Moving

Can I just say it -- I hate moving! 

 

It's not pleasant....it's stressful, and it's dirty. 

 

You are confronted on all sides, by the unexpected reality of the true filth you've lived in for years.  I thought I was an acceptable housekeeper -- and then we moved. 

 

But I'm ahead of myself. 

 

How did this move come about?

 

Jon was recovering nicely -- beginning to walk in his boot, but still sleeping in the front room because of the difficulty of climbing the stairs.  21 February, our landlord, Peter, came over with a few guys to get an estimate on replacing the roof.  He told Jon that the house was going to be sold. He wouldn't give a time-line, but said, "We will give you as much time as we can -- at least two weeks.  I figure we can get a crew in here to paint, change the carpet and get on the market within two weeks."  He said they were asking $450k for the house, and he figured we'd want to buy it.

 

NOT for $450k with only the roof, the paint and carpet.....what about the wiring, the damage from carpenter ants, the driveway and bulging garage floor, from where the tree came down....not to mention the windows, and the yard.  Too much needs to be done for that amount of money for a 40 year old home.  Let's be clear -- I loved that house!  It was MY house, and we treated it like it was our own.  After 12 1/2 years, with no changes, only needing paint and carpet is pretty good. 

 

There were other factors.....will Jon continue consulting or will a more traditional position come our way?  Where will that position be?  We just don't know.

 

Jon spoke with Peter and asked if they would give us until July 1st, so that we could have our wedding, and get Kyle graduated.....but they just didn't want to wait....feeling that they will have the house sold by June 1st.  This really made me mad!  We have been good, stable renters, who have been incredibly undemanding.....they wouldn't give us 2 months.....

 

So, Jon and I went looking for apartments.  We didn't want to get into another house because our entire life is kind of up in the air at the moment.

 

For an apartment --

Jon had criteria -- SAVE MONEY

 

I had criteria -- Stay in our ward, in the general area so Kyle could stay on the bus route and finish school.

 

Other criteria -- ground level entry -- Kyle has real trouble with "slat" stairs.  The stairs where you can see "daylight" between each step. 

 

We looked at three different apartment complexes.  Jon hobbled through -- even though he still wasn't to put weight on his foot. 

 

We returned to the first place we looked and put our money down on a three bedroom apartment with a ground level entry.  The three bedroom apartments are in high demand and we had submitted our application and while we were still there, they told someone on the phone that the apartment had just been rented! 

 

Jon submitted our thirty day notice to Peter -- who was, quite frankly, SHOCKED!  They were sure that we'd jump at the chance to buy the house.

 

In the end -- did we meet the criteria? 

Ground level entry -- check

Same ward -- check

Bus route and school -- check

Save money -- it's a wash --

--higher rent (but really who doesn't have a rent increase in 12 1/2 years?), but lower utilities.

 

Excited and happy about moving?  No.

 

I think it's mind-set -- we've never had to move when it wasn't our choice.  We knew that a move was going to be in the future -- we just thought it would be our choice.

 

Moving -- YUCK!