wonderful christmas presents!
Dec. 16th, 2005 12:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verbicide Allison met me at Northgate and gave me a huge hug and some presents (this gorgeous hardcover cookbook, some Starbucks Christmas blend coffee and peppermint cocoa!!) and then I drove over to my very own new place. I hovered outside because Judy was going to meet me there. And then I noticed that the people I'd just seen go in looked a lot like the sellers. So I peered up into the building until the woman looked out and I beamed and waved. Two women smelling strongly of disinfectant had just walked out. The woman in the window shouted, "OH!" and they ran out to the deck and that's how we introduced ourselves. Hee. The guy said, "Come on up!!" and so I did and they were so incredibly nice. They'd just stopped by to make sure the place was cleaned-up and to drop off all of their keys and the garage door opener. They are so nice. They took a few minutes to show me a few things around the complex and wished me a lot of happiness, because they'd been so happy there. Such a warm and fuzzy transfer.
Then they left and Miz Judee arrived with her own champagne concoction!! Nothing like having your best friend see you through the most pivotal moments in your life. And I was so glad she was there. The place... I think I've been daydreaming so much. It was just so different. All their stuff was gone (which while not to my taste, made it so very homey) and now it was empty and cold and the rooms were all different proportions than I'd remembered. With the furniture gone, all the carpet stains were startling, and with their pictures gone, there were tons of little holes in the wall. It just looked a bit sadder. I have no buyer's remorse. It was just hard to imagine it as my home. And the rooms even seemed so much smaller without any furniture in them. Though actually, the rooms were just different than I remembered. The dining room is enormous, the master bedroom smaller than I recalled. I walked around trying to imagine my stuff in there and I needed a moment to adjust. I was happy, but just. Unsure? Confounded? Judy used this one perfect word, but I can't remember it... DISCONCERTED. That's the one.
But really, adjust I did. Judy talked (in her kind, low, soothing voice) about how when they first bought their house, she felt unsure, too. And quite frankly, the longer we stayed there, the better I felt. There are just lots of little nicks and scuffs, and I really don't like the carpet. Maybe it's just the stains, but I find it disturbing. And the stains are easily hid, really, but I know they're there! I would Pergo the whole place, but I really like the warmth of carpeting. Area rugs just aren't enough for me. I mean, if I bought a gorgeous Craftsman home, that'd be different, it'd be worth it. But not in my little condo.
I felt very much like I think Hobbes will. I peered cautiously into rooms. I stood on top of the fireplace stoop. I ducked into closets. (I did not then proceed to sit down in the middle of the room and lick myself, however.)
The kitchen and dining room still need Pergo, though. Stat! I fear that carpeting is really pricey though, so we'll see. I think once the walls are no longer seafoam green and pale lavender, I'll just feel a lot better. And once my stuff's there, and Hobbsie's there, well--that's what really defines home for me!
Anyhow. I can't believe it's mine. I think I'm going to be freaking out on Sunday night. I can't believe I start living there as of then. I wonder if a friendly neighbor will have wifi I can poach for the night so I can at least have my LJ!
Well, then I came home and Jeanne was planning to stop by to pick up my size-15 knitting needles. She asked if I wanted my present tonight. (Um. YES!! *greedy*) She was worried it would just give me another thing to pack. But she brought it over and I gleefully opened it--she got me Rick Steve's 2006 book on Paris, his highly-reviewed phrasebook, and a wonderful, laminated, Streetwise street map of Paris with a Metro guide on the back! She was so adorable about it, because she'd had a flash of inspiration and bought it. My French instructor was telling me how much I needed to get his stuff, because it's apparently just the best. It was not only awesome, but thoughtful and useful--I'd been dreading poring over all those Fodor's and Let's GO books and trying to pick one. Thanks, Jeanne!!!
And I talked to Kelly again. Kelly, who is loaning me everything he has and selling me the Benjamin Moore paint at his cost. I'm not sure what I did to deserve him, but clearly it was something big.
So, wow. I feel a whole lot better. Keys in hand, place totally cleaned, painting plans on target. I have the day off tomorrow and my goal is to get some errands done in the morning, just briefly stop by work to check in on a couple of things, and then head over to Fred Meyer with my giant list, and then to Chez Cat no later than 2pm to tape as much trim as is humanly possible before people get there.
I figure pizza will work for dinner, lots of caffeine, and maybe some brownies for dessert. Also must get: paper towels. Toilet paper and soap and hand towels. Jeanne's bringing her iPod speakers and a number of us will have our iPods. We hope to paint until we're just done. It would be awesome to just finish Friday night so everyone can have Saturday off, before helping me move on Sunday.
...And tomorrow? Tomorrow I still get to sleep in. *glee*
Then they left and Miz Judee arrived with her own champagne concoction!! Nothing like having your best friend see you through the most pivotal moments in your life. And I was so glad she was there. The place... I think I've been daydreaming so much. It was just so different. All their stuff was gone (which while not to my taste, made it so very homey) and now it was empty and cold and the rooms were all different proportions than I'd remembered. With the furniture gone, all the carpet stains were startling, and with their pictures gone, there were tons of little holes in the wall. It just looked a bit sadder. I have no buyer's remorse. It was just hard to imagine it as my home. And the rooms even seemed so much smaller without any furniture in them. Though actually, the rooms were just different than I remembered. The dining room is enormous, the master bedroom smaller than I recalled. I walked around trying to imagine my stuff in there and I needed a moment to adjust. I was happy, but just. Unsure? Confounded? Judy used this one perfect word, but I can't remember it... DISCONCERTED. That's the one.
But really, adjust I did. Judy talked (in her kind, low, soothing voice) about how when they first bought their house, she felt unsure, too. And quite frankly, the longer we stayed there, the better I felt. There are just lots of little nicks and scuffs, and I really don't like the carpet. Maybe it's just the stains, but I find it disturbing. And the stains are easily hid, really, but I know they're there! I would Pergo the whole place, but I really like the warmth of carpeting. Area rugs just aren't enough for me. I mean, if I bought a gorgeous Craftsman home, that'd be different, it'd be worth it. But not in my little condo.
I felt very much like I think Hobbes will. I peered cautiously into rooms. I stood on top of the fireplace stoop. I ducked into closets. (I did not then proceed to sit down in the middle of the room and lick myself, however.)
The kitchen and dining room still need Pergo, though. Stat! I fear that carpeting is really pricey though, so we'll see. I think once the walls are no longer seafoam green and pale lavender, I'll just feel a lot better. And once my stuff's there, and Hobbsie's there, well--that's what really defines home for me!
Anyhow. I can't believe it's mine. I think I'm going to be freaking out on Sunday night. I can't believe I start living there as of then. I wonder if a friendly neighbor will have wifi I can poach for the night so I can at least have my LJ!
Well, then I came home and Jeanne was planning to stop by to pick up my size-15 knitting needles. She asked if I wanted my present tonight. (Um. YES!! *greedy*) She was worried it would just give me another thing to pack. But she brought it over and I gleefully opened it--she got me Rick Steve's 2006 book on Paris, his highly-reviewed phrasebook, and a wonderful, laminated, Streetwise street map of Paris with a Metro guide on the back! She was so adorable about it, because she'd had a flash of inspiration and bought it. My French instructor was telling me how much I needed to get his stuff, because it's apparently just the best. It was not only awesome, but thoughtful and useful--I'd been dreading poring over all those Fodor's and Let's GO books and trying to pick one. Thanks, Jeanne!!!
And I talked to Kelly again. Kelly, who is loaning me everything he has and selling me the Benjamin Moore paint at his cost. I'm not sure what I did to deserve him, but clearly it was something big.
So, wow. I feel a whole lot better. Keys in hand, place totally cleaned, painting plans on target. I have the day off tomorrow and my goal is to get some errands done in the morning, just briefly stop by work to check in on a couple of things, and then head over to Fred Meyer with my giant list, and then to Chez Cat no later than 2pm to tape as much trim as is humanly possible before people get there.
I figure pizza will work for dinner, lots of caffeine, and maybe some brownies for dessert. Also must get: paper towels. Toilet paper and soap and hand towels. Jeanne's bringing her iPod speakers and a number of us will have our iPods. We hope to paint until we're just done. It would be awesome to just finish Friday night so everyone can have Saturday off, before helping me move on Sunday.
...And tomorrow? Tomorrow I still get to sleep in. *glee*
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no subject
Date: 2005-12-16 12:07 pm (UTC)Congratulations !
(and I agree with MONKEY, we want pictures)
no subject
Date: 2005-12-16 01:09 pm (UTC)We have a cat puke stain in the middle of our living room from the previous owners, so I sympathize. Give it a bit of time to get settled in, though, and see how much you care then.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-16 01:34 pm (UTC)And I notice you already have a purple room for me :P
Congrats and enjoy...wish I was there this weekend to help, well supervise anyway ;)
no subject
Date: 2005-12-16 01:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-16 02:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-16 05:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-16 05:41 pm (UTC)I'm oddly fixated on the stain in the bedroom. What is it? Why is it there? But it's true, I may not care, and there are so many other things on the list, the carpet really shouldn't be a priority!
no subject
Date: 2005-12-16 05:44 pm (UTC)I wish you were here, too. The more slave labor, the better! *grin*
no subject
Date: 2005-12-16 05:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-16 05:45 pm (UTC)But yeah, my friends are really remarkable. I'm very, very lucky! :)