Hot water, please

How great is this? Last night we got home and had no running water, without warning. Fairly regularly here, we are still without water at times, but usually with warning. This time, none.

Our neighbors below us are remodelling (as we have determined from the pounding at odd hours), and they cut our water. KB went down just to ask them how long it still might be (nevermind the fact that they couldn't have politely warned us) and the lady just went off on him in Russian. He asked for Latvian, please, and then he got a real earful. How dare we bother them with our own problems of not having water, right?

So finally at some point last night we got the cold water back, but still no hot water as of this evening. So the dishes are totally unwashed and showers have not been had. And the nutty thing is, there is no one here to complain to that would get a solution to this problem!

In other news, now that I am a whopping 29, I think I have officially turned into an old lady - at least as a teacher. I've been saying "kids these days......" and today I even threw toys into the garbage can today in front of a wide-eyed group of kids. Ok, they have been breaking toys left and right and are totally of the attitude that we can go out and just buy more. Well this was a favorite princess wand, not even in the classroom for a week and broken several times, so finally I pitched it and said no one is going to the store to buy a new one!

KB had a much more humane suggestion when we were talking about it last night, he said to tell the kids that they toys are scared of them because they are hurting the toys so much and the toys asked to be put away. I told the kids about this possibility after I was the meanie who threw the precious wand away, so we'll see how it works.

I toying with the theory that we are born with X amount of patience, and I may have used mine up in my early years. I hope it is not so, I plan to be around for a while longer and prefer being a kind and patient person. My co-teachers told me today, though, that I should get a special plaque after teaching this year's class. They also said I could write a book about it. It's a special, special bunch. :)