Apartment

But back to the general household rambling that is my life, no heat in the apartment, but it's really not that cold here in October. . . . yet. They promise "a whole new unit" installed by Wednesday (which is tomorrow) and I have some space heaters if I need them. And I'm still just tickeled pink over the mopped floor from Pumpkin. I take my shoes off at the door, to try and keep them clean.

He was beautiful . . . .

but I sure didn't expect it.
I've met other of his kin before, my friends with whom I share Tuesday night dinner. I've met his kin before, and they ain't beautiful. His older brother is handsome in a distinctly himself sort of way, but I'm always attracted to money - so a doctor with a young blonde girlfriend and a hot little sportscar - but this ain't him. . . . . I've seen pictures of nephews and I've met neices and what not and they're not really attractive, so when John said his other nephew was in town visiting the grandmother, I didn't envision anyone pretty but I told him to spare that boy right away another night at his grandmothers (even though I love the lady and think she's a hoot) and call him to come over for supper. A few minutes later, John was off to pick up the 20 year old nephew, referring to him as "pretty boy" which caught my attention. . . . and "pretty" didn't touch it. I spent the better part of the next two hours trying to figure any discreet way to snap a picture o'the boy, but alas, there's just not enough happening with dinner for four to pull it off. Square jaw line, brown hair, deep sexy voice, nice choice of sweater, pants and shoes. . . and when he stood up - he must have been hiding a barnyard animal and going commando because it was swinging.

Knowing that, even if the guy had been gay, I probably haven't stood a chance with him in 20 years, I still thought, "I would cheat, spend my life denying I ever cheated, and probably never regret it." Just too beautiful to pass up.

Or as I sometimes tell My Fella, "If you got the chance, you damn well better do him - and if any way possible, provide me with photo's or a streaming webcam."

The apartment.

Finally, there is evidence that "Pumpkin" came and cleaned the blinds and the floors, and I celebrated by hanging curtains in the bedroom. There is also one gnat sighting tonight, so the massive amounts of spray I used last night must have gotten the most of them. The fly strips only have about 3. Friends tell me that gnats have a short life span, so they probably won't last long anyway.

It was an absolutely beautiful day, and I found a few stolen moments to see it, once by taking the long way back to the office from lunch, and once by driving to a nearby convenience store to get my staff their favorite canned and carbonated beverages (2 Cokes, 1 Dr. Pepper, and myself a Diet Dr. Pepper.)

Have a good Tuesday.

Quote

Have faith, Brigadier. Have I ever led you astray? - Dr. # 2

On many occasions. - Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart

Yes, this will be the exception.

from the movie "

end of weekend

I came home early, giving My Fella time to study today for his class tomorrow night. He's usually a studyin' on Sundays. We had a real nice time - spent an afternoon riding four wheelers at his sister's house and last night we had a hoot (albeit was probably bad manners on our part) watching local cable with local gospel groups on t.v. and eating some homemade chilli of his. Upon my return, I was . . . . .less than delighted. . . . to find the window blinds just as dirty as I left them and upon running the Swiffer over the floor, picked up just as much dirt as before.

I spent a bit of the afternoon at the patio where dreadlock girl sings and spent a ten spot on her acoustic c.d. We'll see if the recording is as good as the live version. If not, at least I gave a ten spot to help support someone whose work I enjoy, and the lunch was good.

I am utterly, madly, deeply in love with Netflix and I'm only on my very first d.v.d. It's season one of Boston Legal. "Denny Crane"

Weekend

Saturday morning brings me to My Fella's place. I thought about coming all week - it was not a bad week at work at all, but the weather was so overcast and the week was so long, that near Thursday I made up my mind when he told me a new place is opening this weekend that is a combination restaurant/bike shop/tattoo parlor. I just had to come. And as fortune would have it, the last email from the apartment manager said the HVAC company had announced my heater unit had to be replaced in full . . . . . which is odd since that's something K.C. told me weeks ago when I moved in and the manager seemed to think it was news. But in my attempt to not hold onto bitterness I am telling myself that if, as promised, some cleaning lady named "Pumpkin" cleaned my floors and window blinds, I will be happy. The apartment manager sent over some space unit heater, but I'm not there anyway. I thought his email about it was mildly funny because he described it, as if I've never been in Wal Mart or HomeDepot and seen a space heater.

Anyway, My Fella is determined to sit down and watch the Transformers movie. Last night we sat through the worst exploding bomb of a movie, Lucy Liu's "Rise" . . . . you would think there would of been a moment during filming when she would of said, "Wait. No. I'm going home." Ugh. No wonder we never saw it advertised.

Good weekend to you.

Heat & Air

After 22+ days of living here, I had an hour of drama and composed a rather lengthy email and sent it to the manager of the property. I explained to him that plugging and unplugging the air conditioner* was not my idea of having air, and that I really wanted heat when the weather changed. I then went ahead and complained because on the few days the weather was nice and I didn't need the air, my windows don't have screens and then for good measure I mentioned the missing knob off the stove top - knowing good and well I could live here a lifetime and never need all four eyes on the stove.

I did try to call one last time to make my complaint before sending the email, but Sara, the nice lady I've talked to before, wasn't there. So I went drama-email. And I have a response from the manager who said that today I will have air & heat, screens, a knob and since I had previously mentioned to Sara that the apartment wasn't clean, would I like a complimentary cleaning service.

Thank goodness - finally. I mean, they did give me a small break in rent for next month, but you know, I can pay my rent. I just can't manage the air temperature with my psychic and telekinetic abilities.

Last night, my gal G, super-lesbian-extraordinaire, came over and we hunt some different curtain rods and things. Just little touches. I have this belief that if I hang the curtain rods, then I'll get the window treatments. And in the meantime, I can use some curtains I already had to just sort of add some privacy. Truth is, I lived at the last apartment for a couple of years with one rod I hung above the living room window, and never put anything on it except some wind chimes. Oh well.

Have a good day.

7 Things

according to the Meme from Noodle. 7 things.

I think in phrases, constantly. Like if you walked up to me and said, "Hey, walk with me" I might immediately think "These boots are made for walking."

I count in doubles, constantly. I do it so much I often don't even think about it. I never remember the number, because I'm not trying to count quantity. I'm just looking for matches. A perfect example - you are driving down the road and see a green road sign. It has a white border and the words Church Road. I immediately think CH UR CH RO AD and if that did not come out even, say it was Dyers Road, I immediately think DY ER SR OA D-WHITEBORDERLINE and everything pairs up. The coffee table in my living room, each corner has two pieces of wood making up a leg -that's a match. There are four pieces of wood under the table - that's a match. Three pieces of wood that make the top, that's not a match. But is an even number of brass studs. I don't remember these things, I'll look at the coffee table tomorrow night too. I'll sit in this chair and envision each room in the apt and how many walls each room has.

I am a geek for things like Wonder Woman,. I have a rediculous collection of Wonder Woman stuff. Not so big as to be an obsession, but too much for an adult. There's a lunch box, a business card holder, coffee mug, etc.

One of my favorite "I'm not famous" things is "Muriel plays piano every Friday at the Hollywood, and they brought me down to see her and they asked me if I would - do a little number, so I sang with all my might. She said 'tell me are you a christian child?' and i said 'ma'am i am tonight." Muriel also played piano every Sunday at the Holiday Inn, and she had a piano in her classroom. But she wasn't my teacher, I was in a class down the hall. But I could hear the piano playing. Little did I or anyone know that years later she would be immortalized in that song, or that something called a computer would have a blog, and I would write about her. I tried to look her up on Wikipedia once, alas, there is no page. Surely she deserves one. But I know too little about her to make it.

My Fella hates most of my furniture, and most of it came from a great grandmother. My bedframe is wrought iron that she gave me, I have a cedar chest and a cedar robe from her. In my bedroom is a vanity that came from her daughter, my grandmother, and in my living room is a coffee table (mentioned) and a chest from her as well. There is a rocking chair in my living room that we had refinished, I am pretty sure was at my great grandmother's. I woldn't say any of it is really antique, it's just old, and it was theirs, and I love it. (Well, I don't love the coffee table, but I can't seem to get rid of it.) It all may well create a falling out if/when we someday join households. But since he just hung up old cheese graters as decorations in his kitchen, because they belonged to his grandmother, surely he can understand.

Memberships: I was a charter member of a Rotary club about 12 years ago. I think I was the first secretary the club elected. I was an active and supportive member for several years. I am now rejoining.

Memberships: In high school, I was a member of a fraternity. It was the local chapter of a national organization. My last google search for any references turned up a soriority in Hawaii with the same name. The year I was a senior, I was the chapter's vice president. Over my four years in high school, it was a phenomenal experience. It probably ruined me a little bit for college because I was so over the whole Greek experience by then that I did not seek out any Greek involvement. Which is odd, because I loved it so much in high school. We had all the stuff you see in silly teenager movies - we had rush and pledging and hazing and camaraderie and secret rituals. Really good times.

I get into ruts, which I call favorites. At my favorite pizza restaurant, I order the exact same two items every time I go. At my favorite pub restaurant, I order the exact same sandwich every time. I've decided they're my favorite items, so that's all I order. I even tell myself, "Order something different." But I usually can't talk myself into it, and just order items I long ago decided were my favorites.

There you go, 7 things.

The weekend

As I heard someone say, "Don't need the air conditioner, don't need the heater." Beautiful weekend.

Driving Lessons

If you get a chance to rent/watch Driving Lessons, do. It is a much-used story line told extraordinarily well, with the face you will know as Ron Weasley playing the unconfident youth who comes into his own with the help of a high spirited old lady. His mother is an overbearing type, played perfectly by Laura Linney and the character of Evie is a delight. She is a show stealer.

You've seen the story line before, but this is craftily done. IMDB had a critique that said the young man's part was more reactionary, but I think it had to be.

If I could figure out the settings on these laptop thumb things, I'd make a link. But I don't seem to be able to do it sans a traditional old mouse. Sorry about that.

Goodbye Comcast, evil division of hell

So last week, I'm sneaking some time in at the office paying bills, and having a helluva hard time using Comcast's website to pay their bill. Finally clicked on their "live chat" option, knowing it would provide useless information, and it did . . . . provide useless information . . . . but while I was wasting that time, I noticed that the amount on my bill had changed.

So I called the number on the bill and was told why the bill changed - get this . . . . at the old place I had both digital cable and internet (remember the six plus visits from a tech since Comcast took over Time Warner to try and get the internet to work correctly) and at the new place I had (until this morning) just cable . . . and my cable only bill went up by $21 which brought it awfully close to the amount of the old bill. . . . the lady said, "Oh, you had a special, and specials don't transfer."

Specials don't transfer? Whatthafukdoesthatmean? Specials don't transfer? So I said to her, "I'm paying $21 more because I moved?" and she repeated it, like a mantra. . . "You had a special, and specials don't transfer." So I said, "Are there any specials available?" No.

Apparently, specials don't transfer, but lousy customer service does. Remember I had to go down to the office in person to request this transfer because two separate on-line entities could not help me. . . . and the one lady who saw me in person was not . . . what? trained to look at the bills and tell me? unable to look at the account and tell me? just thought it would be a fun surprise?

$21 dollars a month more, because I moved.

They got their digital cable box back this morning, and I've been on AT&T's internet for a week or so now. I hate Comcast, I loathe them and their horrible version of customer service. To hell with them. That old lady who smashed up their office with a hammer had the right idea. Useless company and useless bunch of employees.

Quote

"one drink. you can tell God I forced you." Evie, in "Driving Lessons."

Ray Sanderson

Saturday Morning

Looks like it will be a perfect Saturday morning.
Last night we walked down to my favorite Mexican place - now non smoking by state law - and Jamie had a quesadilla and My Fella and I shared the fajita nachos. Jamie seemed to have a little bit of trouble settling down in the new place, but I think once he fell asleep he slept good. Of course he was up at 7:30, which is why I can be posting a blog at 8:30. I think in a minute we'll walk down to IHOP or over to McDonald's for a bite of breakfast.

We have a big day ahead of us. I'm taking Jamie to Sissy's (Noodle) place of work to hear story hour, and tonight I think we're meeting Noodle, Skeeter and the gang for Chinese supper. And after that, maybe a lazy drink on the old patio with Foo Foo Girl. She's kept some stuff I left there, and the old landlord is leaving my refund check with her.

My Fella helped me put away a bit more last night before bed. The place is really coming together. I need to do a serious sweep and mop, but honestly am hoping he'll do it for me.

Tomorrow we're taking Jamie and walking at the Downs Syndrome Assoc's buddy walk. I think it'll be a fun time. I told My Fella that we don't actually have to WALK the mile. But I think the atmosphere should be fun, and I'm hoping we'll see some booths from other area support agencies, so we'll have some idea what's available as resources should the two of them move here in a year or two.

I think we're off for a bit of breakfast. You have a good weekend.

This and that . . . .

The guy across the way came over and showed me how to unplug the a/c unit. He swears it's perfectly safe, and I can plug it back in if need be, and he assured me he'll have the thermostat working tomorrow. How funny, that my apt. should be cooler than my fridge.

What I think are allergies have knocked me on my feet all day. And last night. I wonder if part of it had to do with something I ate. You know, in my mind, I am horrible about worrying about food poisoning and avoid with a passion pre made mayo products. No store bought potato salad for me, or tuna salad, and only at one place will I eat chicken salad. I knew a cook there once and he said it was so homemade he boiled chickens. But anyway, at this little gathering last night, somebody brought sandwiches and I heard them say they were left overs from a party they had on Saturday. I think there may have been just enough mayo on them to upset my stomach, and combined with an allergy problem, I've had quite an exhausting day and night.

I kept the email, it came through on a web based email, quite some time ago. I always know it's there, hidden in it's folder. It tells me, just as did the weather change to cooler days, that the anniversary of Ray's death is close. It's the email from his friend that said, "call me. I have Ray's cell phone." The young man didn't have my number. Ray would soon be dead. Probably nothing anyone could do. The prognosis on his type of stomach cancer was bad from the start. I miss Ray. I miss him like he just moved last week and I want to talk to him about something, about everything, about anything.

My Fella and his brother are coming Saturday. I've got to clean up the room Jamie will be staying in. It's full of about 5 bags of clean laundry that I have been too lazy to put away.

Oh well, it's 11:30 and I'm tired, and if I want to make it to Rotary in the morning, I have to get up early.

a/c

The air conditioner that would not work until last night now will not turn off. It is some kind of hard wired on until something technical, blah, blah, wire wire electric, blah blah. That means that right now, at 9:24p.m., the temperature in here is a crisp 67 degrees. I've stepped across the way and asked him to come cut it off. If he does not, I'm throwing the breaker when I go to bed.

Summer Cold

I swear I have a summer cold coming on. A minute ago, I was shaking like a leaf on a tree, and about 7:30 I started having an itchy throat. Maybe it's just a passing fancy, maybe my body is thrown into shock by having the a/c working tonight. Oh how I hope so.

Bell South Installation

Sunday

The festival is over, the crowds have gone home, and most likely, if I drive uptown, the streets are cleaner than they were before it started. One of my friends caught a flight home at 9:40 this morning, I've talked with another this morning who is headed to an ex's to pick up kids, and I'm sure everyone else has their own sense of having to get back home. Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, the state of New York, you name it, they're headed there.



It was nice.

Blues Fest

I've gone home for the weekend. It's Blues Fest, a good time to see folks. Besides, there's still no air on at the new apt. But that's already been posted. My buddy who lives in Buffalo, NY is home with one of his sons for the fest, and last night I ran into an old crew and hung out with them until I was just too tard (that's tired, pronounced when one is too tired to say it correctly) and left.

Mom & Dad didn't have a darned thing to eat, so last night I made a late night run to W-M to at least buy some breakfast food and sandwich meat. There's plenty of fair type food at the fest, for a typical premium fair price.

No pics from this yet, though two of them were snapping pics last night. I should be able to get some to post later.

(on a purely superficial note, a buddy from high school who was a few years younger than me, is now a motorcycle cop in a big ol' southern state. some mutual friends found him on myspace and he's been chatting with us in a yahoo group. well, let me tell you - he is hot. i am hoping to get a pic a pic i know one of the girls took of him last night. lol)

Eyes Rolled Back in my Head

I moved into an apartment that does not have a working air conditioner or fridge. Yea, lucky me. I moved in on Saturday, today is Thursday. In fact, tomorrow morning is Friday, making it one week since I signed the lease, on an apartment with no air.

So, Tuesday I think it was, I gave the nice version of the complaint. "I really do not understand how I moved into an apartment that was not ready. It's not like this happpened AFTER." Today I got the call with a modest discount off my rent and a lot of apologies. Tonight, when I got home, the a/c guy was in my place and finally just left after explaining that he just couldn't fix it.

Eyes rolled back in my head, so completely frustrated that I'm past frustrated. This is the third night that I'm sleeping over at a friend's house. And I haven't even opened the fridge, such is it's ongoing problem. I'm just so over it. I think this weekend, I am just going to Mom & Dad's. It's probably a whole lot easier.