home improvements
The house seemed like a real find last year, but (I realize now) I would have said anything to put more than a rented roof over my soon to be born child’s head. Not that I regret buying this house. It cleaned up nicely. The guest room served its purpose.
There are still issues with the neighbors, front and back (separate lawsuits pending). Even the ones to the side, otherwise perfectly discreet and unassuming, wake up at 7:30 or 8 and start frying onions. And fish. The smell enters my office through the shaft. In the evenings, when I have my lessons, they fry steaks, causing my stomach to turn and my students’ stomachs to rumble. But this is life in the city. You get used to the sounds and smells of others, the constant traffic, and conversations through the wall. At least I hope you do.
It’s the house itself that worries me now. The plumbers came (or were supposed to come) every day for two weeks to repair the radiators, then the furnace guys followed. The pipes are old, but, with a little luck, still in working order. The windows and doors, also of a certain age, aren’t so charming anymore. They need to be replaced. A big chunk of the enamel came out of the bathtub, so the whole bathtub needs replacing too. We were already holding off on replacing the floors, and tearing out and replacing one whole wall, lined with closets, which apparently has some moisture issues, because everything in those closets is molded. (I can’t face it.) These are not small projects.
And there is one other thing.
It seems... the house... is haunted!
There are still issues with the neighbors, front and back (separate lawsuits pending). Even the ones to the side, otherwise perfectly discreet and unassuming, wake up at 7:30 or 8 and start frying onions. And fish. The smell enters my office through the shaft. In the evenings, when I have my lessons, they fry steaks, causing my stomach to turn and my students’ stomachs to rumble. But this is life in the city. You get used to the sounds and smells of others, the constant traffic, and conversations through the wall. At least I hope you do.
It’s the house itself that worries me now. The plumbers came (or were supposed to come) every day for two weeks to repair the radiators, then the furnace guys followed. The pipes are old, but, with a little luck, still in working order. The windows and doors, also of a certain age, aren’t so charming anymore. They need to be replaced. A big chunk of the enamel came out of the bathtub, so the whole bathtub needs replacing too. We were already holding off on replacing the floors, and tearing out and replacing one whole wall, lined with closets, which apparently has some moisture issues, because everything in those closets is molded. (I can’t face it.) These are not small projects.
And there is one other thing.
It seems... the house... is haunted!
posted by soap at
10:35 AM
6 Comments:
Boo! That's such a cute picture!
I can't believe all the hostility--and lawsuits!--with the neighbors. That sucks! And the various house problems are always stressful. There's always something needing help in our house, too.
It can be really annoying to be reminded of your neighbors and surroundings when you would like to be ensconced in your house. We live near a high school and their marching band is LOUD.
Ah, the sound of music! Sounds rousing indeed.
Thanks for your sympathy about the house issues. The truth is I was complaining just to complain (I have to find something to write about; otherwise, Steph doesn't pay me any attention at all). None of it is worth stressing about. Even the lawsuits, they're a pain in the butt, but they aren't against us, if you know what I mean.
The neighbors aren't great, but the neighborhood is, especially now that Chloe has discovered the sheer thrill of... the slide!
No attention to you at all?! Ha! But seriously now... the slide?! That sounds blogworthy! Elaborate please, with pictures!
Come on! It's hard enough without the camera to be on the step side and the slide side simultaneously. This buka is fast -- and fearless. I’ll think about it, though. At least my ploy to get your attention worked. Not very subtle, but effective.
I think you're haunted by a BOO-ka.
Neighbours. Oi.
Ha! And she's such a diligent little ghost, picking up a tea towel here and a baby blanket there, bumping around blindly from room to room. She loves it.
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