I'm not your mother, and, no, you can't take a shower in my house either (now with photos)

There was a call on Friday night from Unit 2 of my 3- unit condo building which I let go into voicemail. Already had a manhattan and was in no mood for any of his antics. He says there is flooding in the basement and he has no hot water. I seemed to have some so let it go. By the time I went down there on Saturday morning it was at least 6 inches deep.

I left a page for my plumber (his voice mail is full so I don't think this is a good omen for prompt service).

I was going to wait until 9 am to return the call from last night and at 901 am the phone is ringing. He has no hot water, the basement is flooded.

OK, this is the same as any other condo expense. You need to get an estimate for repair and present it to everyone to vote on.

I have no hot water.

I repeat, this is the same as any other condo expense. You need to get an estimate for repair and present it to everyone to vote on. I left a message for my plumber but don't know when I'll hear back. You should call someone too.

He has a plumber, I know, because this Fall he converted from oil to gas heat.

There is the long pause on his end like he really expects me to just start taking care of this and I'm not going to.

I call unit 1 and ask if he's spoken to Michael. I start to tell her what transpired in our conversation.

Oh, he's on the other line, let me call you back, she says.

No, we aren't finished with our conversation. I tell her I got the distinct impression that he expected me to just handle this and he needs to step up. I am not anyone's mother.

I'm sure he didn't mean that.

Well, that's the impression I got.

I hear from my plumber about an hour later and he says he can be here in 20 minutes which in plumber time can be anywhere to 40 minutes to the next day.

So I call them both. Michael has called his plumber. OK, then we'll have two estimates.

Steve, my plumber, gets there around 1030 - sorry, Steve, that wasn't 20 minutes. I keep my mouth shut of course. Not only do I have this inexplicable crush on him - he's kind of a hippie guy, reminds me of Neil Young, but also it's only been 40 minutes instead of 4 hours. He is hauling the pump in and is ready to go. I feel really stupid saying that I need to get approval and we need to discuss price but that is the cross I bear. It will be a couple of hundred dollars to pump the water out and then he can assess the rest of the damage.

I call Kate (Unit 1) and she meets me at the downstairs door. I tell her what the estimate is and she OKs it. I get Michael on the phone and he OKs it. OK to Steve.

I go downstairs and get Kate to co-sign the check with no amount filled in. I have no intention of sitting home all day so call Michael and tell him that I'll leave the check by his door with Steve's phone number so he can follow up with him.

Again with the "I haven't had hot water since Friday. I haven't bathed since Friday." Yeah, dude, too much information.

So what's my plan? Just to pop into Filene's Basement and take some pictures at the Skating Pond on the Common, and get some imported Parmesan at Sessa's in Davis Square.

I got two cute pairs of slippers at Filene's. Beige and light blue suede like booties for $7.50 each. Every thing in Filene's is an extra 25% but I am being good and only buying the slippers. Head over to the skating. I don't think my pictures came out too good. Not sure why they look so dark, it was a bright sunny, albeit cold day.

Maybe the ones of the squirrels who are coming up to people and eating out of their hands. No, I couldn't get any of those. but here's a very fat one. I was about one foot away from him.

Helen and I have been trading voicemails. I call her first thing on Saturday morning when I discover I have no hot water to line up going over to her house on Sunday night to take a shower if necessary. See, that's how you do it. Call a friend, call your ex-wife, call someone - not your single female neighbor.

So by the time I get to Davis Square, Helen and I finally connect. I tell her I'm going to McKinnon's and Sessa's. Does she want to meet for coffee or something? We decide to meet at Mr. Crepe in 30 minutes.

I go to McKinnon's first because I think the lines are going to be pretty long. Not really, there are people in the - and most of them are blocking my way no matter which way I turn - but it's not bad. I try to remember the pasta fagioli recipe. Since I'm going to Sessa's I might as well get beans and make soup too. Sessa's also has chicken, basil and sun-dried tomato sausages. Made those on Sunday and yummy.

Mr. Crepe's is very crowded so I grab a table and Helen comes in about10 minutes later. I go up to order and am standing there for, no, I'm not exaggerating, 5 minutes and neither of the girls behind the counter even acknowledge that I'm standing there. I move up to the other side of the counter. Nothing. Back to the original place. Nothing. Finally the guy in the kitchen comes out and asks if I've been helped.

No, I haven't. I order a chai latte. Someone gets in line behind me and he waits on them too. I tell Helen she should get up there.

Several more people get in line. They call my drink order out. Ehhh. Somewhat un-chai like. Not the rich creamy consistency or the spicy flavor that I used to get from the previous incarnation of this place, the Someday Cafe.

So I get home and the envelope for the plumber with the signed check is on the porch. I open it to see what we ended up spending and the amount is not filled in yet.

There's another message from Michael. Wait, let me guess. You haven't had hot water since Friday. He went out at 2 pm. Is the plumber coming back?

I don't know. Why don't you call him? No, he's going to call his plumber. I haven't had hot water, blah, blah, blah.

OK, fine, but you have to get approval for expenditure.

And one from Kate complaining about books she left in the basement being damaged.

Uh, wait a minute, you knew about water damage when it first happened last spring, you mentioned the books then and didn't move them. Tough luck.

Then I get a a call from Michael. He got a call from his plumber, he came over and my plumber was already there working.

So I go down and my pilot is lit and Michael's water heater needs to be replaced because he could either spend hours trying to fix the mechanism or just get a new one and install it. The water heater is still under warranty so we won't have that expense. I make the round of calls again to get the OK on the $180 to replace the water heater. Michael OK's it and I leave a message for Kate saying we have the votes and will proceed unless she strenuously objects early on Sunday morning when Steve said he would come back to do the work.

Sunday, I go out around 1030. Michael runs out. Yeah, you guessed it. He has no hot water. When's the plumber coming back.

I don't know. Why don't you call him? I left the check right there, and point. His number's inside.

11 am - I get off the train and there's a message from Kate. Your plumber's here. Thanks for all the messages. Yes, it was my fault leaving the books down there. Thanks for the offer to help move them.

I did that without taking a breathe between the sentence that ended with you assumed the responsibility and please let me know if you need help.