I noticed that the toilet in the new house had hard water stains in the bowl. I tried my regular go-to cleaner, Mr. Clean, and a scrub brush, with no results. Tried a couple of other cleaning products: No dice.
And then I remembered back many years ago, when I lived in a trailer park (that's right, I said trailer park) with hard water. And how the toilet bowl was awfully stained, and a plumber recommended Sno-Bol toilet cleaner. I'd never heard of it before, but I went to the store, bought a bottle, sprayed it in the toilet, and voila! Sparkly clean. Those hard water stains, which I had tried everything short of dynamite to get rid of, vanished in a minute.
Other places I've lived in between then and now did not have hard water, but I toted my half-full bottle of Sno-Bol from place to place, sure that one day it would come in handy. (Confession time: We are talking about approximately twenty years of shlepping a half-full bottle of Sno-Bol, retail value approximately one dollar, around and storing it on various cleaning supply shelves. I wish I was kidding, but I'm not.)
So! After scrubbing the new house toilet with other night, with no results, I went and grabbed my twenty-year-old bottle of Sno-Bol. Sprayed it in the bowl, and ...... yesssssssssss! No more hard water stains.
Sno-Bol. Remember the name. It's like a freakin' miracle for your toilet.
And sometimes that twenty-year-old bottle of cleanser? Comes in handy. If you're insane enough to drag it from place to place like some odd totem, that is*. I wonder if that tv show Hoarders is looking for new people. Call me!
*and people wonder why it took me A MONTH to move. Sheesh.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Orange
'
I found this gigantic ........ thing ......... in the woods not far from my house:
My foot is in the pic for size reference. (I meant to do that!) (yeah sure.) (no, really, I did.) I think it may be a jack o' lantern mushroom, based on a quick search, but it kinda looks like something that should be growing next to a nuclear power plant, doesn't it?
Oh, and there's plenty of kid-built stuff down by the creek:
This is some kind of a fort, with tree branches interwoven in a circle around it. There's a fire pit, chairs made out of stone (ouch!), and a table made of tires.
It's good to know that kids still do this stuff.
I found this gigantic ........ thing ......... in the woods not far from my house:
My foot is in the pic for size reference. (I meant to do that!) (yeah sure.) (no, really, I did.) I think it may be a jack o' lantern mushroom, based on a quick search, but it kinda looks like something that should be growing next to a nuclear power plant, doesn't it?
Oh, and there's plenty of kid-built stuff down by the creek:
This is some kind of a fort, with tree branches interwoven in a circle around it. There's a fire pit, chairs made out of stone (ouch!), and a table made of tires.
It's good to know that kids still do this stuff.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
I know it's fall .......
...... because I can't stop eating.
Cookies, lasagna, popcorn, salad, chips, steak, cheese, veggies, crackers ..... it really doesn't matter what. I'm just an eating machine.
And this would be worrying, except that I go through this every year. The days get shorter and the nights get colder, and my body decides that it's time to eat. All the time.
And just about the time that I start to think I'm going to be facing a pretty stiff weight gain, and I start to worry that this year I won't stop eating, it ends. Oh, I mean, I still eat, I'm just not eating like I'll never see food again.
I go through it again in December, although it's hard to tell how much of that is my body stocking up and how much of that is Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year's and Holy God It's Cold Outside So I'll Make A Huge Pot Of Food.
So it's fall, and I'm eating. Keep your hands and feet away from my mouth, is all I'm sayin'.
Cookies, lasagna, popcorn, salad, chips, steak, cheese, veggies, crackers ..... it really doesn't matter what. I'm just an eating machine.
And this would be worrying, except that I go through this every year. The days get shorter and the nights get colder, and my body decides that it's time to eat. All the time.
And just about the time that I start to think I'm going to be facing a pretty stiff weight gain, and I start to worry that this year I won't stop eating, it ends. Oh, I mean, I still eat, I'm just not eating like I'll never see food again.
I go through it again in December, although it's hard to tell how much of that is my body stocking up and how much of that is Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year's and Holy God It's Cold Outside So I'll Make A Huge Pot Of Food.
So it's fall, and I'm eating. Keep your hands and feet away from my mouth, is all I'm sayin'.
Movie Review - "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"
Whooooaaaaaaa. This is the most depressing movie ever. I mean, of course a movie about the Holocaust is not going to be uplifting, but seriously, the ending of this movie may have put me off Netflix for good.
Warning: If you were possibly planning on using this movie to introduce your children to the concept of the Holocaust, DO NOT DO IT. Seriously. I think a kid would be scarred for life by watching this sucker.
That being said, it is an extremely interesting, absorbing movie about a little boy whose dad runs a concentration camp. The boy befriends a boy inside the camp, without understanding what's going on.
But if you're feeling emotionally fragile, do not watch this movie. I'm warning you. The ending will shatter you.
Warning: If you were possibly planning on using this movie to introduce your children to the concept of the Holocaust, DO NOT DO IT. Seriously. I think a kid would be scarred for life by watching this sucker.
That being said, it is an extremely interesting, absorbing movie about a little boy whose dad runs a concentration camp. The boy befriends a boy inside the camp, without understanding what's going on.
But if you're feeling emotionally fragile, do not watch this movie. I'm warning you. The ending will shatter you.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Holy shit my heart just broke ......
I just read this postcard on the postsecret site:
I'm SO GLAD I stayed in the room with Rocky. I couldn't have imagined being anywhere else right then.
I'm SO GLAD I stayed in the room with Rocky. I couldn't have imagined being anywhere else right then.
Recently Read
Standard disclaimer - go ahead and skip this if you want to.
1. Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas - Novel about a Colorado mining town in the 30s - interesting and enjoyable. I like this author's books.
2. The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dickinson - I really enjoyed this memoir by a local author (and newspaper advice columnist), although I cried my eyes out reading the "Livestock in the Kitchen" chapter. A short, very interesting read.
3. King of the Hill by A.E. Hotchner - Memoir about a boy growing up in St. Louis during the depression - Funny, sad and really, really good.
4. Tell Me Where It Hurts by Dr. Nick Trout - One day in the life of a veterinarian - good.
5. As Hot As It Was You Ought To Thank Me by Nanci Kincaid - I got quite a way into this before realizing I'd read it before - Hello, old age! Still, it's a good book about a small southern town.
6. Bitsy's Bait and BBQ by Pamela Morsi - Novel about a small Ozarks town. A little formulaic, but still very enjoyable. There was a sex scene tossed in toward the end, which was kind of odd, because the rest of the book was basically rated G. It reminded me of the movies "Stir of Echoes" and "Sling Blade", both of which threw in sexually charged scenes right at the front of the movie, I guess to make sure they'd get an R rating. Not sure why you'd do that with a book, though - especially at the end. That being said, I DID like this book. (Just in case the author's googling!)
1. Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas - Novel about a Colorado mining town in the 30s - interesting and enjoyable. I like this author's books.
2. The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dickinson - I really enjoyed this memoir by a local author (and newspaper advice columnist), although I cried my eyes out reading the "Livestock in the Kitchen" chapter. A short, very interesting read.
3. King of the Hill by A.E. Hotchner - Memoir about a boy growing up in St. Louis during the depression - Funny, sad and really, really good.
4. Tell Me Where It Hurts by Dr. Nick Trout - One day in the life of a veterinarian - good.
5. As Hot As It Was You Ought To Thank Me by Nanci Kincaid - I got quite a way into this before realizing I'd read it before - Hello, old age! Still, it's a good book about a small southern town.
6. Bitsy's Bait and BBQ by Pamela Morsi - Novel about a small Ozarks town. A little formulaic, but still very enjoyable. There was a sex scene tossed in toward the end, which was kind of odd, because the rest of the book was basically rated G. It reminded me of the movies "Stir of Echoes" and "Sling Blade", both of which threw in sexually charged scenes right at the front of the movie, I guess to make sure they'd get an R rating. Not sure why you'd do that with a book, though - especially at the end. That being said, I DID like this book. (Just in case the author's googling!)
7. Hurry Down Sunshine by Michael Greenburg - Nonfiction about a man whose 15 year old daughter becomes mentally ill. Interesting, but I guess I've just read one too many of these "family member goes insane" books - after a while they're all the same.
8. Everybody Into The Pool by Beth Lisick - Brief, humorous essays about modern life - funny.
9. Hannah's Dream by Dianne Hammond - Novel about an elephant in a run-down zoo - I really, really liked this one.
10. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audry Niffenegger. Confusing ("Clare is 28. Henry is 36, and 41.") and kind of sappy. Meh.
11. The Curing Season by Leslie Wells - Novel about an abused woman with a crazy husband. Interesting.
12. Democratic Camera by William Eggleston - Coffee table book. This was an interesting guy - He was a photographer who claimed that he thought all his pictures were equally valid - He'd let other people pick which ones to exhibit, because he thought they were all the same, quality-wise.
13. That Went Well by Trent Dougan - Memoir about growing up with and caring for a mentally disabled sister - Interesting.
14. Black Flies by Shannon Burke - Novel about an EMT in Harlem based on the author's experiences - Very good.
15. Jellicoe Road and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks - A lot of people recommended these two Young Adult books. The problem I have with YA books is, well ...... they were written for kids. I mean, I'm sure if I was 14 I'd really enjoy this type of book, but I'm not and I don't. Sorry!
So! That's it for now. I'm hoping that with the move behind me, I'll be able to settle down and do a little more reading. Any suggestions?
Friday, September 11, 2009
Last night
I was working in the garage, trying to get some weatherproofing going on, when I noticed a diffuse reddish/pink light coming through the windows. I walked outside, and ......
Purty. I think I'm gonna like it here.
Purty. I think I'm gonna like it here.
Why I don't watch Y&R anymore
"Daily update for Tuesday, September 1, 2009:
Mac and Lily commiserate about their happily-ever-after not being everything they thought it would be. Later, Mac gives Lily a lot to think about where Cane is concerned.
Jeff and Gloria take Patty to the Abbott cabin and Patty immediately assumes that Jack is meeting them there to renew their vows. Jeff takes a photo of Patty to send in for the reward money. Later, Gloria and Jeff stand off over whom to term Patty over to: Victor or Jack. Meanwhile, Jack tells Billy about Victor's involvement with Patty and that they need to find Patty before Victor does in order to bring him down.
Still in lockdown, Nick is adamant about telling Phyllis about the baby before she leaves on her trip to Switzerland. Meanwhile, Phyllis brings Summer by to see Victor to say goodbye and fishes for a clue towards Victor's involvement with Patty Williams. Later, Sharon tells Nick that she was happier when he didn't know the truth because she is tired of all the drama.
Victor takes the defensive with Phyllis and swears that he had nothing to do with bringing Patty back to Genoa City, while Adam listens from the shadows. Meanwhile, Nick finally realizes Sharon's true intentions in lying about the baby and is hit with the enormity of what she did for him.
Billy admits to Jack that he had second thoughts about the divorce but he has moved past them but Jack isn't so sure. Meanwhile, Mac tells Lily that Billy's second thoughts may have changed everything between them. Later, Jack tells Billy that he needs to figure what he feels for Chloe before he commits to Mac completely.
Phyllis and Noah discuss Sharon and Nick being in lockdown and Phyllis admits that although she trusts Nick again she is still wary of the two being locked up together for a night. Later, Sharon tells Nick that needs to be left in the mental hospital in order to find a way to stand on her own two feet for the sake of her children. Nick leaves to catch Phyllis but promises Sharon she is no longer alone.
Jeff and Gloria decide to flip to see whom they give Patty to and Jeff wins but his phone has no signal. He decides to drive down the road in order to call Jack. Meanwhile, Jack stops by the hospital to check on Sharon and tell her that Mary Jane is in fact Patty and Sharon is forced to tell him that Nick knows about the baby. Later, Jeff finds service but her account is suspended before he can make a call. Meanwhile, Patty is furious when she realizes she has been tricked. Mac tells Billy that he needs time alone to figure out what he wants, whether he wants it or not. Meanwhile, Cane panics when he realizes that Lily has a fever.
Phyllis and Summer wait at the airport terminal for Nick, realizing that he may not make it in time for their flight.
Paul confronts Victor about bringing Patty back to Genoa City."
- Synopsis from the Y & R website.
Let's face it, War and Peace had a less convoluted plot. And the above recap is for one day of Y&R. And yet, amazingly, you can watch Y&R for years (take it from me) and nothing ever really happens. I shit you not; a fistfight between two characters can last, like, weeks on Y&R.
And rest assured, Katherine Chancellor is still alive and well. Or so I'm told.
Mac and Lily commiserate about their happily-ever-after not being everything they thought it would be. Later, Mac gives Lily a lot to think about where Cane is concerned.
Jeff and Gloria take Patty to the Abbott cabin and Patty immediately assumes that Jack is meeting them there to renew their vows. Jeff takes a photo of Patty to send in for the reward money. Later, Gloria and Jeff stand off over whom to term Patty over to: Victor or Jack. Meanwhile, Jack tells Billy about Victor's involvement with Patty and that they need to find Patty before Victor does in order to bring him down.
Still in lockdown, Nick is adamant about telling Phyllis about the baby before she leaves on her trip to Switzerland. Meanwhile, Phyllis brings Summer by to see Victor to say goodbye and fishes for a clue towards Victor's involvement with Patty Williams. Later, Sharon tells Nick that she was happier when he didn't know the truth because she is tired of all the drama.
Victor takes the defensive with Phyllis and swears that he had nothing to do with bringing Patty back to Genoa City, while Adam listens from the shadows. Meanwhile, Nick finally realizes Sharon's true intentions in lying about the baby and is hit with the enormity of what she did for him.
Billy admits to Jack that he had second thoughts about the divorce but he has moved past them but Jack isn't so sure. Meanwhile, Mac tells Lily that Billy's second thoughts may have changed everything between them. Later, Jack tells Billy that he needs to figure what he feels for Chloe before he commits to Mac completely.
Phyllis and Noah discuss Sharon and Nick being in lockdown and Phyllis admits that although she trusts Nick again she is still wary of the two being locked up together for a night. Later, Sharon tells Nick that needs to be left in the mental hospital in order to find a way to stand on her own two feet for the sake of her children. Nick leaves to catch Phyllis but promises Sharon she is no longer alone.
Jeff and Gloria decide to flip to see whom they give Patty to and Jeff wins but his phone has no signal. He decides to drive down the road in order to call Jack. Meanwhile, Jack stops by the hospital to check on Sharon and tell her that Mary Jane is in fact Patty and Sharon is forced to tell him that Nick knows about the baby. Later, Jeff finds service but her account is suspended before he can make a call. Meanwhile, Patty is furious when she realizes she has been tricked. Mac tells Billy that he needs time alone to figure out what he wants, whether he wants it or not. Meanwhile, Cane panics when he realizes that Lily has a fever.
Phyllis and Summer wait at the airport terminal for Nick, realizing that he may not make it in time for their flight.
Paul confronts Victor about bringing Patty back to Genoa City."
- Synopsis from the Y & R website.
Let's face it, War and Peace had a less convoluted plot. And the above recap is for one day of Y&R. And yet, amazingly, you can watch Y&R for years (take it from me) and nothing ever really happens. I shit you not; a fistfight between two characters can last, like, weeks on Y&R.
And rest assured, Katherine Chancellor is still alive and well. Or so I'm told.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
What are people so afraid of?
Okay, so President Obama gave his health care speech last night. And it sounded reasonable to me. I mean, health care for everybody is a good thing, right? Every other civilized nation provides it, so surely we can too, right?
Obviously there are a lot of people who don't see things that way. I mean, look at those town hall meetings, where people got all hysterical over the thought of *gasp* providing health care for everyone!
What's wrong with health care for everybody? Sure, our taxes might go up - hell, they might even go up as much as they will to pay for the stupid f*cking wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But shouldn't everybody be able to go to the doctor when they're sick?
I guess that according to some people, the answer to that is "no". That not everybody "deserves" health care. That people who are unlucky enough, or, let's face it, not "smart" enough to work for an employer who provides health care, are just shit out of luck. Tough on you.
And here's where I really don't get it: People aren't just opposed to health care for everybody; they act like they're afraid of it. Like it's some big boogeyman in the closet that's going to jump out and rip their face off in the middle of the night.
I just don't understand.
Obviously there are a lot of people who don't see things that way. I mean, look at those town hall meetings, where people got all hysterical over the thought of *gasp* providing health care for everyone!
What's wrong with health care for everybody? Sure, our taxes might go up - hell, they might even go up as much as they will to pay for the stupid f*cking wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But shouldn't everybody be able to go to the doctor when they're sick?
I guess that according to some people, the answer to that is "no". That not everybody "deserves" health care. That people who are unlucky enough, or, let's face it, not "smart" enough to work for an employer who provides health care, are just shit out of luck. Tough on you.
And here's where I really don't get it: People aren't just opposed to health care for everybody; they act like they're afraid of it. Like it's some big boogeyman in the closet that's going to jump out and rip their face off in the middle of the night.
I just don't understand.
Push It
Did anyone else besides me watch "Glee" last night? When they sang "Push It" at the school assembly?
I kind of tend to think the show is overrated, but that performance cracked me right up. Why couldn't something like that have happened at one of my high school's boring, interminable assemblies?
I kind of tend to think the show is overrated, but that performance cracked me right up. Why couldn't something like that have happened at one of my high school's boring, interminable assemblies?
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Family Cook-Out
Oh, sure, I could do a post about my family's Labor Day cook-out, and how my one nephew is fresh out of rehab (again), and how my niece's boyfriend was so drunk he fell over a chair, and how my sister Ditzy showed up driving her ex-boyfriend's car, but it just seemed unfair. Like shooting fish in a barrel.
My family alternately amuses the heck out of me and depresses me. I'd have to guess that I'm not alone there.
My family alternately amuses the heck out of me and depresses me. I'd have to guess that I'm not alone there.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Step into the sun, step into the light ......
The cats leave the garage to explore the yard for the first time:
And they're off:
And they're off:
The Runt got himself into a little jam (look at the top of the shed):
But he got himself down again.
I don't know of anything more nerve-wracking than letting them out for the first time. But they handled themselves well, and are now getting re-acquainted with the great outdoors.
Take it easy out there, guys!
Friday, September 04, 2009
Nowhere to run to, baby
Seriously, I feel awful about this:
Poor Runtman is still having a hard time adjusting., although he has seemed much better the past couple of days.
Little Girl, on the other hand, is now more sanguine about the situation and is ready for her spa treatment:
Please ignore the other stuff going on in that pic, including the mid-air spike bar. I'm still moving in, peeps, cut me a break.
(and no, I DID NOT paint the living room baby blue. Sheesh. It was like that when I bought it. New paint coming this winter. Oh, and check out how Little Girl camouflages into the couch.)
They're starting to get used to the noise from the kids in the park next door:
I think this weekend it may be time for a little backyard exploring.
Poor Runtman is still having a hard time adjusting., although he has seemed much better the past couple of days.
Little Girl, on the other hand, is now more sanguine about the situation and is ready for her spa treatment:
Please ignore the other stuff going on in that pic, including the mid-air spike bar. I'm still moving in, peeps, cut me a break.
The lions of the Serengeti explore their new surroundings:
(and no, I DID NOT paint the living room baby blue. Sheesh. It was like that when I bought it. New paint coming this winter. Oh, and check out how Little Girl camouflages into the couch.)
They're starting to get used to the noise from the kids in the park next door:
I think this weekend it may be time for a little backyard exploring.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Five
It's been five months now since I stopped smoking.
Time to run the numbers:
Number of cigarettes I would have smoked between April 3 and now, had I not stopped smoking: 4,500
Amount of money saved: $802.50
When people light up around me, the smoke just smells like chemicals, not like something good, the way it used to. And I watch someone blow out smoke, and I'm amazed to think that all that smoke was in their lungs a minute ago.
Really, that was one of the main reasons I quit. Way back last winter, I was holed up in my apartment on a cold day with all the windows shut. I lit up a cigarette, exhaled the first puff, really looked at the amount of smoke that filled the room, and thought to myself, "That can't be good." I think that was the first time that a little inkling crossed my mind that maybe it was time to quit.
So! Five months. I still think about smoking sometimes. But the fact that I've made it this far, well, it gives me hope that I can keep it up. I mean, heck, if I can abstain from smoking for five months, I can do anything!
Time to run the numbers:
Number of cigarettes I would have smoked between April 3 and now, had I not stopped smoking: 4,500
Amount of money saved: $802.50
When people light up around me, the smoke just smells like chemicals, not like something good, the way it used to. And I watch someone blow out smoke, and I'm amazed to think that all that smoke was in their lungs a minute ago.
Really, that was one of the main reasons I quit. Way back last winter, I was holed up in my apartment on a cold day with all the windows shut. I lit up a cigarette, exhaled the first puff, really looked at the amount of smoke that filled the room, and thought to myself, "That can't be good." I think that was the first time that a little inkling crossed my mind that maybe it was time to quit.
So! Five months. I still think about smoking sometimes. But the fact that I've made it this far, well, it gives me hope that I can keep it up. I mean, heck, if I can abstain from smoking for five months, I can do anything!
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
.... and tell those kids to get off my lawn!
I've noticed an alarming trend lately: Women wearing stripper shoes out and about. I saw a woman at CrapMart the other day wearing shoes very similar to these:
And my first thought was, "Really? You really wear your S&M shoes to run errands?"
I couldn't help but notice that she was having a hard time actually, you know, walking, what with the four-inch stiletto heels and all. Not very practical when you're just dashing in to pick up some toilet paper and dog food.
And then I noticed more women, out and about, proudly tottering through the grocery store and the RiteAid in their stripper shoes.
And I mean, it's a free country and all, but is this really some new trend? Because it kind of scares me. For one thing, I cannot effectively walk in anything taller than about a two-and-a-half inch heel. For another thing, I think these shoes are just ....... well ....... a little inappropriate for daytime wear. If you know what I mean.
What's that? Why yes, yes, I am a kabillion years old. Thanks for asking!
And my first thought was, "Really? You really wear your S&M shoes to run errands?"
I couldn't help but notice that she was having a hard time actually, you know, walking, what with the four-inch stiletto heels and all. Not very practical when you're just dashing in to pick up some toilet paper and dog food.
And then I noticed more women, out and about, proudly tottering through the grocery store and the RiteAid in their stripper shoes.
And I mean, it's a free country and all, but is this really some new trend? Because it kind of scares me. For one thing, I cannot effectively walk in anything taller than about a two-and-a-half inch heel. For another thing, I think these shoes are just ....... well ....... a little inappropriate for daytime wear. If you know what I mean.
What's that? Why yes, yes, I am a kabillion years old. Thanks for asking!
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
It was worth every penny
The shower is fixed! In the end, they had to replace the faucet and the pipe that the showerhead connects to, and it cost a hundred and twenty bucks*, but I now have a working shower!
Thanks, Auchinachie** Plumbing! Your plumbers are awesome.
*Welcome to homeownership. Get out your checkbook.
**Pronounced Ah-HAWN-ah-hee. Yeah, I don't get it either.
Thanks, Auchinachie** Plumbing! Your plumbers are awesome.
*Welcome to homeownership. Get out your checkbook.
**Pronounced Ah-HAWN-ah-hee. Yeah, I don't get it either.
Continuing On ....
(See post below for Part 1 of the moving saga.)
So! I got another wagon load of stuff back to the new house, unloaded, and decided it was time to let the cats start exploring. I opened up the door to the spare room, looked around, and ........ nothing. No cats.
I finally found them scrunched behind some boxes in the closet. I called, and called, and called, but no dice. There was no way IN HELL they were coming out of that closet.
Aw! Poor kitties!
They finally came slinking out into the living room around eight on Friday night. They'd do a quick recon and run right back to their safe closet again.
And now, five days later, they're still uncertain of their surroundings. They'll come out and explore for a little bit, then go back to the closet, or under the bed, or in the bathtub. Any unexpected noise sends them running for safety. Little Girl is doing better than The Runt, which doesn't surprise me, since she's always been the bolder of the two. Last night I unlatched the pet door, which leads to the garage, and propped it open so they could start getting used to the garage, which they'll have to go through get outside, once I start letting them out. They were fine as long as the pet door was propped open, but they can't seem to figure out how to work it on their own. *sigh* I had no idea there was a learning curve for pet doors.
I feel bad, because I had no idea that this move would be so traumatic on them. I thought they'd scope out the new place for a couple of days and then be fine. Poor Runt looks like he's about to have a heart attack half the time; I hope they calm down soon. I know they'll love the new place once they get used to it.
In the meantime, I've got two disconcerted kitties on my hands.
So! I got another wagon load of stuff back to the new house, unloaded, and decided it was time to let the cats start exploring. I opened up the door to the spare room, looked around, and ........ nothing. No cats.
I finally found them scrunched behind some boxes in the closet. I called, and called, and called, but no dice. There was no way IN HELL they were coming out of that closet.
Aw! Poor kitties!
They finally came slinking out into the living room around eight on Friday night. They'd do a quick recon and run right back to their safe closet again.
And now, five days later, they're still uncertain of their surroundings. They'll come out and explore for a little bit, then go back to the closet, or under the bed, or in the bathtub. Any unexpected noise sends them running for safety. Little Girl is doing better than The Runt, which doesn't surprise me, since she's always been the bolder of the two. Last night I unlatched the pet door, which leads to the garage, and propped it open so they could start getting used to the garage, which they'll have to go through get outside, once I start letting them out. They were fine as long as the pet door was propped open, but they can't seem to figure out how to work it on their own. *sigh* I had no idea there was a learning curve for pet doors.
I feel bad, because I had no idea that this move would be so traumatic on them. I thought they'd scope out the new place for a couple of days and then be fine. Poor Runt looks like he's about to have a heart attack half the time; I hope they calm down soon. I know they'll love the new place once they get used to it.
In the meantime, I've got two disconcerted kitties on my hands.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Whyyyyy ....... WHHYYYYYYY?????
..... picture Nancy Kerrigan, clutching her knee and rocking back and forth.
Hahahahaha, it's really not that bad, I swear, but imagine my surprise on Saturday morning when I got ready to take my first shower in the new place, turned on the water, got it set to the right temp, flipped the lever to activate the showerhead, and ........
nada.
The shower does not work, people. Woe is me! I am NOT a bath person, I am a SHOWER person, and the fact that I somehow did not check the showerhead when I did the walk-through is just stupidity on my part.
So! I showered back at the apartment over the weekend (oh, and the awful new landlord called me SEVERAL TIMES on Sunday morning to find out when, exactly, I would be out of the place - thank God that the new landlord will not be MY landlord .......), and a plumber is coming out tomorrow afternoon to check out the shower. Between now and then, guess I'll have to grit my teeth and take a bath. or two. *shudder*
But! I am all moved in. I was going to wait on Friday and take the cats after everything else had been moved, but The Runt was acting all hinky Friday morning, jumping in and out of the car and generally freaking out, so I packed up him and Little Girl and they went to the new place with the first load. Little Girl even got to ride in a pickup truck! She was not amused.
We got the first load to the house, only to discover that the roofers were there to finish the ventilation work. Nice timing, guys! And apropos of nothing, I smoked a LOT, back when I smoked, but those roofers put me to shame. They were there for several hours, and I swear, they both chainsmoked the entire time. Maybe it's some kind of roofing rule or something.
Anyhow, I got the cats set up in the spare room and we proceeded to unpack the truck/trailer. The cat door was installed, the windows were repaired (did I mention that some of the bedroom windows and the bathroom window had been screwed shut? and somehow set up so that if you did manage to open the bottom part, the top part would slam down on your fingers like a guillotine? I guess the previous owner had been making preparations against the coming zombie invasion.), and my moving help (thanks guys!) left around two. I made one more trip to the apartment to gather up odds and ends (which turned out to be a FULL WAGON LOAD, why do I own so much CRAP?) and then I went back to the new place and ..............
oh holy cow this is running on way too long. More later.
Hahahahaha, it's really not that bad, I swear, but imagine my surprise on Saturday morning when I got ready to take my first shower in the new place, turned on the water, got it set to the right temp, flipped the lever to activate the showerhead, and ........
nada.
The shower does not work, people. Woe is me! I am NOT a bath person, I am a SHOWER person, and the fact that I somehow did not check the showerhead when I did the walk-through is just stupidity on my part.
So! I showered back at the apartment over the weekend (oh, and the awful new landlord called me SEVERAL TIMES on Sunday morning to find out when, exactly, I would be out of the place - thank God that the new landlord will not be MY landlord .......), and a plumber is coming out tomorrow afternoon to check out the shower. Between now and then, guess I'll have to grit my teeth and take a bath. or two. *shudder*
But! I am all moved in. I was going to wait on Friday and take the cats after everything else had been moved, but The Runt was acting all hinky Friday morning, jumping in and out of the car and generally freaking out, so I packed up him and Little Girl and they went to the new place with the first load. Little Girl even got to ride in a pickup truck! She was not amused.
We got the first load to the house, only to discover that the roofers were there to finish the ventilation work. Nice timing, guys! And apropos of nothing, I smoked a LOT, back when I smoked, but those roofers put me to shame. They were there for several hours, and I swear, they both chainsmoked the entire time. Maybe it's some kind of roofing rule or something.
Anyhow, I got the cats set up in the spare room and we proceeded to unpack the truck/trailer. The cat door was installed, the windows were repaired (did I mention that some of the bedroom windows and the bathroom window had been screwed shut? and somehow set up so that if you did manage to open the bottom part, the top part would slam down on your fingers like a guillotine? I guess the previous owner had been making preparations against the coming zombie invasion.), and my moving help (thanks guys!) left around two. I made one more trip to the apartment to gather up odds and ends (which turned out to be a FULL WAGON LOAD, why do I own so much CRAP?) and then I went back to the new place and ..............
oh holy cow this is running on way too long. More later.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
I guess this is it.
Lord willing and the creek don't rise, tomorrow I finally, officially move to the new house. And in honor of the occasion, I thought I'd make some lists. Lame, I know. Sorry.
Things I will not miss about the old apartment:
1. The kitchen sink faucet, which delivers either freezing cold or boiling hot water, but nothing in between.
2. The bathtub drain, which does not (drain, that is).
3. The flippin' street festival held on the street in front of the building every year, blocking my access to my apartment for two days.
4. The lamp-stealing thief downstairs.
5. The Pakistani terrorist tenant in the apartment next to mine, who hoots at the most disconcerting times. (Did I ever tell you guys about that? If not, remind me. Kthx.)
6. The lack of covered parking - I've got a garage now, bitches!
7. Hearing other tenants loudly fight/have loud make-up sex.
8. The goddam f*cking bass from loud stereos. I swear, there were times I thought I would lose my mind if I had to listen to THUMPA THUMPA THUMPA for one more minute.
9. The plumber (and I use that term loosely) who ripped up my bathroom floor last October and never returned to fix it.
10. The tree fort, side-slider windows which let the wind blow freely through the frames.
11. Hearing traffic from the two nearby highways.
12. The moronic tenants who were too f*cking lazy to put their garbage bags in the garbage cans, instead leaving the bags next to their doors or on the ground next to the cans for days at a time, thus ensuring that every creature in the neighborhood got a shot at ripping the bags open and strewing the garbage around.
Okay, okay, let's be fair here ...... now for a list of Things I WILL Miss About the Old Aparment:
1. The tiled bathroom with a window right in the shower.
2. Hans across the street, who would come to my rescue and plow the driveway when the landlord's hired guy didn't show, which was most of the time.
3. The flippin' street festival. Yeah, I guess I'll kind of miss it after all.
4. The back deck, and the view of my neighbor's enormous pine tree.
I can't tell you how many hours I spent on that deck, reading the paper and listening to the radio and looking at that tree.
So! Onward and upward. See you next week, after the cats and I have gotten settled in to the new place.
Things I will not miss about the old apartment:
1. The kitchen sink faucet, which delivers either freezing cold or boiling hot water, but nothing in between.
2. The bathtub drain, which does not (drain, that is).
3. The flippin' street festival held on the street in front of the building every year, blocking my access to my apartment for two days.
4. The lamp-stealing thief downstairs.
5. The Pakistani terrorist tenant in the apartment next to mine, who hoots at the most disconcerting times. (Did I ever tell you guys about that? If not, remind me. Kthx.)
6. The lack of covered parking - I've got a garage now, bitches!
7. Hearing other tenants loudly fight/have loud make-up sex.
8. The goddam f*cking bass from loud stereos. I swear, there were times I thought I would lose my mind if I had to listen to THUMPA THUMPA THUMPA for one more minute.
9. The plumber (and I use that term loosely) who ripped up my bathroom floor last October and never returned to fix it.
10. The tree fort, side-slider windows which let the wind blow freely through the frames.
11. Hearing traffic from the two nearby highways.
12. The moronic tenants who were too f*cking lazy to put their garbage bags in the garbage cans, instead leaving the bags next to their doors or on the ground next to the cans for days at a time, thus ensuring that every creature in the neighborhood got a shot at ripping the bags open and strewing the garbage around.
Okay, okay, let's be fair here ...... now for a list of Things I WILL Miss About the Old Aparment:
1. The tiled bathroom with a window right in the shower.
2. Hans across the street, who would come to my rescue and plow the driveway when the landlord's hired guy didn't show, which was most of the time.
3. The flippin' street festival. Yeah, I guess I'll kind of miss it after all.
4. The back deck, and the view of my neighbor's enormous pine tree.
I can't tell you how many hours I spent on that deck, reading the paper and listening to the radio and looking at that tree.
So! Onward and upward. See you next week, after the cats and I have gotten settled in to the new place.
Two and a half hours
That's how long it took the *&^%$ cable guy to hook up my cable last night.
TWO AND A HALF GODDAM HOURS.
I knew I was in trouble when he said he couldn't find my house. My house, which is one turn from a major roadway and is numbered both on the mailbox and on the front door.
Then he didn't want to go into the crawlspace (where the cable had been originally run), so he decided to rewire everything, from the pole out at the street back to the house, through the garage, and through the wall into the living room.
That's two and a half hours of my life that I'll never get back, buddy. Thanks a bunch.
TWO AND A HALF GODDAM HOURS.
I knew I was in trouble when he said he couldn't find my house. My house, which is one turn from a major roadway and is numbered both on the mailbox and on the front door.
Then he didn't want to go into the crawlspace (where the cable had been originally run), so he decided to rewire everything, from the pole out at the street back to the house, through the garage, and through the wall into the living room.
That's two and a half hours of my life that I'll never get back, buddy. Thanks a bunch.
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