Sign Here, and Here, and Here

So, the good news is, we seem to have successfully negotiated for the new apartment. (I say seem because although our offer was accepted and we've put down a deposit, I won't feel like it's really ours until we move in.) Last night I spent a couple of hours slogging through the lease and filling out our tenancy application. It is truly terrifying how much money this involves, with deposits and moving costs. We'll be wiped out.

Of course, we'll get some of that money back eventually -- we hope -- but still. It makes my heart race. And I despair a little bit to think we've been here three years and we've essentially saved nothing, beyond contributions to our retirement funds.

This city -- good grief, it sucks the money out of you. It's worse than New York.

I realize we haven't exactly been roughing it, traveling and going to dinner and paying for a posh dog walker and whatnot. Under no circumstances will I give up my travel. But I suppose we need to think about how to put something more aside.

(Click that dog walker link, by the way. It's a funny story.)

I mentioned before that the new flat has a garden, and we're contractually responsible for routine maintenance. Apparently our responsibility has its limits, though. From the lease: "To avoid any doubt the tenant will not be under any obligation to pay for or to replace any house plant that has been left in the premises, if the house plant dies."

Well, that's a weight off my shoulders.

(Photo: Street sweeper, Notting Hill.)