misc.

I want to move back to Maine so bad it hurrrrrrrrts, oouuuuuuucccchhhhhhh.

The apartments listed on Craigslist are like a drug. I cannot get enough. I check them whenever I can. More than once a day. Sometimes I keep clicking on the same listing over and over just to drool over the pictures of apartments we cannot afford.

There's one listed in Bath that's been up for a while. This makes me wonder two things: a. Is there something wrong with it that you can't see in the pictures? and b. Is it still vacant because it is meant for Gabe, Liam and me? I prefer option b.

It's $650 a month, 1-2 bedroom (one bedroom with double parlor or two bedroom if you close the pocket doors), has new windows and hardwood floors, off-street parking available, and is close to beaches, state parks, Brunswick and Topsham. Rent was recently reduced to $625.

$625 is what we paid for our two-room apartment on Congress Street in Portland from April 2003- November 2004. Our electric bill was like $15 a month. Praise the north.

It is also $35 less than what we pay every month for our shoebox of a 650 square foot apartment in an undesirable town.

The problem with this apartment is that utilities are not included. While I know the electric bill would be considerably and lovably less than our current $100+/month (screw the south, the heat, the necessary a/c ten months a year), we need heat included in our rent since we are not sure of our future job situations when we get to Maine.

The other problem is that it's available now and we won't be moving until April at the earliest. Dannnnng.

Another problem is that I am not familiar enough with the town of Bath to know what we can walk to, where we can shop, etc. and if this apartment is in a good area.

I wish I had the confidence of heart and voice to call up the property owner and say, "I am really interested in this apartment. I'd like you to include utilities in exchange for groundskeeping/ gardening/ painting and cleaning when other tenants move out, etc. Sounds good? Great. We'll be there in April."

If only.

Liam is seven months old today. Yay Liam!

Gabe's birthday is in fifteen days. I told him to write down a bunch of things he'd like and I'd see what I could afford. This is the birthday wish list he made for me, as per my request:

money
PlayStation 3
XBOX 360
cash
XBOX 360 games
Assassin's Creed
Halo 3
Call of Duty 4
money
cash
laptop
wireless headphones/mic for 360
money
cash

Yeah, I married a video game nerd.

I already know what I am getting him and it is not on this list. Heh, heh, heh.