If you are a Facebook friend reading this, you already know the loathing I have for my neighborhood and its inhabitants.
Nine years ago this November, I was a single girl looking to get out of my parents house and make my own way in the world. Little did I know that the market was going to crash and never pick back up.
The size and layout was great for someone like me. Although, it didn't look like much from the outside, it met all of the dream first home requirements: it's near the water, I can ride my bike lots of places instead of driving, there's a small backyard, it's technically on a hill since the land goes up near the causeway bridge, and on clear days I can hear the church bells ring.
Since then, I've gotten two roommates - my husband and our daughter. Her stuff takes up just as much space as my stuff. The hubs doesn't get much of his own, and it's hard for anyone to get any privacy (not that she wants any anyway, but I do). There's a page in her baby book that says to put a picture of the house you lived in when you were born. Here's a bland wood siding condo that's just as old as your parents - ugly and no thanks!
Why don't we move? Well, we'd LOVE TO, but we each own property and both are in the same situation - the market sucks. The red tape and stalling with the Port Marigny project is working my nerves because that would greatly help property values go up where we live. Just this evening she and I were playing out in the parking lot with sidewalk chalk and blowing bubbles, where she falls all the time and scrapes her hands or knees. The backyard is grassy, but there are so many mosquitoes because of the drainage ditch, the woods at Pre-Stress, and two neighbors who probably breed Zica spreading mosquitoes between their trash and unused boats in the yard.
Saying I hate living here is an understatement. If I could think of a way besides insurance fraud to get rid of this condo and move, I'd never look back. Our child deserves a full bedroom to herself and a nice fenced in yard to play in that we can get treated for mosquitoes. We deserve a full sized kitchen and a bigger bathroom to share, as well as a break from the mental stress that living in such tight quarters with no privacy causes.
Of course, we could still get crappy neighbors, be stressed about something else, and still be practically forced to be part of the HOA regardless of where we live. But having a "sanctuary" to retreat to would be a big step up from what we have now. So, if you wonder why we don't invite you in or over, it's because it's impossible to keep remotely tidy with a toddler and no space.
