Ray called our auto insurance company to check in with them about the possibility of changes that might have to be made for our policies now that we have had a civil union ceremony. It turned out to be a great idea since he received word that we would now be enrolled in family insurance with multiple cars. The result would be that we would get the same level of insurance. In the process, my insurance cost would go up $2 for the year, and basically, he would be pulled underneath that cost, waiving his own charges in the process. That should definitely help with our annual budget. And people really wonder why we keep saying that we are discriminated against for not having access to marriage rights. Combine this with Ray now being able to get insurance through my workplace, and things are a lot rosier!


I got to spend a good chunk of my day at work training the woman who will be taking over my responsibilities. I think she is good choice to do so. I have worked with her at the library for a number of years, and I have also seen her work with the teens. She definitely likes them, and I think they like her as well. That will ease my mind quite a bit about the shift because the kids really mean a lot to me. I am really going to miss them!


Last night, Ray and I had one of those great experiences when the phone is ringing at 2:00 am. You know that when you pick it up, it is not going to be good news. While this could have been worse, it was still not the best thing. It was one of the tenants at our rental property calling to let us know that the fire alarm outside her apartment was going off. Since we had a major fire two months after we bought it, we are a bit leery when it comes to the idea of fire. Since that fire gutted the three apartments on the right side of the building, it was quite the tough experience.

On the bright side, this was one of those cases when there ws smoke without fire. It turned out the furnace just needs to be cleaned. Ray turned off the furnace last night and called to have it cleaned. They were supposed to come this afternoon, but that didn't pan out. Ray stayed there the whole 2-hour block that was assigned to the arrival of the technician to no avail. The company was very apologetic, and promised someone would come over first thing in the morning. Fortunately, there are no concerns about heat since it is the middle of summer, but it does mean there is no hot water in the 6-apartment building. I feel so bad for the tenants because they are the ones who are going to suffer. Hopefully, tomorrow goes better than today for that little problem.


As I have been getting things ready to decorate the office at my new library, I came across a really cool painting that I am hoping to find a print of to hang on one of the walls. It is called The Librarian, and it was painted by Giuseppe Arcimboldo in about 1566. I think it is really cool. Now, I just have to find it as an affordable framed print.