Houston, we have power (and water)!

Josh called the power company at 8:03 am and requested that our utilities be turned on today. Since it’s the 15th and the start of our lease, they were able to oblige him (his request the other day was rejected because it was before the start of our lease and he wasn’t “authorized” yet.)

Of course now that the lease has started, you would think we could move into our house, but we’re still in the hotel because the maintenance people need a few days to put the house in a livable state (I’m using that term loosely). And having seen our house again today I’m ready to abandon ship and stay here with my scones and clotted cream and have Josielle and Monalisa take care of me forever and ever.

Because my house is super-gross. There were 3 huge drowned cockroaches in the black water that was remaining in the bottom of one of the toilets. I couldn’t even take photos of it because it’s too gross to ever want to look at again. And there are nasty cigarette butts strewn all over the floor and up the stairs. And I can’t tell if the marble tile floor is actually beige with a brown swirl pattern in it or if it’s white, but covered with dirt. I’m pretty sure it’s dirt.

We went over to the house after breakfast to make sure that the utilities were actually turned on and Josh found the water tank for our house, turned on the water main and heard the underground tank starting to fill. Yes, every house is fed by a system of tanks either on the ground or on the roof and water pumps that get the water from the holding area to various parts of the house.

So, here is the water to my house. A tiled cistern of sorts — there was a bit of grit or sand at the bottom from sitting empty for months, but at least it was bone dry with no stagnant water (this is what 24 hours of perspective has given me. At the time that I took this photo, I could only feel yuck about the whole thing). Then the plumbers showed up to get the water running to the house and one of the guys took his old broom and swished it around in my house water to fish out the red float so the water pump would start running. Oh gross. The broom that touches the street just contaminated my water supply. I’m out! Hotel living for me from now on.

That was all yesterday ^^^ but I didn’t get it published so I should probably continue with today’s update so as to not leave anyone feeling sorry for me. Today was the day they were supposed to clean up the house and they actually did. It’s a miracle. Josh checked on the progress at 10 am and it still looked like a squatter’s flat and someone had been smoking inside again (seriously people?!) but they had a team of guys working and by 3 pm it looked like something I would want to move my rugs into. The previously black toilets were sparkling white, the house smelled new and clean, and they might have even waxed the floors.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think they used a bit of magic on the house. They certainly did the impossible. And just in time because Josh got a message from the movers that they are going to deliver our stuff tomorrow morning.

It’s going to be a long day. It’s going to be a long week, but happy day! Things are moving along. 

The snowball is rolling and picking up mass and speed — the pets are home (and Carter is camping out with them at the house tonight), movers come tomorrow, internet gets hooked up tomorrow, appliances maybe the next day . . . this should be our last week in the hotel. I’ll miss everyone who has made our stay here special, but we’re all going to be happy to be home.