Checking out Apartments

I'm so
proud
of
my
son....

taking
a
gap
year
after
high school...

to
work
for
Habitat....

on
the
Mississippi
Gulf
Coast.

We
start
his year
with a visit
to the
Habitat
office....

waiting
to
meet his
future
world....

Volunteer
Director
Austin
has a
friendly
face....


and
lots
of
advice...

We
check out
the
upside-down names
of his
fellow
Habitatters...

and
then
we
head out....

to
find
his
future
Habitat.

This
place
looks
nice...

Nicer
I think
than
Sister Nicky's
place
in
Tampa.

Nice
clubhouse...


















Friendly
staff....

and
furniture
in
the pool

(thanks,
I think,
to
Issac)

Let's
check
out
the
apartment.

"Is
it
furnished?!"
asks
TJ.

No.

That's
just
for
show.

Check
out
the
TWO
bathrooms....

Washing
machine?

No.


WiFi?

No.

But,
TJ,
it's
gated.

That's
important
down
here!












"Let's
keep
looking"
he
says.

Down
by
the
fort...

This
place
looks
good...

Check
out
the
floor
plan....
















Check
out
the
playground...

Lots
of
kids...


















Friendly
neighbors...

But
TJ says


"Let's
keep
looking"

We
drive
back
across
49....

to
check out
the
neighborhoods
closer to
Habitat...

There's
a
house
he
could rent...

but
we can't
see
the
inside.

Everyone's
out
cleaning up
from
Hurricane
Isaac.

Why
do they
number
their
windows?

TJ
spots
a
sign...

People
live
up.

Cars
live
down.

Let's
check
it
out...

Beautiful
door...

Nice
kitchen...















Gotta
have
the
fans...

Close
view
of
the
neighbors.

OK.

Seen
enough.

















There's
another
place...

gettin'
tired.


This place
can't
move him in
for 3 weeks.

sigh.

Back
in
Beluga...

We
see
flooding
all
around...

Crashed
down
equipment...

a
caved
in
Shell
roof...

a
scary
place
to
leave
my son.


OK.

One
more
apartment
to
check...

Nice
lobby
again...

But
this one
has
a
fitness
room...

and
a
ping-pong
table!

The
business
center
has
free
internet...

Let's
check
out
the
rooms...

Cool
tile
floors.

Screened
balconies
keep
out
the
Skeeters.

Kitchen
with
a
microwave.

Washer
and
Dryer
included!









Nice
fans...

Nice
rooms.

But
can he
afford
it?

He'll
need
to
get
a
roommate.











I'm
beat!


.
.
.

This
apartment
shopping
is
hard
work...















So
we
go for a
nice dinner
out...

scope
out
the
downtown...
















then
return
to
our
cozy
hotel...

for
some
much needed
rest...


and
for me
at
least...

dreams
of
home.