Everyone Loves Sydney 'cept ME!

I am on Round 2 of typing this and it took me days to nearly complete it the first time and lose it...frustrating! Get your beverage of choice ready and read on...Promise all the other positives that got lost in the original version of this will be in next posting. but it's late now and I have had my wine and now my whine. Bear with me, please. The hits keep on coming! I was exploring some blogs of American moms in Sydney that I had read before we left the Pink House in the USA. One universal theme: they all loved it here. Since arriving, I have been mostly reading blogs of Aussie mums and of course, they love it here! The other American women I am friendly with seem to all LOVE it here. There you go. Me and Sydney, not so compatible. But while I am trying, Sydney keeps throwing more stuff in my face. I used to love the name Sydney, thought it cute. Not anymore! I intended to get away from "Possum Talk" today, but allow me a brief update. The Possum Man still has not come to make the repairs. The homeowners have been here and the wife is in denial of their existence despite every person I am talking to in the realty, possum profession, pest control and the internet expertise I have gathered confirming it is possums, indeed. Further, there are rats. Somehow, my internet expertise trumps her living here for years... My friends, my brain is blocking that as I am protecting myself from the asylum, as I do have little ones that I need to be here for...It has been raining a lot which prevents someone from coming to do the nighttime roof work. But I called yesterday with no call back and called today. Brooke called me back and seemed shocked that they had not come out. I have no clue how they run their business...and even went so far as stating that she felt there were several nights that would have been fine. Still no tech called today or came tonight... My Facebook friends are already aware that in this autumn rain we have experienced, I detected a strange looking "Spider" on the IKEA crib that is taking up space since our furniture arrived, in the baby's room. I took its picture and blew it up and then smashed it. It was a freaking SCORPION. Thanks, for that Sydney. In my sons room, no less. I took great pride in showing the owners that picture. I guess I should be grateful that a.) it wasn't on the crib he sleeps in b) I haven't spied anymore c.) they only cause PAIN for 6 or more hours but not DEATH. Can you imagine that with a baby or toddler? That's not all. We have mold or "MOULD" as they spell it here in Australia. I had noticed the discoloration of a wall in our room. The Man thought it was nothing. The Possum Man assured me that it wasn't Possum Pee because that is thick and syrupy in case you wanted to know. He thought that it looked like water damage. Our master bedroom is kind of dark. It is quite infrequently that I even put the curtains up because it is in the front of the house close to the street and I am in there to dress, deposit laundry and sleep. But yesterday, I was putting on fresh sheets and wiping the dust off the bed frame when I noted that behind the bed and another wall altogether was quite messed up. Took a photo, sent to The Man at work. Says call. I knew this was going to be a problem, but I was really hoping to resolve possum issues before I brought another issue to their attention. We had previosuly talked to the owners about the smell of moisture in the bedrooms and we purchased a dehumidifier that we rotate between the rooms. They offered to pay for it and thought it was due to so much unusual rain this summer. Fair enough. We declined payment. We have lived in an old house before. This is water damage due to the house malfunctioning and likely the damn roof... Rain has been regular here in Aus since we arrived. which is what it has done. Our back bedroom in the Fan had some moisture issues,too. Not like this, though. The closet in the baby's room was also emitting an odor and its door does not stay closed (just how some old things are, I get that). It has water spots on the ceiling, which is much lower than the room ceiling) and I prop a Kirkland's baby wipe box against it to keep it shut. I reluctantly call the realtors office and the Property Manager has just left, but the owner answered. She asks to come by to take a look later in the day. Approved. What happens next I can't even state without steam emitting from my pores... and I am so frustrated that I am one of those people who needs processing time. I wanted to call her back and get my response in. She blamed it on us. That I am not opening windows enough and running the fans. Helloooo, it is FALL and chilly. It has been raining all SUMMER long. I do not leave windows open while we are sleeping, despite no air conditioning in the house, nor would I leave windows opened in the front of the house when I am in the back of the house LIVING life. I know that is a little nutty, but that is a whole different topic. They are constructing noisily next door and just outside Huckleberry's window is the carport for that house where they cut wood all day long. So no, I don't open his windows to the mess and noise. If this were a necessary part of maintaining a home here in Sydney, one would think it would be instructed at the beginning before mold took over our room. UGHHH! Feel like going postal. When I use the washer and dryer I must open the window and run the fan. It's nuts. I do it, or the walls get coated with moisture as has happened, on the occasion that I forgot that routine like I am some kind of American who has a vented dryer and a washer and dryer that function so well I could cry...I can't believe it, but I miss my appliances,too. Seriously. The realtor told me to clean it. I said, "With bleach?" and I was thinking, "Get someone out here to clean this. We're paying out the wazz to be here and I didn't create this problem". Oil of clove was her answer. But if the problem is deeper than the surface as it likely is, since it came from somewhere, likely the exterior of the house, how is this going to help or be a permanent solution? Dunno. Haven't done it yet. I am VERY aggravated as this affects the air we all breathe. I have babies and an ASTHMATIC husband and both of us have ALLERGIES and ANYONE is in danger with MOLD for God's Sake. The hubs and I are going to put a bunch of stuff in writing this weekend and get some photos of this mold and perhaps treat it by following her advice, but I think I want an expert. I think I want out of this house. We were thinking it might be easier to just stay here for another year if they renew our lease. Certainly cheaper. They wanted a two year lease. Thank God, The Man, negotiated one with an option. This mold issue takes the cake and putting it on me...maddening. In case you have forgotten, we are in a lovely suburb of Sydney. Charming. Our home was listed for sale for over 1 million dollars (and it is about the size of our first level in Richmond, I'd guesstimate). It is 5km from the Central Business District of Sydney. The Man thinks you, dear readers, may think we are leasing in a less than desirable neighborhood in a dump. Whatever you think, we are paying top dollar to live in a cute older house in a desirable suburb in one of the best school districts (not that we need that yet)and it was the best house available to us in our price range at the time. It did not have icky, stained carpets or room configurations where my kids would be all on different levels (our Chicago friends chose that one, but way impractical for us. Our little people are still waking up wanting mama at all hours) nor doors from every bedroom to the outside (that really creeps me out). As far as set up, I'm cool with our layout especially for bedrooms. Would love a more connected kitchen and living area like we had at home, but this is doable. I give you this just to give you some perspective... Side note: Chicago has fabulous furnishings, brought everything with her and house looks great. She does not even know about this blog so I am not buttering her up. The owners had friends living in it and it just wasn't as appealing as it looks with the touch Jess brought to it. So, whaddya think peeps? What would you do if you were renting a place with so many problems? Got any interesting house rental/ownership stories to distract me from my own life? Do tell! XO Valerie P.S. I promise to accentuate the positive next post and give you all the scoop on what we have been doing outside of the house. We've been exploring a bit.