Exploding head averted

Fortunately for everyone concerned, our tenant's rent check was in our post office box this morning.

He mailed it Saturday - three days after the due date - which is not a good sign, but at least it's here.

The bad news is that the cashier's check from the State Bank of Lizton (Ind.) is made out to "Don and Maria" instead of "John and Maria."

So now I'm printing out a copy of the lease agreement to take to the bank to prove the check is really meant for us and that we are entitled to cash it.

Maria's parents dropped by the rental house the other day to meet the tenants and her dad ended up showing the renter how to turn on the water. I gave the renter explicit instructions on how to turn on the water in a two-page "operator's manual" to the house. I emailed him a copy at his workplace several weeks ago and also left a printout on the kitchen island when were there the weekend before Christmas.

Duh.

We have reached a point where I am asking Maria to handle all communication with this guy because I'm afraid of what I might say.

But at least we have a check. Kinda. So my head probably won't explode. Today.