Gary’s at this time. I’m just going to say he was/is NOT a nice person. Gary was fuming – Ralph went through one box of wine and ½ through the fresh box! Then he was filling an empty beer can with vodka. Didn’t fool us! Christopher called about 11:00 p.m.-was not upset we had broken in!! Would have never known had we not told him. I sent Christopher a check for the stove, so it is mine fair and square!!!