Wednesday 20 July 2016

My turn!

My front door
Well, after Miss Oswin vented her frustrations yesterday, let me give you the pros and cons as I see them. 

First the pros: my landlord. With four days notice, he got the place ready for me, including fire alarms, a new kitchen counter, a new(ish) fridge. He helped with the move itself, unloading box after box and carrying it in. After a few weeks he got hold of a trailer, so we could get MY book cases and bed. 

A quarter of the kitchen
He told me to use the basement to park my bike, instead of leaving it outside: it could get stolen you know! He told me to use the loft for any empty boxes and/or full boxes I don't need. Oh, and he allowed Miss Oswin to come and live here.

I don't have to pay for my electricity, it's included in the rent. Which is the same as I paid at the little cottage by the way and there I had to pay for the electricity. Come winter, that will be quite a bit of money. I don't have to pay for the tv and/or internet: they are also included in the rent, they weren't before. 

Dual aspect does create some problems, mainly: where do I put stuff!
I can cycle to work. Hop, I can even walk to work if I want and it wouldn't take more than 30 minutes. I save money on petrol, toll and general car use. Which again means more money in pocket to save up. The shops are also close by: about 400 meters or so. Several of them. There are several bus lines close by, so if I don't want to cycle or walk or take the car: I take the bus. 

The place itself is quite big. A big kitchen (room for a small table) with lots of storage space. A large bedroom, a good bathroom (from the bedroom, soon hallway instead of the kitchen), a large living room with a little annex. There is a dual aspect (I have watched too many housing programs) in every single room, large windows everywhere and that means a lot of light. 

The best things about this place? The presence of a dishwasher and proper drinking water straight from the tap.

The little annex to the living room
Now for the cons (yes, there are those as well): it's situated in town, which means the views are not the best. I don't feel tempted to take photos of the view every day, like I did before. However, we are not completely closed in and I do see a fair distance.

As Miss Oswin mentioned: there are people living upstairs and you can hear them. Then again, it's not as if they are massive party people who feel the need to celebrate every single night. The one night there were some friends over, they came over to tell me. I slept in the living room that night. 

The leaning tower of boxes
Other noise is worse I think: the road not too far from the house. It is the main through road through town and that means cars and lorries at all times of the day. I love my quiet and that is hard if you also love to sleep with your windows open!

Even though the place is quite big, it is too small for all my stuff. In fact, I don't have all my stuff here, a lot of it is still in storage. Mind you, all my books and dvd's are here, so the important stuff is around me. 

I have no toilet. Yes, I have a bathroom and Miss Oswin has her toilet there, but for me? Out of the apartment. As my landlord puts it: the outhouse. It's not as bad as it sounds though. It is still an indoor toilet and I am the only one using it. I just need to remember to take the key to my place to the toilet, because otherwise Miss O goes on the prowl. Oh, and during my upcoming holiday, there will be a toilet installed in the bathroom. So, it's like half a con. 

Talking of Miss Oswin: I don't feel it's safe for her to go outside here. Yes, there are cats roaming outside, but there is also the busiest road in town. Plus I don't have direct access to the outside, apart from through the windows.

Do I need to say more?
And then for the reason I am not looking for another place. Well, first of all, I wouldn't know when to fit it in! What with swimming, cycling, walking, hiking and oh yes, working, I am glad whenever I can sit and watch telly at night. Another reason is financial. Yes, I know that I might be able to get a loan from one or two communities, if I were to move there. And I don't think it would be hard to find a place there either.

But, I would like a bit more financial security from myself. So, all the money I am saving up (electricity, tv, internet, car) has a purpose. Even if it is only to buy a dishwasher for myself! Then again, if the perfect place would come up, either buy or rent, I am not that much of a fool to deny that! So, there you have it. My pros and cons. 

12 comments:

  1. Hari oM
    That's a pretty good summary of being stuck betwixt and between! Just good enough to not be a pain, but enough not quite good to make the requirement for better still a high point. I guess that's all fair! YAM xx

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    1. Exactly. It will do for the near future, but then I will want to find a place of my own where I can put all my stuff and where Miss Oswin can go out.

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  2. I finks you should just marry the landlord 'cos he sounds nice.......what!?!....oh, Mum says I is being silly now, sorry
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  3. Crikey Mara I reckon there's a lot more pros than cons there.. Unlike miss Oswin. Typical cat! Always whinging or spitting and hissing at we canine blokes, aye? And how clever is the Princess??? I'm with her ... That landlord sounds like a real catch. What a nice bloke.

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    1. He is a nice bloke! As for marrying him? It wouldn't solve that much: he has even more books in storage than I do!!

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    2. Crikey ... What's in those book thingoes? Mum has heaps too.

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  4. Unless one is wealthy, it is hard to find the perfect place. We make do.

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  5. It sounds like this place serves a good purpose for now even though it is not great for Oswin. In the long run, you will make it better for her too.

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    1. It just has to get a bit calmer in my life. But the place suits me fine for now!

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  6. You know what, it sounds like the perfect place for you right now. Nothing like being able to save some money! The timing was right and you are lucky it turned out this good. I'm glad you have safe water. There are some great +'s.....

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  7. Very interesting. Good for the ability to save some money!

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    1. Unless I spend it all on sports equipment ;)

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Any weighty (and not so weighty) comments are welcome!