So, we’re here. And we have a roof over our heads. Which was kind of a miracle.
We had a house all lined up, arranged through friends of friends, it looked like it was going to be smooth sailing. Until we couldn’t get our phone calls returned or questions answered and we started feeling suspicious. The couple that owned that house are moving into a custom built home and their move in date was pushed back by the contractor. So instead of calling us and saying, “Shucks, looks like it’s not going to work out.” they strung us along until we had six days before the movers arrived and no place to have them bring our stuff.
I collapsed, hyperventilating, into a corner while Bear hit Craigslist and found this place. It’s going to be a great place to live, it’s in the area of town we wanted, it’s got tons of space and a backyard with roses, but it’s also going to need some TLC. I seem to be on a mission to rescue houses from bad paint. The houses call to me or something.
I’ve had a terrible time trying to get pictures that show the color, but here you can see that in one room you have a deep mustard yellow butted up to an acid green, with apricot on the third wall. The staircase wall is painted primary color yellow, and each bathroom has some weird faux treatment where it looks like somebody just took a paint brush and made big C’s all over the wall.
I can see what they were going for with the apricot and acid green. In the right light, they look nice for a nursery or something. But that light is very rarely present in this house. And I have absolutely no explanation for the mustard yellow.
We didn’t realize this until after we moved in, but not a single window has any kind of coverings on it. Every window, including the window in the bedroom closet, had curtain rods left hung in place, but not a single blind to be had. We’ve been living in a fishbowl all week. Luckily they’ve agreed to put up blinds in the bedrooms and the front of the house, so we’ll get to change our clothes in the light eventually.
Lighting is going to be an issue in this house. Every room has a central ceiling fan with lights, which means that every room is well lit, but with very harsh light. I might have to invest in some lower wattage bulbs or something. Trying to watch TV at night is like trying to watch it with a spotlight in your face.
But that’s all I really have to complain about. Which I recognize is kind of a miracle as a renter of any kind, let alone moving in from out of town with six days notice. Overall I think things have gone as smoothly as I could have hoped.
We’re about as unpacked as we’re going to get for a little while. There is NO WAY I am living with these colors on the walls, so as soon as the blinds are up and the landlord won’t be in and out of the house, I’ll be painting. I’m trying, and failing, to be patient.
The fridge gets delivered today (we haven’t had a fridge for a week! I am desperate for something to drink besides soda), but we still won’t be able to put this enormous kitchen to use for another week. The movers left all our utensils, not just silverware but my knives too, at our old house. Luckily the new renters are our friends, and luckily we’ll be back down in LA next week for a convention of things that are awesome, so we’ll be able to pick them up. But meanwhile, it’s more fast food for us. And boy howdy am I looking forward to that being over.