She's ALIVE!!!!

Yes, I haven't suffered an untimely demise.

In fact, I'm just fine.

Work, is workly.

House, is WUNDERBAR. Here, this is a bit of what we've been up to. This transformation took about, oh, 8 MONTHS, but still - it looks quite nice, if I do say so myself.

And can I say that BigLots is my personal home decor store of choice? That place ROCKS.

The garden is going along - all that stuff (when I update) is on the dirtydirty MySpace blog - link to that is on the front page.

Urm.

I've realized that I write VERY few FO entries, and my favorites list is crazy long, so I think I'm going to have to pare it down... that's one of the reasons that I come here so rarely - I'm scared of all them there updates.

But really I don't read em all.

Um.

I think that's it.

I might redecorate later.

I havent' been chatty journal wise, cuz I've been SO chatty forumwise. I *heart* my forums.

Oh, yeah - my little experiment. So far? My worst has been 37 miles per gallon. Right now, I'm shooting for 40, I think - I've got half a tank left, and 220 miles on the trip meter. Mwuahahahaaaaa! Take that, Prius!

The Fast & The Frugal - Memphis Drift

So, I'm trying an experiment, and I figured I'd share with the rest of OD, and see if anyone else is doing the same thing.

I drive a stick (o, how I love the stick) and one of the cooler things that I've always 'heard' but never done was drift/coast in the car - to save on gas.

So. What I started doing last week was drifting. As much as I could - slipping the car into neutral, and letting the inertia carry me down the hill/to the stoplight/off the exit ramp/etc..... just doing it off an on, for a week, upped my MPG from 32 to 34. I know, I know, a measley two miles per gallon, but still - considering gas (when I filled my tank last night) has crept up to the lovely price of 2.79 (member year before last when gas didn't get this expenisve until AFTER Katrina took out the oil refineries in LA? WTF, ya'll? ) I figure that anything I can do to save fuel is - wise, on so MANY different levels.

So far - I've gotten 37 miles, and the needle hasn't even shifted from 'over-full'. I usually only got 25 miles before it started drifting into the actual gauge range.

I keep safety in mind - I simply CANNOT do this on the highway - drifting doesn't give me enough power to go safely fast enough to stay in the flow - and we don't have many hills on the route I drive home/to work. On the city streets - every hill is an opportunity, every stoplight/stopsign is DEFINITELY an opportunity - if I HAVE to brake, I'm in neutral - period. I can switch lanes easily, and I can pop right back into 3rd/4th if need be.

*evilgrin* It's like having a hybrid, without the plug. *LOL*

Twice as Nice....

Should I call it two Fridays? Or two Saturdays? I think it's two Saturdays, as today would be Friday (the last day I have to work) and then tomorrow would be Saturday, and Saturday would be Saturday too.

Urm, yeah. I'm taking tomorrow off.

So! What's been going on in my world? Well - I'll share some pictures.

1) I finally - after about *thinks* oh, 7 years? have my natural colored hair back. No blond. No red. No black. Just a dark, dark, dark, shimmery brown.

It don't look half bad on me either. In bright, bright, BRIGHT direct light, it's a dark purple color - the henna is slowly starting to make a difference. This summer is going to be innnnnteresting.

2) I did my first DITL where I was actually taking PICTURES all day. It was very boring. I think tomorrow is another one, which should be EVER so much more fun. In the process though, I did take a couple of pictures (finafreakingly) of my car.

Ya, I know, I still suck, as it's not all THAT good of a picture, but . *lol* I'll take a better one (on a sunnier day!) later. Maybe.

Urm. I think that's all the relevant pictures I have.

I'm taking tomorrow off because I have to finish digging a ditch. And planning out a garden - because sweet Jesu, Spring has CERTAINLY sprung in Memphis, Tn!! The trees have exploded with green & white & purple and pale pink, and the bugs are back in full force (must get more repellant), and I'm seriously considering taking down the plastic on the windows. It's SPRING!!!

This winter seemed to drag on for far too long - and then, all of a sudden like a huge alarm clock went off - everything WOKE UP. *happy dance* Including me.

And! And! I've decided that Daylight Savings Time is about the second best thing to sliced bread, as now I get home and I still have ABOUT an hour and a half to two WHOLE hours of daylight - proper daylight mind you, not that dusky stuff - to do meddling in the garden. *twirls* I'm pleased as punch over that, I can tell you now.

Urm. If Hubby would stop absconding with the camera, I would take some pictures of our poor neglected property. We're supposed to be going to the Home Despot tomorrow as well, to pledge even MORE money to them (the bastids), but - we need it. Just - all of it. *sigh*

So! Much fun! Expect to here me doing MUCH talking about all of the wonderful, wonderful growing (and dying) things in my garden.

How the heck are ya'll doing?

Here, there, everywhere.

Okay, so, I'm still alive, I've just been balls to the wall busy - or distracted by other internet pretties - the only thing better than internet is NEW internet, ya know??

So - in the last - however long it's been since I've posted I've

1) Doula'd for my first client - who ended up with a section because she entered labor a) exhausted and b) dehydrated. *sigh* But - her little one has joined us, and it was a rocking experience (despite not getting my birth high) but it has me questioning whether I really WANT to get certified.....

2) Finally - FINALLY - got my Car. I haven't taken any picture yet, as it's been too damn bloody cold to stand outside and take pictures, but I have her, and she is wonderful.

3) Spent an unGODLY amount of money for C's birthday (and got a little something for myself too)

4) Spent far more time than was REALLY needed in my lovely bed. The pictures simply don't do it justice.

I've been trying to keep up - but I know I've been slacking. I miss ya'll! I think I'm almost out of the honeymoon with my new timespending sites, so I'll be around MUCH more often.

Heh.

*smooches*

Because I want it that way, that's why!!

ETA: Now, mind you - with all the bruhaha I've made about this color, I've never actaully SEEN it on a car - I think it's a new color for '07 models. Anyhow! I get to work this (12/20) morning, and what do I park next to? A brand new Toyota Camry in - Cosmic Blue. Ya'll. Dude. Seriously. If there was any color that I would claim as my color - this color is it. It's like - Ever seen snow, so compacted, with the light shining through it, that it looks blue? Okay - take that color, and layer it over itself over and over and over again, and keep a little bit of the sparkle of the ice/snow, and make it REALLY shiny - at's that's the color blue. It's so pretty, I grin every time I walked past the car - like DUDE! That's totally my color. Now, the wait isn't quite as bad. Oh, I'mma still bitch about carpooling, but it's worth it.

I don't mean to be difficult - really, I don't. In fact, I usually make a concerted effort to be as easy going, and go with the flow as possible. But, sometimes, I just want things JUST so, and because I'm odd, no-one else wants them the same way, and therefore I end up with something Just For Me.

So. Car wrecked, looking for a new car, winnowed through the selection of cars that didn't have what I wanted/were too small/were too expensive/etc, etc., and finally ended up picking a Toyota Matrix....

Now, the list of things I wanted on the car - simplicity itself (or so I thought)

The Moonroof/Cruise Control/Power Windows package
The Upgraded Sound System (just cuz!)
The Rear Heating package (which was the only way to get the rear wiper blades)
Anti-Lock Brakes
Side Impact Airbags
Manual Transmission (because automatics are *makes the oogeyboogeyickybug face*)

Not too complex right? I mean - really, I'm not asking for much, am I? Apparently, Toyota dealers across the country think that I am, because while a car in THAT color was found - With everything, except it's an automatic. A car with all the packages/transmission was found - but it was black. A car that color, with everything BUT the ABS and side airbags was found - but after the LAST crash, I want side airbags, thank you very freaking much.

So. I'm actually getting a car made JUST FOR ME. Yup, a car. Now, while that rocks, and makes me feel all unique as shit and sunshine, apparently, it takes a healthy bit of time to get a car made. In fact, it apparently takes about a month and a half to make a car (who knew? I figured they slapped em together in a week). *weeps/pulls hair/gnashes teeth*

Now, normally, I'd be real cool with that - except for two things.

1) The rental car that the insurance company is ever so kindly subsidizing loses it's subsidy on 12/26 - about a month before my new car will be ready. Now, normally, me & the boy would just carpool, but that runs us directly into issue #2

2) The Boy has just gotten a new job - and he's the Man at the new job, which means.... well, for example. I haven't set AWAKE eyes on my husband since Saturday night. I think he's working roughly 14 hour days at this point, which is insane, but true to form for him.

I know, that we will just start carpooling (unless I can find a rental for a really, really, really, really, REALLY, reasonable rate) but - give me this time to bitch and moan about having to be UP and alert enough to drive at 5am everybloody morning, and then having to stay up and be alert to drive at midnight (or later) every bloody night. I swear, the man is super human, cuz I wouldn't be able to do it.

But! Dammit! I'm going to have a car that there is very little chance that ANYONE else on the road will have (or will have the patience to wait for, because if I wasn't a stubborn git, I would just go and buy the car off the lot that has everything I want except it's the wrong color), and I suppose that's worth waiting for.

Have I mentioned how utterly bloody impatient I am? Yes? Well. *sigh*

Maybe it'll be done early, and I'll have a rockass birthday gift! Yeah! *sigh*

aMrregh.

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!

So. I've firmly told my husband that I will NOT (not, not, N.O.T.) thank him for wrecking my car - but this is what we will get out of it.

1) A new car - suitably slightly larger for the planned family expansion, as well as KICK ASS mileage, as well as big enough to cart shit home from Home Depot and the Thrift store and the like without having to pay for delivery. Urm - a Toyota Matrix, as I haven't mentioned that yet. All I'm waiting for is MY car. I figure it this way - Dammit, if I'm going to buy a NEW car, I'm going to get every.single.thing I want on it. A 5 speed with ABS and a moonroof and side impact airbags and the rear seat heat? In the pretty, pale, almost silver Cosmic Blue?  Oh, yes, thank you! What? You'll have to tell the factory to make it? Oh, that's fine - it's only fair for me losing a couple of grand in worth AS SOON AS I DRIVE IT OFF THE LOT. *pants briefly* Yes, I hate buying new cars. *wanders off muttering about depreciation and replacement costs* 

2) We get to pay off: Sallie Mae (the last of C's student loans), PLUS (the last of my student loans) CitiBank (the remmants of the WEDDING credit card) and Chase (the remmants of the REST of the wedding that was shifted to a 0% rate card). Which! Which! Besides, ya know, the new house, and the new car, and the store cards (Sears, Home Depot, Department Stores) means we are OUT. OF. DEBT. And dude - those cards are small enough that - I'm not even SWEATING them! And - the car, it'll only be a wee bit more than the old car....so - still! 

*side note* C just asked me what I was doing, and I told him I was writing a journal entry.... he told me to include (and I quote) "Make sure you say that your husband told you that he falls in love with you again every time you smile at him....."  *fans self* *sqqqquuuuue* don't I just have the most SUGARY sweet man ever? (And he's hot).  *end side note* 

So  *silly grin still firmly in place* while, I DID love that car, and while I HATE the fact that he wrecked it - we really did know that if we planned on roadtripping/camping with a wee one (ie. carseat) we would need a bigger car. And seriously, I'm cheap (and stubborn) enough, that if he hadn't wrecked the car, I would have DRRRRAaaaaaggggeeed my feet on getting a new one, and lived with all sorts of irrtation and discomfort.  

And see, I'm telling YA'LL this, as I would never tell him this, cuz then he might start to feel SLIGHTLY less bad about wrecking my car. And sweet, hot, loving man aside - Dammit! I mean, DAMN! What is it with HIM and my CARS!!!  Last time, I said he wasn't driving my car anymore - but I mean really? 14 hour roadtrip? Husband? Yeah, right. *sighs* And it's not like it's just MY car - he's (we've) gone through 3 cars in the six years we've known each other - all totaled by him!! ARRGGHHHH! And I've driven for FEWER years than him.....I mean, WTF?  *deep breath*

Annnndddd.....we are also getting (after! after! those bills are paid off) a NEW BED SET. It's actually going to be here on Wednesday. I'm talking a BED. and....and... a DRESSER. and.... and... an CHEST....annddd *holds back the tears* Nightstands! With - little shelves on them! TWO! So we don't have to share! 

Seriously ya'll, this is like the NICEST bedset I've ever owned. I've tried to find pictures online, but haven't found anything close - cuz - it's LOVELY. And seriously? I haven't owned a PROPER set of drawers since - since I left my mothers house, I think. I faked it for a while with a set of cardboard drawers, and for even longer with milk crates, used as drawers, and lately, with underbed storage containers heaped in closets, used as drawers..in other words ya'll, we have been faking the funk, and I keep my carpets very clean, because otherwise my clothes would get dirty. And sometimes, in the middle of the afternoon, when I think about what I THINK that I 'should' have - I'm rather shamed of how little I DO have. Then, I look at what I DO have, and realize, with some pride, that I tried to buy as little of it with debt as possible, and I'm proud and comfortable, and - maybe not quite content, but definitely pleased and satisfied with what I DO have. It is enough, for among the world, I am still very wealthy.... 

We still have to buy a mattress (because I refused to let the sales guy talk me into buying a mattress then and there - it was out of character ENOUGH for us to buy FURNITURE without doing reasearch (but we loved this set!!), so there was no way in HECK I was going to buy a mattress without at least doing SOME reading up on it!) but, I figure that we will go to Sears, and take a look (and a lay) at the mattresses there. I'm also going to get a dual heated matress pad, so that we can turn down the heat at night and still be comfy, and - *sighs* and, some Brand. new. sheets. I haven't brought a new set of sheets in - YEARS. Since college, most likely, as we are still sleeping on the same size futon - and as for the sheets that I got for the waterbed - one set came WITH the waterbed, the other two sets I got off of Freecycle.  I'm even seriously considering getting REALLY wild and crazy, and buying NEW pillows. *fans self* It'll be like a hotel bed - but AT HOME. And - we already have a huge king size comforter that we got years ago from Pottery Barn Outlet that I just need to make a duvet cover(cuz I refuse to spend 80 bucks on a damn duvet cover) for - which, the sewing machine, and the mondo cheap kingsize sheets I'm going to dig up will make most convienent.

This is a long entry for me, but - I get giddy about money things turning out well. I feel like this - even though it came from something horrid and something that could have changed (or ended) my life - is actually going to further plans that were already in place! I feel - rewarded, I guess - for being so. damn. cheap. And so anal about paying bills off early. This, you see, is my staunchly Puritanical side coming out (money is about the only thing I'm conservative about).

And babymaking? I haven't mentioned babymaking yet, have I? Technically, we are still in an holding pattern - we do not, I repeat, do NOT, have a go on babymaking.  But - make sure the runway is clear all the same.

Um, yes. In slightly clearer words, due to the above mentioned Puritanical streak, it has been decided (agreed) that babymaking should not commence in earnest before March (just in case the best thing EVER happens, and I get knocked up on the first try). But - all the same - in order to try to get conception as CLOSE to that time as possible (only 5 cycles tween now and then) I went and brought a Basal Thermometer today. I realized, despite planning on making my carrer in BIRTH, I really didn't know all that much about the process of the OTHER side of that coin, conception, and am halfway through the 20 lesson online course offered by FertilityFriend.com  - and that convinced me that the best thing I could do right now to prep for right then is to start charting my temps.  I'm honestly in a total state of denial, and chose to believe that we will get pregnant in the first six months or so. If it doesn't happen, then I will handle that then - because I'm NOT going to drive myself crazy by worrying about it NOW. I'm doing all that I can to prepare for that (having these charts, and historical records of my cycles will help - IF I need to go to a fertility specialist) but at the same time, it's helping to insure that hopefully - we WON'T have to go that route.

Speaking of future fertility boosters, my ass is starting to widen again, because I haven't been to the gym in TWO WEEKS. Really, two and a half, because I didn't go so much the week BEFORE Thanksgiving either. Last week, I was sick, and just plain refused to go to the gym and potentially imfect everyone there. I fianlly stopped coughing the bloody crud on Friday, and when I woke up today, I leaned over to push myself up out of the futon, and nearly screamed as I put weight on my right wrist. Something is wrong with my wrist - I have no clue what (I'm hoping I just slept on it wrong)  - but it hurts like HELL - sometimes. Only when I twist it just right, or tilt it justtt so. And when I went to see Dexter tonight - I could see in the way that he looked at me that I had "LAWSUIT" flashing in bright red letters over my head.  After babbling at me about 'hairline fracture" and "carpal tunnel" and "bolts in your wrist" he strongly DISCOURAGED me from even working out, then, after me pouting at him for a while, he gave me a short list of things that I could do that shouldn't impact my wrist.    

It wasn't til I sat there watching Jane (the delightful 80 year old redhead who shares these classes with me) workout that I realized - oh. my. god. I MISSED this. I WANTED to do this. Dammit, I was NOT going home without lifting some weight. I did three exercises out of the six he suggested - I couldn't get a good, non-ouchy grip with the other three. I got a sprint, and have iced my wrist, and I figure if it's still sore on the morrow - I'll set up an appointment to have things checked out.  I don't think I've gained any weight (I've stayed OFF the scale) but my lack of crunches is starting to show itself. If nothing else, I will do those tomorrow. 

*pause* 

My WORD, but I'm chatty tonight, aren't I? Typing, thankfully, does NOT make my wrist twinge. 

It's been a while since I've written, I suppose. I have a whole REAM of words floating around in my head that needs to be spilled in my LJ..... and I think that I will wind up now, and go there before the flood ends..... 

Good night, and if you ACTUALLY read this entire diatribe, Gods Bless....    

Boy, it's really been a while.

Hair related - I've been rocking my 'standard' hair style - I've deep conditioned once, and redone my hair about three, maybe four times. I've cowashed once, and that's been about it.

Thanksgiving was nice - wonderful really, until the trip back home (we drove) where we drifted off the side of the road, spun out, hit a tree, and totalled my car. Praise the Gods that we both strolled away (so to speak) - DH had a few bruised ribs, and I had a wee cut on my hand.

It's actually been really nice to be - casual about my hair. I haven't taken a vitamin for two weeks, I haven't been on the boards for OVER two weeks, and the only thing I've purchased was this ultra cool (and cheap) 'gift set' of Nexxus products the day of the accident - dammit, I was stressed, and needed to splurge! I also got a shower comb - seamless - that I LOOOVVVE - it's called a Goody's ouchless, I think, and it will be my travel comb so that I don't have to fret about traveling with my bone comb and potentially breaking it.

I think that I MIGHT - MIGHT - henna my hair this weekend - but then again, I might be out buying a new car this weekend, so really - who knows?

And I'm SOOOO tired. Despite being on 'vacation' the stress of the accident wiped all that out, and I'm sick, and I was out of town again last weekend (though it was WONDERFUL fun in the woods with mah girls - we don't believe in sleeping when we are together), and it's suddenly decided that it's high time that it gets right and cold - IF I go car shopping this weekend, that will most likely be ALL that I do. When I came home from my trip this weekend, DH was in the kitchen, cleaning, and I wanted to fall down and weep with joy because I was DREADING walking into a house that showed that I haven't had a chance to be home and do things proper for almost three weeks!

Okay. I think I'm done, for now - now I must go and catch up!!

Thankful things....

Thanksgiving started out fabulously - the drive there was easy (though I got snarky over the last hour, as I always do on long trips)

The food was wonderful....

The fellowship was fabulous..... ETA: from left to right - leon, Nee, me, Tam, Corey - all friends - family was too shy for the camera - but we LOOK related, don't we?

And I cried a little - just a wee bit - when it was time to leave.

The trip back was good...... until it wasn't....around 5:30am on Sunday morning - in Bumfucksnitty, E. Tn we were looking for a place to pull off and have breakfast and switch drivers and in the blink of an eye.......ETA: We actually aren't sure HOW it happened - we're thinking that C dozed off for a second, causing us to drift off the road, and he overcorrected and we spun, and hit a tree - the tree caused all the damage....

But I'm fine, and Corey's mostly fine (he was driving, and just ended up with a few bruised ribs) - and we get to pay off some bills, and I get to buy a new car and.....well....

I'm just glad - so very glad - unspeakably, cryingly, praising all that is and shall be glad that WE are okay. Cars are metal and glass and rubber and steel - and as much as I liked it - it compares nothing to how much I love my hubby and myself.....

I've got more to be thankful for than I have to NOT be thankful for - screw a car, I would want to die without my husband.

Kiss the ones you love today - a split second could mean its the last chance you have.

So.

I'm a bit of a shorty, and I've got Heidi Dazzlinghooters - just to preface this minor rant. I love my car, I do, I do, I do! but - the seatbelt inSISTS on attempting to slice my jugular on a regular (and why don't those words rhyme? English! Beh!). A while ago (2-3, maybe 4 years ago) I found this nifty little device that goes on the waist bit of the seatbelt, that allows you to 'shift' the shoulder bit, so that it goes across the chest, rather than across the neck.
A few months ago, goofy me accidentally slammed it in the door of the car, and the latch cracked - thus insuring that it would only hold onto the seatbelt as long as I didn't move - and considering my daily boogiewoogie drive to work - that just wasn't happening. So - I've been on what feels like a treasure hunt looking for one.
Autozone. Nope.
O'Reilly's. Nope.
Sears Auto. Nope.
Walgreens. Nope.
Family Dollar. Nope.
Big Lots. Nope.
Various Gas Stations. Nope.

Arrrgghhh!! I went to Walmart today (the first time I've been in there in - years, and the only reason I went is because three of the above recommended that I go). I start out nearly busting me ass on the very recently shiny waxed floors, but with careful manuevering, I make it to the Auto Section.  I asked the nice fellow behind the desk in the Auto Department, and my spirits really soared when as soon as I asked him if he had a seat belt clip, he started describing it.

Have you ever seen the cartoons where one fellow asks the other fellow if he's seen a third fellow (usually the third fellow is the fellow he's asking, just in disguise) and that fellow gives a detailed description, then says 'Nope, haven't seen him!'
Yeah. Walmart fellow did that - THEN told me to try walmart.com. WALMART.COM!  ARRRGGGHHHHH.

I wanted to have one before me roadtrip to nashville, but noooooooooo.....bloodyblinking walmart.com!

*sighs* So. I guess I'll have to scour the net. And when I find em, I'm buying like - 12. Just in case, ya know?

Umph. Walmart.com.

And can I say - it's hot as the Devils left buttcheck after an S&M session out there?? The only reason to be outside at noon today should have been to be in a pool with something fruity and alcoholic - not wandering about all Hickory Hill looking for a blankety blanking seat belt clip!

Humph.

I just need to be 2 inches taller. That might be easier to achieve than finding one of those - thingys.

Edited: I love bloggers, really I do!!! The fabulous WhateverIWant found this - I brought 3. Mwuauahahahahaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!

Procrastination's Price...

...is about 1600.00.

That's how much it's going to cost to get my car fixed (okay, really, to install a whole new brake system, and two new tires, and new oil, and summerizing, and new windshield wipers, and a new air filter, and some other shit I'm sure I'm forgettng - but that's fixing, right??) Edited: And by a whole new brake system, I mean I was terrified driving this morning, and seriously considered staying home TODAY because my car was NOT safe to drive - it was fine yesterday, interestingly enough - but I got halfway to Sears/work and the brakes just STOPPED working. I had to use the emergency brake, low speed, prayers and cursing in order to get to the shop. And I figure anything I might save in shopping around, I'd loose in having to stay home from work, as well as tow fees. Now see, if I had done this shit 3 months ago when I KNEW I needed new brakes, I wouldn't be getting reamed like this. But - *taps hand* I've learned my lesson now, right? Right?
And oh yeah - the main reason it costs so much? Cuz I wanted a pocket rocket, and therefore have to pay for freaking DEALER parts - no cheapo parts here. *sigh* The entire rear of my car is *thinks* exclusively Subaru. I know there's a better word for it, but I don't know how to spell it, and really don't feel like looking it up.

I've been half nauseated all day. I mean - holy SHIT that is a lot of money. And interestingly enough, I think I'm sick over the cost because I'm putting it on plastic. The use of credit (unexpected, unplanned use - not like the delightful shopping spree we had at Home Depot yesterday) actually makes me feel ILL. That's a good sign, I think. It's interesting - we actually have a 'regular' card, but I really didn't want to use it, and put the car on the Sears card - laregely because their assraping interest rates will encourage me to pay it off in a few months.

I'm seriously considering taking off from work tomorrow, as I really don't feel like coming to work at 4:30am so that C can be at work by 5am, nor do I feel like waking up and driving him to work at 4:30am so that I can have a car for the rest of the day. Bloody hell.

Um, in slightly more cheerful news - all of our paint colors are GORGEOUS. We watched them as they opened the cans after shaking to dab the color on the lid - and they were GORGEOUS. Just - glowing jewel colors, and cool fresh blues, and dirtly rich browns - just farking GORGEOUS. So we have painting stuff for - days to come.

I want to have the 'official' housewarming in Oct, so that the house will look - well, nice. I would like to have the bookcases built, and actually have everything unpacked, and at least have the downstairs all pretty. Hubby wants to have it in June, because he thinks waiting until Oct kinda defeats the purpose of a housewarming (which in his mind is to get gifts - my idea of a housewarming is to show OFF your house to friends and family - not to troll for gifts - but then, we had the same issue around our wedding reception). *shrugs* I really don't want MY friends to come over til the house is decent looking, but he can have his friends over anytime he wants - *sigh* I don't know. I just want the walls painted and the shelving up - maybe we can do that by the end of June, but I doubt it - esp considering he's just started a new job, and he's going to be working unholy hours, and - just in general - I think the end of June is rushing it. And considering we don't have central air, I'm not inviting NOBODY(s) to kick it inside our house in July/August (I'm not that cruel) so that takes us to September.......maybe September.

Umm.... haven't worked on unstucking the stuck windows yet - I really think I would like to stay home tomorrow. I can get SO much more done when he's not at home.

Also! I took the pictures of the odd growths last night, and realized that really - there aren't that many! I planned on posting them today, but work has actually kinda kept me occupied, so that'll have to wait til tomorrow.
So - hmmmm, I wonder if he priced out lawn services yesterday? Probably not - so I could do that tomorrow too - if I stayed home. I REALLY need a good set of gardening tools - the ones I have now are so - blech - that they BEND in the dirt, and our dirt really isn't THAT hard once it's wet. So - we shall see.

Yeah, I'm going to work from home tomorrow. Where's my boss?

Bleh.

So, my weekend sucked.

Saturday - let's see. I buried Nikki, and C went to work. He calls me 20 minutes later - his tire blew out. Yeah, on the new (to us) car.  He goes to change it, and it looks like the tire is rusted to the axle. *sigh* His boss comes to pick him up, he goes to work, all is well and good.
He calls a tow truck to pick it up on Sunday - and the city (working overtime) has already snatched it up - despite him SUPPOSING to have 48 hours to deal with it. *sigh*
So - deal with that, and the car is at Sears now, getting fixed.
I'm at work - and it's Monday.

G started yowling this morning. I think he is really worried about Nikki now - even when he ran off, he normally came back the same night. It's been - 2 days now? So....yeah.

I just - it's weird. I've never had a pet DIE on me before - other than goldfish, and they don't really count. I've given away, or lost pets - but never actually had to bury one. I - almost considered getting him cremated but - no. Nikki wasn't fond of strangers.

I was supposed to go out with a friend on Saturday night - but I really didn't feel like - and I feel horrid for not feeling like it, but I feel like if I don't feel like it - then I shouldn't right??

I'm just babbling now. I had to write another entry though. *sigh*

And no, I don't plan on getting another cat. As much as I would like a kitten - no.  That's me logical side speaking. The much less logical side is saying - but G is going to be SOO lonely! And - only one kitty? We haven't had ONE kitty for years!! *sigh* But no.

How long are you allowed to be mopey?

Finally!!! FINALLLYYY!!!

Guess what ya'll??? *does a funky little dance*

C has a CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (note my joy, please?)

A car. C-A-R. He is going to pick it up TOMORROW (tomorrow, I love you, tomorrow). I'm so thrilled I could SPIT.  Bella - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! We went to City Autos, and found the perfect car for him. We finally agreed that as long as he got something that could be paid off quickly, he could get any damn kind of car he wanted - so, he ended up with a 99 Jetta - black - 108K - for 4800.00. He talked the guy into knocking off 1200 from the original price of 6K due to some of the repairs that need to be made to the car (and I think the prospect of getting MOST of the car's price in cash made the salesman willing to do damn near anything to insure the sale).  But - that means that there will be LESS than a grand left to pay off on it - even after you figure in sales tax & all that shit. I just hope (being the generally pessimistic angel that I am) that this car doesn't turn into a repair-o-rama.

*deep sigh* Ya'll, I'm soooo damn happy. Tonight - yes, yes - tonight - is *crosses fingers, prays to the giggling gods of automotive management* is the LAST TIME I will have to pick him up from work. In about a month, we will be a two income household again -more or less. Hell, we still need to figure out how much of his check can be reserved for the car. Shit, I don't know what I'll do with myself.

In other praticially heavenly financial news, I'm almost done (done, done, DONE!) with paying off my credit card consolidation loan. *deep breath* That'll be an extra 500 a month to put on other bills/save it about 3 months. *deep sigh*  Ooohhh... I can't wait to be mostly debt free. I need to see how much we still owe on that damn Citi Card - esp considering this fuckwittage that they are doing with minimum payments....I feel an reaming in the making. *sigh*

Oh. It's been a long *thinks* 11 months. Very,  very, very long.

Yay!!

Reasons to be happy today:
1) It's FRIDAY!
2) I got PAID!
3) It's not too hot, and sunny!
4) It's FRIDAY!!!
5) I got PAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIDDDDDDDD!! (and so did C!)

So - the plan for this weekend? Chillin & relaxin - I have an event to go to tomorrow night for the bookclub that I kinda don't want to go to - some chichi booksigning/speakerish kinda thing *yawn* and that I haven't sold any tickets for (at 25 bucks a POP!! the two people who I would have thought would have gone, are both out of town, so oh well) and I need to go shopping at lunch to see if I can find something to wear.

I talked to my best friend last night - but only for a hot second. I haven't talked to the child in - EONS - hell, it's been at LEAST 6 months - and she sounded - okay. Tired, and not as up as usual -  *sigh* and it's going to be hard getting a chance to really hit down and reconnect with her. Talked to her son too - oh my god! he sounds soooo grown up and so sweet. I know he's really a holy terror though.

Have I mentioned recently how SICK I am on the whole ONE BLOODY CAR thing?? We are going to go car shopping Sunday (I hope - but I'm not reminding him) and see if we can find something. Neither of us have really seen anything that we like - I kinda want him to get a bigger car - a wagon of some sort. Of course, HE wants a car that he can trick out *rolls eyes* so it's been a struggle trying to find a model that we both put our stamp of approval on. Gah. I'm really at the point where it's like - ya know, I don't GIVE a damn - just buy something all freaking ready!!!

Anyone selling a reasonably priced, gently used car? I'm thinking it might be right STUPID of us getting a new car, considering his track record with cars. I don't know WHAT the hell he is doing sometimes - but I've ONLY been driving for a little UNDER five years - and I've never been in an accident. In the five years that we have been together, he's TOTALLED two cars. Work wit me ya'll.....

Had some interesting dreams last night/this morning - was tooling around with my best friend and one of my beloved gay bois (whose feminie energy was VERY strong) and somehow we ended up going into this little roadside toilet thing - it was NASTY and the whole place smelled of old greasy hamburgers (it was right behind a resturant) and the toilets were 5 gallon buckets with a hole in the bottom and a pipe of water constantly trickling through. When I got out of the toilet (which I SOOOOOO did not use!) , someone came up to me and told me that I had won 3 plates because I didn't throw up while I was in there. We bitched about that, then got back in the car to go somewhere else, and I handed out gum and mints all around.
Then, I was watching something - TV, maybe? and I was watching four planes - dance, really. There were two HUGE jumbo jets, and two itsybitsy little planes, and they were all pretty high up, and the jets kept trying to push the puddlejumpers out of the sky. C rolled over me to look at the clock then, so I woke up before I could see what happened to the planes.

Insurance

I totally understand the need for insurance...after my accident, I thank my lucky stars on a regular basis that I DID have insurance, otherwise I would have been NICELY pooch-screwed. However, I hate my insurance company. I have Progressive - and while they are giving me some of the best rates EVER - the agony I have gone through while WAITING for them to process my claim (and paying TWO car payments while I wait) has been horrendous. Normally, when I don't like the level of service that I recieve at one company, I promptly switch to another. This time though, I'm between a rock and a hard place. The rock being my hatred of bad service, the hard place being the cinchiness of my purse strings.
See - I JUST learned how to drive. Until the tender old age of 23, I didn't have drivers license, much less a car. I didn't need one while I lived in Atlanta (How I miss MARTA...) and while I lived at home my mother wasn't going to let me drive her car, ANYWAY. When I moved out here however, if I wanted to be able to get anywhere and not have it take 2 hours, I needed a car. So, I went to driving school (which reminded me again PRECISELY why I don't like teenagers) and got my license.
So, there's that. Then, there is the fact that I like to speed. Not too ashamed of the fact, as I'm a very safe driver - I just think that 65 is too damn slow on a straight stretch of dry & empty road. So. I've got 1)a total loss claim 2) a 29 miles over the speed limit ticket (and yes, I do think I deserved that one...94mph is too damn fast) and 3) only two years of driving experience. In other words, I'm screwed.
So, I'm going to bite the bullet and stay with them. I hope - in fact I'm going to find out if there is some sort of quality grading I can do for my claims agent...because more than ANYTHING else she SUCKS. I don't know if she has a super heavy workload, only works part-time, or doesn't check her messages frequently, but there is NO REASON it should take you a WEEK to get back to me on a message that I left on your voicemail. There is no reason that it should take TWO MONTHS after they priced out the loss on the car to write a check and pay it off. There is NO REASON. NONE. And if they try to base the payoff amount on the current amount of the loan instead of the amount of the loan when the loss was incurred, I'm truly going to go off.

Totally Non-weddingly.

Okay - I'm just GRUMPY. Honestly - I hate shopping for stuff - ESPECIALLY expensive stuff. So, havng to shop for ANOTHER car 1 year and 4 months after buying the first one is definitely grumping me off.

Yes, C managed to total my car. *sigh* Both me and the BigHeaded Boy are fine - but STILL!! She was my BabyGurl...and I realllllllllllllllllly don't wanna look for a new car. I mean - really!

So. STD's aren't getting done this weekend either, as me & the boy will be making roadtrips to see a car that I WANT. Heh.

*sigh*

jasmyn

Zoom Zoom Zoom

As promised - CAR pictures....


The Side View


Get off the road!! Here I come..........



Don't I have the cutest booty??

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful? I took these pictures BEFORE she got filthy... thank goodness.

I think Corey finally figured out just how much I love him. :) He asked me to marry him. :) And I said yeah. *LOL* Actually I was just nodding madly (a VERY Carrie moment) but.... he got the idea. :)

I'se a happy bunny. Remarkably amazingly, I'm tearing up to cry happy. It's scary and amazing and wonderful. *giggles*

Stay Jazzed.

*Yanks on hair* AGGGHHHHHH!!!!

Okay. I’m about to really go ape-shit over here… so I need to put together a calendar.


June 15 – get paid
June 15 – make arrangements for driving classes
June 15 – apply for passport.
June 18 – July 6 – Take driving lessons
July 6 – Aug 1 – Test drive cars
July 9 – Decide whether to give Apartment 30 day notice
July 13 – Get paid (a Friday!)
Aug 6 – Take driving test
Aug 7 – buy Car
Aug 8 – 14 – move (possibly)
Aug 15 – Get Paid
Aug 20 – go to Spain
Sept 3 – Return to Indy.

Hm. Actually not too bad after all. By the time I want to get the car, I will have saved up enough for insurance (no doubt) and (maybe) deposit and the like on the apartment.

So… what worries do I have?

1) That I won’t find an apartment that I like for a good price.
a. Well… that can be handled by getting a short lease somewhere (anywhere) safe & cheap so that I can afford the car…and then I can move again in January or March. I don’t HAVE to have something precisely perfect right away.

2) That I won’t like the car or it won’t fit me right
a. Well… that is really a minor worry placed in my head by someone else. *shrugs* To me a car is a car… a device to get from point a to point b. As long as it gets me there safely, and doesn’t eat up shitloads of gas… I think I will be happy.

3) That I won’t pass my driving test.
a. Pshaw. I just included that to acknowledge the fact that it might happen. After I take these classes, that will really be the LAST thing that I am going to stress over.

4) That I won’t get my passport on time.
a. Well… It tends to take 6 weeks. If I get the application in next week, that gives me almost 8 weeks to get it back. And since I’m doing this through the company, that reduces the worries even more.

5) That I will have serious money crunch issues.
a. Well…lately I have been having the absolute best of luck/chance/blessing when it has come to money. I’m not sure how long this will last, so I am just doing the best with it that I can. Also, as I have a relatively immediate need/desire for ‘extra’ money, I will be much much more aware about saving and keeping my grubby fingers OUT of my savings account. Also, while I am in Spain, I will be totally on the company dollar, so that will be less money that I am spending.


What kinda threw me for a worry worry fret fret loop was the fact that I found out today that I AM going to Spain…even though I had been told for the past few weeks/months that I would NOT be going to Spain. And since the time that I would be going to Spain is about the same time that I wanted to move I was a little worried. While it does cramp my style a LITTLE… *shrugs* I’m really not going to stress it… now that I have it laid out all nice and pretty on paper.

*sighs* No more stress.

Stay Jazzed.

Mind Numb

It never fails…every time… almost every single time that I bitch about not having enough to do…some disgusting brain warpingly tediously boring task comes along with MY name on it. And this is a task that doesn’t even have any extended wait periods so I really have to snatch bits of OD time *sighs* me and my big mouth.
But, as the system has crashed for the moment (I don’t think I will ever take any of this companies drugs after we go live…shit screws up too easily) I can take some time to bitch. :) I am not ‘obsessing’ about the apartments, but I did check to see the general locations of the various apartments so that I know if I am going to need cab money to get to any of these places. *shrugs* They are all pretty easy to get to, much better than the madness I went through Saturday.

Chris has been telling me that I need to test drive the car before I buy it. I’m trying to figure out if a dealer would actually let a person who doesn’t have a license test drive a car…somehow I’m thinking that the answer there is no. :) So… it’s gonna be fun.

Hmm… systems back up. Off to more mind deadening…

WHOO HOO!! I’m done. Finally. Yeech. And it’s almost time for me to go home. :)

I was considering going to the neighborhood that the apartments are in...just to look.. but that would be obsessing wouldn’t it? *sighs* I’m hopeless…and impatient.

Grrr. Posting. Shutting down…going HOME.

Stay Jazzed.

Gather 'round...

Well.. since No Mermaid asked, and I’m not sure if I ever really recorded the sad tale of how I managed to be almost grown and still not driving… here goes the tale:

When my mother and step father got divorced for the last time (in 1990) me & my mom moved in with my grandma. As our finances were rather tight, my mother used my grandmothers car to get to work and so forth. In addition, I was not allowed (on the pain of death & higher insurance payments) to touch the car. Well and good, because my high school offered driving classes to any student over the age of 16. My birthday is in January, so after Christmas break I planned on taking driving courses…however, over Christmas break, the school board met and decided to stop offering driving courses as it cost too much. Another plan down the drain. None of my friends/boyfriends had a car, and as we lived about 20 minutes from Philly, public transportation was great, and therefore there was really no pressing reason for me to get a car…thus no real pressing reason for me to get a license. My mother got her own car…the summer before I started college. Why didn’t I learn over that summer? Because I was in Atlanta in a pre-freshman program…. *sighs* I think she did that on purpose….
Graduation from high school came and went, and I went to college in Atlanta. Not only was it a warm city, it was a city that had pretty good public transportation as well… at least to everywhere that I wanted to go. So…for another 5 years, I put off getting a license…and as I knew that even if I had a license I wouldn’t be able to get my hands on a car (much less a car to take the driving test WITH) there was still no hurry. I had a state ID… I could get everywhere I wanted to go… why bother?
Then… I moved to Indy. A cold place, with public transportation that.. to put it bluntly… SUCKS!!!! But… I didn’t think that I would be able to swing car payments… at least not starting off. But now, another winter is approaching, and my lease to my expensive ass apartment is about to end… so I’m getting a license and a car…. all before September 1st hopefully….

And THAT is the tale of this 24 year old non-driver….

Stay Jazzed….

*GRINS*

WHOOO HOOOO!!! I got my learners Permit. :) Such a feeling of success and stuff. And I take such CUTE ID pictures….

Well..yeah… that’s about it for now. I’m about to use my vaunted analytical skills on the apartment listing I have and figure out who I want to go with….

Stay Jazzedddddd