New Location

Wow, I haven't posted in here forever! That's okay. Since last time, I've moved to my hometown in Washington state, and am living in my very own apartment, by myself, for the first time. Technically I've had a lease all by myself before, but that was the first apartment I ever had, and the Terrible Ex-Girlfriend stayed with me temporarily and then just refused to leave. So I never actually had it to myself.

So far I am loving living alone. The apartment is a golden unicorn, honestly. It's a one bedroom in a desirable neighborhood in a dumpy town with a lot of poverty, it's $600/month, decent quality, and a duplex. I know this is tough to find because I work in housing in a local nonprofit, trying to help the homeless or very poor find rentals. Most apartments like mine go for minimum $750, but usually $800 or more. I have lots of feelings about the state of affordable housing, but maybe for another day.

My apartment is small but mighty. 350 square feet. Kitchen and living room are basically the same room. You have to go through the bedroom to get to the bathroom, and there are only pocket doors in between those two rooms. However, I did manage to squeeze a decent bookshelf into the bedroom along with the queen-sized bed, and I'm good at cramped living. It's kind of like being back in college.

Reasons this place is mighty, despite being small:
-I do indeed have a back door - even if it's in my bathroom and I can open it while sitting on the toilet. Not that I've ever done this. I live on kind of a main road.
-The bathroom is extremely utilitarian. It has a toilet, shower only (sad about no bathtub, but there is literally no space), stackable washer and dryer (!!), pedestal sink, closet that's not a closet (designated spot with shelves and clothing racks the landlord clearly put in), a built in cabinet above the toilet, and a bathroom mirror cabinet over the sink. And I still had room for a couple of teeny weeny "dressers." Or drawers. They're really just sets of two drawers each. The bathroom is the best room the the whole place.
-It has a double kitchen sink. Many places that are tiny have only one sink.
-That one sink has a sprayer nozzle.
-There was space for me to put in a small garden out back.
-There is a surprising amount of cabinet space in the kitchen. And they don't go all the way up to the ceiling, so I have extra storage space up there, too.
-I live less than 1 mile from work.
-I live less than 1 mile from the ferry that goes to Seattle, so when I go to Seattle to visit friends, it is easy for me to avoid driving.
-Built in sconces in the living room/main room that aren't bad looking, really.
-Lots and lots of outlets.
-The cupboard under the sink is legitimately large enough for all of my camping gear. Or it was, until I bought a second tent. But I kept it all down there for a really long time. Seriously, you could fit a couple people down there. It would be a rocking hide and seek spot. (Note: my favorite hide and seek spot as a child was always under the kitchen sink).
-My neighborhood is cute, and reminds me just a bit of Hyde Park in Boise, my favorite area where I lived.

I am glad that I hoarded furniture over the years. I did have to get rid of quite a bit of it before I moved in here, but the large amount that I had meant I basically already had everything I needed. And then after I moved in, my lovely best friend came to visit from Idaho to help me organize, which she has done pretty much everywhere I've ever lived. Thanks to Kate, I have many nifty little storage solutions attached to the walls, creating more floor space than I thought I would have. The woman is a walking Pinterest board.

So there we have it. I will come back to this with the apartment quirks another day, and tell some tales about how stupid it is to have the smoke alarm directly above the stove.

Moved bedrooms, hooray! I still need to do a little decorating and putting things away, but the sheer amount of storage in the closet and bathroom have made it remarkably easy. I feel like I have my own little separate apartment in the house (has everything but the kitchen, including its own door to the back yard, and the garage and laundry room is two steps outside the door). This makes me want to stay here longer, that's for sure.

Landlady Jill is going to be here soon, to work on some house projects. In case I forget while she's here, this is the list of things that need to be taken care of:

• Kitchen sink leaking
• Carpet cleaned
• Broken fence on front left side
• Garage door - only one opener and it's broken
• Go through garage and clear space
• Change locks

List will be periodically updated as I remember things.

$380 Roommates Needed for 3 Bedroom House (Floating Feather/Horseshoe Bend)

© craigslist - Map data © OpenStreetMap

Fern Brook Dr at Floating Feather

(google map) (yahoo map)

cats are OK - purrr dogs are OK - wooof

2 rooms available in a three-bedroom (plus a den) house in Eagle in a neighborhood off Floating Feather near Horseshoe Bend Rd. Rent is $380 a month, which does not include utilities. Utilities are at max $75/mo per person if there are three of us, usually less. Utilities we pay for are water, electric, gas, and internet.

One bedroom available beginning of March, one available sometime mid-April.

The Space...
one level house, split floor plan, high ceilings, quite a bit of space
dishwasher, washer/dryer in laundry room, carpet
fenced backyard and a deck
outdoor smoking okay

I...
am a sociable but responsible adult in my late-20s
love to share food, tea, and conversation with those around me
am passionate about social issues
am super easy to get along with

You...
are animal friendly (I have a cat and dog), your animals are definitely up for discussion
are somewhere in between messy and neat freak
are financially responsible
are willing to communicate about household issues
want to live in a harmonious atmosphere
appreciate diversity in all its forms - you must be queer friendly

If you are interested, have questions, or want pictures, give me, Brenda, a call or text at 208-440-7575 or respond to the email address in this ad. I prefer email, because I can't answer the phone while I'm at work, but if you leave a message I'll call you back.

• cats are OK - purrr
• dogs are OK - wooof

Brenda: 1
Bat-Moth: 0

(because you, Bat-Moth, are now inside a soap tin in the grass outside. Stay out of my bedroom.)

Rug cleaning fail

Turns out you can't wash door mat type area rugs in the washing machine. If you do, it will look like this.

Have I mentioned how much I hate mice?

The dog has brought two mice in from outside in the last week. The first one was before work, and I found it in his crate and picked it up with a napkin (thank Goddess) and looked at it before I realized what it was. It was halfway decomposed, squishy, and when I saw what it was, I freaked and dropped it on the kitchen floor. It landed with a nice little plop. Mustering the courage to pick it back up and throw it away was tough.

Today, I let him outside and left the back door open, and when I came back into the living room, he was laying on the floor chewing on a less decomposed but definitely dead mouse. This one he would not let go. I shooed him outside and he just walked around and looked at me with the mouse in his mouth while I ran around and yelled like a lunatic. He definitely wasn't scared or intimidated or at all encouraged to drop the mouse, he just looked confused as to why I was upset. I think I need to work on the "drop it" command.

I am 90% sure that Zuma dog is not catching the mice. I think Gumbo cat is catching the mice and creating a stash somewhere. Gross. Hooray summer?

The landscaper came today! He apparently raked/otherwise-got-rid-of up all the leaves. Lots of dirt in its place, but it looks a little neater I guess. Tomorrow after work is going to be a chore day, because I kind of lazed out this weekend. Watched a marathon's worth of Dollhouse on Netflix instead, and today floated the river with the best roommates ever. Thanks Justin for spraying for the spiders! (Oh yeah, we have spiders. Including poisonous ones).