Today, at around 16:00 hrs, two guys from the sub-contracted A/C repair company showed up at my door. Sweating through the night all week, (What am I saying? It's Grenada - Month is more accurate), I couldn't have been happier.

After about 10 minutes of staring at it, feeling the air coming from it, noting that no error lights were illuminated on it, yet still of the opinion that something wasn't right, one of the maintenance guys decided to take the entire unit apart, down to every last screw. Upon finally getting down to the back of the A/C unit, the problem was as clear as day - the cylindrical blower fan was so clogged with crap, since it probably hadn't been cleaned since installation, that it was a wonder any air was getting through at all. After 15 minutes of scrubbing the blower fan, filters and everything else in the airway path, the amount of cold air coming out of the unit was increased at least 10-fold.

Watching the maintenance guys trying to put the unit back together though, was quite amusing.

"Does this look like I should use a long screw or a short screw?"

In the end, the A/C unit is still hanging on the wall, and only one small part (the central processing unit) is missing a screw and loose in the innards of the unit. But I don't care - it's blowing cold air, and lots of it! I was so happy that I offered the maintenance guys a drink: "Soda, beer, or water." Of course they chose the beer - Heineken, since it's imported. (All the way from St. Lucia, but still somehow tastes better than the local stuff.)

After the maintenance guys left, I stood under the A/C for a while just basking in the Artic cold front now moving through my room. I got a nice case of sinus congestion from indulging myself, but nothing a healthy dose of hot sauce with tonight's dinner (tacos) couldn't fix.