Headline news this evening:
ALL QUIET ON THE PASSIVE SMOKING FRONT!!
That's right, after months and months of irritation, frustration and curseration (that's the bad language I use whenever Cloud 9 is infiltrated by smoke), both apartments whose smoke has been driving me mad at hours ranging around the clock from 5am to 3 am have "agreed terms" - each to bang on/ring something when coming out for a smoke between the hours of 7am and 9pm when a purple ribbon has been hung on my balcony to indicate that I am at home and doors and windows open. All it took was a typewritten letter (whose language and style may or may not have taken advantage of my extensive legal training! :)) to each party - repeated verbal requests clearly not doing the job. However, I have either spoken with/received written communication back from each party to the above effect as a result, so it was worth the paper. We'll see how the arrangement goes (I have a terrible feeling that the "party flat" will use their bell to accompany their doof-doof music at unsociable hours of the night), but at the moment even just a moral victory feels pretty darn good.
Peace on earth and fresh air to all men, women, children and companion animals!