Sunday, May 31, 2009

decent, affordable housing - it's a right, not a privilege...

but you'd never know it by the exorbitant rents that desperate people are burdened with... I've seen some incredibly disgusting places in the last couple of weeks... i've been traipsing around everywhere and being totally disheartened and depressed by what i've seen... and horrified at the prices being extorted from people...

i didn't get the pet-friendly house i applied for... saw another pet-friendly 'apartment' - apparently that's the new terminology for tiny living space - I wouldn't have gotten much of my furniture in that... so have had to make a heart-wrenching decision for my Loudle boy to 'board' in the country with his poodle cousins and Irene... I know he'll love it though - and at least I'll see him regularly and I'll know he's being loved and pampered... and he'll have space to run around, and 3 friends - Lucky, Harry and the wee (but growing fast) Gigi (aka Bamboura)... i shed quite a few tears coming to terms with that...

I've seen some real grot-holes... I can't believe the contempt agents have for prospective tenants... the crap they let people view... the last place I saw had me dry-retching all the way home - it was putrid - the bathroom was disgustingly dirty - you would never have had a bath in it - all the enamel was peeling off so it just looked like a rust bucket... kitchen was even worse - filthy to say the least - unhygienic no doubt - everything stank... and the so-called 'compact courtyard' was the size of a postage stamp cut on the diagonal - even the fence surrounding that was falling down... how do people live like that - I'm by no means a clean freak, but their hygiene standards were obviously non-existent!!!! and they dare to say no animals allowed - they're far cleaner than what i experienced!!!!

I finally found something though - quite a spacious one bedroom flat with large lounge (and hopefully my dining table will fit), separate kitchen, clean bathroom and good sized courtyard for my old girl... have had to go down the track of lying about having pets - otherwise i would never have gotten anything... but the old girl no longer barks - no-one will ever know she's there - and it will be a good space for her with the courtyard off the loungeroom...

I sign all the paperwork on monday, but it's not 'mine' until the 5th June... and of course then I will get to see what problems may have been hiding under the current tenants furniture... it's horrible looking at places while people are still there - you can't see everything... and the applications these days have a clause saying you agree to take the property as viewed!!!! it's sooooo very competitive - lots of people at most of the inspections - very disheartening...

i don't have to go through that any more... but i can't sleep thinking about the move and wanting to get in and see what i'm going to fit in it... and there's so much else to do before... have decided to move next weekend - this place is open for inspection on the 8th so don't want to be here after that - my whole space will have been invaded and not feel like home anymore... I just won't feel comfortable staying here, but I'll be able to come back during the day to do all the other stuff - cleaning, rubbish removal, doing something with furniture i can't take, etc. etc. - best I organise time off work for the next couple of weeks at least... need to help my old girl get used to the new home - it's going to be the hardest on her, being deaf and blind... she'll need me to help her get to know the layout of the place - it'll actually be a better space for her because it's smaller so there's less places for her to get disoriented in - and she'll love the door to the courtyard being in the lounge - that'll be easier for both of us - it's a long, long trek here for her up to the yard...

anyway, i'm going to finish here and start listing what i need to do, who i need to contact etc. to make it all happen...

it is actually an exciting prospect though - it really is time to move on... i'm looking forward to having my own space (with Allie and Shadow of course!!!) - but nobody else to have to compromise my politics, my beliefs, my ethics for... yes, I'll enjoy that...

as you can see, no 70s post being worked on at the moment... but once i'm in my new home - just maybe...


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

by the sound of it by now you've just moved, fantastic!
I hope you were able to fit in what you needed and loved and that you and your fur-family are happily arranging yourselves in the new space.
If you need to sell off excess furniture try the online trading post at work- people do actually look at it.
best of new home goodness!
lily