This was quite frustrating: When I arrived at 3 p.m. there were dirty linens, used glasses and cups, a very dirty bathroom. I mailed Ted. No instant reply, but half an hour later a cleaning woman arrived. She did not speak English, but I signalled i would be back in three hours.
On my return the door stood open and I heard voices. The apartment was a mess: Two Polish handymen were dismantling the old couch and setting up a new one. They told me I had been informed. I looked this up and found a text that had only just arrived. I had to leave again for an hour.
One afternoon two days before my departure somebebody began to work on the terrace of the apartment. The next morning at 9 a.m. two handymen arrived and started to build a wooden foundation. The terrace is right in front of the bedroom. They worked for 8 hours with a lot of noise, hammering and drilling.
I asked Ted for a discount which he flatly refused.