Apartment inspections

Apartment inspections fall every six weeks or every transfer and it seems to go by so quickly.  We are up this week for Apartment inspections in six apartments, two in Siracusa, one in Reggio Calabria, two in Messina and one in Catania. The checklist is a full 8X11 sheet of paper! So check list it is.  We usually schedule appointment a week in advance with each set of missionaries because we need to travel a long distance and it is important they are available.  We try to schedule around their “P” day but sometimes is just needs to be on that day.  This will be our second round of inspections so now we are veterans and hope we know what to look for.  We have acquired a trusty set of IKEA tools to assist in minor repairs and hope that will be adequate.

April 21 found us in Siracusa with a Sorelle apartment and an Anziani apartment.  Both Sorelle are new with the last transfer and I must say neither is very happy with the circumstances. There was no sparkle in their eyes; they were down in the dumps.  I suddenly felt like a mom not someone who came to inspect.  They began shedding their burdens and troubles with the apartment; Craig kicked into gear with his hammer and screwdriver and started tweaking the minor adjustments.  Somehow verbalizing the trauma seems to make it worse, so I suggested we do some shopping to spruce up the place.  We bought new bathmats, new shower curtains, a new drying rack for their clothes, and some new hot pads for the kitchen.  It amazing what a little retail therapy can do.  Suddenly they were thinking they could manage and life would indeed get better.  I asked them to do a deep clean of the entire apartment, one room a day to get rid of all the grit and dust that had accumulated and they said they would do it.  I will hope for better days for them!

The Anziani apartment was spic and span and they were ready with their white shirts and ties. It took us about 15 minutes to do the whole check list. 

April 23 we are off to Reggio Calabria and Messina for three apartment inspections.

The Anziani in Reggio are always a challenge.  The biggest problem being they don’t really care about their apartment and the state of living in filth!  Not at all surprising they spend a quantity of time ill but that doesn’t seem to translate to them.  They are beyond help!

On the other hand the Anziani and Sorelle in Messina both are salt of the earth companionships! Hard working missionaries and seem to be able to manage their living environment as well.  One of our small miracles I am sure. 

April 25 we finished off this six-week transfer with four Anziani in Catania! Our Zone leaders and District leader live in this apartment.  They are amazing missionaries, leaders and they also manage their living environment.  At their request we stopped by their apartment on our way to DDM.   We allowed an hour in case there were any issues we needed to take care of before the meeting but we didn’t need the extra time.  They were ready, the apartment was prepared; they need light bulbs, a desk chair, some spray for mildew in their bathroom and an additional clothes-drying rack!

We work with great young people.