Week Two: an improvement upon week one, aside from one minor incident, which I will get out of the way first...
I took my landlady's business association travel mug to work, went window-shopping afterward, and lost it (what can I say, "Like Tornado, like daughter"). I retraced all my steps and still couldn't find it. I PRAYED, and then retraced all my steps again the next day, got redirected by someone who happened to hear from someone that a mug was found, and FOUND IT! Thank you, Lord. Because we want everything to go smoothly from now on...
and for the most part it has! The two cats that we're house-sitting love us. I met some new people at work, whom I really like. Bobby's already getting excellent reviews on all his cases. Our church is rocking. We finally got another tennis racket and are playing whenever possible. I'm cutting back on spending by planning out exactly what I'm going to buy from the grocery store and how much it will cost. I set the limit at $35 per week for food, but quickly realised that this was probably $15 too little, because I noticed that we started grabbing food while we were out. So, I'm going to tweek the amount until I find that perfect balance that allows for Bobby's lunches, our meals, as well as a few snacks around the house. I've learned that it's best for our waistlines and wallets to just not buy that much food because the more we have, the more we'll eat.
Halloween weekend was super relaxing for us. Believe it or not, it was the only weekend left in the whole rotation during which we don't have plans. We decided to make it a little special by buying some hot wings with celery and blue cheese, and watching scary (ok, funny) movies while waiting for tricker-treaters. When 9:00 pm rolled around, we were sort of disappointed that none had showed up to our house, but we consoled ourselves by eating more of their candy. It was nice. The only problem was that the next day, Sunday, the pastor said "Happy Halloween" (he then went into how it was "All Saints Day") and all the clues began to add up that we had celebrated Halloween a day too early. There's something about Bobby and I...especially with dates. Oblivious? It definitely tranfers into Trivia...(transition)
Yesterday, we found a Trivia game, "Play It Smart" and had to make up new rules that whoever gets 3 right first, wins, since it would take way too long for us to get five in one category like the rules say. I feel like I had been exposed to many of the answers to the questions, it's just that I have no memory for random facts like that. That's why I write: to not forget my life. Peoples names and dates allude me; however, words in Spanish were so easy for me to memorize because I could relate them to something. I digress. So, in the middle of this game, Bob-the-cat, comes walking into the dining room and begins meowing. He doesn't usually ask for attention like that, so I thought that perhaps he didn't realize that I had set out his dinner while he was outside. So, I went into the kitchen and called him in. He came in after me, and continued to meow. I looked over and saw that he had a gray mouse in his mouth! I yelled for Bobby and Bob put the mouse, who preceded to shake and run (it was still completely alive), down. Unfortunately, as Bobby was shooing Bob (bare with me, it's confusing with the similar names) away, and I was acting girlie in the corner, the mouse disappeared somewhere into the house. We searched, (which is scary, because in the movies when you search for a rodent, as soon as you shine a flashlight under the couch, they dart full-speed at your face) but didn't find anything. There was a little crack behind a board under the kitchen island, so Bobby thinks he went under the floor and was probably able to escape from there. I guess we'll know he wasn't if we begin to smell something foul. Reminds me of the time that a 5 foot snake randomly slithered through the kitchen at my Mom's house, but that's a whole other story, for a different time...
farewell, and hope you all had a Happy Halloween, remembering the Saints of old.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
North Carolinaaaaa: Week One
Well ya'll (I'm trying to blend in down here so I don't get any more backlash for being a Yankee), I have some catching up to do. Technically, it's the 3rd week, but I'm going to recap...so faaaade out to week one....
We drove into Chapel Hill, NC, toting a (little did we know it) TORNADO along in the backseat of our car. The tornado whirled through the house (which by the way, is beautiful: granite countertops, paintings, sculptures, and pottery covering each room...big, over-sized but tasteful pieces, and a secluded outdoor dining area with a twinkle-light covered trellis spattered with roses in a quiet wooded neighborhood...how's that for a run-on?). So, the tornado whirled through the house, sucking up dirt, trash, and dirty laundry in her path (along with a few of the landlady's pretty-little-napkins and roasted garlic olive oil). But then, inevitably, the 200 mph winds began to do what they can not help but do: create destruction. It began simply enough, "The window won't shut."
Bobby - "Tornado, You're pushing the lock the wrong way"
"Why's the frame crooked?"
"It's okay, we can fix that. We just need a ladder"
Then, I hear a CRASH in the next room. Oh no, Tornadooooo! Pieces of pottery on the ground....a sugarbowl, no, only the spoon to the sugarbowl...looks hand-made. Okay, good idea- the Tornado is looking for a replacement online. We look for about an hour. Bobby comes home. In five minutes, he's located a replacement...sort of. $80 starting bid for a similar replica. It's a collector's item.
I start checking around. Is there any other damage about which we're unaware? A marble pastry board used as a cutting board? Some of the landlady's food devoured? A ripped seat cushion?
Ok, Tornado...Thank you for your help, but now we want you to just be a guest. Just relax, we will serve you. Please don't do anything; don't touch anything...
So, that began our week in NC and struck fear into my heart as to what the rest of this rotation will hold. Well, that and the fact that I was already seeing some signs of cultural clashes at work. My first day on the job, I was introduced as coming from up in Maine and New York (significant looks given). The response by one girl was, "Oh, so we've got a..." Would you like to finish that? Perhaps with 'Yankee'??
Then, I got talked to by my manager because a client complained that I had made eye contact with her and not greeted her. In my defense, I have no memory of doing this wicked thing whatsoever...most likely, I was under mounds of clothing desperately searching the store for where they went while 2,078 other garments were being discarded onto the rolling rack. You're welcome for filling in for you on my first day in NC on the busiest day of the week.
Other than that, things went well. We played a lot of 5-Straight...great vintage game. I went with my family up to my Grandmother's 80th surprise party. It was lovely (first time I'd spent more than a day away from Bobby...didn't miss him too terribly, but felt sort of shy when I saw him again, like a first date). Bobby's KILLING it, as usual, in the OR (not literally). The city is clean and everywhere feels like country because they keep up a lot of trees down here.
BTW, I love the Tornado. She is very helpful, and I'm sorry that I gave her a hard time because she's the best and I love her just the way she is...200 mph winds and all! In her defense, the broken spoon incident is taken care of and all of her pottery lessons are finally paying off!
We drove into Chapel Hill, NC, toting a (little did we know it) TORNADO along in the backseat of our car. The tornado whirled through the house (which by the way, is beautiful: granite countertops, paintings, sculptures, and pottery covering each room...big, over-sized but tasteful pieces, and a secluded outdoor dining area with a twinkle-light covered trellis spattered with roses in a quiet wooded neighborhood...how's that for a run-on?). So, the tornado whirled through the house, sucking up dirt, trash, and dirty laundry in her path (along with a few of the landlady's pretty-little-napkins and roasted garlic olive oil). But then, inevitably, the 200 mph winds began to do what they can not help but do: create destruction. It began simply enough, "The window won't shut."
Bobby - "Tornado, You're pushing the lock the wrong way"
"Why's the frame crooked?"
"It's okay, we can fix that. We just need a ladder"
Then, I hear a CRASH in the next room. Oh no, Tornadooooo! Pieces of pottery on the ground....a sugarbowl, no, only the spoon to the sugarbowl...looks hand-made. Okay, good idea- the Tornado is looking for a replacement online. We look for about an hour. Bobby comes home. In five minutes, he's located a replacement...sort of. $80 starting bid for a similar replica. It's a collector's item.
I start checking around. Is there any other damage about which we're unaware? A marble pastry board used as a cutting board? Some of the landlady's food devoured? A ripped seat cushion?
Ok, Tornado...Thank you for your help, but now we want you to just be a guest. Just relax, we will serve you. Please don't do anything; don't touch anything...
So, that began our week in NC and struck fear into my heart as to what the rest of this rotation will hold. Well, that and the fact that I was already seeing some signs of cultural clashes at work. My first day on the job, I was introduced as coming from up in Maine and New York (significant looks given). The response by one girl was, "Oh, so we've got a..." Would you like to finish that? Perhaps with 'Yankee'??
Then, I got talked to by my manager because a client complained that I had made eye contact with her and not greeted her. In my defense, I have no memory of doing this wicked thing whatsoever...most likely, I was under mounds of clothing desperately searching the store for where they went while 2,078 other garments were being discarded onto the rolling rack. You're welcome for filling in for you on my first day in NC on the busiest day of the week.
Other than that, things went well. We played a lot of 5-Straight...great vintage game. I went with my family up to my Grandmother's 80th surprise party. It was lovely (first time I'd spent more than a day away from Bobby...didn't miss him too terribly, but felt sort of shy when I saw him again, like a first date). Bobby's KILLING it, as usual, in the OR (not literally). The city is clean and everywhere feels like country because they keep up a lot of trees down here.
BTW, I love the Tornado. She is very helpful, and I'm sorry that I gave her a hard time because she's the best and I love her just the way she is...200 mph winds and all! In her defense, the broken spoon incident is taken care of and all of her pottery lessons are finally paying off!
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