As I announced a few days ago, we were all set to move into an apartment in Downtown Durham. As often happens in life, things changed.
While reviewing the final lease documents, we discovered a number of quirky regulations and policies that made us a tad (actually, a hell of a lot) uncomfortable. For example, no candles can be burned, all pets must have DNA tests (this is so if your pet poops outside, the poop can be DNA tested and tracked back to the pet - we have indoor cats), and the non-refundable pet deposit is $900 per pet - $2700 total. It took us a nanosecond to realize that as much as we loved the apartment, we could not afford to live at the Bull House. As importantly, it felt like living there would be worse than living in the most strict HOA neighborhood you can imagine.
After about six hours of research and lots of telephone calls, we settled on a wonderful community in Chapel Hill. Solano is about ten miles from the Duke Health Infusion Center. We will be twelve miles to downtown Durham and three miles to downtown Chapel Hill. The lease has been signed, and we move into our new home October 8.
During our discussions with Solano management, we discovered that only two cats are allowed. An exception to the limit are Emotional Support Animals (ESA). Yep, we now have a feline ESA.
Big Bit has been my ESA for a very long time; we just never made it official. The process was fairly simple. I met with a psychiatrist who had reviewed my medical records. The doc determined that I needed an ESA. Surprisingly, Big Bit was not interviewed by the doc. He took my word that Big Bit provided the emotional support I need. Big Bit is requesting additional compensation (grilled salmon, ice cream, treats, etc) now that she is registered as my ESA. Negotiations are ongoing.
Today has been a good day. We went to visit a client early this morning. Our company is building a complex second story deck and screen porch, and we had a crew working today. In many cases, our clients become friends. That is certainly the case with this homeowner. She is a bit older and wiser than we are. Similar life experiences. She continues to advise me about coping with Alzheimer’s and depression, and living healthier. I value her counsel and I cherish our visits.