David's Daily Diversions

Escaping Purgatory

As those of you who have been reading this blog from the beginning may know, we have been living in limbo since our landlady of three years decided she no longer wanted our rent cheque and put us on the street. We were only supposed to be in our present accommodation for a few weeks. Five months later we are now moving.

Our new neighbourhood isn't far from this one geographically, but it is far removed sociologically. The police are not regular visitors. There don't appear to be an drug dealers. We haven't spent a night in the new place, but I doubt there will be shouting and screaming and fighting in the middle of the night. Best of all, this is a house and not a flat, so no more Stompy the upstairs neighbour moving furniture at 3:00 am.

The new house is unfurnished and I thought I knew what this term meant. I did not realise that in this country, a floor is considered a furnishing. I have never before rented a dwelling that did not have a floor. No carpet, no tile, no wood - nothing. Bare concrete foundation. Not even smooth concrete, as the foundation does not appear to have been laid with optimum care.

The carpet man is coming tomorrow to measure. We bought tiles for the kitchen and we are going to try to do that ourselves. After steaming away the previous occupants' fascination with paper borders, two shades of green are being turned into magnolia, albeit slowly as this is requiring several coats. The woodwork needs stripping from the multiple layers of chipped heavy gloss. The very modest back garden needs mowing and a general overhaul.

It's going to be a busy week, but our redemption draws nigh.