Movin' On Down

So how's condo life? I've adjusted well to the homogenized, gated apartment complex thing. Yessir. It is generally peaceful and I really like the neighborhood in which our apartment resides. I especially love the cultural diversity of our neighbors. Unfortunately, a sweet elderly white lady from down the hall (who's lived there for 20 or so years) stopped and lamented to me one afternoon that "this place has changed, ever since they moved in. Once they're in, you can't get 'em out." Yet another dubious spokesperson for the "greatest generation".

I'll bet she felt validated this week when not one but two hold-ups occurred in the development's parking lots. Unsettling. The police apprehended the criminals from the first job. At the time of this writing, I'm not sure about the second. Generally peaceful. Lest one believe that guard gates are total security. The development plans to change outside lighting from orange to white.

AND, my wife and I had to move again last week! Unlike last year's cross-town jaunt, we merely went from 4th to 1st floor in the same building. The floor plan is reversed, but same square footage. As with any move, there was much tedious hauling (we had help with the back breaking objects), but no stunt driving of a rental truck this time. Don't think I mentioned that before. I alarmed my wife (who had stopped up ahead to wait for me to catch up) when I took a corner a bit too sharply and brought the vehicle's left side wheels several degrees up in the air. I also grazed a telephone pole.

Why the move? Our landlord...let's just say she was a bit erratic. Last New Year's Eve, she called and asked if we wouldn't mind moving into her apartment in the same development. Seems she wanted our place back, before the end of the one year lease. We refused. Two months later, she asked again, offering even to pay our moving expenses. No go. There were other concerning phone calls. We were done. There are pieces missing from my explanation, invisible audience, but don't ask.

Our development's property manager, who's also a real estate agent, helped us find our new place. We looked at several units before deciding. Some had newer kitchen cabinetry, but with older appliances. There was always a con for every pro. Our new place has those old fake wood looking cabinets, and we may paint them.

We were able to begin hauling things down a week before we moved in. During that time, we did paint over the master bedroom's hideous yellow with the soothing green we had in the old place. This new arrangement seems to be kosher. But so did the last one!

We were initially against living in a first floor apartment, mainly for noise and potential flooding concerns. After several nights, I'm happy to report that noise is a non-issue. We've also had some serious rain days lately and flooding was non-existent. The parking lot has an efficient drainage system. No gutters on the buildings, though.

The unpacking continues. I'll write more as we settle in. I hope I won't be composing another "moving" entry one year from now?!

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