question: After that , the light fixture / fan in the living room would nt turn off because the pull cord got jammed , and we realized a minute later that there is n't a light switch for that . So , we had to unscrew the lightbulbs and deal with it later . We had to buy a fridge and a washer and dryer , and those were delivered fairly quickly , but the first time I used the dryer it make a loud noise like dying seals .
Q: Why may the narrator be doing so much home improvement ?

answer: They just bought a house .

question: Luck was with them , too , when it came to the landlord . The landlord was kind enough to give them a grace period before beginning to pay any rent so they could properly pool their financial resources into finishing the restaurant . The task of looking for genuine antiques to garnish the restaurant was also some kind of fortune for them .
Q: What may be the reason for needing a grace period for the rent ?

answer: Because starting a business is expensive .

question: many people are a little queasy about that vision . haunt : to come to mind continuously e.g. we have been haunted by the prospect that we are turning into our machines : efficient , effective , productive , soulless .
Q: What does the OP have an axe to grind against ?

answer:
Automation