Well, it's Tuesday - three days before we go on vacation - and not much progress has been made with our moving situation. Except that Betty went out of town until further notice.
So with a pounding heart no other choice, I googled the owner's name and called her directly. I'd heard through someone who use to live there that she was not a pleasant person and HATED to be called at home. But I was that desperate. I'm a planner. If I can't plan things, my gears lock up and I can't function.
She didn't really seem like she was upset that I called. She gave me her cell and said that she would figure things out and call me tomorrow. Shhheww! I may not be able to move on thursday but at least I will have an answer.
Meanwhile, to keep myself sane, I've been packing up all the crap I've managed to shove in this shoebox. Any time I start to feel anxious, I point at something and say, that can go in a box. After picking out the perfect cardboard container from our pile in the corner of our living room. I carefully wrap up my valuables in free newspapers we took from the grocery store, say a silent farewell and close the lid. The packing tape is loud and reassuring as it strips off the roll. It soothes me.
This method has proved effective since I am running out of things I can pack. We are pretty much down to the bare essentials now. Just for fun I will list them in order of importance:
T.V.
PS3 & accessories
DVDs and some books
Christmas lights that have been hung in the kitchen since '08.
Otter Pops
hair straightener
Kippy
work clothes
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Moving
Well, things in general have been going good, but I finally have something to talk about.
WE'RE MOVING.
Back in February when Matt and I bought Toki, we decided a good way to save money was to protest our rent going up $30 every semester and move to the cheapest place in town. Seriously. If our apartment now is a shoe box, this place is a hole in the wall. But I really don't mind. We will be saving over a hundred dollars a month for the rest of our short duration here and best of all, we won't be surrounded by the dorms, the school, the tennis courts, and thirty other apartment units. I just might get some peace and quiet.
We went on the waiting list in February and tried to sell the rest of our contract but couldn't con anyone into buying our shoe box for about two hundred dollars more than what it was worth. About every other month I had to call the manager of our new apartment and remind her that we were the people on the crumpled up post-it note that should be first on the list if only her website wasn't remedially made by someone from Idaho who doesn't understand that in the great land out east phone numbers can in fact have zeros in them.
But I digress....
No. No I don't.
This manager, we will call her Betty, is either the biggest ditz on the planet or doesn't care about her job in the least bit. She has at times left me speechless with her level of unprofessionalism. At the end of July I was getting antzy because she still hadn't called me to let me know we had an apartment for September. So once again I took matters into my own hand.
I called her up and was like, hey, its Mrs. Post-It. I asked her if she knew whether or not we would have an apartment for fall, because if not, I needed to start looking for another place. She told me she was waiting one more day to hear back from two people about whether or not they were going to renew their contract and that she would call me tomorrow. If I didn't hear back from her the next day, I should look for another place, she said.
Fair enough.
About 3:30 in the afternoon and no call. Surprise, surprise. I call her, and here are the actual words that passed between us.
Betty: Hi. I'm glad you called. I was about to leave in 10 minutes. I have an apartment for you if you are still interested.
Me: We are still interested. When can I come sign the contract?
Betty: Today before 5 would be great.
Me: Oh, it will have to be Monday because I work until 7 tonight. I'm on my lunch break now.
Betty: Well that's a problem because I have to have this contract signed by today.
Me: (Stunned. Taking a moment to gather my composure.) Wow. Had I known that I would have made other arrangements but I don't get off work until seven.
Betty: (sighs) Well, I have family coming in town tonight but I guess just stop by when you get off work.
Me: Thank you. You are too kind. I'll see you at Seven.
Fast forward a bit. I am still stunned that she wouldn't even tell me if I got the apartment I would have to sign on it that day. But when I left the house a little voice inside me told me I would need to bring my checkbook.
Now. Below I will give you a brief description of what transpired at our meeting. PLEASE let me know if you feel anything I did or said was out of line.
I found her apartment/office and when I arrived she asked her what appeared to be two year old son if he wanted to go with mommy or stay with daddy. Daddy, lounging on a bean bag chair mumbled, "He wants to go with mommy."
That's professional. Not that I minded, but I wouldn't take my kids to work. Especially not when there is a perfectly capable adult at home to watch them. But whatever.
So upon MY request we go see what is to be my new home, and she knocks on the door. I can hear someone scuffling and talking inside but no one comes to the door.
"Well, I guess their not home," Betty says. "Should we go back up and sign the contract?"
Again, stunned. "Wait, what?" I stammer in disbelief. "I can't sign for something I haven't seen."
"Well they aren't home," she says matter-of-factly. I'm starting to wonder what she is hiding.
"Actually, they are. I heard someone inside. Don't you have a key?"
"I do, but this is their home and I'm not just going to barge in."
"Well I'm not going to sign into a legal contract on something I haven't even seen. I've been scammed before."
At this point, she made an effort to pick up her son and hold him close to her. Her doey eyes turning all defensive. "You don't have to sign the contract," she said.
"How would I know if I want to sign it if I haven't even seen the place? I can't do that."
I was about to plead with her and ask her if I could come back tomorrow or monday and try again, when by only the grace of God the current tenants emerged from the den of mystery. They seemed happy to let me take a look around. I didn't notice any gaping holes in the wall or creepy stains in the carpet and the toilet flushed just fine. But still. I'm not stupid enough to sign on a place I haven't seen.
So when Betty and I go up to sign the contract, I asked her if I needed to pay the deposit today. When she said yes, I said, "Glad I thought of that."
We talked about when we can move in. The current tenants had paid for the entire month of August but were planning on moving out early for part of the 7 week break. I told her we were going on vacation on the 20th and wouldn't be getting back til the end of August. It would help us out a lot if we could move in on the 19th. She told me she would have me get with the current tenants so we could arrange way I could buy out the last half of their contract for August.
When I told her I didn't have the money to do that she said, "Well I'll just call you then if they move out before the 19th.
Yes, I'm sure you will, Betty.
WE'RE MOVING.
Back in February when Matt and I bought Toki, we decided a good way to save money was to protest our rent going up $30 every semester and move to the cheapest place in town. Seriously. If our apartment now is a shoe box, this place is a hole in the wall. But I really don't mind. We will be saving over a hundred dollars a month for the rest of our short duration here and best of all, we won't be surrounded by the dorms, the school, the tennis courts, and thirty other apartment units. I just might get some peace and quiet.
We went on the waiting list in February and tried to sell the rest of our contract but couldn't con anyone into buying our shoe box for about two hundred dollars more than what it was worth. About every other month I had to call the manager of our new apartment and remind her that we were the people on the crumpled up post-it note that should be first on the list if only her website wasn't remedially made by someone from Idaho who doesn't understand that in the great land out east phone numbers can in fact have zeros in them.
But I digress....
No. No I don't.
This manager, we will call her Betty, is either the biggest ditz on the planet or doesn't care about her job in the least bit. She has at times left me speechless with her level of unprofessionalism. At the end of July I was getting antzy because she still hadn't called me to let me know we had an apartment for September. So once again I took matters into my own hand.
I called her up and was like, hey, its Mrs. Post-It. I asked her if she knew whether or not we would have an apartment for fall, because if not, I needed to start looking for another place. She told me she was waiting one more day to hear back from two people about whether or not they were going to renew their contract and that she would call me tomorrow. If I didn't hear back from her the next day, I should look for another place, she said.
Fair enough.
About 3:30 in the afternoon and no call. Surprise, surprise. I call her, and here are the actual words that passed between us.
Betty: Hi. I'm glad you called. I was about to leave in 10 minutes. I have an apartment for you if you are still interested.
Me: We are still interested. When can I come sign the contract?
Betty: Today before 5 would be great.
Me: Oh, it will have to be Monday because I work until 7 tonight. I'm on my lunch break now.
Betty: Well that's a problem because I have to have this contract signed by today.
Me: (Stunned. Taking a moment to gather my composure.) Wow. Had I known that I would have made other arrangements but I don't get off work until seven.
Betty: (sighs) Well, I have family coming in town tonight but I guess just stop by when you get off work.
Me: Thank you. You are too kind. I'll see you at Seven.
Fast forward a bit. I am still stunned that she wouldn't even tell me if I got the apartment I would have to sign on it that day. But when I left the house a little voice inside me told me I would need to bring my checkbook.
Now. Below I will give you a brief description of what transpired at our meeting. PLEASE let me know if you feel anything I did or said was out of line.
I found her apartment/office and when I arrived she asked her what appeared to be two year old son if he wanted to go with mommy or stay with daddy. Daddy, lounging on a bean bag chair mumbled, "He wants to go with mommy."
That's professional. Not that I minded, but I wouldn't take my kids to work. Especially not when there is a perfectly capable adult at home to watch them. But whatever.
So upon MY request we go see what is to be my new home, and she knocks on the door. I can hear someone scuffling and talking inside but no one comes to the door.
"Well, I guess their not home," Betty says. "Should we go back up and sign the contract?"
Again, stunned. "Wait, what?" I stammer in disbelief. "I can't sign for something I haven't seen."
"Well they aren't home," she says matter-of-factly. I'm starting to wonder what she is hiding.
"Actually, they are. I heard someone inside. Don't you have a key?"
"I do, but this is their home and I'm not just going to barge in."
"Well I'm not going to sign into a legal contract on something I haven't even seen. I've been scammed before."
At this point, she made an effort to pick up her son and hold him close to her. Her doey eyes turning all defensive. "You don't have to sign the contract," she said.
"How would I know if I want to sign it if I haven't even seen the place? I can't do that."
I was about to plead with her and ask her if I could come back tomorrow or monday and try again, when by only the grace of God the current tenants emerged from the den of mystery. They seemed happy to let me take a look around. I didn't notice any gaping holes in the wall or creepy stains in the carpet and the toilet flushed just fine. But still. I'm not stupid enough to sign on a place I haven't seen.
So when Betty and I go up to sign the contract, I asked her if I needed to pay the deposit today. When she said yes, I said, "Glad I thought of that."
We talked about when we can move in. The current tenants had paid for the entire month of August but were planning on moving out early for part of the 7 week break. I told her we were going on vacation on the 20th and wouldn't be getting back til the end of August. It would help us out a lot if we could move in on the 19th. She told me she would have me get with the current tenants so we could arrange way I could buy out the last half of their contract for August.
When I told her I didn't have the money to do that she said, "Well I'll just call you then if they move out before the 19th.
Yes, I'm sure you will, Betty.
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