Handyman finished putting up kitchen ceiling fan, re building sectional sofa, and installing sun shade awnings over back patio, and space between cottage and guest house. I sent money yesterday, sans 200.00 to weed eat yard twice a month.
The "renter" asked for the keys to the sea can so he can weed eat the yard. The thing is, he never takes care of the yard, but has access to all tools, which he sometimes keeps in his house, which I have no keys to.
THIS IS A PROBLEM, and I don't trust him to do the yard work. Renters are about to begin arriving, and the yard needs to be kept up.
This means I
1. Reassure renter I trust him, but find he's not been reliable enough to keep keys. His sister will be that person going forward, and that will have to be that.
2. If he wants to continue staying at the guest house he needs to keep the beach clean of pine needles, the drive clear of garbage, and for goodness sake THE SPACE AROUND THE HOUSE clean of garbage. Sometimes it looks like HE's the one littering around his space. It's cultural, not just him, so that means the road is littered... disgusting. The beach always has stuff washing up, sometimes cool stuff, but mostly water bottles, and flip flop sort of stuff. It's not beautiful. It robs the beach of it's pristine glory. It's a problem.
So, that means I'm 200.00 in the hole, along with the high electricity bill, and he's not paying rent, which honestly, he should be doing.
I don't want him to get his feelings hurt to the point of doing something stupid. He USED to have all the keys, and access to tools, and that's changing. I have to figure out how much of a change. I mean, he used to pay rent too, but fell behind, and seems to never have money, sometimes not enough to have minutes on his phone, or to help with his mother's health bills, etc.
This is worrisome bc it costs him nothing to live.
I have to figure this out, today, and phone him.
The good news is I met a flight attendant on the way to Toronto who's from my little town in Ohio. We clicked, and she loves the cottage... is planning to go in September with friends, give me a good reveiw, and a list of things that need improvement as she sees them.
I'll give her a deal, and she'll send folks she meets on flights... they ask her where she goes, and where they should go. She thinks she'll send me tons of people, and I'm hopeful. If she goes in the fall the bugs will be better, and it won't be so darned hot. All seems lined up as well as it can be, IMO.
Once the electric grid is back up consistently, S (housekeeper), will be offering homecooked meals, and cocktails to guests as an option. I think she's great, and I love her majestic stature... she's a true Amazon, with lots of experience, and I don't think anyone's going to mess with her. A woman who commands respect, and gets the job done is a glorious thing to behold.
She also lives just up the street, and passes by the cottage at least twice daily. Will be close by in bad weather, which is important. I feel pretty good about this.
Now, to deal with her little brother.
Lighter