Here's the Skinny on My New Home
OK, I have a little while to post a longer entry about my MOVING INTO MY OWN HOME!
So I officially moved in early this week, and let me just say, I had the best day this entire winter to move my stuff in! When you move in March in Michigan, let's just say that things can...go awry. Not so! It was nearly 70 and sunny - absolutely beautiful weather!
I still have until the end of the month in my old place, which is good, because I want to clean it once more and wash and press the curtains. Everyone keeps assuring me that I don't have to do that, but I really believe in karma, even if I don't believe in Karma, if you get my drift. In other words, I don't believe in the Hindu concept of Karma, but I do believe that when you do right, you mostly get done right by. Let me give you a perfect example:
My (soon-to-be past) landlady is elderly, blind and senile. Not a good combo. She is also extremely self-centered. Last summer, when my lease was up, she never had me sign another lease, even though I reminded her a few times. However, I didn't want to take advantage of her, so I had planned to move out at the end of June, which is when my lease would have been up, if I would have had a lease. Then, about 6 weeks ago, she asked me if I would mind being out at the end of May, not June, so she could show the place in June. I said no problem, and that would mean my last rent payment would be April 1st, since I paid last month down. Okeydokey.
Fast forward a few weeks, when I looked for and found MY condo (and I mean MY in the cosmic sense - this place was meant for me). I arranged with my agent to have the closing on a date where I wouldn't have to make a mortgage payment until May, so that I wouldn't mess up my landlady (even though I knew there's no lease).
I acted in such a way as to respect her needs as well as mine. So then, THE DAY I CLOSED, I come home to find a note on my door from my landlady - Could I be out at the end of March, not May? She has a possible tenant for my place, but he wants to move in April 1st. (Keep in mind that she has displayed no interest in my quest to find a new place, so she not only didn't know I had closed, she didn't know I had even found somewhere else to live.)
My first reaction was: How typical! Oh, by the way, can you be out in less than 30 days because it suits me. Then I thought about it for a minute - wait! That means I don't have to pay any more rent, and I don't have a mortgage payment due until May! So in rality, it was a gift, not a curse.
So as tired as I am right now, I am still struggling to gather the energy to get my heiny back over there and clean it this weekend, because next weekend is busy, and the following Saturday is already the 31st. Sigh. We'll see.
However, not only am I moved in, I am also about 80% unpacked (largely thanks to The Clam, who took one day off this week to help me unpack and organize my kitchen). I really really don't like mess - I don't like not knowing where things are, and seeing piles of boxes and all the stuff that goes with moving, so it was HUGE for Clam to help me get sorted in the kitchen.
I am definitely going to be painting the kitchen and bathroom (once Pater and Stepmater come back from Florida) and of course there are lots of little things that need to happen, but it's all coming together.
The cats are even adjusting well, which is very good, because I was frankly very worried about Big Lou, my huge but chickensh*t boy cat. He hid under furniture, his nose was hot and dry, he even burrowed under the covers of my (previously neatly made) bed. It didn't help matters that the Wittle Girl was hissing and slapping him every time he moved. I understand that to be the cat equivalent of "I'm the Alpha Dog of this pack" which is so funny, because she's like 9 pounds and he's 19. And he is SOOOO the Alpha Cat usually. Knocks her out of the way to get the food, decides he wants to sleep where she is, etc. But not this week.
However, I'm happy to report that all is well - cats noses are cold and wet again, and they were goofing off and chasing each other around the place last night.
The one complaint I have about my wonderful new place is my neighbors. Mrs. Kravitz lives downstairs from me. Actually, she makes Mrs. Kravitz seem laid back. She has quizzed me about my work hours, where I plan to park my car, if I live alone, when I come and go, do I work weekends, etc. Then the other upstairs neighbor is just weird. My first clue came when I viewed the condo and noticed that she had a red light shining in her window. (Hmmm, thought I - a tribute to The Police? Or is she the Real Roxanne?) Turns out...it was a Christmas Decoration. Yes, a red lightbulb, shining out the window, shouts Christmas for all to see. In February. Then there was the fact that she took it upon herself to decorate the common areas of the building with Christmas stuff (right down to a wreath with Jingle Bells on the front door). LOUD jingle bells.
Oh well, thought I. Live and let live. So it's February and she hasn't taken the Christmas stuff down yet.
Well, it's now the middle of March and everything is still up. Except for the light in the window, which is now green (for St. Patrick's Day?!?). No, I'm not kidding. I got my first condo association newsletter, which included a directive that "All Christmas decorations must be down by March 15th." Part of me said, "Thank God they are putting the foot down." The other part of me thought, "How pathetic that they even have to SAY that? It's freaking March 15th!" I'm past "thinking Spring" at this point - I'm checking to see that I have Summer clothes!
So yesterday was D-Day (so to speak). This morning, I left for work and noticed that all the decorations are still up, except that she has removed the jingle bells from the Christmas wreath on the door. Apparently, she is drawing a line in the sand, daring the condo association to cross it.
Plus there's the incessant door-knocking. They have both decided to knock on my door to chat. Multiple times. Now, here's the thing. I am, by nature, a very introverted person. My home is my sanctuary. I retreat there. Especially since I have a very public job and must deal with people all day. As I said to The Clam, "If I wanted to live somewhere where people just knock on my door whenever they feel like it, I could live with Mom for free." I don't want them knocking on my door. Ever. Unless the bulding is on fire. And even then I'd rather the smoke detector let me know. Not only do I have a real problem with forced interaction (and I'm not kidding - The Clam knows not to just drop in on me, and she's my seester!) which I haven't invited, but I wouldn't be friends with either one of these women even if I was outgoing! Mrs. Kravitz is 85 (according to the former owner of my condo) and looks like she sucked on a dozen lemons. Lemons that have been smeared with horseradish. And quite frankly, I don't want to be friends with anyone as nosy as she is. And the other woman is just wacky, and I'm not kidding. Neither one of them works (well, it's a cinch the 85 year old doesn't, but apparently the other one doesn't either, and I'm not sure she's even 50 yet) and they don't seem to have any hobbies other than fighting with each other and spying on me. (I'm fairly confident the Christmas decorations are a battle in an ongoing war.)
I'm the sort of person who you WANT as a neighbor - I am quiet and I keep to myself. I'm more than happy to smile at you and say "Good morning" or "Lovely day, isn't it" to you, but I never ever want to get more involved than that. And I have NEVER had a neighbor as nosy and pushy as Mrs. Kravitz, or as weird and daffy is Crazy Mary.
I'm not entirely sure how to deal with these two, but I am determined that they are not going to ruin my beautiful new home with their poison.
Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with them? Mom suggested that the next time Mrs. Kravitz asks me personal questions, I should ask her if she's a cop. I don't like being rude to anyone, especially elderly people, but I also don't want this to continue...
So I officially moved in early this week, and let me just say, I had the best day this entire winter to move my stuff in! When you move in March in Michigan, let's just say that things can...go awry. Not so! It was nearly 70 and sunny - absolutely beautiful weather!
I still have until the end of the month in my old place, which is good, because I want to clean it once more and wash and press the curtains. Everyone keeps assuring me that I don't have to do that, but I really believe in karma, even if I don't believe in Karma, if you get my drift. In other words, I don't believe in the Hindu concept of Karma, but I do believe that when you do right, you mostly get done right by. Let me give you a perfect example:
My (soon-to-be past) landlady is elderly, blind and senile. Not a good combo. She is also extremely self-centered. Last summer, when my lease was up, she never had me sign another lease, even though I reminded her a few times. However, I didn't want to take advantage of her, so I had planned to move out at the end of June, which is when my lease would have been up, if I would have had a lease. Then, about 6 weeks ago, she asked me if I would mind being out at the end of May, not June, so she could show the place in June. I said no problem, and that would mean my last rent payment would be April 1st, since I paid last month down. Okeydokey.
Fast forward a few weeks, when I looked for and found MY condo (and I mean MY in the cosmic sense - this place was meant for me). I arranged with my agent to have the closing on a date where I wouldn't have to make a mortgage payment until May, so that I wouldn't mess up my landlady (even though I knew there's no lease).
I acted in such a way as to respect her needs as well as mine. So then, THE DAY I CLOSED, I come home to find a note on my door from my landlady - Could I be out at the end of March, not May? She has a possible tenant for my place, but he wants to move in April 1st. (Keep in mind that she has displayed no interest in my quest to find a new place, so she not only didn't know I had closed, she didn't know I had even found somewhere else to live.)
My first reaction was: How typical! Oh, by the way, can you be out in less than 30 days because it suits me. Then I thought about it for a minute - wait! That means I don't have to pay any more rent, and I don't have a mortgage payment due until May! So in rality, it was a gift, not a curse.
So as tired as I am right now, I am still struggling to gather the energy to get my heiny back over there and clean it this weekend, because next weekend is busy, and the following Saturday is already the 31st. Sigh. We'll see.
However, not only am I moved in, I am also about 80% unpacked (largely thanks to The Clam, who took one day off this week to help me unpack and organize my kitchen). I really really don't like mess - I don't like not knowing where things are, and seeing piles of boxes and all the stuff that goes with moving, so it was HUGE for Clam to help me get sorted in the kitchen.
I am definitely going to be painting the kitchen and bathroom (once Pater and Stepmater come back from Florida) and of course there are lots of little things that need to happen, but it's all coming together.
The cats are even adjusting well, which is very good, because I was frankly very worried about Big Lou, my huge but chickensh*t boy cat. He hid under furniture, his nose was hot and dry, he even burrowed under the covers of my (previously neatly made) bed. It didn't help matters that the Wittle Girl was hissing and slapping him every time he moved. I understand that to be the cat equivalent of "I'm the Alpha Dog of this pack" which is so funny, because she's like 9 pounds and he's 19. And he is SOOOO the Alpha Cat usually. Knocks her out of the way to get the food, decides he wants to sleep where she is, etc. But not this week.
However, I'm happy to report that all is well - cats noses are cold and wet again, and they were goofing off and chasing each other around the place last night.
The one complaint I have about my wonderful new place is my neighbors. Mrs. Kravitz lives downstairs from me. Actually, she makes Mrs. Kravitz seem laid back. She has quizzed me about my work hours, where I plan to park my car, if I live alone, when I come and go, do I work weekends, etc. Then the other upstairs neighbor is just weird. My first clue came when I viewed the condo and noticed that she had a red light shining in her window. (Hmmm, thought I - a tribute to The Police? Or is she the Real Roxanne?) Turns out...it was a Christmas Decoration. Yes, a red lightbulb, shining out the window, shouts Christmas for all to see. In February. Then there was the fact that she took it upon herself to decorate the common areas of the building with Christmas stuff (right down to a wreath with Jingle Bells on the front door). LOUD jingle bells.
Oh well, thought I. Live and let live. So it's February and she hasn't taken the Christmas stuff down yet.
Well, it's now the middle of March and everything is still up. Except for the light in the window, which is now green (for St. Patrick's Day?!?). No, I'm not kidding. I got my first condo association newsletter, which included a directive that "All Christmas decorations must be down by March 15th." Part of me said, "Thank God they are putting the foot down." The other part of me thought, "How pathetic that they even have to SAY that? It's freaking March 15th!" I'm past "thinking Spring" at this point - I'm checking to see that I have Summer clothes!
So yesterday was D-Day (so to speak). This morning, I left for work and noticed that all the decorations are still up, except that she has removed the jingle bells from the Christmas wreath on the door. Apparently, she is drawing a line in the sand, daring the condo association to cross it.
Plus there's the incessant door-knocking. They have both decided to knock on my door to chat. Multiple times. Now, here's the thing. I am, by nature, a very introverted person. My home is my sanctuary. I retreat there. Especially since I have a very public job and must deal with people all day. As I said to The Clam, "If I wanted to live somewhere where people just knock on my door whenever they feel like it, I could live with Mom for free." I don't want them knocking on my door. Ever. Unless the bulding is on fire. And even then I'd rather the smoke detector let me know. Not only do I have a real problem with forced interaction (and I'm not kidding - The Clam knows not to just drop in on me, and she's my seester!) which I haven't invited, but I wouldn't be friends with either one of these women even if I was outgoing! Mrs. Kravitz is 85 (according to the former owner of my condo) and looks like she sucked on a dozen lemons. Lemons that have been smeared with horseradish. And quite frankly, I don't want to be friends with anyone as nosy as she is. And the other woman is just wacky, and I'm not kidding. Neither one of them works (well, it's a cinch the 85 year old doesn't, but apparently the other one doesn't either, and I'm not sure she's even 50 yet) and they don't seem to have any hobbies other than fighting with each other and spying on me. (I'm fairly confident the Christmas decorations are a battle in an ongoing war.)
I'm the sort of person who you WANT as a neighbor - I am quiet and I keep to myself. I'm more than happy to smile at you and say "Good morning" or "Lovely day, isn't it" to you, but I never ever want to get more involved than that. And I have NEVER had a neighbor as nosy and pushy as Mrs. Kravitz, or as weird and daffy is Crazy Mary.
I'm not entirely sure how to deal with these two, but I am determined that they are not going to ruin my beautiful new home with their poison.
Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with them? Mom suggested that the next time Mrs. Kravitz asks me personal questions, I should ask her if she's a cop. I don't like being rude to anyone, especially elderly people, but I also don't want this to continue...
posted by The Big Seester | 5:11 PM
1 Comments:
I'm desperately behind on my e-mail/internet/blog stuff, so I'm not sure you'll see this comment, because it's so overdue!
At any rate, I understand about the introvert thing. I'm all for being friendly with my neighbors, but my home is my sanctuary and I can get touchy even about houseguests I LIKE, when I'm feeling that my personal space has been invaded for too long. My current "project" is to work out how to strategically plant shrubbery in the backyard, to optimize privacy, so that I can sit outside without having to make conversation with my neighbors EVERY TIME I feel like being outside. They are lovely, lovely people. But I do not want to have to commit to a half hour conversation each time I feel like basking in the spring air. "Forced interaction" was a good way of putting it, and it should not occur when I am trying to enjoy my private property. Not everyone would understand that, but an introvert would.
At any rate, my advice about the neighbors: TIME takes care of those nosy, hard-to-get-along types. Something will happen, something beyond your control or perhaps even beyond your knowledge, that will turn those types against you. They might see you coming home with a shopping bag from a store they dislike, who knows? [You can hasten the process in a passive aggressive sort of way, such as ignoring the knock a few times.] But something will turn their opinion against you and then they won't be knocking on your door to talk to you all the time. That's been my experience!
Long live introverts! ;-)
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