I'm always super stressed out the week before a move. This week is no different! It's just the tasks that are different.
Buy curtain rods and mount them to the walls
Hang all the curtains/shower curtains/closet curtains in the house
Mow the lawn
Have the carpets cleaned
Replace a section of floor
Install washer and dryer
Being a "homeowner" is weird!
The painting is DONE! And I hereby swear that I am never painting that house again, nor will I ever endeavor to paint and entire home by myself again. It looks amazing. But I officially hate painting. :)
Except watercolor painting. I got out Dorothy's watercolors over Memorial Day weekend and painted myself a masterpiece. I can't wait to show you. It's going to hang in my new kitchen.
The construction is done too. The guys weren't able to replace one little area of floor by the back door (and I think they kind of forgot about it because the fridge was sitting on it for 4 months - but I kind of forgot about it too) so that's being done tomorrow. The carpets were cleaned yesterday and today. The house is clean because my sister and I busted our butts on Sunday and I cleaned for five hours.
I'm broke.
I'm ready for my cats! I went to Petco yesterday and got everything I will need for them.
Nobody picked Jordan up at school yesterday. I got a phone call from his school about 35 minutes after school let out saying, "We've been trying to call everyone and we can't get throught to anyone. Nobody picked Jordan up today." I dropped everything and booked it to Albany (a 20 minute drive) to get the poor guy. We had a mommy-son date while we waited for Daddy to get off work. He was asking about our cats, whether they are boys or girls and when he found out they are one of each he was asking what we would do if the girl had kittens. I explained that she wouldn't because the boy cat is fixed. He wanted to know more about that so we had a little sex ed in McDonald's.
I've barely packed. I filled Dorothy's van (partly with things like space heaters and Jordan's bookshelf and this and that) but I have a long way to go. Tonight I'm gonna bust my butt packing because I want to make a big dent in it. I didn't actually realize how many books I have...
My internet gets hooked up at the house on Monday so I will go a very short time (like, one day) without internet. And once I'm settled I'm looking forward to blogging more.
I can't wait for Jordan's summer camp to start because I get to pick him up every day and spend the afternoon with him. I'm very excited about that. He's at an age where conversation is so fun and he is so curious and funny.
Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
A new normal
Life is weird!
I'm not used to this.
Every day now I come home and the house is so quiet and empty. A couple of times I have caught myself starting to call for the dog but he's not there. That part is strange. And I've been having a really hard time falling asleep at night because it's so quiet.
And then last night there was a helicopter circling and circling, apparently looking for someone. Un-nerving!
But overall things are good. Just different. And that's ok.
This week I'm CRAZY busy, running around with appointments (counseling and dermatology) and in all my spare time I'm working on painting. I'll get the painting finished next week (4 rooms left and a friend is helping with the trim and doors), then my sister and I will clean the crap out of that place and a few days before I move in I'm having the carpets cleaned.
It'll be like a new place!
I can't wait to be living among my own furniture and things again. :)
And the kitties! Oh, I'm so excited for the kitties.
I'm not used to this.
Every day now I come home and the house is so quiet and empty. A couple of times I have caught myself starting to call for the dog but he's not there. That part is strange. And I've been having a really hard time falling asleep at night because it's so quiet.
And then last night there was a helicopter circling and circling, apparently looking for someone. Un-nerving!
But overall things are good. Just different. And that's ok.
This week I'm CRAZY busy, running around with appointments (counseling and dermatology) and in all my spare time I'm working on painting. I'll get the painting finished next week (4 rooms left and a friend is helping with the trim and doors), then my sister and I will clean the crap out of that place and a few days before I move in I'm having the carpets cleaned.
It'll be like a new place!
I can't wait to be living among my own furniture and things again. :)
And the kitties! Oh, I'm so excited for the kitties.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Moving along
We are making plans for me to move into Steve's house when I move out of Dorothy's. It is looking like this could possibly happen in a matter of weeks, though I am not putting an actual timeline on it. But since we don't know for sure when it will be, we are moving ahead with the remodeling projects so it will be ready to live in when the time comes!
I thought you might enjoy a little virtual tour of the "before" look. =)
Here is the very HAPPY looking house I will be living in! (Ok, for the record, I hate this color. For the record, it wasn't Steve's first choice either. One day it will be a much softer, mellow yellow. For now, it's just "the house you CAN'T miss.")
Our tour begins by entering through the kitchen door in the driveway. When you walk in, this is what you will be standing on (below). (We will never be renting the house again. Tenants destroyed it.) We're ripping out this floor and putting down fresh flooring! The countertops are a dark blue so I will look for something that reflects that a bit when I go "floor shopping." The paint I chose for this room is also a nice blue.
Standing in the back doorway, this is what you will see. The wood wall will stay just as it is and the little "breakfast bar" won't have so much crap on it! (The water at the house is shut off until tomorrow so we've been bringing in jugs of it.) The room you see on the other side is the family room.
My little kitchen windows look out into the backyard. This spring I have intentions of pressure washing the back patio, cleaning up the lawn a bit and putting in a garden! I have wanted a garden for SO LONG. The kitchen cabinets will also be painted a crisp white to freshen them up. (And if they're lucky they might even get new handles that aren't falling off.)
And, of course, this wallpaper is coming down. The wallpaper itself isn't THAT bad, but it's crammed up underneath the cabinets and just seems kind of pointless to me. I will hang some sheer white curtains in the windows to make the room a bit brighter.
There is a slight step down from the kitchen into... the family room! Also currently known as the Nerf gun refill station. The family room is BIG and I'm excited to make it nice and homey. I will paint a couple of walls a very light green and the other two an ivory color (which will actually be all through the house).
If you take a right from the family room you will find yourself in the hallway. Pretty boring hallway... Will be a paint to paint with all those doors!
An immediate left will land you in this dive. This is the laundry room and somebody, at some point, really screwed up the floor. They used mud instead of leveling compound, linoleum on top of that and tile on top of the linoleum. Needless to say, it's coming out! I had picked out a sand-colored speckled flooring before finding out that it isn't the best kind of flooring to use in a bathroom/laundry room so I'll be looking for a similar pattern in a different kind of flooring. I think some wall-washing, new floor and fresh paint will make me a nice little laundry room! Eventually I will put up shelving as well.
Through the laundry room is this bathroom. This bathroom is what started it all! It's trashy. The linoleum is starting to peel back from the wall and there is some dry rot next to the tub that needs repaired. In "consulting" with my sister's boyfriend about this project (he will be doing half the work and has a friend who will help him) he started asking what I think about the pink board around the tub.
Um... I HATE IT. So that will be coming out. The shower area will be tiled with nice, white, ceramic tiles. A shower head will be piped in. (How weird is it that there is no shower head??) And it's possible that we will be re-texturing the walls. Plus, new flooring. But, of course, I will totally miss the pink wall and brown floor. *gag*
In the hallway there are two small bedrooms that I did not photograph because, well, they're just small, empty bedrooms! One will become a craft room/game room and the other will be a library/guest room.
There is also a second (smaller) bathroom in the hallway that was recently re-done. The only thing I will change in that bathroom is the shower curtain. It was so recently done that I won't even paint it! (It's probably the only room in the house that will not get painted.)
At the opposite end of the hallway from the family room is the living room. It's a pretty decent sized living room but I'm not sure yet how I will furnish it. I never thought I would say that I don't have enough furniture but it's true. I'm actually looking to buy a loveseat and a couch! The living room actually might go empty for a little while.
To the left of the living room (where I was standing when I took this photo) are two more bedrooms. One will be mine and one will (eventually) be Jordan's. Mine will be painted a soft yellow color, just like my room at Dorothy's (which I LOVE). Jordan has always wanted a RED bedroom. We compromised a bit and will be painting a very small portion of his room red and will accent with things like posters and a bedspread.
Below is my color scheme for the house. From left to right we have: Jordan's room, my room, the kitchen, the library, the craft room (one wall), the family room, the large bathroom (this is a sandy/beige color) and the rest of the house (this looks much darker than it is - a nice ivory color).
I am hoping to buy the paint tomorrow and get started on Saturday. Cody and I will try to pick up most of the supplies this weekend and he and Josh are aiming to start work on Sunday. Neither of them are working day jobs next week so they think they can get it done in 3-4 days. WOW! The painting is what will take the longest! My old roommate graciously offered to come down from the Portland area and help me so that could be loads of fun. If we get the water turned back on by then (it should be on by this weekend) I might even offer to let her stay there for optimal painting time! ;)
Needless to say, though this will probably break my bank, I am SO excited about how it will look when it's finished. I will have a HOME! A place that I won't have to move out of for YEARS! A place that I can really settle in to and make my own. Too fun.
I thought you might enjoy a little virtual tour of the "before" look. =)
Here is the very HAPPY looking house I will be living in! (Ok, for the record, I hate this color. For the record, it wasn't Steve's first choice either. One day it will be a much softer, mellow yellow. For now, it's just "the house you CAN'T miss.")
Our tour begins by entering through the kitchen door in the driveway. When you walk in, this is what you will be standing on (below). (We will never be renting the house again. Tenants destroyed it.) We're ripping out this floor and putting down fresh flooring! The countertops are a dark blue so I will look for something that reflects that a bit when I go "floor shopping." The paint I chose for this room is also a nice blue.
Standing in the back doorway, this is what you will see. The wood wall will stay just as it is and the little "breakfast bar" won't have so much crap on it! (The water at the house is shut off until tomorrow so we've been bringing in jugs of it.) The room you see on the other side is the family room.
My little kitchen windows look out into the backyard. This spring I have intentions of pressure washing the back patio, cleaning up the lawn a bit and putting in a garden! I have wanted a garden for SO LONG. The kitchen cabinets will also be painted a crisp white to freshen them up. (And if they're lucky they might even get new handles that aren't falling off.)
And, of course, this wallpaper is coming down. The wallpaper itself isn't THAT bad, but it's crammed up underneath the cabinets and just seems kind of pointless to me. I will hang some sheer white curtains in the windows to make the room a bit brighter.
There is a slight step down from the kitchen into... the family room! Also currently known as the Nerf gun refill station. The family room is BIG and I'm excited to make it nice and homey. I will paint a couple of walls a very light green and the other two an ivory color (which will actually be all through the house).
If you take a right from the family room you will find yourself in the hallway. Pretty boring hallway... Will be a paint to paint with all those doors!
An immediate left will land you in this dive. This is the laundry room and somebody, at some point, really screwed up the floor. They used mud instead of leveling compound, linoleum on top of that and tile on top of the linoleum. Needless to say, it's coming out! I had picked out a sand-colored speckled flooring before finding out that it isn't the best kind of flooring to use in a bathroom/laundry room so I'll be looking for a similar pattern in a different kind of flooring. I think some wall-washing, new floor and fresh paint will make me a nice little laundry room! Eventually I will put up shelving as well.
Through the laundry room is this bathroom. This bathroom is what started it all! It's trashy. The linoleum is starting to peel back from the wall and there is some dry rot next to the tub that needs repaired. In "consulting" with my sister's boyfriend about this project (he will be doing half the work and has a friend who will help him) he started asking what I think about the pink board around the tub.
Um... I HATE IT. So that will be coming out. The shower area will be tiled with nice, white, ceramic tiles. A shower head will be piped in. (How weird is it that there is no shower head??) And it's possible that we will be re-texturing the walls. Plus, new flooring. But, of course, I will totally miss the pink wall and brown floor. *gag*
In the hallway there are two small bedrooms that I did not photograph because, well, they're just small, empty bedrooms! One will become a craft room/game room and the other will be a library/guest room.There is also a second (smaller) bathroom in the hallway that was recently re-done. The only thing I will change in that bathroom is the shower curtain. It was so recently done that I won't even paint it! (It's probably the only room in the house that will not get painted.)
At the opposite end of the hallway from the family room is the living room. It's a pretty decent sized living room but I'm not sure yet how I will furnish it. I never thought I would say that I don't have enough furniture but it's true. I'm actually looking to buy a loveseat and a couch! The living room actually might go empty for a little while.
To the left of the living room (where I was standing when I took this photo) are two more bedrooms. One will be mine and one will (eventually) be Jordan's. Mine will be painted a soft yellow color, just like my room at Dorothy's (which I LOVE). Jordan has always wanted a RED bedroom. We compromised a bit and will be painting a very small portion of his room red and will accent with things like posters and a bedspread.Below is my color scheme for the house. From left to right we have: Jordan's room, my room, the kitchen, the library, the craft room (one wall), the family room, the large bathroom (this is a sandy/beige color) and the rest of the house (this looks much darker than it is - a nice ivory color).
I am hoping to buy the paint tomorrow and get started on Saturday. Cody and I will try to pick up most of the supplies this weekend and he and Josh are aiming to start work on Sunday. Neither of them are working day jobs next week so they think they can get it done in 3-4 days. WOW! The painting is what will take the longest! My old roommate graciously offered to come down from the Portland area and help me so that could be loads of fun. If we get the water turned back on by then (it should be on by this weekend) I might even offer to let her stay there for optimal painting time! ;)Needless to say, though this will probably break my bank, I am SO excited about how it will look when it's finished. I will have a HOME! A place that I won't have to move out of for YEARS! A place that I can really settle in to and make my own. Too fun.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Life as we know it
A few bullet point things going on right now:
- I have been sleeping fairly well the past week or so. Dorothy has nights of waking up for Morphine in the middle of the night and nights of sleeping all the way through the night. The other night I asked her if we could do meds and bedtime about an hour earlier than usual and that same night we slept all the way through the night. I felt AMAZING when I woke up!!
- I will not be at this job much longer. Weeks. Things are happening quickly and new changes take place every day. Dorothy's daughter is currently figuring out when to take her family leave time and will probably decide that after she has some conversations with her mom this weekend. I don't know what that time will look like for me as far as taking time off work, etc.
- My plan at this point is to move from Dorothy's house into the house that Steve owns in Albany. I'm getting excited about decorating and painting and arranging to really make that house home. And I hope it's the last time I have to move in a LONG time!
- I'm still brainstorming in my head about what things I would like to get done in the house before I move in. Right now redoing the bathroom, laundry room and kitchen floors (linoleum) are at the top of the list, along with laying insulation in the attic at the back of the house. Eventually I would like to install some motion-sensor lights in the driveway and on the back patio and I would love to re-pour the patio this summer. But for now I think a little paint, my own pictures on the walls and my own furniture will do a pretty good job of making it more homey. I can't wait to have a party there!
- I also can't wait to get a cat. ;)
- And to have a big kitchen to cook in. ;)
- My parents will be in Australia in a couple of months (my dad leaves the middle of February, my mom the end of March and they return together in mid-April) and I'm a little worried that some fairly drastic changes will take place in my life while they're gone. But on the other hand, I have friends and siblings and grandmas who I know will take good care of me while they're gone. And I'm super excited that they get to go on this trip.
Tell me, what do you like to see on this blog? What are your favorite kinds of posts to read? I'm hoping before too long to be able to blog much more than I have been and to post much more than just updates. Share with me. :)
Friday, December 25, 2009
A Christmas update
My grandma commented this morning that it's been an awfully long time since I've blogged and asked me if I was still doing it. I told her yes, I'm just so busy all the time that I don't always realize that FOUR WEEKS have gone by since the last time I posted! It's kind of a dream/goal of mine to post several times a week and not to go more than about two days without posting something. But right now my lifestyle doesn't allow that and my requirement for sleep rates pretty high on my priority list. I'm hoping that in the springtime you will be hearing much more from me. :)
But in the meantime, here are some EXCITING updates on what I've been up to (haha).
Last weekend was one of our annual family Christmas parties. It's usually a Saturday afternoon/evening affair. Over the last few years some of the families have started spending the night with whoever is hosting the party. This year we rented out a house in Lincoln City and stayed for two nights. We did a bit of letterboxing while we were there, took a long walk (and run) on the beach, brainstormed stocking stuffers for a new member of our family this year (stay tuned), drank wine, soaked in the hot tub and played lots of games. The weekend was exhausting as it was relaxing but we had a really good time.
Last week we had our annual cookie Christmas contest at work and I won second place! I made shortbread cookies and told my co-worker that I needed a more creative name for them. You know, one that would make people eat them and vote for them! :) He thought for a few minutes and we decided to call them Vertically Challenged Wheat Derivative Christmas Edition Cookies! I had MANY compliments on them (though most people thought the vertically challenged part meant they didn't rise - shortbread cookies don't rise) but another co-worker beat me out with her Pecan Pie Bars. They weren't actually COOKIES (cheater) but I did have one and they were quite tasty!
We've always had a very exclusive Christmas Eve with only our immediate family. This year we extended our exclusiveness a bit to include my sister's boyfriend, my brother's girlfriend and Steve and Jordan (not that we excluded those two before - they've just always spent it with Steve's family). We had a really fun day with a DELICIOUS dinner that my mom made and lots of fun opening gifts from each other. I spent the night there last night to be there bright and early (8am, haha) for stockings this morning. I went home to shower and then met my family at my dad's sister's place for brunch, gifts and games. (And here I still am, blogging from the couch.)
People ask me a lot about Dorothy and how she's doing and I'm never quite sure what to say. Her spirits are good, as they always have been. But she is declining, obviously. She now has a catheter and we use a commode in the bedroom because she's not able to use her wheeled shower/bathroom chair anymore. She no longer takes showers in the shower (because of not being able to use the chair) so she has a bed bath most mornings. It's amazing how clean you can get somebody while they're in bed but for Dorothy's sake I think it would be wonderful for her to get a REAL hairwashing sometime soon. I'm trying to brainstorm a way to make that work, possibly by reclining her wheelchair. We'll see. :) It's incredibly hard to put a prognosis on her condition because every person is so differently affected by ALS. She dips and plateaus and right now she's in a plateau. As time goes on her plateaus will become fewer and farther between and her dips will become longer and more common. There may come a point where we need to hire somebody to be at the house during the night but right now Dorothy has been sleeping through the night almost every night. I think the next thing in store for us may be to hire somebody to be there from 7-9am because I leave for work at 7 and Dorothy's daytime caregiver doesn't come until about 8:45. Right now I think she just goes back to sleep during that time but that may change.
I'm very tired but I'm plugging along. I've reached that point where I'm ready to have my life back but at the same time, I made a commitment to Dorothy (and her family) and I plan to follow that through. Her daughter told me yesterday that she wants me to know that I absolutely have the option to back out if I need to and I responded, "Yeah, but I feel kind of protective of your mom and I'd rather do it myself than have somebody else do it." :) It's funny to hear the phrase, "You can do anything for a short period of time." What constitutes a short period of time? I can hardly believe that in two weeks I will have been at Dorothy's for a year.
I've started thinking a bit about where I will go from Dorothy's... I had previously thought that I wanted to stay in her house as long as possible and I still may stay there for a couple/few weeks before moving just to have a bit of down time. But on the other hand, I'm sure her daughter will be starting to take care of things there so it may be a busy place. Steve and I started talking again this week about what to do with his house: sell, rent or live in it. Renting isn't really an option because that has ALWAYS turned out badly for him and that house. It just causes more stress than either of us wants. Selling is an option but one that we might wait on. The current tentative plan is for me to move into the house when I move out of Dorothy's. I've never loved that house but I AM excited about the idea of living in a house and not an apartment. Plus, Steve owns the house so I'm allowed to paint and decorate however I want! AND I can have a cat! The idea of having spare bedrooms (it's a 4-bedroom house) is pretty exciting. Not to mention, when we get married we'll already have a place to move into together. We had considered selling the house but are now thinking we'll hang onto it for awhile. It sure would be nice to have a 4-bedroom place that's OURS when we start having more kids. :)
Anyway, long story short, I may know where I'll be living next and I love that. :) I've started planning out in my head what I'd like to do to the house and it's fun!
My family is headed to play some more games so I'd better get a move-on!
MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!
But in the meantime, here are some EXCITING updates on what I've been up to (haha).
Last weekend was one of our annual family Christmas parties. It's usually a Saturday afternoon/evening affair. Over the last few years some of the families have started spending the night with whoever is hosting the party. This year we rented out a house in Lincoln City and stayed for two nights. We did a bit of letterboxing while we were there, took a long walk (and run) on the beach, brainstormed stocking stuffers for a new member of our family this year (stay tuned), drank wine, soaked in the hot tub and played lots of games. The weekend was exhausting as it was relaxing but we had a really good time.
Last week we had our annual cookie Christmas contest at work and I won second place! I made shortbread cookies and told my co-worker that I needed a more creative name for them. You know, one that would make people eat them and vote for them! :) He thought for a few minutes and we decided to call them Vertically Challenged Wheat Derivative Christmas Edition Cookies! I had MANY compliments on them (though most people thought the vertically challenged part meant they didn't rise - shortbread cookies don't rise) but another co-worker beat me out with her Pecan Pie Bars. They weren't actually COOKIES (cheater) but I did have one and they were quite tasty!
We've always had a very exclusive Christmas Eve with only our immediate family. This year we extended our exclusiveness a bit to include my sister's boyfriend, my brother's girlfriend and Steve and Jordan (not that we excluded those two before - they've just always spent it with Steve's family). We had a really fun day with a DELICIOUS dinner that my mom made and lots of fun opening gifts from each other. I spent the night there last night to be there bright and early (8am, haha) for stockings this morning. I went home to shower and then met my family at my dad's sister's place for brunch, gifts and games. (And here I still am, blogging from the couch.)
People ask me a lot about Dorothy and how she's doing and I'm never quite sure what to say. Her spirits are good, as they always have been. But she is declining, obviously. She now has a catheter and we use a commode in the bedroom because she's not able to use her wheeled shower/bathroom chair anymore. She no longer takes showers in the shower (because of not being able to use the chair) so she has a bed bath most mornings. It's amazing how clean you can get somebody while they're in bed but for Dorothy's sake I think it would be wonderful for her to get a REAL hairwashing sometime soon. I'm trying to brainstorm a way to make that work, possibly by reclining her wheelchair. We'll see. :) It's incredibly hard to put a prognosis on her condition because every person is so differently affected by ALS. She dips and plateaus and right now she's in a plateau. As time goes on her plateaus will become fewer and farther between and her dips will become longer and more common. There may come a point where we need to hire somebody to be at the house during the night but right now Dorothy has been sleeping through the night almost every night. I think the next thing in store for us may be to hire somebody to be there from 7-9am because I leave for work at 7 and Dorothy's daytime caregiver doesn't come until about 8:45. Right now I think she just goes back to sleep during that time but that may change.
I'm very tired but I'm plugging along. I've reached that point where I'm ready to have my life back but at the same time, I made a commitment to Dorothy (and her family) and I plan to follow that through. Her daughter told me yesterday that she wants me to know that I absolutely have the option to back out if I need to and I responded, "Yeah, but I feel kind of protective of your mom and I'd rather do it myself than have somebody else do it." :) It's funny to hear the phrase, "You can do anything for a short period of time." What constitutes a short period of time? I can hardly believe that in two weeks I will have been at Dorothy's for a year.
I've started thinking a bit about where I will go from Dorothy's... I had previously thought that I wanted to stay in her house as long as possible and I still may stay there for a couple/few weeks before moving just to have a bit of down time. But on the other hand, I'm sure her daughter will be starting to take care of things there so it may be a busy place. Steve and I started talking again this week about what to do with his house: sell, rent or live in it. Renting isn't really an option because that has ALWAYS turned out badly for him and that house. It just causes more stress than either of us wants. Selling is an option but one that we might wait on. The current tentative plan is for me to move into the house when I move out of Dorothy's. I've never loved that house but I AM excited about the idea of living in a house and not an apartment. Plus, Steve owns the house so I'm allowed to paint and decorate however I want! AND I can have a cat! The idea of having spare bedrooms (it's a 4-bedroom house) is pretty exciting. Not to mention, when we get married we'll already have a place to move into together. We had considered selling the house but are now thinking we'll hang onto it for awhile. It sure would be nice to have a 4-bedroom place that's OURS when we start having more kids. :)
Anyway, long story short, I may know where I'll be living next and I love that. :) I've started planning out in my head what I'd like to do to the house and it's fun!
My family is headed to play some more games so I'd better get a move-on!
MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Publicness and Twitterness
I'm public again! I removed the password protection from my blog this morning.
*Disclaimer*
If I start getting creepy comments or feel uncomfortable in any way about being public, the passwords are going back up.
I'm also on Twitter! Call me crazy but I like to update on occasion without posting a whole blog. If there's nothing new for you to read, check out my Twitter updates on the right, just under my music player.
And now I'm off to pack, pack, pack!!
*Disclaimer*
If I start getting creepy comments or feel uncomfortable in any way about being public, the passwords are going back up.
I'm also on Twitter! Call me crazy but I like to update on occasion without posting a whole blog. If there's nothing new for you to read, check out my Twitter updates on the right, just under my music player.
And now I'm off to pack, pack, pack!!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
God is so good
I just have to sit here for a second and revel in all the ways God has provided for me, especially in the last few weeks. I'm pretty much amazed.
First, He brought me the housesitting job at Ciel's. Not only did that put some money in my bank account but it provided me with a relaxing place to stay for three weeks and some really wonderful quality time with my boys. I feel like part of my decision to move in with Dorothy came from having that sane, quiet place to live and feeling like my brain got to slow down a little bit and relax.
Also, do you remember back in October when I posted that I really wanted to finally live somewhere GOOD? Somewhere quiet, somewhere safe and somewhere healthy. I said that I wanted to wait until after the holidays but that I would start looking for a new place. This opportunity totally fell in my lap. People came to ME and asked if I would consider being a caretaker. I had never even thought of that before.
Dorothy and I click. She is so easygoing and I am very flexible. We seem to work really well together. I'm looking forward to being as much her friend as I am her caretaker.
And then there was the fact that I had been feeling like I would never get my car paid off because I can pretty much only afford the minimum payments every month. Living with Dorothy will allow me to pay it off completely, probably before a year is up.
God has given me great bosses at work who totally support my role with Dorothy and have encouraged me in that. He's given me wonderful people to babysit for who have pretty much said, "Hey, whatever makes your life easier." He's given me friends and family who have done NOTHING but support me in this, praying for me and encouraging me.
He threw a dance class my way that I am LOVING. It's an hour once a week to do something entirely for me. Something that I really want to get back into and something that I am passionate about.
And now He's giving me a peace of mind that maybe this will be my most stress-free move yet. I was talking to my mom last night about the logistics of moving and when I should give my notice and I was saying that I'm really unsure about that part. I don't want to keep paying for an apartment for longer than I need to, but at the same time, it might work really well for me to move most everything I will need to Dorothy's and then take a couple of extra weeks to pack up my apartment and see if there's anything extra that I decide I don't want in storage. It's kind of living in limbo but it might keep me from packing like a maniac and then realizing that I put a bunch of stuff in storage that I now want at the house. Plus, if I disconnect my internet and I'm not there very often, my bills will be close to nothing. (Now I'm thinking out loud again.)
Basically I'm just feeling really good about things. I have my moments of stress (like the fact that I get off work at 3:30 today and I told Dorothy I'd be over at 4:30 but I have to go home and pack for several days first, dig up my previous storage unit info [actually, I know right where that is] and run by the store before getting to her house) or the fact that I pretty much have NO CLUE how I want to divide most of my stuff (storage or not), but all of that seems pretty petty in comparison to just HOW MUCH God has blessed me lately and all of the loose ends that he has tied together. Wow.
And can I just say that I am SO proud of my boyfriend? He has been absolutely amazing through all of this, supporting me 100%, even though he knows that it will mean a little less time together. And on that same note, even Jordan has been supportive of it all.
Life is good.
First, He brought me the housesitting job at Ciel's. Not only did that put some money in my bank account but it provided me with a relaxing place to stay for three weeks and some really wonderful quality time with my boys. I feel like part of my decision to move in with Dorothy came from having that sane, quiet place to live and feeling like my brain got to slow down a little bit and relax.
Also, do you remember back in October when I posted that I really wanted to finally live somewhere GOOD? Somewhere quiet, somewhere safe and somewhere healthy. I said that I wanted to wait until after the holidays but that I would start looking for a new place. This opportunity totally fell in my lap. People came to ME and asked if I would consider being a caretaker. I had never even thought of that before.
Dorothy and I click. She is so easygoing and I am very flexible. We seem to work really well together. I'm looking forward to being as much her friend as I am her caretaker.
And then there was the fact that I had been feeling like I would never get my car paid off because I can pretty much only afford the minimum payments every month. Living with Dorothy will allow me to pay it off completely, probably before a year is up.
God has given me great bosses at work who totally support my role with Dorothy and have encouraged me in that. He's given me wonderful people to babysit for who have pretty much said, "Hey, whatever makes your life easier." He's given me friends and family who have done NOTHING but support me in this, praying for me and encouraging me.
He threw a dance class my way that I am LOVING. It's an hour once a week to do something entirely for me. Something that I really want to get back into and something that I am passionate about.
And now He's giving me a peace of mind that maybe this will be my most stress-free move yet. I was talking to my mom last night about the logistics of moving and when I should give my notice and I was saying that I'm really unsure about that part. I don't want to keep paying for an apartment for longer than I need to, but at the same time, it might work really well for me to move most everything I will need to Dorothy's and then take a couple of extra weeks to pack up my apartment and see if there's anything extra that I decide I don't want in storage. It's kind of living in limbo but it might keep me from packing like a maniac and then realizing that I put a bunch of stuff in storage that I now want at the house. Plus, if I disconnect my internet and I'm not there very often, my bills will be close to nothing. (Now I'm thinking out loud again.)
Basically I'm just feeling really good about things. I have my moments of stress (like the fact that I get off work at 3:30 today and I told Dorothy I'd be over at 4:30 but I have to go home and pack for several days first, dig up my previous storage unit info [actually, I know right where that is] and run by the store before getting to her house) or the fact that I pretty much have NO CLUE how I want to divide most of my stuff (storage or not), but all of that seems pretty petty in comparison to just HOW MUCH God has blessed me lately and all of the loose ends that he has tied together. Wow.
And can I just say that I am SO proud of my boyfriend? He has been absolutely amazing through all of this, supporting me 100%, even though he knows that it will mean a little less time together. And on that same note, even Jordan has been supportive of it all.
Life is good.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The one where I feel great
I love Dorothy. She rocks.
I spent the night there last night and it went really well. I think we'll be able to establish a routine really easily. It took us forever to go to bed because there was another woman there who, um... sort of wouldn't leave... This morning I got up and showered and dressed and then went and woke her up, helped her get out of bed and let the dog out. She brushed her teeth, etc. while I did my hair and got my stuff together and then I helped her get dressed and made her a cup of tea before I left for work. And I was pretty much on time to work! :)
I'm going over after work today to make dinner (baked chicken, mmmm) and take her to UPS before I head over to hang out with Joshua for a couple of hours. At the end of the evening I might try to swing by my parents' to pick up at least a few of my Rubbermaid tubs... I need to get a start on packing my apartment!
I told one of my coworkers, man, I don't need a day-by-day calendar, I need an hour-by-hour one!
But you know what? Life is REALLY good right now. I feel so good about things and I REALLY feel like this is where God wants me.
I spent the night there last night and it went really well. I think we'll be able to establish a routine really easily. It took us forever to go to bed because there was another woman there who, um... sort of wouldn't leave... This morning I got up and showered and dressed and then went and woke her up, helped her get out of bed and let the dog out. She brushed her teeth, etc. while I did my hair and got my stuff together and then I helped her get dressed and made her a cup of tea before I left for work. And I was pretty much on time to work! :)
I'm going over after work today to make dinner (baked chicken, mmmm) and take her to UPS before I head over to hang out with Joshua for a couple of hours. At the end of the evening I might try to swing by my parents' to pick up at least a few of my Rubbermaid tubs... I need to get a start on packing my apartment!
I told one of my coworkers, man, I don't need a day-by-day calendar, I need an hour-by-hour one!
But you know what? Life is REALLY good right now. I feel so good about things and I REALLY feel like this is where God wants me.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Totally stressed out... but with internet!
Ciel and I have been in e-mail contact this week and I mentioned that I wasn't able to get online, but oh well. She wrote me back and told me where she thought I could find the code to the internet. I came home and aside from the folder being a different color than she had though, it was a piece of cake to find. YAY!
Now I won't be quite so secluded for the next two weeks!
For some reason I feel really stressed this week. I think part of it has to do with the weather, part of it lack of sleep and part of it the Big Decision.
It has been snowing off and on for SEVEN DAYS! That has got to be some sort of Oregon record. It never snows that much! Today it snowed another half inch or so up on the hill which was enough for me to shovel the driveway when I got home. I was finally able to take my chains off and park in the garage yesterday which was a total relief. I was so tired of driving 25mph everywhere and listening to kthunk, kthunk, kthunk the whole way.
I need to go to bed way earlier tonight. I have been sleeping SO good out here, just not enough. I will never be able to get used to my apartment again after this. My sister and I went by my place yesterday to pick up a couple of things and it was SO LOUD!! When I turn off the lights to go to sleep out here there is no porch light streaming in the windows, no TV or hacking downstairs, no road noise... It's wonderful.
Big Decision. I think in the back of my mind, I've pretty much decided. However, I need to realize that in the rest of my mind. I've been almost forcing myself not to think about it because I REALLY hate the idea of moving again. I don't like the idea of deciding what to put in storage and what to keep out. I don't like the idea of asking my friends to help me move again because I know they're getting tired of it. Ok, it's time to do this:
Cons:
Now I won't be quite so secluded for the next two weeks!
For some reason I feel really stressed this week. I think part of it has to do with the weather, part of it lack of sleep and part of it the Big Decision.
It has been snowing off and on for SEVEN DAYS! That has got to be some sort of Oregon record. It never snows that much! Today it snowed another half inch or so up on the hill which was enough for me to shovel the driveway when I got home. I was finally able to take my chains off and park in the garage yesterday which was a total relief. I was so tired of driving 25mph everywhere and listening to kthunk, kthunk, kthunk the whole way.
I need to go to bed way earlier tonight. I have been sleeping SO good out here, just not enough. I will never be able to get used to my apartment again after this. My sister and I went by my place yesterday to pick up a couple of things and it was SO LOUD!! When I turn off the lights to go to sleep out here there is no porch light streaming in the windows, no TV or hacking downstairs, no road noise... It's wonderful.
Big Decision. I think in the back of my mind, I've pretty much decided. However, I need to realize that in the rest of my mind. I've been almost forcing myself not to think about it because I REALLY hate the idea of moving again. I don't like the idea of deciding what to put in storage and what to keep out. I don't like the idea of asking my friends to help me move again because I know they're getting tired of it. Ok, it's time to do this:
Cons:
- Packing everything I own (when I just unpacked my very last box a month ago) and moving for the 6th time in 2 1/2 years.
- No longer living alone. (Oh, how I love living alone...)
- Feeling like I might have a lot less time for Steve and Jordan.
- Having to tame my social life a little bit and becoming a little more of a homebody. (This could actually be considered a Pro as well.)
- Worrying about Jordan not adapting well to the situation.
- Living with a dog again (I just may train that soft, furry guy).
- The whole thing being somewhat temporary (and not knowing exactly how temporary).
- The end being terribly sad.
Pros:
- Gaining a new friend through Dorothy.
- Being there for her to help her however she needs and to ease her mind about who's going to cook for her, etc.
- Living in a great place rent-free, with a stipend.
- Living in a quiet neighborhood.
- Having this be a learning experience for Jordan (in a lot of ways).
- Blessing someone beyond what I probably realize.
- The spiritual impact that several people have said they think this would have on me.
- Expanding my cooking skills.
- Growing in numerous ways.
I think I'm gonna do it.
Oh gosh, yikes! This means I actually have to think about the moving part...
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Opportunity still knocking
Friday after work I went and met Dorothy. I talked to her a lot, saw the house, met her dog and found out what she's looking for.
In the beginning she would be looking for pretty basic care. I would cook dinner for her, help her with her shopping, do the laundry, help her get into bed at night, etc. As she progresses I would probably be doing more in-depth care and helping her out more. I did learn, though, that never in the course of my living there would I ever be her sole caretaker. She has a HUGE network of friends and people helping her out. It's quite incredible, really.
She said that between dinner and her bedtime I would probably be able to have time to myself, go visit Steve and Jordan, etc. She also said that if there was a time that I needed/wanted to go away for a couple of days or had other plans or whatever, it would be easy for her to get other people to come help her out.
I said, "So, it sounds like you're looking for something fairly casual, just reliable." She said yes, that's exactly it. She wants to know who's cooking dinner for her and that somebody will be there to help her out with the important things.
I asked her a little bit about future care and what she envisions needing from me and she said she's honestly not sure because she has no idea how things will progress or how quickly. That's understandable - it's different for everyone. She did say that she'll eventually have a feeding tube, which I knew. She asked if that would creep me out and I said no, I don't think so. She said, "Well, it creeps me out!" My mom said she used to deal with feeding tubes all the time in the special needs classroom she worked in for several years. She said you quickly get used to them and they're pretty easy to use.
I'm still very excited about this opportunity. I told her I need to think and pray about it some more and talk to some more people so I probably won't make a decision about it until around the first of the year. Right now I am STRONGLY leaning towards yes. But I do want to visit with her a couple more times and ask some more questions. I want to be sure before I commit. And it's not a commitment that I would take lightly.
The house is really amazing. Her kitchen is newly remodeled and looks like something off of a cooking show. The bedroom that would be mine is painted a soft yellow which is not a color I would ever paint a bedroom but it looks sooo relaxing. The backyard has a deck with a grape arbor and I think I saw a little fountain back there. It's so pretty. It's in a quiet neighborhood and is just a couple of blocks from my cousin's house. I think I would really love living there.
As I type this, I am SO ready to move. My downstairs neighbor is coughing and hacking his head off. I just cleaned a bunch of black mold off my bedroom windowsill (that I had no idea was there because those curtains stay closed). It smells. It's loud. I don't want to be here anymore.
Please keep praying for me! There are SO many positive things that could come from this. (I added up how much money I could save, even in a short amount of time. All I have to say is wow.) I would love to get to know Dorothy better. I told her that even if I don't move in and help her in that way, I would like to help her in other ways. She is such a sweet person. I can see myself being incredibly blessed by just having her in my life.
In the beginning she would be looking for pretty basic care. I would cook dinner for her, help her with her shopping, do the laundry, help her get into bed at night, etc. As she progresses I would probably be doing more in-depth care and helping her out more. I did learn, though, that never in the course of my living there would I ever be her sole caretaker. She has a HUGE network of friends and people helping her out. It's quite incredible, really.
She said that between dinner and her bedtime I would probably be able to have time to myself, go visit Steve and Jordan, etc. She also said that if there was a time that I needed/wanted to go away for a couple of days or had other plans or whatever, it would be easy for her to get other people to come help her out.
I said, "So, it sounds like you're looking for something fairly casual, just reliable." She said yes, that's exactly it. She wants to know who's cooking dinner for her and that somebody will be there to help her out with the important things.
I asked her a little bit about future care and what she envisions needing from me and she said she's honestly not sure because she has no idea how things will progress or how quickly. That's understandable - it's different for everyone. She did say that she'll eventually have a feeding tube, which I knew. She asked if that would creep me out and I said no, I don't think so. She said, "Well, it creeps me out!" My mom said she used to deal with feeding tubes all the time in the special needs classroom she worked in for several years. She said you quickly get used to them and they're pretty easy to use.
I'm still very excited about this opportunity. I told her I need to think and pray about it some more and talk to some more people so I probably won't make a decision about it until around the first of the year. Right now I am STRONGLY leaning towards yes. But I do want to visit with her a couple more times and ask some more questions. I want to be sure before I commit. And it's not a commitment that I would take lightly.
The house is really amazing. Her kitchen is newly remodeled and looks like something off of a cooking show. The bedroom that would be mine is painted a soft yellow which is not a color I would ever paint a bedroom but it looks sooo relaxing. The backyard has a deck with a grape arbor and I think I saw a little fountain back there. It's so pretty. It's in a quiet neighborhood and is just a couple of blocks from my cousin's house. I think I would really love living there.
As I type this, I am SO ready to move. My downstairs neighbor is coughing and hacking his head off. I just cleaned a bunch of black mold off my bedroom windowsill (that I had no idea was there because those curtains stay closed). It smells. It's loud. I don't want to be here anymore.
Please keep praying for me! There are SO many positive things that could come from this. (I added up how much money I could save, even in a short amount of time. All I have to say is wow.) I would love to get to know Dorothy better. I told her that even if I don't move in and help her in that way, I would like to help her in other ways. She is such a sweet person. I can see myself being incredibly blessed by just having her in my life.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Opportunity
(A few of you have already received this by e-mail.)
Yesterday I had two different coworkers approach me and ask me if I've ever considered being a caregiver. Honestly, the answer was no, not really.
(But what an honor to be told by two different people that they recommended me for the job and think I would be good at it.)
There is a woman who worked in the library here at the hospital (sorry e-mail receivers, I thought she still worked here but apparently she left recently and I was unaware) who has ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease. She is looking for someone to live in her home and be a caregiver to her.
My understanding is that this would mean a free place to live for me, plus (probably) a small amount of pay.
I've spent yesterday and today researching Lou Gehrig's and trying to learn more about it and more about being a caregiver. I have an idea of what it would entail but obviously I've never done this before. Right now she is looking for low-key care but I assume that as her condition progresses that she'll need more in-depth care. (This is all based on what my two coworkers have told me and what I have read about the disease.)
This is something that I am REALLY thinking and praying about. It's not something that I want to jump into because it would be fairly altering to my lifestyle (moving (yay!) and probably toning down my social life a bit). It's something that would be very helpful in my (so far failing) quest to save money. It's something I need to discuss with Jordan and REALLY discuss with Steve. I'm planning to call the lady tonight and find out what exactly she's looking for and talk with her about her needs and wants in a caregiver.
Please pray with me!
Yesterday I had two different coworkers approach me and ask me if I've ever considered being a caregiver. Honestly, the answer was no, not really.
(But what an honor to be told by two different people that they recommended me for the job and think I would be good at it.)
There is a woman who worked in the library here at the hospital (sorry e-mail receivers, I thought she still worked here but apparently she left recently and I was unaware) who has ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease. She is looking for someone to live in her home and be a caregiver to her.
My understanding is that this would mean a free place to live for me, plus (probably) a small amount of pay.
I've spent yesterday and today researching Lou Gehrig's and trying to learn more about it and more about being a caregiver. I have an idea of what it would entail but obviously I've never done this before. Right now she is looking for low-key care but I assume that as her condition progresses that she'll need more in-depth care. (This is all based on what my two coworkers have told me and what I have read about the disease.)
This is something that I am REALLY thinking and praying about. It's not something that I want to jump into because it would be fairly altering to my lifestyle (moving (yay!) and probably toning down my social life a bit). It's something that would be very helpful in my (so far failing) quest to save money. It's something I need to discuss with Jordan and REALLY discuss with Steve. I'm planning to call the lady tonight and find out what exactly she's looking for and talk with her about her needs and wants in a caregiver.
Please pray with me!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Messes, kids and nature
I haven't posted in almost two weeks!
I was sorting through some pictures today and came across some that I thought were either really funny or really cool and thought I would share.
This is right before Diana and I moved out of our apartment together. I don't know how long before the move this was but I do remember our apartment looking like this for a painfully long time. Notice that my bookshelves are boxed up and hers is still full of books? :) Hee hee! Oh Diana, remember the good ole days? Can you find the cat? :)
I took this in the backyard of some people I don't know. Lol. They are the parents of one of my coworkers. They have a gorgeous pond.
I took this one while letterboxing this weekend! The clue said something about a dragon and his lookout. See him? :)
I was sorting through some pictures today and came across some that I thought were either really funny or really cool and thought I would share.
This is right before Diana and I moved out of our apartment together. I don't know how long before the move this was but I do remember our apartment looking like this for a painfully long time. Notice that my bookshelves are boxed up and hers is still full of books? :) Hee hee! Oh Diana, remember the good ole days? Can you find the cat? :)
I stumbled upon this one of Jordan and his cousin playing in the back of Papa's truck with a magnifying glass. Any cavities, Rylie?
I took this in the backyard of some people I don't know. Lol. They are the parents of one of my coworkers. They have a gorgeous pond.
I took this one while letterboxing this weekend! The clue said something about a dragon and his lookout. See him? :)Now all I'm missing is pictures from the barn party last weekend and I was so busy having fun that I didn't even get my camera out!!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Not again...
I hate moving. I moved five times in two years to get to where I am now and that was more than enough for me. (Although I must say, I've gotten very GOOD at moving.)
When I moved in here it was with the idea that I would live here until I got married, move in with my husband and then stay in one place for a very long time.
Now I'm praying that God would open up a new place for me. Somewhere perfect.
To an extent I was able to take my time while finding this place. I was living at my parents' and they said I could stay there until I found somewhere affordable and safe. I thought I had found it at this place. There's a whole range of people living here - college age, couples, families... I liked the variety.
I knew upon moving in that my immediate next door neighbors smoke. I asked if the road noise was very bad on this side of the building and I was told no. I asked if there were very many smokers in the building and I was told no. I asked if you could hear your neighbors through the walls/floor and I was told no.
The road noise is awful. I slept with earplugs for the first two weeks here until I got used to it because it's so loud. It's like living next to a freeway. There are smokers EVERYWHERE. I am one of the very few people who does not smoke in the entire building. In fact, it's a smoking building. As in, people are aloud to smoke inside. There are no rules about it. I was not told that when I moved in. (In fact, I just found that out this week.) Also, I can hear EVERYTHING through the floor. I have not heard the neighbors on all 3 sides of me but the guy downstairs? OH MY GOD.
He is a smoker. He smokes inside. I get cigarette smoke coming up through my floor because he smokes so much. It comes in through my bathroom fan and it comes into the kitchen somehow, though I'm still not sure how. He is also a hacker. I know as soon as he wakes up in the morning and as soon as he comes home from being out. He hacks loogies, he coughs, he spits, he clears his throat and he hacks some more. And it sounds like he is sitting right next to me the entire time. I can also tell exactly what he is watching on TV at any given time. And he's one of those people who comes home and immediately turns on the TV and doesn't shut it off until he goes to bed.
I've stopped telling Jordan to use his quiet feet when he comes over. I just don't care anymore. He can throw himself around on the floor as much as he wants. Lol.
When I was living with my parents and looking for a place I found one place that was BEYOND perfect. But it was out of my price range and it was about 30 minutes out of town. It was a mother-in-law suite on a farm. I'm looking for something like that.
So. If you would all pray along with me and let me know if anything perfect opens up... I really would like out of here. I do NOT want to move again, but I don't like it here. And I realize that nowhere is perfect. But I'd love a place that didn't change ownership and/or management twice in three months. Somewhere where my concerns would be heard and addressed, especially when it comes to safety (i.e. a light in the parking lot and a working smoke detector). And somewhere that I love coming home to. (And bonus: somewhere that I could have a little pet. A hamster or hedgehog or something.)
I'm not rushing to move out of here or anything. But I am not opposed to the idea of moving into someplace great. Even if it's in Albany.
When I moved in here it was with the idea that I would live here until I got married, move in with my husband and then stay in one place for a very long time.
Now I'm praying that God would open up a new place for me. Somewhere perfect.
To an extent I was able to take my time while finding this place. I was living at my parents' and they said I could stay there until I found somewhere affordable and safe. I thought I had found it at this place. There's a whole range of people living here - college age, couples, families... I liked the variety.
I knew upon moving in that my immediate next door neighbors smoke. I asked if the road noise was very bad on this side of the building and I was told no. I asked if there were very many smokers in the building and I was told no. I asked if you could hear your neighbors through the walls/floor and I was told no.
The road noise is awful. I slept with earplugs for the first two weeks here until I got used to it because it's so loud. It's like living next to a freeway. There are smokers EVERYWHERE. I am one of the very few people who does not smoke in the entire building. In fact, it's a smoking building. As in, people are aloud to smoke inside. There are no rules about it. I was not told that when I moved in. (In fact, I just found that out this week.) Also, I can hear EVERYTHING through the floor. I have not heard the neighbors on all 3 sides of me but the guy downstairs? OH MY GOD.
He is a smoker. He smokes inside. I get cigarette smoke coming up through my floor because he smokes so much. It comes in through my bathroom fan and it comes into the kitchen somehow, though I'm still not sure how. He is also a hacker. I know as soon as he wakes up in the morning and as soon as he comes home from being out. He hacks loogies, he coughs, he spits, he clears his throat and he hacks some more. And it sounds like he is sitting right next to me the entire time. I can also tell exactly what he is watching on TV at any given time. And he's one of those people who comes home and immediately turns on the TV and doesn't shut it off until he goes to bed.
I've stopped telling Jordan to use his quiet feet when he comes over. I just don't care anymore. He can throw himself around on the floor as much as he wants. Lol.
When I was living with my parents and looking for a place I found one place that was BEYOND perfect. But it was out of my price range and it was about 30 minutes out of town. It was a mother-in-law suite on a farm. I'm looking for something like that.
So. If you would all pray along with me and let me know if anything perfect opens up... I really would like out of here. I do NOT want to move again, but I don't like it here. And I realize that nowhere is perfect. But I'd love a place that didn't change ownership and/or management twice in three months. Somewhere where my concerns would be heard and addressed, especially when it comes to safety (i.e. a light in the parking lot and a working smoke detector). And somewhere that I love coming home to. (And bonus: somewhere that I could have a little pet. A hamster or hedgehog or something.)
I'm not rushing to move out of here or anything. But I am not opposed to the idea of moving into someplace great. Even if it's in Albany.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Quickie
My kitchen light shorted out last night so I need to get that fixed. I also need to scour the bathroom because the cleaning lady did a crappy job in there (enough that they knocked my rent down for June because it was so gross). I took 23 empty 50+ gallon bins to my parents garage last night, plus I've flattened and recycled at least 8 or 10 cardboard boxes. I think I have about 10 boxes/bins left to unpack and then I'll be done.
Living alone is weird. I have NOT been sleeping very well.
I get internet and cable on Saturday.
And my biggest complaint: Coming back to work. I was off for 6 days and I was anxious to get back into the swing of things this morning. But no, they put me in the back all this week and all next week to learn assembly and analysis of inpatient charts. Ok, this is something I need to know, but not something I need to spend a week and a half learning. I miss my own desk. I miss being around people and being busy. At this point I'm bored as hell and trying to stay awake doing something I don't enjoy. I took my lunch early today so I could visit with another coworker. She smokes so I sat in the smoking area with her thinking hey, 10 minutes isn't gonna kill me. Except now I absolutely REEK of cigarette smoke and have to do laundry tonight.
I really like my new place but please, oh please, can I sleep tonight?
Living alone is weird. I have NOT been sleeping very well.
I get internet and cable on Saturday.
And my biggest complaint: Coming back to work. I was off for 6 days and I was anxious to get back into the swing of things this morning. But no, they put me in the back all this week and all next week to learn assembly and analysis of inpatient charts. Ok, this is something I need to know, but not something I need to spend a week and a half learning. I miss my own desk. I miss being around people and being busy. At this point I'm bored as hell and trying to stay awake doing something I don't enjoy. I took my lunch early today so I could visit with another coworker. She smokes so I sat in the smoking area with her thinking hey, 10 minutes isn't gonna kill me. Except now I absolutely REEK of cigarette smoke and have to do laundry tonight.
I really like my new place but please, oh please, can I sleep tonight?
Sunday, May 25, 2008
DONE!
I got all moved! I don't have pictures yet but I hope to post them soon. I'm about 3/4 of the way unpacked (pretty good for just having moved yesterday!) but I have come to realize that it TOTALLY pays off to pack in an organized fashion and it was totally worth it to buy all the Rubbermaid tubs that I did. I bought a couple of space-savers - one of those shelf things that goes behind/over the toilet and a set of metal cubbies that snap together to put in my closet. The living room is actually pretty good sized but I'm gonna have to get creative with the kitchen. Limited cupboard space and only 4 drawers, and they're each only about 5 inches wide (gotta buy a new silverware holder). Tessa and I each took an armload of flattened boxes out to the recycling today (but that included boxes for things like my kitchen canisters and my toaster, etc.) plus I have a stack of at least 8 empty plastic bins. It's shaping up!
I LOVE it. I had my brother, a friend and 4 cousins who showed up to help me yesterday. We had the entire move done in less than 2 1/2 hours (including drive time). Those guys are my heroes. I woke up this morning insanely sore and I'm pretty much exhausted (and I've completely lost my voice) but I don't even care. =)
I'm hoping to get the kitchen completely unpacked tomorrow and then I'll have a handful of misc. boxes to do before I'm done. (I hate those - they're the ones that I never did unpack when I lived in Albany so I obviously haven't used any of the stuff in the last 5 months, I should just get rid of it!)
Tessa and I are off to Cold Stone because hey, I could use a little treat. =) Tomorrow when she goes home is when it will get weird because I'll be by myself. I can't wait to get internet!
I LOVE it. I had my brother, a friend and 4 cousins who showed up to help me yesterday. We had the entire move done in less than 2 1/2 hours (including drive time). Those guys are my heroes. I woke up this morning insanely sore and I'm pretty much exhausted (and I've completely lost my voice) but I don't even care. =)
I'm hoping to get the kitchen completely unpacked tomorrow and then I'll have a handful of misc. boxes to do before I'm done. (I hate those - they're the ones that I never did unpack when I lived in Albany so I obviously haven't used any of the stuff in the last 5 months, I should just get rid of it!)
Tessa and I are off to Cold Stone because hey, I could use a little treat. =) Tomorrow when she goes home is when it will get weird because I'll be by myself. I can't wait to get internet!
Friday, May 23, 2008
A little honesty
First, people frustrate me. I don't like liars or drama queens. I'll leave it at that.
Second, I'm moving TOMORROW! And it's going to be really, really hard to not have internet. I meant to call today and get an appointment set up to get it all hooked up and I took a nap instead. A much needed nap, but now I wish I'd called the internet people. =) I'm hoping if I call them Tuesday morning it won't take them too long to come out.
Third, I am terrified of living alone. This afternoon I was the only one here in my parents house and I think it's the first time in about 8 weeks that I've been in a house by myself. I used to like it when Diana would leave for the weekend and I would get the apartment to myself but I was always glad when she came home because it got a little lonely (and really quiet...). This weekend I'll have Tessa there with me but next week is going to be a huge adjustment period for me.
Fourth, grocery shopping tomorrow is going to be weird. I have to buy some serious staples like butter and bread and eggs and cheese and milk and cereal and on and on and on.
Fifth, I'm excited to unpack into my OWN space and be able to organize everything according to MY preferences. I've been buying space-savers this week. Cubbies for the (only) closet, a tower thing for over the toilet, etc. And I don't understand why apartments these days don't have living room light fixtures, only outlets that are hooked up to the light switch. So I also had to buy another standing lamp because the one I had just wasn't gonna do it for lighting.
I need to TRY to sleep since we're starting at 8am tomorrow. Last night I couldn't sleep worth beans.
Second, I'm moving TOMORROW! And it's going to be really, really hard to not have internet. I meant to call today and get an appointment set up to get it all hooked up and I took a nap instead. A much needed nap, but now I wish I'd called the internet people. =) I'm hoping if I call them Tuesday morning it won't take them too long to come out.
Third, I am terrified of living alone. This afternoon I was the only one here in my parents house and I think it's the first time in about 8 weeks that I've been in a house by myself. I used to like it when Diana would leave for the weekend and I would get the apartment to myself but I was always glad when she came home because it got a little lonely (and really quiet...). This weekend I'll have Tessa there with me but next week is going to be a huge adjustment period for me.
Fourth, grocery shopping tomorrow is going to be weird. I have to buy some serious staples like butter and bread and eggs and cheese and milk and cereal and on and on and on.
Fifth, I'm excited to unpack into my OWN space and be able to organize everything according to MY preferences. I've been buying space-savers this week. Cubbies for the (only) closet, a tower thing for over the toilet, etc. And I don't understand why apartments these days don't have living room light fixtures, only outlets that are hooked up to the light switch. So I also had to buy another standing lamp because the one I had just wasn't gonna do it for lighting.
I need to TRY to sleep since we're starting at 8am tomorrow. Last night I couldn't sleep worth beans.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The ankle bone's connected to the... jaw bone?
Yesterday afternoon I started getting some weird joint pain in several places on my body. My ankles started aching and my fingers and neck... I finished my day and came home and took a short nap and rested. Harvest and I had plans to go to Walmart to buy a vacuum and microwave and other apartment things and I was feeling up to that, so we went. About halfway through our shopping trip (which ended up being the end) I had to sit down in the middle of the store because I was aching SO bad. In the checkout line I got a massive wave of nausea and heat and felt like I was either going to throw up or pass out. I made it to a cool metal bench and was able to lie down for a few minutes and felt a little better. Harvest drove my car back to her house and I was able to drive home from there but when I got in the door I basically collapsed into the nearest chair and just sat there. My mom suggested I go get my pajamas on (which took a very long time - climbing the stairs, changing, climbing back downstairs...) and then fed me popsicles and a zinc lozenge for my sore throat. I took a hot bath, some Ibuprofen and crawled into bed.
This morning I made a doctor's appointment and my sweet sister drove me there. The doctor suggested that I might have Parvo, also known as Fifth Disease. It's in the chicken pox family and you can only get it one time. I *think* I may have had it about 5 years ago, but we weren't sure that's what it was. So they drew blood and are running tests. If I did have it years ago, I will come up immune. If not, that may be what I have. It's highly contagious and it sucks. All of my joints ache, right down to my toes. The only good part is that the doctor wrote me a note for work so I basically got a 6 day weekend. Which actually isn't that great because not only will it use up my PTO, I'm sort of stuck not really doing anything.
The OTHER thing that it might possibly be is Epstein-Barr, however, that wasn't something the doctor suggested, just a friend of mine (who knows more than an average person should about health stuff). I called the doctor's office back and left a message asking if they could add that to the labs they're running, since I DID have a pretty serious case of Mono two years ago.
The labs take quite awhile so I probably won't hear back for several days. In the meantime, lots of Ibuprofen and hot baths. And movies. I'm just hoping I'm ok to move on Saturday. I have lots of strong guys coming to help, but I seriously don't want to peter out after the first hour. And then there's all the UNpacking I have to do. So please pray for me! It's gonna be a busy weekend and I have cousins coming to town who I REALLY want to have fun with.
One last side note: After Saturday I'll be sans internet until that gets hooked up, and I have no idea how long that will be. I need to call them tomorrow and get an appointment set up.
This morning I made a doctor's appointment and my sweet sister drove me there. The doctor suggested that I might have Parvo, also known as Fifth Disease. It's in the chicken pox family and you can only get it one time. I *think* I may have had it about 5 years ago, but we weren't sure that's what it was. So they drew blood and are running tests. If I did have it years ago, I will come up immune. If not, that may be what I have. It's highly contagious and it sucks. All of my joints ache, right down to my toes. The only good part is that the doctor wrote me a note for work so I basically got a 6 day weekend. Which actually isn't that great because not only will it use up my PTO, I'm sort of stuck not really doing anything.
The OTHER thing that it might possibly be is Epstein-Barr, however, that wasn't something the doctor suggested, just a friend of mine (who knows more than an average person should about health stuff). I called the doctor's office back and left a message asking if they could add that to the labs they're running, since I DID have a pretty serious case of Mono two years ago.
The labs take quite awhile so I probably won't hear back for several days. In the meantime, lots of Ibuprofen and hot baths. And movies. I'm just hoping I'm ok to move on Saturday. I have lots of strong guys coming to help, but I seriously don't want to peter out after the first hour. And then there's all the UNpacking I have to do. So please pray for me! It's gonna be a busy weekend and I have cousins coming to town who I REALLY want to have fun with.
One last side note: After Saturday I'll be sans internet until that gets hooked up, and I have no idea how long that will be. I need to call them tomorrow and get an appointment set up.
Monday, May 19, 2008
It's official!
I signed the papers, paid the money and got handed the keys today. Technically my move-in date is Saturday so I can't use the keys until then but still!!!
I did find out that the people in the unit right next to me smoke which really sucks. I'm also on the side closest to the busy street but they said they don't really hear the traffic.
They're supposed to paint it this week (I'm not counting on that and the bathroom is pretty bad). I also have a little porch area which is pretty cool. Hopefully I can at lease get some plants, if not a bench or something for out there. The neighbors had people over so I didn't introduce myself but I'm probably gonna go over on Friday and "save" a parking spot for the moving truck so I might knock on their door then. The smoking is an issue for me but like I told my mom, it's the biggest con and there don't seem to be many others so I'm not gonna turn the place down because of it.
I went shopping yesterday and got a bunch of kitchen stuff and everything for my bathroom. Tomorrow I'm making a trip to Walmart for a microwave, vacuum, toaster and MAYBE a George Foreman (except somebody said Fred Meyer is having a big sale on those right now which was probably part of the sale that ended Sunday but I need to check it out).
And Tessa's for sure coming this weekend! And Owen! And Josh will be in town! AND I had totally forgotten that it's a holiday weekend and I don't have to work on Monday!
And the best part? It's not even 9 and I'm crawling into bed. =)
I did find out that the people in the unit right next to me smoke which really sucks. I'm also on the side closest to the busy street but they said they don't really hear the traffic.
They're supposed to paint it this week (I'm not counting on that and the bathroom is pretty bad). I also have a little porch area which is pretty cool. Hopefully I can at lease get some plants, if not a bench or something for out there. The neighbors had people over so I didn't introduce myself but I'm probably gonna go over on Friday and "save" a parking spot for the moving truck so I might knock on their door then. The smoking is an issue for me but like I told my mom, it's the biggest con and there don't seem to be many others so I'm not gonna turn the place down because of it.
I went shopping yesterday and got a bunch of kitchen stuff and everything for my bathroom. Tomorrow I'm making a trip to Walmart for a microwave, vacuum, toaster and MAYBE a George Foreman (except somebody said Fred Meyer is having a big sale on those right now which was probably part of the sale that ended Sunday but I need to check it out).
And Tessa's for sure coming this weekend! And Owen! And Josh will be in town! AND I had totally forgotten that it's a holiday weekend and I don't have to work on Monday!
And the best part? It's not even 9 and I'm crawling into bed. =)
Friday, May 16, 2008
Friday Five
Stolen from Lani... Five things I'm happy about today!
1) I am in Portland! Stacy lives in THE coolest area and I cannot WAIT to take a ton of pictures tomorrow and then blog all about it!
2) I drove to Portland all by myself and thanks to Stacy's totally awesome directions, I did not get lost! The drive actually went by really fast and she made the most amazing curry for dinner.
3) I am moving in one week! Which means I get to (have to?) go shopping this week for Apartment Things and groceries and the like.
4) I do not like the hot, stuffy daytime weather we've had the last couple of days but I do enjoy the warm evenings and I'm looking forward to getting a tan and having some water fights with Jordan in the near future.
5) I LOVE MY JOB!!! I'll have to write more on that later as well but today was totally busy and totally fun and I am SO enjoying where I am.
1) I am in Portland! Stacy lives in THE coolest area and I cannot WAIT to take a ton of pictures tomorrow and then blog all about it!
2) I drove to Portland all by myself and thanks to Stacy's totally awesome directions, I did not get lost! The drive actually went by really fast and she made the most amazing curry for dinner.
3) I am moving in one week! Which means I get to (have to?) go shopping this week for Apartment Things and groceries and the like.
4) I do not like the hot, stuffy daytime weather we've had the last couple of days but I do enjoy the warm evenings and I'm looking forward to getting a tan and having some water fights with Jordan in the near future.
5) I LOVE MY JOB!!! I'll have to write more on that later as well but today was totally busy and totally fun and I am SO enjoying where I am.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
From apartment hunting to apartment finding!
When I posted my Thursday Thirteen this week I included "move into an apartment" as one of my summer goals. Just a few hours later I got a call from someone offering me an apartment!
Kind of a funny story behind the whole thing. Since living with my parents I've driven the same road to work every day. After driving it for two or three weeks I realize that there's an apartment complex that I drive right past that is very hidden and I had never realized it was there. I thought, "Huh, I never knew that was there! It looks like a decent place, I should find out if they have any openings." About two days later one of my coworkers came back from her break and handed me the classifieds with several places circled. I called about one in my price range and set up a time to look at it. I tried to drive by it that evening so I would know where I was going when I went to look and the directions I got online were wrong. I went back and looked it up again and then realized, SAME PLACE!
Mom and I went and looked at it last Friday and I asked for an application. The woman happily gave me one but let me know that they had had quite a lot of applicants (evident by the pile of applications on her kitchen table). Still, they operate on 30-day notices so they were happy to take my application and said they would let me know if anything else opened up. Six days later my phone rang and it was the woman! "Hello, this is Rachel of hidden-little-apartment-complex. We had a lot of applicants for the apartment but all of them have declined the offer so we have the opportunity to offer it to you, which is good because I liked you!"
Well, it's nice to have managers who like you. =)
The place is nothing fancy. The unit I looked at (which is not the unit I will be living in) needed new countertops and was badly in need of a paint job (which I did let them know that I would like, since I plan on being there long term). My dad has a friend who lived there about 5 years ago and he described it using the word "adequate" but hey, that's what I'm looking for! The bedroom closet was huge which is a major bonus for me because I have WAY too much crap. Although I started thinking about it this week and I can't remember if there is also a hall closet. If not then that sure takes away from the glamour of the huge bedroom closet. lol
Today I'm gonna try to go by and actually see MY unit (assuming they're moved out of it) and meet the neighbors. I want to ask them some questions about noise levels and electricity bills and such. Then I need to find out the address and start getting that changed. Next on my list is buying exciting things like a microwave and a vacuum cleaner and a toaster! Things that my roommates always had and I never needed.
Moving day is May 24th! Conveniently, Josh is in town that day and said he would love to help me move (crazy guy). I envision it going really fast and smooth since everything is already boxed up and is just sitting in a big room.
I can't wait to sleep in my own bed again! Really I'm excited about almost every aspect of it. =)
Kind of a funny story behind the whole thing. Since living with my parents I've driven the same road to work every day. After driving it for two or three weeks I realize that there's an apartment complex that I drive right past that is very hidden and I had never realized it was there. I thought, "Huh, I never knew that was there! It looks like a decent place, I should find out if they have any openings." About two days later one of my coworkers came back from her break and handed me the classifieds with several places circled. I called about one in my price range and set up a time to look at it. I tried to drive by it that evening so I would know where I was going when I went to look and the directions I got online were wrong. I went back and looked it up again and then realized, SAME PLACE!
Mom and I went and looked at it last Friday and I asked for an application. The woman happily gave me one but let me know that they had had quite a lot of applicants (evident by the pile of applications on her kitchen table). Still, they operate on 30-day notices so they were happy to take my application and said they would let me know if anything else opened up. Six days later my phone rang and it was the woman! "Hello, this is Rachel of hidden-little-apartment-complex. We had a lot of applicants for the apartment but all of them have declined the offer so we have the opportunity to offer it to you, which is good because I liked you!"
Well, it's nice to have managers who like you. =)
The place is nothing fancy. The unit I looked at (which is not the unit I will be living in) needed new countertops and was badly in need of a paint job (which I did let them know that I would like, since I plan on being there long term). My dad has a friend who lived there about 5 years ago and he described it using the word "adequate" but hey, that's what I'm looking for! The bedroom closet was huge which is a major bonus for me because I have WAY too much crap. Although I started thinking about it this week and I can't remember if there is also a hall closet. If not then that sure takes away from the glamour of the huge bedroom closet. lol
Today I'm gonna try to go by and actually see MY unit (assuming they're moved out of it) and meet the neighbors. I want to ask them some questions about noise levels and electricity bills and such. Then I need to find out the address and start getting that changed. Next on my list is buying exciting things like a microwave and a vacuum cleaner and a toaster! Things that my roommates always had and I never needed.
Moving day is May 24th! Conveniently, Josh is in town that day and said he would love to help me move (crazy guy). I envision it going really fast and smooth since everything is already boxed up and is just sitting in a big room.
I can't wait to sleep in my own bed again! Really I'm excited about almost every aspect of it. =)
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