Good evening. Currently 27 degrees and partly clear. Did you see that big moon rising from the east about a half hour ago? It was quite pretty. A bit chilly but not that bad. Looks like the mercury will drop a few more degrees this evening then start to warm up the approaching rain. The chances of freezing rain in the morning are decreasing but it’s all a timing thing on how fast the morning warns up.

Went down to the library for a bit then went for my evening walk after stewing over the cost of the replacement thermostat for my apartment which ultimately looks that my renters insurance will cover. But I hate dealing with stupid shit like this.

Got the thermostat fixed in my apartment today and the landlord left a $83 handwritten bill for the replacement. Legally it looks like I’m responsible for it, although the lease language assigning responsibility appears to be not written correctly and says neglect (willful negligence) rather than negligence, which can be a simple accident. The case law is contradictory on bona-fide accidents by tenants and not willful damage but ultimately it’s a moot point – I have renters insurance which covers up to $1,000 damage of property to others (e.g. landlord) with no deductible. I think it’s per year and not per claim. That said, my landlord needs to send me an actual bill and not something scribbled illegibly on a sheet of paper. I’m sure he will make me an actual bill if I ask, because he wants to get paid. I’m sure his insurance for accidental tenant damage only kicks in after the security deposit is used as an deductible. Insurance is a good thing to have. It’s a small claim, so my insurance agent can pay it out on the spot without having an adjuster involved, which is nice. Better yet, the loss occurred on November 30th, so it falls on last year’s insurance, protecting me fully for 2016. If for some unlikely reason the claim isn’t paid, it will buy me time and smooth over my cash flow. I like my apartment and I’m years into my auto-renew at a low rate, so I’d hate to have my lease end in 90 days or the rates hiked. Still a bit annoyed but accidents happen. Still a lot cheaper than a fender bender and certainly a lot less dealing with insurance adjusters and body shops.

Some day I want to own land and be my own landlord in a simple off-grid cabin. I’d be less cheesed off about paying to repair something I owned and broke. I don’t need anything fancy, just a place where I can shoot guns whenever I want, have fires and burn junk, and generally be left alone from an over zealous government. Kind of like Fixed By Doc’s cabin in rural Pennsylvania. I guess for now it’s called camping. It’s nice living in the suburbs and walking or taking the bus everywhere for now. I like Pennsylvania a lot but I have some serious questions about the future of that state, especially recently when both parties in the legislature have been so addicted to raising taxes.

Continued researching winter coats. My zipper is broken, missing teeth, and the coat is rattier than what some homeless people wear. Going to get another Carhartt and I found a place with a decent price with no state sales tax or shipping. No sales but they have the colors I like in stock and cheaper than Carhartt direct. The old worn out coat says size 50 which I think is equivalent to 2XL and tall but I really want to try one on for size. I know Crossgates Maul has a Carhartt brand store next to Dick’s, maybe they’ll have that size to try it on. I am seriously bummed out that they aren’t union made anymore.