Movin' on

The boy and I are moving!

I'm so excited I'M TEMPTED TO WRITE IN ALL CAPS TO BETTER PORTRAY MY BOUNCY LOUD HAPPINESS, but I'll spare you. This time.

So we've been wanting to move for a while now, as the apartment we first moved into a little over a year ago is now way too small for all of our various stuff and junk and things, including everyday items like pots and pans and a coffee pot that we don't even have storage space for (which consequently take up all the counter space in the ridiculously tiny kitchen). Now, working at the newspaper as I do, I have been able to keep an eagle eye out for new rental listings, and it was while acutally putting Friday's classifieds section together that I noticed a "New Today" listing for a tri-plex right here in town (amazingly, it's even closer to work than we live now). Two bedrooms, very clean, laundry room (OMG!), and small pets are ok.

I pounced. I called the boy and gave him the information and he made the call (the day before the ad was set to start running the paper!) He got the address and we checked out the outside, then called back today to say we were interested in seeing the inside. The landlady said we could see it right away, so off we went.

Let me say now, in complete internet geekiness, Oh Em Gee. It's the basement apartment of the tri-plex, totally remodeled and newly painted, re-floored, etc. The ceiling is pretty low (throughout much of it it's mere inches from the top of the boy's head, and in some of the doorways he actually has to duck down a bit), but he said that should be ok. It has a little yard (which we have been given the ok to landscape), and the laundry room is our own, so that now we need to get a washer and dryer (oh, glory days!), and it already has a cable hookup so I just need to call Comcast and let them know we're moving. And "small pet" does not just mean a cat would be ok, as we assumed it did - we can get a small dog if we want to. We probably won't though, just because it is a small yard and we don't actually own the place. But I am so getting a cat! Further, the layout rocks. It's not just squares within a bigger square; both bedrooms are sort of oddly shaped, which just tickles me pink because I hate square rooms (they're so very common, dahlink).

The boy and I both loved it, and the landlady said she really liked us and would feel good about renting to us (she made it clear she's pretty picky about renters, making sure everyone in the tri-plex gets along well), and that we seemed like "good people," which of course we try to be, although I think my grinning like a fool as soon as we walked in might have helped a wee bit. So we filled out an application, wrote the deposit check, and this upcoming Friday we meet with her again to sign the renter's agreement, pay the first month's rent, and get the key. It's ours.

I am so incredibly excited!

There is, of course, a catch. But it's only a tiny one, and with some scheduling it's all good. See, today is February 23, and the landlady wants to have everything wrapped up and the keys in our hands by March 1, which is exactly one week from now. So, in one week we'll officially be tenants there, paying rent and bills and such, regardless as to whether or not we're actually moved in yet. In order to maintain good renter's reputation where we are now, we're giving the preferred 30-day notice, so we can get our deposit back and be on good terms with the landlord and managers here for future references. This means that we'll have to pay pro-rated rent through the 23rd of March for this apartment, even though we'll also be paying rent at the new place. Ouch, but being pro-rated it's not the usual full-month's rent, so our deposit should cover it pretty easily. Also, it will give us a month to get everything moved, which is far better than trying to organize, pack, and move in one week.

In order to make things go smoother, I've decided to take this term off from school, or we really would need that entire month to get everything done. Even then it would be pretty damn hard, as most of my evenings are spent doing school stuff and due to recent changes at work, me taking a day or two off if I'm not dying is just not really possible right now, so all the packing and moving will be confined to evenings and weekends. So, this term is a break for me to move, then I'll start up again next term at the decellerated schedule, all nicely moved in and organized and rested and ready to go.

Have I mentioned I'm so excited my cheeks hurt? Smiling this big, for this long, is a bit much for the cheek muscles, but I can't seem to quit.

OMG I GET TO HAVE A KITTY!!!

Ahem. I mean, um ... We're moving into a bigger place! A better place! Where, coincidentally, I will be able to get a cat ...

I'm freaking thrilled.