Hunting Season!

Apartment hunting, that is. We have been to see 4 or so, and let me tell you - it is unreal what people are charging for absolute SHIT HOLES! How the hell can anyone afford to live here?? Let me describe for you what we have seen:

1) The first floor of a house nearby in Baldwin - they were asking $1500 a month (plus utilities) for what looked like a crack house. I am not exaggerating. It was a broken down piece of garbage house, with crap all over the lawn, disgusting old interior, and a pink bathroom. Verdict: FUCK no.

2) The top floor of a nice house in Baldwin Harbor. This one was ok, I guess I could have lived there, but it had some drawbacks. Firstly - the pink carpeting was appaling. (Anyone else noticing a PINK trend here?!??) I could just imagine our blue couch sitting atop it....it made me gag. Also, the windows were dodgy, thin, old side-sliding windows. One of the bedrooms needed painting, and the bathroom was pretty shit. Apart from those things, the place was very big and liveable. However, I wasn't comfortable with these little things, also the landlord seemed a bit dodgy to me. Verdict: Nope.

3) A garden apartment in Hewlett. This place was HUGE. Hardwood floors throughout. Balcony - nice for BBQing. However....the kitchen was a tiny galley thing with all old appliances and cupboards. The bathrooms were OLD and dodgy looking. Also, there were air conditioners, built right into the wall , however the location of them left a lot to be desired - i.e. you couldnt put anything up against or near the wall, it made the placement of the bed etc awkward. Oh, not to mention the fact that it was an apartment in a building. 2nd floor. No elevators. Allotted parking spaces. Shlepping groceries etc up the stairs and all the way down the hall. UGH. Verdict: Felt too much like being back in College Close (in vet school), so NO.

4) 1st floor of a house in Long Beach, my home town. The apartment itself was nice - new kitchen, bathroom ok, big rooms. However, the carpets were filthy, there was a communal entrance with the upstairs tenants - this entry way was covered with shoes, jackets, etc, and it smelled like old rotting Mexican food. Verdict: Again, HELL no.

So that is where we stand. It is difficult to find a place that is a) liveable and b) will let us have our cats. I don't understand how they can let children - who shit, piss, vomit, etc everywhere- live there, but not 2 little cats that don't make a bit of mess. I guess it is their perogative, however I still say FUCK THAT SHIT!

Sorry for all of the vulgarities, but I am in a foul mood tonight!

Anyway, we will continue to look for the "perfect place", and when hell freezes over I will let you know. What have we learned here? We would probably be MUCH better off moving the hell off Long Island. Someday.....