Homebodying

It feels like ages have gone by.  Aren't we all excited for Fall?  There's a certain crispness to the air, especially in the evenings, and I know my mood is improving.  It helps that so far things are now bug-free, and I had a nice Scottish break, and I'm feeling rather caught up in my life (as in, no huge to-do list at the moment.) 

So a quick trip rundown for you.  The beginning part in London was a little stressful, with nine people in one apartment and lots of luggage to be buried under, but once we escaped to the Scottish hills I felt so relaxed and at one with nature.  I loved the view out of our lodge, too!  The best part of the whole wedding was the Scottish dancing, though, called Céilidh (prounounced kay-lee).  There were set steps that the band would teach us and then call out, and our new friend (aka the groom's friend from home) Kevin asked me to dance the first dance so he taught me the steps, too -- it was so fun and twirly!  Like that scene in Titanic when they're dancing in steerage.  Plus it was the first time a boy has ever asked me to dance!  (Obviously it wasn't anything scandalous, don't worry.)  Kevin and I danced like four of them together, and in between those I danced with Jude (the girl groomsman) for one, a girl named Haley, and with a 10-year-old Scottish boy , and with one of the best men John (he was so drunk I just pushed him around the twirls.  I'm glad he didn't puke on me.)  And though I drank all day, I didn't feel particularly drunk OR hungover the next day because of all the exercise. :)  It was thrilling.

On the flight home, I started coughing, and felt pretty under the weather that first weekend back, but I felt better by Tuesday, I just haven't been able to shake the cough (even now).  I finally called the doctor today to make an appointment for tomorrow, since just when I thought it was getting better yesterday, it's gotten a bit worse.  Might as well make sure I don't have the Contagion, especially since people at work are refusing to sit next to me now.  And this past Monday night I had a sudden and sharp pain in my right ankle, and it's a bit swollen.  I think a summer of mostly wearing flip flops has caught up to me!  I wore sneakers to work today and kept them on, and it's already feeling a ton better.  I just feel like I'm falling apart in general, but hey, when do I not?

I haven't smoked since the Saturday after I returned from the UK.  I knew I wouldn't be able to re-quit before then, since we'd be drinking and smoking a ton there, but now that I'm home and having trouble breathing anyway, it hasn't been so bad.  That means it's been 11 days -- almost two weeks!  I'm sucking on the nicotine lozenges plus Cepacol throat lozenges, sometimes both at once (one in each cheek), and it's not been as hard as expected.  I'm sure hard times will come, but for now, I don't think about it too much.  Shoot, except now I am.  MOVING ON.

Hike started his MBA classes while I was gone, and he's got two on Monday evenings, two on Wednesday evenings, and one from 9 - 1 on Saturdays.  It's a lot, and he has a lot of reading and homework to do, but I think he's getting it down.  In the beginning I was worried about his organizational level, especially since I am The Queen of being organized and also Very Bossy, so we were bickering a bit, but it seems like he's getting into the swing of things and I'm trying to step back a little, too.  (He likes my help and advice, but obviously I need to be nice about it.)  It is still stressful, but hopefully we can figure out a workable lifestyle for the next few years.  I think we're close now, actually. 

I've also started casually looking at one-bedroom apartment listings in Astoria.  After traveling and having my own bathroom for a blessed four days in Scotland, I just sort of came home and craved more space for myself.  I knew I wanted to move sometime this winter anyway, but now I'm considering moving out sooner and then Hike would join me when he's ready and able and when we're ready to be engaged.  At first I was hesitant to proceed this way since I don't want him to feel like he's moving in to MY home, but on the other hand, it'd be good for me to live alone for awhile, plus he'll be there a ton anyway (he's already at my place a lot as it is), and I doubt he'd be as sensitive about moving into my place than if the situation were reversed.  He likes this plan because it means we're progressing but it gives him a little flexibility to figure out his timing, too.  So now the question is, when? 

I went to one open house on Monday, but the kitchen was just on a wall in the LR and I need it in a separate room so that I don't stink up the main room with garlic/cooking smells plus make all that noise of washing dishes, etc.  I am going to another one tomorrow night, and Hike may come with me so we can start feeling things out together (though he likes my taste, as he's said), but if I like it, I'm still in a tight spot.  My roommate's Dad isn't doing very well health-wise, and she was planning on going to visit him in Florida for a few weeks at the beginning of October.  After over five years together, I'd feel like a dick if I surprised her by announcing my intention to move out in 15 days while she was already planning to travel.  So that's a consideration -- but I still think it's OK to look at places.  I'm just half scared I'll like one, you know?  But also THRILLED about the concept.

OH, and just to vent for a minute -- I'm looking mainly on Craigslist, since how else do we find apartments nowadays?  Sometimes I'll go to a realtor's site from their Craigslist posting and find other options, but I still hate the whole broker's fee situation.  Anyway, there are so many posts for Astoria that don't say WHERE the place is in the neighborhood, or they'll say an avenue but not the street.  This makes a HUGE difference, so obviously I'm not going to respond to them since I feel like they're trying to pull some bullshit, but what if they're stupid and I'm missing a good apartment?  Ugh, I guess when I'm looking more seriously I can investigate those further, but come on.  We want to be somewhere between 30th and 36th Aves, and Crescent and 37th Streets, so work with us, Craigslisters.

And finally, I just bought my first Christmas present today.  I guess it could be a one-year anniversary present for Hike, but it doesn't seem very romantic.  HOT TIP -- you can buy Always Sunny in Philadelphia seasons 1-5 PLUS the Christmas Special on Amazon for like $48.  Buy it for someone special in your life.  You're welcome.

West Dover, West Dover, Send Stevie Right Over

In a few hours Hike & I will be on the road for our weekend minibreak to West Dover, Vermont, which is in the southwest quadrant of the state (according to Google maps.)  I can't wait!  As my confirmation e-mail says:

"Your Historic Getaway Escape Kit includes 2 nights stay for 2, breakfast for 2 each morning, a $50 credit towards one dinner in our restaurant, a wine and cheese tray delivered to your room, 50% off a kayak, canoe or bike rental, a picnic lunch and trail map to local swimming holes and an artist’s tour of Skip Morrow’s gallery. At the inn you will receive a packet with all the details, maps and info you need to enjoy your amazing deal!"

This is the inn:

And this is our room:

And this is the forecast:

We'll head out once Hike gets the all-clear to leave work (banks are so stuffy) and then we'll run back to Astoria to pick up our stuff and the car, and then hit the WIDE OPEN ROAD (after NYC traffic, that is.)  I hope it's romantic and outdoorsy and relaxing.  Don't worry, I've packed bug spray -- this week I have another bad few on my arm, too, so I know better now than to risk getting eaten.  But we decided we want to canoe (instead of biking or kayaking) since that's the activity we'll have the least opportunity to do here, and I'd love to hike (ha, with Hike) and swim and eat and read.  I may never come back!

Geez, think I should manage my expectations?  Oh well.  Happy weekend, everyone!

Weekends and Bookends

Well, I was very quiet last week, and at this point, I can't remember/won't bore you with details about the weekend before this one.  But this one! Was nice and long and relaxing.

Friday I snuck out of work at 4:30 to meet Schmillie and see Bad Teacher.  I thought it'd be dumb funny and Jason Siegel was in it and how wrong could that go?  But oh, so wrong.  And you guys, I know I'm supposed to be all up in Justin Timberlake's jock or whatever, but NO.  He's just so asexual to me.  Yuck.  And so there's a really creepy "love" scene (or rather, "dryhump" scene) and it only makes him more revolting.  Anyway, the movie was bad but we got through it together, then wandered a bit to Banana Republic, and it was a lovely night, and I bought a soft sweater on sale, and then heard some lovely opera in the Union Square subway station before getting home to relax and watch True Blood.  Hike came over after the Mets/Yankees game (he went with friends to CitiField) and then to bed.

Saturday he left, and I was terribly PMS-cranky and took a two-hour nap and then went to the gym and met up with Hike and his friend Yoshi for dinner and UFC watching, yawn.  But it was nice to be out and have some beers.  Sunday we went to church with his Grandma, then back to her house for family dinner in the afternoon (and doing his laundry), and his mom brought me a white jacket that she bought but didn't fit her right, so now I have a white casual jacket.  She wears petites so basically can hand things down to me, and this is something I'd wear to work and not too mom-ish, so good!  Sunday night we just stayed in at his place, cooked dinner, and played our video game.

And then Monday we picked up his friend Yoshi and headed out to Long Beach, where we met up with his bro and sis-in-law plus some other of their friends.  It was so pretty -- the cloud cover had cleared by the time we got there, and the water was cool but totally comfortable, which meant I could go in to cool off every 20 minutes (as I need to when I'm hot!)  It was fun and we stayed about two hours, which was the limit on his parking spot, and he tried to move the car but couldn't find another spot so we just gave up and came home.  It was for the best, though, as we beat the return traffic and had time to relax and shower before meeting Yoshi again for dinner on Broadway in Astoria.  We sat in the back garden of a Thai place and I had a pink drink and it was relaxing.  Then home to hold a two-week old baby!  One of my roommate's friend's just had her and they were over for dinner, so I nabbed the baby and sat in the quiet living room to hold her for awhile while she slept.  Adorable. 

Now it's Tuesday already!  I can't wait for this weekend's Vermont trip.  I hope it's entirely relaxing and outdoorsy and loving and rejuvinating.  And until then, I'll gym it tonight, go to softball tomorrow (and Hike may come over after), then get my nails did on Thursday (and I need an eyebrow wax really bad -- they're caterpillars), and then we leave early afternoon on Friday.

OH and I'm re-reading Forever.  I love this book.  It starts out in Celtic Ireland, which I've always enjoyed learning about, and then is set in various Manhattan time periods, so it's the best kind of historical fiction.  It's also getting me (more) psyched to watch the New York documentary that I bought Hike for his birthday.  We have less movie time lately, but I hope we can break that puppy open soon.  Anyway, I'll finish the book this week and then I can bring our new book club pick to Vermont.  Ahh, summer reading, I love you.

Oh, Just Laughing at My Desk

...at Damn You, Auto Correct!  I can't help it.  It's the best mood lifter ever.  Not that I need one, since today is GORGEOUS.  I wore a skirt and boots with no tights!  It's so freeing!  The only downside is that I miss smoking, because it was an excuse to go outside in the warm weather.  I may bum one, and I had one on Monday (when it was nice, too), which is not great.  NOT GREAT.  But I'm not buying any or anything.  It's been since Monday, Jan. 10.  Wow, that is over a month...  why do I still even want them at all?  GO AWAY, cravings.  But remember how I said I can have whiter teeth and carry smaller purses?  CHECK.  I finished my month of Crest Whitestrips (well, 20 days) this week, and I carried a little clutch last Saturday on my date and was complimented.

Soo our server crashed at work last week, which was so much fun for me.  I'm trying to field everyone's questions but yet the boss doesn't always communicate with me, so it's very frustrating.  We're mostly back up this week with some lingering issues, but I was really behind on work once we got going, so I'm sorry for my silence.

Things in life are great!  I have more energy now that winter is giving us a break, and while I'll still up a few pounds due to the relaxed quitting smoking diet, I'm going to start getting stricter again, except for when I eat out with my boo.  That is difficult, but worth it to enjoy the meals.  Last weekend we went to his mother's on Friday night, then on Saturday I saw Blue Valentine in the afternoon with my ladies, then Hike & I celebrated pre-V day and I took him to dinner at a new Italian place in Astoria which was OK, not fantastic, but it was a romantic celebration.  Then we watched Shutter Island, and then Fraggle Rock before bed so I could sleep without being totally depressed about humanity.  Sunday we went to see his grandma, and his brother and mom and her bf came, too, and it was a lovely day of macaronies and gravy, then a stop at Waldbaums for some suburban shopping on the way home.

And!  Then Monday was Valentine's Day, and it was the best one I've ever had.  He sent me two dozen roses at work, plus a box of chocolates, plus took me out for italian/sushi fusion before our theatre tickets to see Rain.  I felt very, very cherished.  And I gave him a card and some chocolates, but I'd given him his main present on Saturday, which is none of your business.

So right, ONCE AGAIN, I am surprised and thrilled with how this relationship works.  This week has been mellow since -- I did laundry and cooking on Tuesday and last night I hit the gym and did some random home stuff, and tonight I'll get my nails done and eyebrows waxed.  Tomorrow night I'll watch a movie with him at one of our houses, then up early on Saturday to leave for Newport, RI!  We're staying here, in the tower room, where we're sure to be haunted at night by ghosts walking in the tower above us, waiting for their sailor husbands to return from sea.  We'll also cuddle up in front of our fireplace and make mushy faces at each other.

Annnndddd I just got totally busy at work and let this sit for HOURS, so I'll go ahead and post while I'm ahead.  I miss writing, and I miss emotionally vomiting my feelings here, but I won't abandon you, dear readers.  Especially not when I'm thinking about SWIMSUIT SEASON, plus BRIDESMAID DRESS WEARING.  Gasp.