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Post by Script on Jan 27, 2010 16:42:27 GMT -5
hi prez; sorry to hear of the substandard condo conditions. i hope the owner does right by you, and i hope you got a luxurious shower by now. 150 bucks per night should come with a clean, leak free place and i hope you do tell the owner everything, both good and bad. you have every right to follow through and get some satisfaction. by rights, she should reduce your rates be a lot and refund some of your money, poor or not. how's the birding going? are there flamingos down there? always wanted to see them. and frigate birds. parrots? macaws? toucans? bananaquits? what else? Lois offered us a few extra nights free here, if we wanted. We declined. She paid for the cleaning ladies yesterday: $75?. She is going to take care of my brother's dog for two weeks for free. One huge issue for her: the OCD boyfriend. I HEARD HER ON THE PHONE: she told him she would pay for the renos herself (the painting etc) if he refused, as the work needed to be done. also, she had conferred with another owner here who ALSO told her that the place 'needed work'. The BF is living in a dream world: he keeps saying: "you're paying for the view and the weather". Well, the view is good, for sure, the weather has been stinky in general: and in TODAY"S REAL ESTATE MARKET, you need a lot more than VIEW and WEATHER. i made a plus/minus list for myself yesterday: good points; bad points; which i have put away, and will try to have a quiet meeting with lois (plus pooch and my brother, for moral support) to talk to her, when we get back home.
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Post by Script on Jan 28, 2010 11:58:19 GMT -5
*I arranged for the cleaning lady to come again next week: $75 for a morning.........not cheap, but she is good and reliable
*I was not well last night; DH went to a local pizza bar himself. I had some breakfast cereal etc. for supper
*made bed this morning, tiny tidy hither and thither
*the plumber is here as I write: I came back from the pool and found him in our unit. I dressed hastily and came down to the lobby to use the laptop on loan
*also mailed envelope with blank laundry card to my brother, at request of Lois (co-owner) who needs it for the next tenant
another thing I did: made an appointment for a pedicure (no polish, lots of foot-leg massage)---new swanky salon within walking distance of condo
DH is making fettucine with fresh asparagus: from the farmer's market: tonight for supper. we have some good metodo classico italian bubbly too: yes!
i also folded an put away some air-drying laundry.
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Post by gettingsomewhere on Jan 28, 2010 19:02:01 GMT -5
so pleased to hear/read that things are finally improving there prez.
please enjoy. you are paying an awful lot of money for this so i am hoping you can put the horrid start to the back of your mind for now. how long are you there for?
tonight's dinner sounds divine!
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Post by Script on Jan 29, 2010 15:41:01 GMT -5
so pleased to hear/read that things are finally improving there prez. please enjoy. you are paying an awful lot of money for this so i am hoping you can put the horrid start to the back of your mind for now. how long are you there for? tonight's dinner sounds divine! 1) we are here until monday, the day after the super bowl (i think) 2) we booked for 3 full weeks: were offered more 'free day's which we declined 3) lois the co-owner and dog walker is giving my brother 2 weeks of free service: so i feel considerably vindicated 4) DH and I are both calming down: thank you all Last night's dinner was splendid; we cleaned up afterwards; loaded-turned on dishwasher This morning I made the bed, unloaded the dishwasher and HAD A SHOWER: only my second in about 2 weeks.....my hair is considerably greyer for some reason..........? we also had a great outing to a nice shopping place: italian restaurant for lunch; with carpaccio, bubbly, creme brulee: the usual. when i got home, i started a give away pile for the cleaning lady next week: things i brought down and don't want to take back. i bought a new more suitable shoulder bag and change purse, for example, and will offer her the ones i was using until the new purchases. i am also choosing NOT to view any of the other units offered for rent in this building, so as not to inflame my nerves and wind myself up................ when i had my shower today, i left the door open, sprayed some rose mist in the room, and reminded myself that everything is now OK. also, i washed dried and hung up to air-dry my DH\s jeans. we are doing ok keeping up with the laundry the plumber was back twice yesterday and we think the toilet leak has now been repaired
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Post by illuminata on Jan 29, 2010 19:32:28 GMT -5
Oh, my dear sweet script...
How could I have missed this thread? I am so sorry for all the problems you have had on this trip. Florida trips should be nice, not hassly.
I'd hug you but that probably wouldn't be what you need, right? So I'll say a prayer that things go well from here on out.
(btw, I lived in Florida for a year, and I know the feeling)
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Post by messymimi on Jan 29, 2010 22:02:28 GMT -5
I hope the rest of your visit continues to get better and better!
messymimi
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Post by messyang on Jan 30, 2010 0:51:19 GMT -5
I , too rented a private home in Marco Island two summers ago, and had a wonderful experience. I brought my doggies, and four kids, and we had a blast in a lovely home with a swimming pool and recreation room. We had the time of our lives. We live on Lake Okeechobee, and Marco Island is not too far from there. Please don't feel bad about us Floridians. Not all of the homes / condos rented out are like this one. I hope at least you are enjoying the sunny weather and beaches. It has been so very nice outside. This is the time when I love living in the sunshine state.
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Post by CaringFriend on Jan 30, 2010 2:16:21 GMT -5
Script, I meant to write this sooner, but didn't. I hope it's still not too late.
You talked about difficulty with bathroom plumbing and how you took infrequent showers just so you could wash your hair. Can you wash your hair under the kitchen faucet? I've done that many times when I needed to get to work and couldn't get into the one bathroom in time to shower & wash my hair.
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Post by Butterfly on Jan 30, 2010 2:38:08 GMT -5
Oooh, that foot massage/pedicure sounds lovely! I have diabetic-related constant foot/hand pain and I'm nearly drooling over your massage. I hope you enjoyed it!
And your meals sound so yummy! The bubbly and creme brulee sound like the icing on the cake.
I think it's crappy that your unit has/had so many problems but I really admire how hard you're trying to not obsess over them and, instead, to really enjoy the good parts of your vacation!
Maybe, even if the cleaning lady doesn't want your extra things, you could find a charity drop-box and still leave them behind? How inspiring to come home without extra, unwanted clutter!
I hope your last few days of vacation are stress free and lovely!
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Post by Script on Jan 30, 2010 15:32:32 GMT -5
I , too rented a private home in Marco Island two summers ago, and had a wonderful experience. I brought my doggies, and four kids, and we had a blast in a lovely home with a swimming pool and recreation room. We had the time of our lives. We live on Lake Okeechobee, and Marco Island is not too far from there. Please don't feel bad about us Floridians. Not all of the homes / condos rented out are like this one. I hope at least you are enjoying the sunny weather and beaches. It has been so very nice outside. This is the time when I love living in the sunshine state. I love Floridians! The owners of this condo are TORONTONIANS and friends of my brother!
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Post by Script on Jan 30, 2010 15:35:33 GMT -5
Script, I meant to write this sooner, but didn't. I hope it's still not too late. You talked about difficulty with bathroom plumbing and how you took infrequent showers just so you could wash your hair. Can you wash your hair under the kitchen faucet? I've done that many times when I needed to get to work and couldn't get into the one bathroom in time to shower & wash my hair. thanks for your kind words. i have often wash my hair in a bathroom sink or kitchen sink in 'emergencies'. however..........the kitchen here is awful: piles of contruction tiles and supplies on the floor and counters; unfinished back-splash; dark and gloomy. i am doing ok now with the shower. i do not wash my hair very often anyway; it is grey and dry.
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Post by Script on Jan 30, 2010 15:37:20 GMT -5
Oooh, that foot massage/pedicure sounds lovely! I have diabetic-related constant foot/hand pain and I'm nearly drooling over your massage. I hope you enjoyed it! And your meals sound so yummy! The bubbly and creme brulee sound like the icing on the cake. I think it's crappy that your unit has/had so many problems but I really admire how hard you're trying to not obsess over them and, instead, to really enjoy the good parts of your vacation! Maybe, even if the cleaning lady doesn't want your extra things, you could find a charity drop-box and still leave them behind? How inspiring to come home without extra, unwanted clutter! I hope your last few days of vacation are stress free and lovely! my brother and the condo co-owner brought stuff to good will too: the store is on the main street. i will certainly NOT put good stuff in the trash.
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Post by Script on Jan 30, 2010 15:43:41 GMT -5
*I made the bed again this morning: working at 100% rate!
*I tidied up the kitchen before I made my lunch (breakfast cereal)
*I bagged up a big bag of trash: brought to garbage room
*I had DH bring the recycling to the downstairs bin on our way out: this room is toooooooooo creepy and smelly for me
*we did a small amount of shopping (bread, water, orchids.....) and I put everything away
Things are much better for me now; thanks to all for your kind words.
one note: we have rented 'off season' condo places before, in Texas near Aransas Pass wildlife reserve. they were totally lovely and included regular maid service. of course, they were also quite new.....today my DH discovered that the door handle on the bedroom sliding glass door is broken: and has been fixed before. As a handy-man type guy, he rooted around and to look for a screwdriver here. He did not bring his usual tool kit.
, he found the 'tool box-repair kit stuff' on the top shelf of a big cupboard, poorly place. The box, unfortunately, almost fell on his head when he tried to take it down. he fixed the door, but left the screwdriver out: "this is going to break again: the screw is too short"
also DH says that the toilet is leaking again.....i passsed the message along to the co-owner in toronto. the poor repair guy has been here THREE times............i also wonder how long this problem had existed........
xxoo
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Post by messymimi on Jan 30, 2010 17:39:36 GMT -5
Dear Script,
You are doing a great job with keeping up on things.
This whole thread of yours is the biggest argument against long distance landlording I could ever point to.
I hope you get back to Florida someday and rent from someone local, or who has local management like my parents do!
messymimi
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Post by Script on Jan 31, 2010 18:35:11 GMT -5
Dear Script,
You are doing a great job with keeping up on things.
This whole thread of yours is the biggest argument against long distance landlording I could ever point to.
I hope you get back to Florida someday and rent from someone local, or who has local management like my parents do!
messymimi Dear Mimi AND others: i had NOT thought about the situation in quite this way. thanks for the insight Today's troubles: *main screen door: very sticky, i was not able to open it when i wanted to go outside *to bring the carpet from the bathroom; toilet leaking badly again..... *plumber to come again? *also DH broke then fixed one of the slats on the hideous FILTHY blinds...... Today's triumphs *made bed this morning *loaded, turned on dishwasher *fresh towels for both bathrooms *big load of towels to washer, then dryer *emptied trash: round one *emptied trash: round two *another huge pile of recycling gathering: DH will take it down another time
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