AC Woes

I was presented with a home maintenance challenge today. I was a little annoyed, but mostly excited because I'm always up for a home maintenance challenge. (remember this one?)

It seems that my building is painting the windows in the back gangway this week. And apparently the maintenance people needed me to remove my air conditioner by today, which I did not do. Whoopsies!

Last year, a memo went out to all unit owners requesting that all window AC units be removed by October 1. I ignored this request due to the fact that it's hot as the Sahara in my apartment, and I actually USE my air conditioner throughout the year. Even when it's zero degrees. So, naturally, when the memo came this year, I promptly discarded it in my trash receptacle.

But then I got a call this morning from my building's superintendent. He was standing in my bedroom staring at my still-installed air conditioning unit, and he was TICKED OFF. He informed me (in a nasty tone) that I must have my air conditioner removed by tomorrow morning, OR ELSE.

Big meanie.

So, tonight, before I made dinner (Potato & Onion Pierogies with Gorgonzola Creamed Spinach) I tackled the task of removing the air conditioner.

It wasn't easy, people.

This unit has been in place since Hector was a pup. (well, it was there when I moved in two years ago, so god only knows how long it's actually been there) ... I began the job by unscrewing three miniature screws at the top of the unit. I thought to myself, "these screws can't possibly be the ONLY things holding this 100-something-pound air conditioner in place."

I was wrong about that.

As I removed the last screw and hoisted the window up, the air conditioner began to teeter and totter. It almost crashed to the ground three stories below. Luckily, my arms shot out and I grabbed it with both hands, pressing downward with my elbows to stabilize it, while simultaneously yelling, "LOOK OUT BELOOOOOOWWWW!"

And then when I was sure that I had the unit under control, I began to shimmy it out of the window, inch by inch, until it broke free. I was able to catch it when it started to plummet toward my bare feet, thank goodness. But I think I strained something in my back in doing so. Save the back or save the feet? That's a hard one to ponder. Especially when you only have one nanosecond to do so.

And now the air conditioner sits right below that window on the floor of my bedroom, which is probably where it will remain until next spring, unless some strapping young lad volunteers to carry it down to my storage unit for me. *Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.