May 15, 2006 | Filed under: big easy, misadventures
either click on the pic, or here!
This is all footage from my first day here at the house in New Orleans. I was very freaked out and very whiny. I’m still freaked out, but far less whiny.
It’s just so very overwhelming. Sometimes we laugh about it: simply NOTHING in this place works the way it should. Not the doors (they don’t sit right), the windows (they lack glass), the fridge (freezer works, fridge doesn’t) the hot water heater, etc. etc. Everything is a ten-step process, even things like fixing a glass of water. The complete inability to have a glass of water is what sent me into full freak-out mode Tuesday. No clean glasses–not hot water to clean the glass–no soap–no ice–no desire to drink New Orleans H20 straight from the tap blah, blah, blah. A lot of my frustration stems from the fact that the last time I was here I knew where everything was, I cleaned everything (EVERYTHING), bought a bunch of new stuff (towels, pots, pans, plates) and made our little construction site into a workable home. When I returned, everything–and I mean everything; all the furniture, all our clothes, all our kitchen stuff–had been piled high into two rooms, left uncovered, and was filthy, covered with mouse turds, moldy, rusted and rotten AND had to be moved into the apartment on the side of the house where we will be living until “our” side of the house is finished. Including major appliances. I’m also covered with mosquito bites (and some other teeny bites which I’m very worried might be fleas–how gross is that?!), particularly around my ankles so my feet are all swollen…physical discomfort ain’t helping. I’m slightly ashamed to admit I spent some time in the fetal position weeping. I just didn’t know where to start. Now, five days later, the apartment is much better and I am much calmer. We have groceries, hot water, cable internet, and a working refrigerator. What more could a girl want? Of course, the power still goes off sometimes. That pushes my freak button because of all the food in the fridge. And, of course, because then the modem won’t work.
And then there’s the safety issue. There are current about 34 differently sized entry points into this house. Some are bug-sized, some are bird-sized, some are cat-sized and some are people-sized. A woman was the victim of an armed robbery on her own damn porch a few weeks ago, and the dude next door came out of his house yesterday to find his car missing. Brian has to be in NYC for five days this week, so he’s working hard to “secure the perimeter”. I expect that to be a highly productive videoblogging period, because it will keep me busy and make me feel in touch with the outside world. I really, really, REALLY need to learn how to drive.
…and have I mentioned the giant, flying roaches??
An important word about the house: most of the “damage” you see is a gut renovation in progress that started before Katrina hit town. The roof went totally kaplooey and has (mostly) been replaced, and there’s some water damage to the concrete foundation of the house. Obviously, compared to other areas of town (and actually, even compared to houses across the street, which took on a foot of water) we got off easy. I don’t want to give the wrong impression here: we aren’t the big victims, here. The house got damaged, yes, but it’s standing. That goes a long way round these parts.
May 15, 2006
@ 7:40 pm
I don’t think you are a big fat cry baby. I have always said that you need a passport to come to the south. The giant flying roaches are here too and I still scream when I see one.
I’m sending you prayers and hopes that the rebuild goes smoothly and quickly. And if you ever need an escape and just want some good BBQ or live music..come to Austin
May 15, 2006
@ 9:12 pm
In Florida, I saw a flying roach for the first time. It was crawling along and I went over to kill it. The thing spread its wings and started flying all over the place. I almost DIED!!!! It was horrible!!!!!!
Ahhh, the infamous Giant Flying Roach, the Pametto Bug. I miss the sunshine in the south, but I do *not* miss those suckers …
May 15, 2006
@ 9:55 pm
No, Miss B, you’re not a baby. It’s good that you mentioned that others have it worse, but relatively speaking, this does majorly suck for you. I hope it comes together soon, and I hope there are parts of your vacation that you can really enjoy. And yeah, the roach? That’s awful. No one could possibly say otherwise. Yeck.
May 15, 2006
@ 10:48 pm
you are not being a baby. dear lord woman, between the toilet in the bathtub (???) and the giant, flying roach, i would be riled too.
please be safe down there and try to enjoy some of your vacation.
May 15, 2006
@ 11:30 pm
NO! Definitely not being a big fat baby. We received only remnants of Katrina here in Pensacola but Ivan destroyed us much like Katrina did you just short of a year prior and we are still picking up he pieces (literally)and I have to say that I think you are being ONE DAMN TOUGH COOKIE!!
Keep at it girl. I’d say “I don’t know how you do it” but actually I do….it’s one day at a time and one foot in front of the other but damn that next step can be tough.
Best wishes and I wish there was something I could do to help out!
Fingers crossed for both of us that this hurricane season is much nicer than the last two have been.
You go girl.
I’m loving your vblogging by the way!!
Dawn of
www.overactiveimagination.blogspot.com
May 16, 2006
@ 2:22 pm
You’re definitely not a big fat cry baby… I would be even worse than you! Congrats on catching the roach, I’m the kinda gal that catches them under something and then gets my man to give it the coup de grace.
Maggots? You’re kidding… that’s NASTY!!!
Hope you get everything sorted soon,
Casey
May 16, 2006
@ 3:48 pm
Wao…..
Wao….
Yep, I’d freeked out too…. But its only three weeks, so that’s not bad, is it?
May 16, 2006
@ 9:59 pm
Wow. No your aren’t a baby…that’s bad. My house looked like a hell whole originally (I wasn’t born but I’ve seen the videos and trust me, it was bad but not even close to what yours is) but my mom worked extremely hard for years and now it’s very beautiful I think. It’ll get there eventually.
Evan (http://e-vlog.blogspot.com)
May 17, 2006
@ 3:25 am
Almost Green Acres-esque. House always under construction, the girl from New York… All you need is a next door neighbor with a pig
May 17, 2006
@ 5:00 am
Seriously, you had me at “maggots.”
It’s completely overwhelming. Totally natural response. How are you at night? Are you safe? Just wondering since you spoke about the various entryways…
May 17, 2006
@ 8:34 am
you’ve given terrible reality to my constant rant that this country is a giant sewer.
good luck in coping with that mess.
you are braver than I.
May 17, 2006
@ 10:08 am
Can I sell you some Boric Acid? It’ll kill insects, harmless to pets, and non-toxic as table salt. It will kill silverfish, prevent termites, ants, roaches, and pretty much anything with an exoskeleton. Best of all, it is safe because it is non toxic to us and pets.
Also, I’d like to sell you ultrasonic pest deterrents. Rodents and insects don’t like the frequency and avoid this plug in deterrent. Some huge plastic bins with airtight lids to put foodstuff I will sell to you.
The lathework looks mostly intact and the new wall studs are nice to look at.
Keep it tidy, you’ll be having people over in no time.
May 17, 2006
@ 11:34 am
Agh! I wouldn’t want to live there either! I guess I’m a big bad cry baby too, if that’s the case. I can stand camping maybe 2-3 days, but that’s it. I need a functional house.
I hope your repairs come in soon. Try to get some rest, although I know it is hard. Reward yourself w/ some icecream at a local dessert shop too. It helps.
I’m sorry for not commenting recently. I just graduated and am trying to catch up with all my Internet buddies.
Please take care.
Aloha,
Rebecca
May 18, 2006
@ 8:11 pm
Yeah. I think it’s all about the shock from lack of transition / lack of being used to it. At least the roaches part is definitely like that. It took me a couple years to got from freaked-out-helpless when those things would show up in my house in San Antonio to okay-I-don’t-like-this-but-I’m-getting-the-broom-and-that-thing-is-out-of-here. It sounds like the construction, the flood and state of the whole city, the mess that sounds like boy-mess more than hurricane-mess, et al is just too much to take all at once. So cry. And if you leave NO and return to NYC, and then go back again in several months, it will probably hit you all over again….
Oh well. Enjoy being in touch with how you really feel. Don’t talk yourself out of it! Cry, and then do something about it — whether it’s cleaning, or communicating with your man that he just can’t trash up your place like that when you are gone!
May 19, 2006
@ 6:37 am
The first time I saw one of those roaches in TX I tried to hit it w/a broom and it flew! I thought it was a mutant. Then, I found out the whole south is full of them. They particularly like palm trees (saw palmetto bugs.)
Are you sure those bites on your legs aren’t chiggers? We have them in the midwest and the south. Bastards.
May 19, 2006
@ 9:08 am
No, not a baby.. Just someone (like me) who thinks roughing it is a hotel room with a black and white tv. Well, if you guys make it through this you’ll be all closer and lovey and stuff like that.
Peace
May 20, 2006
@ 1:36 am
I would be more scared of someone breaking in, then being scared of the bugs. One thing for sure you are not being a baby…you’re brave!
May 22, 2006
@ 6:02 am
you are not not not being a big fat baby.
good luck with all that stuff!
a toilet in the bathtub is not a welcome site
May 22, 2006
@ 6:51 pm
Since I am not there I will say YES you are being a big baby…..but if I was there I would say….girlfriend this is just crazy!……
May 27, 2006
@ 5:15 pm
Um…..don’t know what to say…except…
Perhaps it is a self-cleaning toilet?
May 28, 2006
@ 1:29 am
im catching up on your NO adventure.
so thats where you live?
hahah that house is crazy.
though im really into the bug videos(i like bugs)…
f possible, show us whats up with the neighbors. is it just your house thats f’ed up? explore a little.
(and enjoy the last week of vacation)
May 30, 2006
@ 1:57 pm
You’re not being a big fat cry baby … i’m pretty sure that it’s a rule:
“you are not a big fat cry baby if you have just cause to say ‘I just didnt realize the American Dream would be so dusty …and did I mention the giant flying roaches?’”
… I think thats in the constitution somewhere even.
April 18, 2007
@ 10:02 am
Wow! Looks very icky. Thanks for documenting this experience. I agree with Jay: I’d love to see you interview some other neighbors about their take on living down there.