Moved.

My winter vacation wasn't much of a vacation. Instead of relaxing and enjoying myself I spent all of it packing and moving and unpacking (which I haven't yet finished). I wanted to move and Christmas day the landlord made the decision easier by saying I either had to get rid of the dog or move. I still have to find a new home for the dog (that makes me so sad but it's hard to find a good home here that will allow dogs) but at least I'm out of the horrible home I was in before. The old home was good in the summer and fall because of the little outside rooftop area, but once it started to get colder the bigger problems started to show up. The landlord didn't get the heating floor mat that was promised, the living room (and sometimes kitchen) ceiling rained and water ran down the walls and behind the book shelves and sofa. [Black spots are mold - it was all over along this part of the wall/ceiling, and all along the floor and wall behind the sofa and book shelf.]The landlord's explanation - it's because of the difference in temperature. Her solution - open the door or windows for an hour or so every day. Ummmm... so I should make the inside the same as the outside in the winter???? When she decided that she didn't agree to provide heating for the living room??? Also, the water pipes froze so quickly that the hot water had to be running a little bit at all times when it was freezing out. That wouldn't be a bad thing if it were dryer or if the bathroom had a vent but it didn't so in order to use the bathroom I'd either need an umbrella or the bathroom ceiling had to be mopped from the dripping water. Ugh.
So I was told Christmas Day that I had to move. The next day I found a new home to move to, with Thursday being the moving day. Then Wednesday the new landlord decided she wanted to renovate the home instead and so changed her mind. Ack!!! So I found a new home on Wednesday and moved on Thursday. The new home is great except for the tiny bedroom. It's got a nice living room [still a tad disorganized] with a little balcony-ish outside space through large sliding windows, a decent kitchen , a wonderful bathroom - bathtubs in small apartments here are rare (although once again, no vents so the window has to be opened a little to let the steam out), and a nice back storage/utility area where the washing machine is.
It's been a stressful week but at least I'm in a much nicer home. :)
But... Now I need a vacation!!!!