You go away for a month and the world caves...

So I was out of the States for a mere 29 days and I return to domestic chaos. For the last few days I have been scrambling around addressing this unforgiving laundry list.

1. A glaring 48 hour collection notice from EBMUD for unpaid water bills (my landlord pays this) - the notice was dated 6/23 and I still have water. As of this afternoon, the bill is still unpaid according to Lois, a customer account operator I talked to today.

Hmm, that will be a pleasant surprise when I go to turn the shower on tomorrow and (poof) nothing!

2. Jury summons from the Superior Court of Alameda County for my roommate who is in Africa. Luckilly, she didn't get called in, though I was kind of worried about it when I phoned the court hotline.

3. Broken pipe under my kitchen sink. My landlord is "working on it" as of yesterday. Time to pull out the duct tape I guess.

4. Starving feline at the back of my porch. My roommate Todd apparently doesn't have much pity for the thing. It looks like it's lost a few pounds since late May.

5. Student loan consolidation deadline - June 30. I got to find a few hours to get my paperwork together and lock in the lower rate. I am supposed to do the same for my Africa-bound roommate. Seeing how I have enough trouble getting my own paperwork in order...I forsee problems on this front.

6. To top it all off, Todd didn't lift any one of his little fingers while we've been away and the house was a disaster zone upon my return. I spent yesterday re-enacting scences out of Cinderella - me as the scullery maid. Thank the good Lord that he's hitting the high road from Bateman Street this month.

What disasters have befallen my fair readers this summer?