8.27.2005

Back to the library

Thanks for all your wishes, it must have worked! The people were out by 1:30 and we started moving things in as soon as they pulled away. Thanks to my dad, uncle and our friend Heidi, we got everything in there and moved out of the old place.

The bad news: (!)
There is a significant amount of damage to the floors under the area rugs, courtesy of 2 naughty dogs. We have gotten some estimates for refinishing. The up-side is that we were planning to have the floors redone anyway, this just makes it more of a priority.

18 gallons worth of painting will start today.

8.25.2005

The day has finally come

Tomorrow, we move.

I am depending on fate or something to ensure that things go smoothly. We are finishing packing tonight, then buying paint in the morning. The seller's truck is supposed to come and go before noon. Then we can move small stuff in, then the big stuff when my dad and uncle arrive around 3:30 with an extra truck. I just want it to be easy! Think of us sometime tomorrow and think good thoughts.

8.24.2005

prez?

In spite of his efforts to ignore the anti-war protests, Bush's approval rating is now lower than Nixon's.

Whoo-hoo!

8.22.2005

We're playing your song

Today I am feeling anxious. Last week the seller of the house called and said there was a problem with the water main and now the whole front yard has been transformed into a giant trench. We are moving in 4 days and we still need to pack up. I have to work 9 hour days to make up for missing work on Friday.

Tennessee was beautiful though. The wedding was wonderfully sweet and we had a shockingly good time at Dollywood. The best part is that they play Dolly Parton songs from the speakers in most parts of the park, so you could have Kettle Corn or Funnel Cakes and listen to Dolly at the same time. The sad part is that Gatlinburg is really booming, and there are entire sides of mountains that have been blasted out and replaced by giant cabins/hotels/condos. We went to the outlet malls on the way home, bought some new clothes, paid 9.5% sales tax and finally made it home by 1:30 am. Johnny drove the whole way and I slept. Dolly bless her.

8.16.2005

Closed

We closed on the house yesterday! Now we can finally get out of our box-laden apartment.


This past weekend was a whirlwind and now we have 10 days to get everything together and ONE day to move. We have been putting stuff in a storage space to help us spread it out some. We found out that the sellers got their days mixed up and actually scheduled their truck for the 26th, our first day of possession!! So, we might start moving things in before they leave, depending on when their truck arrives.

Johnny had to go to Indiana to install a giant tree in a library in Seymour and sent me this photo of their bike rack.

It is so sweet. I want to ride a bike to Seymour just so I can park there.

8.11.2005

Happy Anniversary

Today is my one month anniversary of work at the Cataloging Factory. I still have these questions:

Why is there no water cooler?

Why doesn't my ID work to let me into the gym?

Why do so many people smoke?

Why do I only know the names of 6 people?

I also heard about the T.O. debacle on the radio this morning. The season is just approaching and yet, I fear another let-down. Does anyone know any insider secrets that will help me feel more hopeful?

8.10.2005

Trips and secrets!

pre-s. An update on the laundry-drop-off: we were totally missing about 12 items when we got home. We didn't know until Johnny started looking for her favorite pants and found they were missing. We got everything back, but it was freakish enough to keep us from doing that again anytime soon. I will be at the laundromat tonight.

So it turns out that the house closing is going to be on the 15th after all. We will still have to do some pretty serious work in the span of 2 days to get everything ready and moved in.

This weekend we go to Cincinnati to visit Johnny's friend, then to Indiana for her Grandma's birthday party. The next day is my sister's birthday and we are heading up to Marion to take her and her boyfriend to dinner. So much driving!

Aaannnd... i am not supposed to tell, but we have been asked to accompany our friends on their elopement to Gatlinburg! Shhh. It is a secret, but I am so excited to go to Dollywood! It is next weekend and I can hardly wait. Eep!

8.04.2005

The best kind of mail

Johnny got a letter from her school yesterday telling her that she has been awarded a merit scholarship!! It will cover over half of her (expensive) tuition. They were really impressed with her portfolio, so now I am extra-extra excited about the school thing for her. Congratulations!!

We tried to have a celebratory dinner, but she didn't like what she ordered and then we severely botched a well-intentioned game of pool. We decided that we'd have another try at it, because it wasn't very successful. (the dinner, maybe not the pool)

For the first time ever, I dropped off laundry yesterday. I feel only slightly nervous about it, but the woman at the 'mat was very nice. Do any of you drop off your laundry? How much do you pay per pound usually? This one was 1.05/pound for next-day service. Should we shop around?

8.03.2005

What a nice gesture!

The woman who sits next to me is in her mid 40s and from Russia. She is a big asset here because she has a variety of European language skills. Yesterday we bonded over the frustrations of being new here and today she brought in those Ferrero Rocher chocolates and offered one to me. It was very sweet (both the sentiment and the chocolate). The little things sure do matter.

Johnny started her new job on Monday. She's excited because she knows a lot about tools and woodworking equipment and people have been asking her lots of questions about it. I am really happy for her to have a job she really likes.

We went last night to my brother's house to watch Anchorman. They had never seen it. But before that, we got to hang out with The Nieces. THEY ARE SO CUTE. The youngest one is almost a year old and can sorta stand by herself now, but is really getting some personality. This weekend is their Pink Poodle Birthday Party. (Their birthdays a day apart) Johnny is going to set up a face-painting booth. The kids are going to love it.

8.02.2005

no to training, yes to party

We have totally started planning our housewarming party. We might get to close a few days earlier than we originally thought, therefore have a few extra days to get things situated before we need to move out of our lil' sublet on the 26th. I have to get confirmation from the realtor, but I think closing will be on the 12th, and the seller wants 10 days after close to move.

The New Job has a very poor (non-existent) training program. I got a 4 hour course on how to use Microsoft Office, but about ZERO minutes on the optional rules, etc. that we have to follow here. No, make that about 30 seconds--they did mention the 043. I sit here, cataloging, ALL DAY LONG and feel like a complete failure. It really stinks because I used to like cataloging, but I have been here about a month and I never want to see a MARC record again. I guess it can only get better. At least I have this window to keep me company.

Speaking of the window, yesterday something caught my eye and I turned to see a giant groundhog/muskrat/mutant squirrel just sitting out there near the sidewalk. I took a picture with my phone, but i don't know how to send phone photos to the internet. If you do, tell me and I will post it. It was a weird looking thing.