The Longest Yard

I've already written about my move earlier this Fall, and I've been writing about the various little home updates I've been doing since then. What I haven't written about is my new surroundings, and I'll try to do that today.

I live on a corner lot, with no neighbor across the street, a nice, straight driveway (perfect for Jake), and a large, easily-to-scale tree in the back yard. (I had to climb it earlier last month to free an old length of rope that had been forgotten. Well - in fairness - I didn't HAVE to climb it, as the rope wasn't harming anything but I wanted to climb it. It's just one of those trees that says "climb me" so ... yeah ... I did.)

To the right of my driveway is the home of my nearest next door neighbor, who is also my landlord (in name only). She's a very sweet woman who, prior to my moving in, had met me one time, but we've had several conversations since my relocation. She is terribly kind, always offering to lend a hand if I have any problems or questions, even though she has more than enough on her plate already.

To the right of her home is the home of my next next door neighbors. It is because of the residents of this home that I was able to move into MY home. (They essentially "vouched" for me.) I've known two of the members of this family for about 7 months. I'm in love with the third member of the family, and have referred to him here in the past as "the awesome boyfriend".

I do not live with the awesome boyfriend for various reasons, including my desire to establish myself in my own space. We have a quasi-routine which allows for him to basically have two homes and he can be in either one, at his choice ... whichever provides the least amount of stress for all concerned. I do my utmost to respect his decisions on where he spends his free time (which is stretched as it is) and I try very hard to not show disappointment if it makes more sense for him to be elsewhere - the guilt/pressure would be unnecessary and unfair. I do not always succeed not showing that disappointment, but I DO try.

I failed last night. Last night, I looked out my kitchen window and I sighed. He was right there. Right there. And even though the distance between us was no longer than before, even though one could hold their breath and walk from one home to the other, even though I'd been in his arms just a few hours earlier ...

... it really just was the longest yard.




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(I realize that writing about these pangs of longing may, in fact, feel like guilt/pressure to the awesome boyfriend. However, my intent here - at this space - is to express my feelings, experiences, ideas, and observations.)

The Scottish Play

Today is Friday. Today is the 13th. I knew both of these facts. I knew it was Friday, and even wished the cashier "happy Friday" when she took my coffee order. And I knew it was the 13th, because I paid a few bills so I had to write the date on the check and in my checkbook. So yes, I knew that today was the 13th and that it was a Friday.

But I didn't realize today was Friday the 13th until another customer came in to talk about the nasty streak of luck they'd experienced on their way to the coffee shop ... and another customer said "well, it is Friday the 13th."

Even though I am very Irish, I don't subscribe most of the superstitions I heard while growing up. (Full disclosure: I DID kiss the Blarney Stone when I was in Ireland.) I believe that breaking a mirror is no less dangerous than breaking a dish or glass. I do knock wood upon occasion, but I believe that walking under a ladder is just as dumb as walking underneath scaffolding. I believe that any cat that crosses my path is looking for treats or a warm lap. I believe that walking on a sidewalk with cracks should be done carefully because it's just one more thing for me to trip over. And I believe that spilling salt means you've probably under-seasoned your dish, so throwing MORE away makes no sense at all.

So yes, today is Friday the 13th, but I have things to do today. A quick look outside tells me that an umbrella will be necessary during my errand run. (*ahem* I will be closing the umbrella before I'm indoors.)

Time Flies Like An Arrow ...

... fruit flies like a banana.
- Groucho Marx

Politicians are judged by their first 100 days in office. (Right, wrong, or otherwise.) Using that as my measuring guide, here's a list - probably incomplete - of what I've accomplished in under 50 days in my new home:
Stripped the outward door locks to allow for the porch door to operate better.
Stripped the inner door locks to allow for the inner door to operate better.
Shopped for, purchased, and took delivery of a new bed and frame.
Shopped for, purchased, and took delivery of a new sofa. (It's VERY comfortable.)
Shopped for, purchased, took delivery of, and put together a new kitchen table and chairs.
Shopped for, purchased, and took delivery of a new kitchen pantry piece.
Shopped for, purchased, and took delivery of a kitchen rolling drop-leaf cabinet.
Shopped for, purchased, and took delivery of two new side bedroom tables.
Shopped for, purchased, and took delivery of a new 5-drawer dresser for the bedroom.
Shopped for, purchased, and took delivery of a corner TV stand for the bedroom.
Replaced the outlet plates throughout the house.
Replaced the light switch plates throughout the house.
Arranged for the replumbing of the bathroom fixtures and the kitchen (which, sadly, needs to be revisited because the bathtub still "gurgles".)
Shopped for, purchased, took delivery of, and put together three (wickedly heavy) bookcases.
Began to install new doorknobs in the interior of my home. (Yes, I'm still on "began". I've run into another snag - the striker plate screws are too close together for the original door so I need to figure out an extender idea.)
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This list is for my next "geez, I haven't done a damn thing since I've been here" day. Those days tend to be when my "what I need to still do" list seems to grow and the "what I've done" list seems to shrink.

Now I'm gonna go get a hot chocolate, sit on my new sofa, and read for a bit. Because, as Groucho also said, "outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."