happened. What the hell is that you ask? THAT, my friends is water damage. Apparently, unbeknownst to me, in the midst of all of my decorating, renovating and rearranging, water has been creeping in through the facade of the house. So, one day I go to remove my curtains after purchasing some nifty match stick blinds from a very nice home design store and (whatever noise crumbling plaster makes), there's a hole in my wall. I call the guy who fixes these things and SURPRISE, the entire back wall needs to be replaced. Isn't that special? So, 4,000 bucks and lots of plaster, dust and horrible smelling men later, this:
happens.
What the hell is that you ask? That is my bedroom ceiling, right over the lovely fireplace. One day, I'm straightening up, I look up and see a crack in the ceiling. Oooo, a crack in the ceiling I think, I better call that guy. But then I saw shoes or a bag or got hungry or something and forgot. So, on some other day, Sam and I are doing who knows what in the bedroom, for arguments sake, lets just say we're dancing. Sam looks up at the ceiling and hauls ass into the next room and since it is Black folks policy to run first ask questions later, I followed suit. No less than 45 seconds (or so) later, boom, the ceiling falls. 1,550 bucks later and sweating, unappealing men in my bedroom and all fixed.
Great! So, I decide its time to have a house inspection, don't want anymore surprises. House passes inspection, only minor things need to be fixed, fine.
So yesterday, I'm home, I'm sick, I'm laying in bed and Sam keeps barking. Shut up Sam! I'm calling him all kinds of names that one can only make up when they are sick, have a 102 temperature and are tired of hearing their little (but very loud mouthed dog) bark continuously for two hours. Finally, I get up to investigate. There is water dripping from my tenants house, into my studio and like half my ceiling is wet. Oh F! This is the last thing I want to deal with because you know, I'm sick and stuff. I call my tenants, they are not home. I call their cell phones, no answer. I call that guy, no answer. Oh F!! I call The Heavenly One because I, with my 102 temperature am not equipped to deal with this foolishness. So, I get back in the bed thinking everything will be fine. I wake up to THO shaking me, the leak has gotten worse and she hasn't gotten in touch with anyone to do anything about the leak. Oh F! As a last ditch attempt, I call Mysterious Ex because he owns a home, knows lots of folks who fix things, has gotten me people to fix things in my house before and I'M SICK, I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS! So, ME gets in touch with this guy who did my water main like three years ago (wow, it still amazes me that ME and I have known each other for so long, though you know, we're not speaking anymore) so, the guy calls and says he'll be over in about an hour. Great! I get back in the bed, The Heavenly One goes downstairs to drink tea or watch tv or whatever, at that point, I really didn't care. So, Sam and I climb back into bed and BAM! this happens:
The biggest and scariest one yet.
So, I kind of feel like my house is crumbling all around me. I'm going to have workers come in and do lots of work. I mean really, the house was built in 1910, its bound to have some issues, I just think its kond of weird that this all seems to be happening like this.
So, here is the deal: my cousin owns a condo in tres chic Williamsburg. The maintenance is only 500 a month, taxes, 1100 a year so, I would give her 600 a month to cover all of that. Gas, light and electricity and included. (sweet!) I mean, her place is a lot smaller than mine. I'm leaving a whole house for a two bedroom. Sam will be really upset because right now when I go to work, I just walk him down the street to THO's where he stays for the day with her and her dog and, I REALLY like my neighborhood. Its really cool and eclectic and there are cool new things popping up every weekend.
Truthfully at this point, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I could move in with THO, she has a vacant apartment but, then I'd live with MY MOM, at 30! I don't want to upset Sam's life, I know that he'll be very upset, and probably bark all day, bothering the neighbors and such. I may:
a) do all the work that needs to be done in the house, live at my cousin's for the duration then move back
b) do the same but live at THO's
c) do all the work that needs to be done in the house, rent out my part of the house, stay at my cousin's then use the equity and extra money to by anothe house
d) not do any work (which is expensive btw) and sell my house, which has been getting on my nerves lately and get another house or condo
All in all, this really bothers me because, my job sucks, I'm still sick (I have a respitory infection) and, who wants to move?
So, I'm nut sure. Part of me wants to move because its something different and I'm always down for change however, one thing that sticks in my head is Sam. I work pretty weird hours, 10 -6 which means I'm out of the house usually between 9 - 7 and if something goes down at a school, I'm easily out in the street until about 10. I can't do that to Booger-Man. He's very accustomed to being with my mom and her dog where he plays in the yards, has a little bed and more importantly, has regular company. My nutty mother even makes her doctor's appointments INSANELY early so that the dogs are not by themselves for too long. It may seem weird to have a dog be such a factor in my decision but Sam is my baby boy, I want him to be happy.
Also, I'm not sure if there's a strong black, neo-soul, vintage-y, artsy, underground clique there, (we are STRONG in the Stuy) plus, its just cool living in Bed Stuy, W'burgh really isn't supposed to be that cool anymore.
So, I have a lot of decisions to make. I don't want to stay at my job, I may want to move, there's so much to think about.
