vw and Emily's landlords suck, and they shouldn't be allowed to get away with this crap. When they walk right in, insist that they leave, embarass them in front of potential tenants if necessary. If you were going to be there longer, I would suggest putting a secuirty chain on the door so that they cannot just walk in.

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Sucky landlords suck.

Hometown: Born in teeny town in Georgia (on an Air Force base). Never lived anywhere longer than 3 years when I was a kid, though we lived mostly in the South. There was a time I would have considered Greenville (SC) my hometown. There was another time I would have considered San Diego my hometown. Now I think I have no hometown. Home is where the GF is, you know? IOW, I could leave LA and be okay with that. Where I'd go is another question.

Good luck on your first days, Aims and Nora! I'm having major (stress and effed-up responsibilities) issues with my workplace right now so I may be joining the job hunt. Won't that be fun what with school starting up in September. Ain't life grand? I'm feeling dragged down lately what with the work probs and the fact that stats is getting really hard. Not sure what the solution is, but sometimes putting feelers out helps even if you don't end up taking a new position.

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Now, I don't want to do that. I don't even want to threaten it. But, if she doesn't make some changes, I sure as hell will.

Good. This is making *me* snarly and I'm not the one being walked in on.

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I'm in the "not sure I have a hometown" category. I was born in a small city in Wisconsin. Lived just outside of that city from before I can remember until just before my 14th birthday, when we moved to a larger city in the same county.

I used going to college as a socially approved version of running away from home. NOLA was very different from southern Wisconsin. I learned that the world is a very big and diverse place, among other things. But NOLA wasn't where I really belonged, either.

Chapel Hill was where I really bloomed. To the extent that I have a "hometown," it's there. Life wasn't perfect there, but it was right.

DC is where I work. It doesn't really feel like home, though that might be because I've always lived in the suburbs, and not the real, real close-in ones. I don't see us staying here after retirement.

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vw, you guys are at a point where if it were me, I'd put in a security chain and refuse to allow the landlord (or husband) or agent inside unless I have several hours of ACTUAL notice (read, spoken to a live human being instead of leaving a voicemail message). Not ifs, ands or buts.

And if they mentioned "cooperation" or made suggestions or comments about housekeeping or cleanliness or clutter, they'd find the place in a complete wreck no matter how much notice was given.

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VW -- I scrolled back twice and I am blind. What happened last night?

JZ -- my experience with babies is that once they get squirmy, rails and belts don't do a damned bit of good. One hand on the baby at all times.

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(read, spoken to a live human being instead of leaving a voicemail message).

This is the part that really just gets to me. You cannot leave a message at 8am and then expect access into the apartment at 8:30am. It's just not reasonable or appropriate.

Emily narrowly missed being walked in on in bed, for which, if it were me, I would call the police over. She had only been up for 10 minutes when the landlord's husband came by, and she hadn't even thought to check voice mail yet.

That's what's got my panties in such a twist today. But, I have calmed down a bit, and when she calls back I'm going to tell her such, then use this as a way to negotiate only paying half of a month's rent in August (since we're all going to be out by the end of the first week anyway). I'll tell her it will really be the best for all of us...keeping stress levels down, etc. And that way they can get in to paint and take care of anything else they want to before the new tenants move in. I'm going to paint the picture as "this is best for everyone." Hope it works. Or else, I'll start yelling again and threaten to file a complaint with the city and a restraining order so they cannot enter the apartment until September 1.

I've been "cooperative" and flexible, and really, I think I've under-reacted to their behavior over the last month. So, now I'm over-reacting. Oh, well.

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VW -- I scrolled back twice and I am blind. What happened last night?

It was this morning. Landlord's husband arrived at 9:10am to take a screen out of Emily's room. Landlord called and left a voice mail to let us know this was happening at 8am. Not only is that inappropriate professional behavior, but it's against the law. So, my panties are in a twist.

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Betsy seems to be speaking for me everywhere. I did have a changing table for Owen (and am now using it for Olivia) but it the changing surface is flat (no rail) so I use the curved changing pad and keep one hand on squirmy child at all times.

I also got Owen a long, low dresser which I put another changing pad on to change him (when I do not have to chase him down and fight with him to change his diaper on the floor).

These situations worked best for me because of my back issues but anything that works for you is what is best and the rest of the unasked for advice or dire warnings of damage to your baby be damned.

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Cashmere is me. Also, even with notice, I don't feel the need to make my apartment perfectly clean for landlords. As long as I am not doing major damage to the place, they shouldn't care about my clutter.

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