I'm Not Moving Anymore

 In the past sixteen years, I have moved more times than I care to remember.  In the past three years alone I have moved three times.  I have become quite the expert packer, but I do not want to have to do that again for a long time.  Thankfully, I like where we live now.  The kids have friends, and I am friends with several of my neighbors. It's when the kids get home and all they want to do is go outside and ride their bikes with their friends. I am hoping that I will be able to find the money before Christmas to get each of them a new bike.

If I ever have to move again, it will be somewhere new.  I was looking online, and I found sites like rentedmonton.com are so helpful. I can look at properties in all kinds of locations and find the perfect place for me and the kids.  When we moved into this apartment, I had never set foot in it.  I knew it was a three bedroom, but I didn't actually view it until after I signed the lease because it was being cleaned.  I wish the apartment complex had a website so I could have seen it first, but they don't.  I was thrilled when it turned out to be the perfect place for us.

For now though, I am going to stay put right here.  The rent is reasonable and I can pay the bills on my own.  And that's important for us single parents.

The Water Was Off. Again. With No Warning.

One of the things I hate the most about living where we do is that they continually have trouble with the water lines.  We don't pay a water bill, so I really shouldn't be complaining, but it seems like every other week they are turning off the water to fix some "problem", but they never give any warning. This happened the other day when I was sick, and it really ticked me off.  I will be so happy when we can finally afford to by our own place, and not have to deal with landlords and maintenance people.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I like where we live just fine.  Granted, I can not do any bathroom shower remodeling on my own, or paint the walls, but I have found other ways to make this place our home. I have hung lots and lots of pictures, and for the girls room, I bought some of those giant wall stickers, which they absolutely love.  I also have all my elephants and books on display, which always makes me feel at home.  Weird, I know, but that's me.

Of course, there are benefits of renting, like not having to worry about fixing anything major if it breaks, like the a/c or the water heater.  When we first moved in, one of the homes had the shower floor fall out, and the maintenance man had to fix it, not the tenant.  I'm not sure if he used a Spokane Bathroom Remodel contractor, but I know the job was done in less than a day.  I am sure that tenant is enjoying his or her new luxury bath, knowing it didn't cost them a thing.

I know I would be.  At least until they turn the water off again without warning. 

My Broken Tub

I am having bathtub problems. A few weeks ago, the knob for the hot water in the tub broke. It would not completely turn off. Junior put in a call to the management company, and they promised to send a plumber out either that day or the next to fix it. It was a Thursday that Junior called, and they didn't come that day. Or the next.

I didn't want to wait to see if they'd show up on Monday, because it was the hot water that was running. I wouldn't have cared if it was the cold side, but by continuously running the hot, it was going to raise my power bill. We don't pay our water bill, the management company does, so I wasn't worried about that. Junior ended up getting the stuff to fix it himself. The problem was, the whole fixture is so old, they no longer sell the same one. We ended up having to get a different knob, so now the hot and cold do not match. I really don't care, as long as it's not running anymore.

I was surprised that the management company didn't send someone. We never called and told them that we fixed it ourselves, they just never sent anyone. Last week when I was cleaning the tub, the lever that clogs the drain so the water stays in the tub broke off, and there is no way for it to be fixed, It needs to be replaced. I'm about ready to call a plumber myself. It's too bad I didn't live close enough to use a Mercer Island plumber. Whenever we take a shower, the tub fills, because it drains so slow because of the broken lever. I'm guessing it's something we are just going to have to live with. Kind of like out leaky roof.