Owner: This Single Gal's New House URL:http://singlegalsnewhouse.blogspot.com Join Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:59:35 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: The trials, tribulations, and joys of owning a house as a single woman. Site statistics:Click here
Scooby Doo and Mr. Magoo 2007-09-30 12:52:00 Dude. I miss Saturday morning cartoons. I remember sitting in front of the television drinking Carnation instant hot cocoa and wearing footed pajamas, watching Scooby
Doo and Mr. Magoo in the early - mid 1970s. I loved Mr. Magoo especially. I think it might have been because I can't see for shit -- I can relate.I've been wearing glasses since I was 4.Over the summer, my lovely dog ate one of my contacts. Of course, this was a major tragedy, especially because I was trying to look cute for the rat man who was coming to check the traps in my attic. Because I can't see without corrective something, I had to put on my glasses. Them 'er some coke bottle lenses. Mortified, I hid in the house. I have had no dates with the rat man. This is a tragedy. Because of this (and other incidents), I have determined: It's important to see if you own a house. This I know.REASON 1You have to be able to see the hedge to chop it down. Random chopping = bad. You could lose a toe.REASON 2You need to be
The Judge has spoken 2007-09-29 15:22:00 Once upon a time, I lived in Arizona. Yes, it's true. I lived in a hedgeless land, where homeowners spray paint rocks to create rivers as part of their landscaping, and a registered gun owner may legally enter a bar with their metal friend in a holster. Great idea.No wonder they call it the 48th state.It feels like the 48th state.In this land they call Arizona,I was in a serious romantic relationship most of the time I was in Arizona. At times, I was even under the delusion we would get married and have a happy life amongst the cacti.That didn't happen.Fortunately.When we had broken up (I think it the 6th time?) and I was preparing to move to the midwest, a million different people wanted to give me advice on how to live the next phase of my life.An older dude everyone called The Judge
lived in my Arizona apartment complex. A raging alcoholic, The Judge sat on his deck smoking cigarettes almost daily, shirtless, and talked to anyone who passed by. Rumor was The Judge got his name fro
Riddle me this... 2007-09-28 16:57:00 Earlier this year, some folks at Clemson University published a scientific paper on the 5 second rule. They found that if you picked up food dropped on the floor within 5 seconds of the drop, you could still eat it without acquiring any additional bacteria from the floor. For more info on this important scientific finding, check out this NY Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09curi.html I say: viva the 5 second rule. I wonder if it counts if you live with a dog that randomly licks the floor? The five second rule popped into my head today as I looked into my back yard and saw the piles of apples underneath my apple tree. I wondered: could I pat them and roll them into a pie? They've been on the ground, um, for awhile. Does the 5 second rule apply? Or, could it be the 5 day rule? Dare I say -- the 5 week rule?I asked myself: wwmd (what would martha do?) I started doing some research. I googled "rotten fruit" and got the usual boring articles on how horrible Read more:Riddle
Expect no less... 2007-09-27 18:54:00 Insert witty, hilarious, charming, poignant, relevant, and insightful post here. Read more:Expect
There are many uses for a tennis racket... 2007-09-26 18:35:00 This morning, after a grueling hour-long conversation with an insurance adjuster (oh the joy!), I heard some rustling coming from my guest room.Rustling? What the...Daisy began moving slowly towards the room, ready to pounce.. the sound was coming from the heating vent.Could it -- rats? another flavor of rodent?I was pissed.Furious, I tell you.I went to the hall closet grabbed my tennis racket and stomped (in the defiant don't fuck with me way) back to the guest room. Whatever it was, it was NOT getting into my house.Once I got back into the guest room, I was ready for anything. I put on some gloves and my sunglasses, just in case. Daisy was at my side. The vent was silent.In one swift move, I moved into my wack-a-mole stance (used primarily at Showbiz Pizza, thank you) and was ready to beat the shit out of whatever was going to come up.Daisy sniffed.About a minute later, rustling again. Without waiting for the appearance of the creature, I flew into a murderous rage! Smashing! Th
The topic tonight, my friends, is dinner 2007-09-25 20:20:00 I'm starving.Just got home from work.Fed the dog.Checked my mail.Opened the refrigerator.Looked in the cupboard.Got bored.And now I'm sitting here.AndI'm starving.So what, pray tell, is this single gal to do? My usual solution is to whip up (read: microwave) some crap I bought at Trader Joe's.There's only so much of that you can take.There's always take out. Take out in my 'hood blows. And, I really don't want to get in my car again right now. Whine whine whine.I love the idea of cookin' up some tasteee vittles for my dinner ce soir. You know, using fancy shit from Williams Sonoma. Imagine the glamour, imagine the intrigue...But, alas, I:1. have no idea how to use the fancy shit from Williams Sonoma.(oh, look, it's a list again)2. am tired3. am lazy4. want someone else to use the fancy shit from Williams Sonoma as I mow my lawn5. wish my dog could work so I could buy the fancy shit from Williams SonomaSo, what's the single gal to do for dinner on a weekday night? Read more:topic
Monday, Monday 2007-09-24 21:01:00 I remember fondly an afternoon driving in the car with my father. I can't remember how old I was. I can't remember where we were going. But, I do remember that during our journey "Monday
, Monday" came on the radio and we both began to sing. We sang the entire song together and then went on with life like nothing ever happened. That's one of the things I'll always remember about my papa.And... scene.The top 5 highlights of my day:TANGENTWhy do we rank things? Is it our natural brain capacity to put things in order, in sequence, so that they make sense? I betcha Jung would have issue...UNTANGENTHere they are...1. I had a massage. It was good.2. A friend gave me a copy of Martha Stewart's LIVING -- I liked it. I learned about pumpkin carving and tree pruning and what to do with polenta. I still think the best use of polenta is for sculpting. With a big ass vat of polenta, we could make sculptures of George Bush and Georgia O'Keefe and the former governor of Iowa, Terry Branstad. Han
Sick day 2007-09-23 19:43:00 When I was 9, I relished sick days. I always liked going to school (except for those middle school years -- yikes!), but there was something almost taboo about staying home on a day when you were supposed to be doing something else. When you were sick, you got to watch school day television -- soap operas, good crap on PBS, and Card Sharks. AND, the coolest part (at least before Tivo and VCRs) was you got some inside knowledge on the day's episode of "The Young and the Restless." Yeah, baby.Well, my friends, my plague has continued another day. I want to frolick in the autumn breeze, but I am coughing up a lung and the sun told me to lay down. I hate being sick, and I hate having to stay home and bathe in my sickness. But, work tomorrow I must, so I decided to stay home today and have a proper sick day. This is my mug. Shitty picture. Good mug. I've had more tea today than I've had in years.If you are sick on the weekends, it totally sucks. It's a given fact. Not only are you dyi
Invasion of the Dust Bunnies 2007-09-22 18:40:00 Gross, huh? It's allllll stretched ouuuuut. I have the plague. Some sort of nasty ass sinus infection plague. That, coupled with the fact that my family is driving me crazy and my arm is busted makes for a freakin' excellent Saturday. At least the sun is shining. What else do you need?Life is grand. (Seriously! This is the BEST time of year. Dig it!)In my snot ridden stupor, I decided today would be a good day to clean my house. Since I can't smell anything, I figure I have a lower chance to asphyxiate myself by accidentally mixing chemical vapors from cleaning products, and I need to "rest," I want to do something productive, and so...I started my Saturday cleaning frenzy by dusting. I think dusting is my favorite household chore. Am I insane? It's all because of the Swiffer duster. If you don't know what they are, check it out: http://www.swiffer.com/swiffer/en_US/home.doww.swiffer.com/swiffer/en_US/home.do This site has coupons, too. Swiffer dusters totally rock! and pick up p Read more:Bunnies
, Invasion
Trash day 2007-09-22 00:34:00 Daisy is a bad ass.One of the most poignant (?) memories I have of owning a house in Michigan was walking my trashcan to the curb on Trash
Day Eve. I remember being filled with complete and utter joy (I nearly wept) as I walked to the curb at the same time as three of my neighbors... I felt deeply connected to my house, my trash, and the universe that night. How very zen.Speaking of ridiculous zen references...During my brief sojourn working as an intern at a HORRID theatre company (I got fired because I couldn't use a fucking crowbar) my boss, who donned a long, curly, shaggy mullet and wore peek-a-boo gold chains on his hairy, oft-exposed chest, told me I needed to find the (and I quote) "zen in stage mopping." Zen this mo fo. Ok. On to my Trash Day incident...Last night I heard my next door neighbor rolling his trash can to the curb around 9 o'clock. Sitting on my couch, I snickered -- it's the wrong day, they'll be sorry. A few minutes later, I heard more rolling -- they must
so I'm sensitive about the hedge... 2007-09-20 21:32:00 I've had a bad day.Look at this...yes, my friends, it's the hedge...I know some of you are really hoping that I will stop writing about the hedge, stop thinking about the hedge, stop having hedge on the brain. Well, I say, I will, when it is miraculously shorn.Until then, the fucking hedge remains an eyesore, and a blot on my eternal sunshine of the spotless mind.This afternoon two things happened, both hedge related:1. I went to physical therapy. I've had a relapse in my arm healing -- the dude thinks we did too much last week. I'm frustrated, but optomistic. It'll all get sorted out, this nerve thing... it will. I just want to be done with it. Um. Right now, thank you.So, you may wonder -- why is she bitching about her arm when the hedge is the big problem here? Well, dear ones, I can't chop down the hedge because I can't move my arm.Take that.2. I saw my former boss who now lives in the same part of the city I do. She said, and I quote, "every day I drive by and yo
plums and rats and branches oh my 2007-09-18 22:21:00 On Saturday, as I was having dim sum with my lovely friends Sam and Sam, I asked them if they knew anyone who would do yard work for the cheaps and, if they knew any arborists. I gotta tree, you know, that is honkin' and leanin' and is gonna break, yo.Sam said that if anything horrible was going to happen with the tree (things like crashing branches
, being impaled with a twig, etc.), it would have happened last winter when we had several ridiculous wind storms, ice storms, and general power outage mayhem. I felt comforted by his wise words and returned to bloating myself on tea and sesame seed balls (them 'er tasty).Well, I am here to report that Sam was WRONG. Got home from work and lo and behold a branch -- a honkin'ly huge BRANCH - had not only fallen off of my beautiful maple tree but it was on the fence and leaning into my neighbors' yard.These are the neighbors I have not yet met, and the only interaction I've had with them was smelling their lighter fluid as they were b
Of fireplaces, yetis, and sleeper sofas 2007-09-16 18:50:00 It's a rainy Sunday afternoon in Seattle and all I want to do is crawl into bed and sleep until next weekend.Wouldn't that be great?Alas, I have to be an adult. I hate that...Of fireplaces...It's a very fire in the fireplace sort of afternoon. My house has a fireplace, but I need someone to check it out before I create an inferno in the middle of my home. The fireplace had a functioning gas starter component at one point, and I'm not sure if the gas has been completely disconnected.Because of my rat infestation problem, I also want to make sure there are no creatures living in the fireplace. There would be nothing worse than starting a fire and having a milliion rats run into my living room or, maybe worse? a million rats plunging to their fiery deaths.Ok, that's gross.I found out the other day that a work colleague worked as a mason for 30 years prior to his career shift. Rock on! He agreed to come over and take a look at my fireplace. I can't wait. I want to build a fire and
Plum Posse where arrrrrre you? 2007-09-13 18:49:00 Something is awry. There are beasts crawling around my yard.BEASTS, I tell you.Yesterday, I went outside and something freakin' bolted out of the yard. No, not a squirrel -- I am intimately connected to squirrels after Daisy killed one and ate its eyes out -- it was a BEAST. The Yeti.I'm sure of it.I caught a glimpse of it this afternoon -- in the front yard.Photos to come -- my computer is now up and running -- I can do shit again. Look out.And it wasn't the Plum Posse
.Ever since school started, the Plum Posse is nowhere to be found. I sort of miss them. Perhaps their interest in plums has waned... I like to think they are studying about plums and working on a new plum theory and are plum tucker'd out (oh my God, that was hilarious!). At least that's what I'm assuming, when I think about it, and now seems to be the only time I've thought about it.My neighborhood seems very quiet lately. I'm a bit surprised because the weather has been incredible, and the rainy season
The Working Woman's Dilemma 2007-09-12 19:46:00 I do not know how single people can work 9 - 5 (or more), keep their house clean, keep up on the bill paying, have time to DATE, and do the laundry.I do not know.Add to that yard work, rat trapping, and dog walking...I'm too exhausted to do a damn thing this evening except type, eat bon bons and look at the pile of rat-attracting plums in my front yard. I need a plum vacuum.I drove by my house today and thought -- shit, that hedge looks terrible. When I realized that I actually live there, I was mortified and thrown into a hysterical stupor, all at once. Each day it looks more and more horrifying. I can't bear it. I want it to magically go away, but I know I have to do something about it.That's just it, folks, DOING something about it. As a single person, you have to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT all by yourself. Of course, you can ask for help, but you can rely on your friends for only so much before they avoid you like the plague, and when your family lives thousands of miles away
what the.... 2007-09-09 20:20:00 Okay...Sigh.It's been a week since I last posted... um... I had a little mishap with the computer...Oh sure, sure, I could blame the dude who put the sucker together, the dude who just walked by, the rats, the Plum Posse, the HEDGE for taking revenge ... but, the mishap just happed -- and, oh, the aftermath. Of course, you want a play by play...The other evening, after a long day at work, I went into my home office to have a luxurious look at my photos, and lo and FREAKIN' behold, the computer started doin' the disco.And, in an attempt to fix itself, it erased my entire hard drive. That's right, friends. The whole darn thing.Five years of artistic work -- erased... dissertation, research, photographs, scripts, freakin' all of it.gone.I've been surprisingly calm about the whole thing. I'm too tired to do otherwise, I suppose; this summer has been filled with random acts of hell and I'm worn out.So, after I laughedcried (you know what I mean) I tried to look at the positive.In
The Hedge Man 2007-09-01 20:31:00 This morning, as I was enjoying the newspaper and sipping my tea, the doorbell rang. It was 10 am. I was still wearing my pajamas.For a minute or two, I paced around the kitchen, trying to decide what to do. Do I ignore the bell? Hide in the refrigerator? Or be an adult and go to the door?I decided to be the adult. Shocking, I know... oh, did I want to hide!There, waving with exuberant glee (how could he at such an early hour on the weekend?), was my neighbor, the same dude who lent me the electric hedge clipper lo these two weeks ago. Yikes.Seeing him peaking in my window scared the crap out of me, and I immediately started sweating bullets -- this interaction was what I feared -- the chap who had so kindly let me borrow his hedge clipper was coming!to reclaim! his goods!, and I had barely used them.I was embarrassed, dirty, I hadn't yet brushed my teeth, and Daisy was going crazy. I was in no state to interact with humankind. Or other dog-kind. Of course, the Hedge
Man did
Daisy's nervous breakdown 2007-08-31 20:28:00 My dog is neurotic. Yeah, yeah, a friend recently told me all dogs are neurotic, so Daisy
is not unique.I think my house is spurring Daisy into a full blown nervous breakdown
.I met Daisy about three years ago when I was living in Michigan, depressed and mid-life crisis-ing because I had graduated from a doctoral program, broken up with a guy who I thought I would marry but fortunately figured out he was psycho, and moved to a small town in the Midwest. I needed a friend, and I found Daisy.When I first met her, Daisy was about 4 months old. She was named by the folks at the animal shelter "Ashleigh" which I found repulsive and did not fit her rambunctious personality. When she came to the house and ran around the back yard, she ate a daisy -- the name stuck.Daisy and I lived peacefully in Michigan; we survived the insane 8 year old who lived next door, a burglar who didn't steal anything but seemingly enjoyed walking around my house in the middle of the night, and the beginning and
The Plum Posse 2007-08-30 22:08:00 The other day, as I was typing typing away in my office, I hear a bunch of male voices, all commenting on the horrible state of my hedge (by request, a photo of said hedge is on its way...).At first, I thought I was hearing things -- hedge voices? a freakin' hedge haunting? -- and then I realized the voices were in my front yard.I looked out the window and saw 8 boys, all under the age of 10, climbing my plum tree, fruit flying everywhere.Thinking this was -- a. cool, b. what neighbor boys did in the 1960s, c. somewhat irritating, d. rat bait -- I went outside to chat with them.They caught on before I could get to the door. All but two of the plum posse dashed around the hedge and down the street. The two left -- standing sheepishly by my front door were Nathaniel and some-other-kid-whose-name-I-don't-remember (we'll call him Blond Kid). Nathaniel explained that the other boys were doing a "sasquatch" on my tree.A sasquatch.onthetreeI almost bust out laughing. That was the greates Read more:Posse
Half done! 2007-08-27 16:38:00 In a bout of my-arm-is-miraculously-healed I pruned half of the hedge today. It looks fairly decent, and I am both proud of myself and excited that it doesn't look like complete crap, at least, as is the view from my house. And that is all that counts, thank you very much.And, now my arm kills, my face is numb, and I'm exhausted.Go figure.As a reward to myself, I spent some of the afternoon watching really horrible court TV shows. Somehow those programs make me feel better about myself. I know, I know, it's horrible and wrong and morally reprehensible, but... hey.By the way, I don't like the new "People's Court" judge. She's just not Wapneresque... it just seems wrong to take over the "People's Court" legacy and be a total classless bitch. She was actually screaming at the plaintiffs on the program I saw today. Is that necessary? Didn't you work your ass off to get to a place in your career where you are a respected professional? Screaming at people does not give you any r
Leaves a plenty... 2007-08-26 15:21:00 I want to be tidy, I really do. Perfection, however, is unattainable...At the moment there are leaves and piles of yard waste in my yard. I know, I know, I shouldn't be freaking out about it. Yard waste, yard schmaste. Who gives a rip?Well, it looks like crap, and I'm a perfectionist... I cringe every time I open the blinds.And, as a homeowner, I have an obligation to my neighborhood to keep my yard looking decent. Right? In fact, I think it's on my lease somewhere...Yeah, I could go out and clean it up, but my yard waste bin is full... yes, that's my excuse... that and, oh, my arm feels like it needs to be chopped off.But... anyway...I'm just glad that there isn't a homeowner's association on my block -- I wouldn't want to get fined.... and based on the crap in my yard at the moment, I would get fined.The honeymoon phase of the new house has now faded -- I've been in the house about a month now -- and the reality of single woman homeownership is comin' at me in full forc
The hedge from hell... continued 2007-08-25 19:27:00 Greetings, all....Hope this finds you well. It's a rainy weekend here in Seattle. Nice excuse to lay around and read a book or do the crossword puzzle. I love the crossword puzzle.I had to go down the street to use the internet. I'd been hopping onto my neighbor's wireless service (shhhh), but I think they caught on. The network has been down for 4 - 5 days.I can't complain about it. Just have to figure out a new way... or... gasp... pay for service myself...And so, the house... which I love... continues to be developed. I am LOVING it. I can't wait to light a fire in the fireplace...The hedge is partially shorn. I dig power tools, though. A newly discovered love! I feel like a muscular bad ass using those things. I am forever indebted to my new neighbor for the loan.Despite my inner feminism screaming "I am NOT a damsel in distress."The hedge is halfway finished -- I can't seem to do the top of it, which is the worst part of all. Too painful to lift my hands above my
#$!!##%@ curtain rods (and the hedge from hell, part 3) 2007-08-21 19:04:00 When I got home this afternoon, my dog got very excited and in her usual exuberant fashion, ran around in circles like a maniac. Today's circle running was a bit different -- she somehow tangled herself in the curtains framing the sliding glass doors. Twisted in Ikea fabric, she got freaked out (wouldn't you?), and started running in the opposite direction of the window, which, of course, resulted in a large crash, complete with curtains falling and yanking out the curtain rod braces? holders? you know what I'm talking about... out of the wall.I admit, I was annoyed. Pissed even. I yelled. She ran outside.I felt bad and gave her a treat. Dogs are awesome.Sigh.After a few minutes I calmed down. I made myself some chai and started working on putting those gosh darn curtain rods back up.During Daisy's curtain incident (as I shall call it), the screws had stripped their holes and some of the drywall tore and flaked off the wall. Okay.At first, I attempted to replace them as was
The Hedge from Hell part 2 2007-08-20 12:09:00 I had a burst of energy yesterday afternoon, and decided to attack the hedge, full on, with my newly borrowed electronic hedge clipper, extension cord, and step ladder. I was so ready to kill the thing.I started working, and realized that I was incredibly stupid. Although it wasn't raining at the time, the leaves of the hedge were still wet. As I was chopping away, visions of electrocution started dancing through my head. So, I stopped.Of course, the wet leaves were only one deterrant -- because of my arm / neck injury from the car accident, I'm on lots of new nerve medication. These pills make me feel like a stoned Super Woman. With the meds, my arm is hurting less, but the injury is still there. So, even doing this project (or attempting) was really freakin' stupid. On a lot of fronts.I have to say, however, that I got about a quarter of one side of the hedge trimmed and it looks great! I am now totally excited about power tools.It's amazing what you have to learn when t Read more:Hedge
The Hedge from Hell 2007-08-19 13:05:00 About a week ago a friend of mine was vistiing from Finland. She took one look at my front hedge, and gasped...Not only is the damn thing completely overgrown, BUT apparently, ivy (the hedge substance) is bad luck to have near or by a house.At least, that's what her mother told her.Great.After my three weeks of house guests departed, I decided it was hedge chopping time. I do not need any more bad luck and barring removing the damn thing, I just want it to look mildly presentable. I am, afterall, the new gal in the 'hood.So I was contemplating the hedge's fate as I was mowing my lawn (with a reel push mower, thank you) when one of my neighbors walked by. He commented on my "old school" mower nd told me where I could buy a power mower cheap.I do not want a power mower.I tried to explain it to him, but he just sighed.Now that's old school.About an hour later, as I began to attack the hedge with my manual clipper things, the same dude came driving by, got out of his car, and handed m Read more:Hedge
The red teeth 2007-10-02 20:34:00 I suck at painting. There, I've admitted it. I suck at a lot of things. I don't usually admit that.For example... I generally suck at sports. Although, I'm really and truly convinced there is one sport I can do with superstar agility and grace. My elementary school gym teacher didn't call me Super K for nothin'.When I was in 8th grade, my quest for sport superstardom lead me to skiing. With absolute certainty, I convinced myself I had something in my blood that said, "skiier." No one in my family (that I knew of) had ever skiied. It was me, baby. I was SUPER K. I had inherited the ski gene.So, without thinking twice, I signed up for the 8th grade trip to Afton Alps, Minnesota. Believe me, that was the best the school could do. I was set, man. I had new gloves and my neighbor's mother had let me borrow a SWEET orange and yellow scarf. Fast forward a 9 hour bus ride (was it 9 hours? it felt like 9 hours)... getting ready to ski. I'm on the slope. I'm feelin' my natur Read more:teeth
shhhh, this is MY secret 2007-10-01 20:22:00 Holy schniekies, I'm exhausted.Had a full, and I do mean full, day at work. 85 meetings. 85 issues. A success! Another meeting.I was done. And I do mean done.Crawling away to go home.A colleague stopped me. She needed a ride home. Of course.So now I'm really done.REALLY DONE.Ya dig?However, the dog, left inside for 11 hours (yes, I know, I'm a horrible pet owner -- fuck you) peed somewhere, the where I could not find. So there I am in a state of exhaustion, sniffing the floor looking for pee.My nose is congested.I need one of those cool blood / pee detectors them CSI people use.Find it (the pee, that is) by stepping in it.I clean it up.I put on new socks.I look out the window. See the mound of apples.I pick them up.Daisy goes nuts and runs around in circles.Daisy is still running around. I go inside.I close the sliding glass door.She runs after me. She slams into the door. Because it is closed which she does not realize. It nearly breaks.I laugh, let her in, and give her
IKEA makes me feel like a bad ass 2007-10-12 19:57:00 This afternoon I went to IKEA.Oh! the joy!Oh! the splendor! Oh! The meatballs.Ok, it's gross. I know. I can't help it. I (heart) the Ikea meatballs.And, yes, I know, Virginia, they are not gluten free.Whatever.Ok, I won't complain if my tongue swells, my stomach hurts. I deserve it.I tell you, those things are the sirens of my stomach. From the second I walk into Ikea, a land of all things joy and splendor in a flat-packed box, the meatballs are calling my name. I don't care if I'm hungry.The meatballs must be eaten. I'm sure part of the beckoning is because they are freakin' Scandinavian tasty ass tasty and remind me of Finland. A place I love. Where people I love live. Even though there are sweet ass meatballs, I go to IKEA very infrequently -- it's a long drive from my house and traffic sucks, and blah blah carbon footprint blah. So, whenever I got there, I come with a list and buy lots of shit. I always end up with more shit on my list, though. The place is like the Target Read more:makes
Toilet trauma 2007-10-09 17:02:00 I got home this afternoon in the sunshine, happy to have a few hours to relax before an evening event at work. I'm exhausted and planned to spend the afternoon sitting on my couch and eating bon bons.However, as we have all learned by now, there is no rest for the Single Gal: something's wrong with my toilet.It will not stop running.I've studied its interior. I've studied its exterior.I have no fucking idea what's wrong with it.All I can say is that I'm ready to get the hammer out and start wacking things. That'll fix it, I'm sure.I turned off the water.I consulted Toilet
ology 101 -- which made me want to vomit in said running toilet. And then various DIY websites. Nothing addressed my unique toilet issue -- it's clearly not a simple problem.Unfortunately, I cannot consult the mechanical know-how I absorbed while living in Iowa. I learned nothing about fixing nothing.I do, however, know that there are 4 times as many pigs as people living in the state. A fact all should know, Read more:trauma
That old house... 2007-10-05 18:51:00 I'm sad to report -- my mother is in the hospital today. She and my father are both exhausted, tired of waiting for test results, tired of my mother being in pain.I wish I could help take care of her -- give her a hug and read cheesy magazines -- but she lives in Iowa, and I, in Seattle. I feel like my hands are tied by distance.Today is probably the first day since I moved out of their house in 1990 that I feel sad to be so far away.My mother's illness is encourages me to reflect on the good times we've had together. We've definitely (and emphasize the definitely) had our struggles over the years, but we've also had some crazy adventures. I'm choosing to think about those today.My family and I moved into what my brother and I called "the new house" in 1979. I was 7, and I lived there until I was 17. Most of my childhood memories are associated with that house -- the first night my youngest brother came home from the hospital, the countless family photographs taken in front of t
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