Home Inspection

Today we had our first home inspection. The real estate agency that leased us our apartment requires periodic inspections of their properties to ensure that the tenants are properly caring for the space. This typically would not have been reason to stress. However, there was an unusual stipulation in our rent agreement. The real estate agency would forgo having the apartment professionally cleaned if Steph and I would agree to do the cleaning ourselves for a $150 reduction in our first rental payment. We had agreed to do the cleaning ourselves. So we felt compelled to have the apartment cleaned to a standard worthy of the $150 fee. Steph and I spent the majority of the previous evening scrubbing every nook and cranny of our apartment in anticipation for the inspection. It's not that we are poor tenants or dirty - sure, the odd time the apartment is in disarray, but that is purely a matter of disorganization - it's just that we are unsure as to whether we meet the generally accepted definition of neat and tidy.

The main area of concern was our red couch. Our apartment is composed of white walls and ceiling except for a single red wall and red couch. It's rather fitting that two canucks found this red and white dwelling. Regardless, the concern lies in the fact that this couch shows water marks easily. A fact we unfortunately learned from experience. On many occasions Steph and I will take a cold shower to lower our body temperature in the unbearable summer heat. On one particular occasion, Steph neglected to dry her wet hair to prolong the cooling sensation. She then sat in the middle of the red couch and relaxed her head against the couch's back rest for some time. Upon removing her head from its resting place, a head shaped discolouration was left behind. It was unlikely that is head-like mark on the already attention grabbing red couch would pass the home inspection.

Armed with stain remover and a hair dryer, Steph made it her mission to remove the mark. She had poor luck. What was once a head-like mark transformed into a large amoeba-like disaster in the center of the couch. Our next method of attack was to position the couch in a poorly lit location of the apartment and drape a blanket over its back. The blanket we used was from the airplane we flew on across the Pacific. It was narrowly folded and just covered the water mark. Our couch now looked somewhat like a red convertible with a racing stripe down the middle. I suggested we use a plate as a pretend steering wheel and watch Days of Thunder. Steph politely giggled at my poor attempt at humour. We finished the rest of our cleaning just in time to watch the finale of Oprah's week long visit to Australia. P.S. we passed the home inspection with flying colours. No one questioned the race-car couch.

Oprah with Uluru (aka Ayers Rock) in the background.

Oprah toured Australia for eight days in early December to shoot episodes of her show. Just recently, a four day mini-series of her visit was aired on Australian television. Her visit has been coined as the greatest economic investment in Australia's history! This is a country that invited the entire world for two weeks, about a decade ago, to participate in an amateur sporting event known as the Olympics! Oprah had done for Australia what the entire world was incapable of accomplishing. From her mini-series and the inevitable re-runs, Australia's travel and tourism will be reaping the benefits of her visit for years to come. It is truly astounding the following she has around the globe.

Tomorrow (Jan. 26) is Australia Day. Steph and I have decked ourselves out in Australian gear and are ready to join in with the celebrations. We have a full day planned and promise many pictures for you to view in the not so distant future.