The Summer of 2010

I have told you everything that there is to tell about our condo on Insane Lane. You will have to wait patiently until the Summer of 2010 to continue to again hear stories about the characters who live on Insane Lane.

So......until that time when the sunshines brightly and the temperatures are hot, I bid you goodbye. 

Have a safe and happy winter, my dear readers. See you in May 2010!!!!

Tony and Condo Assessments

Tony didn't work. He was a con man as I have told you in the last post. He would walk up and down the sidewalk in front of our condos thinking. He was a very strange creature. He wore his hair in a pony tail. He wore blue tea shirts and long tight jeans even in the hottest weather.

Until he hooked up with David, the President, he was very tame. But, once the two of them found each other, their con jobs began.

The way to make money was to assess the owners of the condo. You could jack up the price for anything and rip people off. The first summer, it was decided that the condo needed new siding. The assessment was huge. Linda's ex-husband was awarded the job. After all, let's keep the money in the family! It was decided that each units windows would get shutters. Except ours. When I found that out, I refused to pay the assessment until I got the shutters. I was fined by the condo board. I was threatened by Jeff. But, I didn't give in. Each month my maintenance bill included a fine because I would not pay the assessment. Finally, Tony and Jeff caved in. They had lost. They lost to a woman. They hated me and I hated them right back.

The next summer it was decided that we needed an underground sprinkler in the back. Let me remind you that the back was full of weeds. But, Tony and Jeff created an assessment and you guessed it, we paid!!!

It was sad to do this to most of the owners. They lived in this condo all year long and many were quite poor. But, did Tony and David care? Nope!!!!! They cared about filling their pockets with ill gotten money.

The following summer, Tony decided that we needed a new pool. There was nothing wrong with our old pool. But, a pattern began to emerge. Tony had a 5 year plan or so he told me. He wanted to sell the condo in 5 years. All these improvements made his unit look better. He campaigned for the pool and carried on until the owners agreed that we needed to have a new pool. The assessment was huge. We now have an Italian style swimming pool complete with expensive pavers. Barbara tried to con us one Memorial Day Weekend, to come to a pizza party. In reality she wanted us to put sand between the pavers. We didn't go.

There was no railing for the pool. Consequently, I couldn't get down the steps. Neither man was going to give me a railing until I realized that the pool was a public pool. I called the Board of Health and got my railing. I was to call the Board of Health many times in the following summers. Barbara became THE DICTATOR OF THE CLORINE and each time she closed the pool, I made my call. In reality she swam in the pool daily. She thought that the pool belonged to her and wouldn't let anyone use it.

The assessments continued whenever Tony needed money. Since he didn't work, he always needed money. One assessment dealt with the fact that Tony felt that the condo was sinking and we needed to strengthen the foundation. We paid.

Another dealt with connecting the washers and dryers to make sure that they were properly vented. He needed everyone's key. We refused to give him ours because we lived not more than 1 hour away. He was furious, but stuck. We got our way.

Tony was always thinking of little scams. Once, he wanted to charge visitors who parked their cars in the visitors parking lot.

He even coned the young man who bought his apartment as an investment. Jeff and Tony told this young man, that they had a renter for him. That turned out to be another lie.

The sun was shining on the day that Barbara and Tony moved. I hope that they met people like themselves.