the world loves to torment me
So, as I’ve previously stated, our new digs are quite dirty. I was kidding about the whole puerto ricans thing. It’s true that the previous occupants were puerto ricans and were in fact quite filthy, but I don’t really associate the rican-ness with their flithiness. They just weren’t the homeowners, so they didn’t care about the place. In my experience, people who don’t own what they’re living in tend to be not so concerned with the space and its general cleanliness and upkeep. Plus, some people are just pigs.
Anyway, we’ve decided to hire some professional cleaners, because as much as I hate cleaning up for myself, I really loathe cleaning up after someone else. We’re paying someone else to do that. woohoo! But that place needs a lot more work than just dirt removal. Which means even longer before we can actually move in. Sigh. But it’s better to do it now, before we get in there. I’m kinda bummed, the place looks just awful right now and I’m scared to go in and I want to cry. I hope we didn’t make a big mistake.
Everything needs fresh paint, of course. People have really bad taste in paint color, I’ve discovered, especially townies outside the city. my god. color blindness, I only hope.
And for some reason, the previous owners had one of those cheesy, ugly drop ceilings, so we’re taking that down. We started that over the weekend. And boy did we open a can of worms. Because all the walls hidden by that drop ceiling are unfinished, with wires running everywhere and even some plumbing exposed. Ugh. But that ceiling has to come down. Better to do it right from the beginning, that’s what they say.
The carpets are coming up and the hardwood floors underneath need to be sanded and polished. New light fixtures need to go up, the cabinets in the kitchen need to be sanded and painted, the bathroom needs a whole new tub/shower, sink/vanity, toilet and floor (which we can do after we move in). The front porch needs windows replaced and screens put in, paint, etc. Again, projects we can tackle after we move in.
But the whole thing is going to take a lot of work and a lot of money. And we’re just talking about our apartment! The hedges surrounding the house need to go, white fences need to go up, new paint on the foundation and the decks need to be done. The list goes on and on. welcome to the world of homeowning, I guess. I think I prefer being a renter.
I’d say our new move in date is closer to july 1st, which is beyond depressing. And after surveying the place yesterday and driving around the area, I’m questioning our new neighborhood. We couldn’t afford anything in any tony Boston neighborhoods, of course. Heck, we couldn’t even afford anything in any crappy Boston neighborhoods. We are as close to the city as we can afford, in an “up and coming” area, but it’s gonna be several years before that happens and I’ll guarantee you right here and now we will be long gone by then. I will not send Ryland to school there, that’s for sure.
Why am I such a negative nellie? I should be thinking positive, hopeful, excited thoughts. Instead I’m grumpy and worried and two steps away from regret. I guess what’s done is done and I just have to keep moving forward and let things happen as they may. right?
anyone have any good cheering-up things to say? helpful hopeful stuff that will make me feel better about everything? please. I’m begging.
did you ever get that Thom Yorke album I sent you? It’s not particularly cheery, but hey, at least strangers across the nation are thinking of you and sending you things you might like.
Strangers..after that tryst you two shared in LA???
CHRISTA!!…just think of how much closer to me you’re going to be! is that not good enough reason to move out to the fuck all of suburbia? i’m sure it’s worse than you’re speaking of, but you’re a strong woman and you’ll deal. and in like 2 months we’ll be sitting on your front porch sipping some gin and juice and laughing at this! just think….we’ll just have to be weary of drive by shootings, however….(afterall, we are white..)
christa, what town are you moving to? maybe one of my boston college sociology friends lives nearby? do you like hanging out with lesbians? hehe
You once told me you would rather live in a cardboard box on the streets than spend one more goddamn day with the people you are currently living with. Wherever you are moving, at least you won’t be where you are anymore.
Tonya, Chris has an opportunity to apply for a promotion at his company’s Portland office….we are willing to move there, but what’s the scoop? What are the good schools and neighborhoods? I am looking at housing listings and I think we can do it without too much of a problem, but they all list the schools and I have no idea which ones are in good areas, or even in mediocre areas, which is more likely where we would live. Not that we are actually moving or anything, but still it is more in the realm of possibility than it has ever been before. So, hand over the dirt! Is owning a mountain bike optional in Oregon, or do we have to buy them before we move? And I have to ask, are fat people allowed in at all? If not, I might really have a problem here.
I just moved out of an “up and coming” neighborhood and while I felt unsafe at times, there is probably little danger of something really bad happening. My advice would be this: keep anything valuable out of your car (especially where THEY can see it), lock your doors, keep lights on outside at night, put a deadbolt on your bedroom door, keep Ryland in your bedroom with you, sleep with a fully charged cell phone, keep an alternate phone with you too, purchase a firearm, don’t leave your bedroom in the middle of the night (pee in a cup if you must) and you will be just fine.
I am sort of an expert you know, I did go to East L.A. College.
Odelay vato. Or more accurately, “vata”.
Pee in a cup?
My attempt at humor.
Christa with a firearm?
In reality, I don’t see Christa doing any of the above. Well, maybe the peeing.
The internet is such a terrible medium for subtle humor. I swear to god, I took you at 100% face value, and I thought “what a hidious frightened existence Gina’s describing”. Reminds me of a few weeks ago when I was re-reading some of my older comments here and there were just a number of amusing arguments with the other commenters. Joking around is difficult when you’re dealing with strangers using a medium as inflexible as text on a screen.
Nice spelling on hideous, dumbass.
well it takes a lot of time and money, as I know, but it is worth it. Remember, you don’t have to do everything before you move in, you can always work on it while you are living there. As long as it is clean, then the rest can come as time will. It just means that you are actually going to have to work. What fun huh? But, Gordon is good at those things, so just have him working on anything any free time he has in the day. And you can always come back to Tucson, i will convince your parents that Florida is calling them.
Anyway, you are going to love your new place!!! No matter how nasty it is or how much work it needs, it’s yours! You can pick cool paint colors for the rooms.
If you can’t afford to have someone refinish your floors (it is a a lot of work to do it yourself, I know, I watched Aaron work his ass off doing it :) you might want to consider lightly sanding and painting the floors with an oil based paint as an alternative. It is pretty durable and you can pick super cool colors.You could totally do it. Red is nice on a floor.
Good security tips from Gina..
Other security tips would include a wireless panic button for home invasion.
You can use a voice dialer to alert friends and neigbors or have a central station monitor the dialer.
I can get dealer /wholesale prices on the equipment.
I wont pay for it but I can save you a lot of money on the equipment.
My husband has been remodeling our bathroom for 3 years now. Yeah, its still not done. At least you are actually getting stuff accomplished with your house, with someone that does actual work. Not like my procrastinating husband.
Oh and I should mention I am due with #2 in a month and a half and there is no crib or bassinet assembled for this child to sleep in when he comes home from the hospital. If I go early, I am screwed.
So yeah, feel better, because it could be worse, you could be me. :(