I Got in a Fight

I woke this morning and it was still dark out. Having gone to bed at 2 AM(the usual), I knew I would need more sleep so I put a pillow over my head and rolled to the other side (to this day I am still not sure if I sleep better on my right side or left). I woke right up. Eyes open sitting up. It was daylight, so I checked my phone at 9:30 AM. On the one hand, I had nothing planned today other than work in my home office and a few chores, but on the other, I don’t like to sleep late. I jumped in the shower, noticed my hot water was dropping off and made a mental note I would need to change my gas tank soon. Out of the shower and getting dressed. I told Alexa to resume. She started playing the news from home… WHAM 1180 radio for Rochester New York.

Today is the first day of the Lilac Festival. Shame on me for not realizing it was even that time of year! I know it will be sunny, warmth spreading and flowers blooming. It is one of the best times of the year as the entire upstate area takes on the smells of flowers. I finish dressing and as I start out the bedroom door, I tell Alexa to “pause”. I have been telling her that for a few years. The command that retains the place you last listened to.  In every case, she dutifully lowers the volume to hear what I say (along with the CIA, NSA, and Jim Comey I’m sure) and then goes silent until I call on her again. But not today. I do not know if she was feeling frisky because of the Lilac Festival news, or punishing me for getting up late, but this morning she argued. As I am half out the door, she calls out to me “playing a sample from PAWS, by Lighting”.

Some crap comes on, losing my spot holder, and I have to turn around. “Alexa! PAUSE!” I yelled at her, quite annoyed. “I don’t understand your request, please repeat”. So I am thinking to myself “grrrrrrrr” but say again, “PAUSE”. “Playing a sample from PAWS, by Lighting,” she says. Now here is the thing. Alexa is supposed to learn. She has been with me for several years. I have said “pause” countless times (because I never counted) but it has to be near 1000 times. She has never NOT understood me. So I’m thinking I am a bit stuffed up, so I go blow my nose and try again, all the while thinking I wish she had an off button. “Alexa, P A U S E!”. “I don’t understand your command” she spits back without a hint of smile. So I try “Pausa”, “Silencio” and “Espera” thinking the VPN was reading Ecuador. Nope. She just repeats some BS to me. By now my channel is long gone, so there is nothing to pause. So I just tell her to “STOP”. She goes dead. I breathe a sigh of relief, as I realize she had me wound up. I had gone into the world of flight or fight and was ready to take her on. It now felt very anti-climatic I went downstairs to work.

Two days ago I was planning to go into Cuenca for my weekly shopping and be there by noon. Instead, I got a loud  BOOM sound. Yet another water pipe exploded, this time inside the kitchen wall. Water was pouring out of the light socket. I stepped outside to the other side of the wall and saw the light switch out there equally looking like a waterfall. I turned the shut-off valve and messaged my landlord once again. This would be the fourth time in a week. I always pay my rent early and often two months at a time and he treats me like a king. A king with a water witch. He sent someone over in about 15 minutes, and I found my trip delayed by several hours. My plans had to change as I really only had time to shop and get back. I had to get shots for a video I promised.