Don't burn down the house
We had a small electrical fire in the wall the other day.
Sprout was trying to plug something into the socket while I was busy moving J's laptop. All the sudden, Junebug started coughing. I was so concentrated on figuring out whether or not he was choking on something that I didn't immediately notice the smoke billowing out from behind the couch he was on.
I got both kids away from the outlet, cut off the electricity to the flat, and then asked a neighbor to come and see if he thought the fire was out. Don't want to be responsible for burning down the whole building. Also, if help needed to be called, I wouldn't know who to call or how to say anything. Thankfully, cutting the power did the trick, but once I turned it back on, we were without electricity in the whole flat except for the kitchen and one half of the living room.
As you know, we are trying to find a new flat, and our landlady is simultaneously eager for us to be gone so she can up the rent for tenants and worried about getting everything can out of us before we leave (she told us--without looking at the state of the apartment--that we will not be getting our deposit back because she will use the money to have the place repainted. If you don't know anything about the cost of supplies and labor over here, she'll be able to paint many times over on what we pay per month). So, wouldn't you know, she was very upset to learn about the electrical problems, said that they are our fault, and we will have to pay.
The electrician who came to look said that the wiring is 30-40 years old, seriously outdated, and a "real rat's nest."* Not our fault. And just another addition to the level of stress we are feeling about needing to find a new place ASAP. :-<
We went into flat-hunting overdrive these past few days, with J bearing the brunt of it, and we are all frazzled. We saw something sumptuous last night but seriously out of our price range. I hate when people take us to see stuff that is too expensive. We made an offer, anyhow, very low but more than we want to put into rent, so we'll see. We are packing everything in any case, in preparation of moving day...whenever it arrives. :(
Any good thoughts you have to spare would be most welcome.
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*Landlady decided to send another electrician that she trusts more. He was supposed to be here at 9-9:30. It is past 11, and I'm still waiting. :( Trustworthy, perhaps; punctual, no.