Done

I made an offer on a condo yesterday. The bank counter-offered today. I'm accepting their counter. This means that by the end of March it looks like I will own my own place. Yep. 2009 is looking a whole lot better than 2008 was.

Self-reliant limbo

My life is currently in flux. But it's at that point of making change in which I sometimes feel like I'm just treading water. I know that in the end there will be changes. Meanwhile, I'm just hanging here in a kind of limbo. I've come to realize that I've been holding off on the craft stuff because I want to get through the most of this change first. So it may be some time before you see any crafts around here but I'll try to keep up with the food stuff.

Whenever I'm about to go through changes in my life, I usually don't like discussing them too much. Fear that it will all fall apart? That's my best guess as to why I keep things to myself. But now I've hit a different part in the process so here goes.

It all started with my aunt's death last July. My dad wanted to pay off her house and to give it to me. Thing is the mortgage on the house was higher than its current value. I spent months telling my dad that it was a bad investment. Then the plan became that he would help me in buying another house with some of the money he had inherited. OK. Perhaps another reason why I was hesitant in sharing was because my life has been filled with promises from my dad. He has a history of not always delivering -- especially on the big stuff. But he gave me the initial financial documents I needed to get pre-approved and so I thought that perhaps things had really changed.

Throughout this all, I have suffered with my mother's derision. Why would I want to buy a house? And if I want a house so desperately, why can't I just buy her house in Richmond off of her? Why don't I want to live in Richmond? (Nothing against my hometown. It's just that I've done the commute on 80. Never again if I can help it. Besides Richmond just isn't quite urban enough for me -- if you understand.) During this past week, other stuff transpired -- I'll get to that shortly -- and my mother made my favorite statement of all. Why would your father ever plant this stupid idea in your head? I haven't spoken to her since that conversation.

And what happened? Well, it seemed innocent and all at first. My dad suggested that I chat with a friend of his who is in real estate. That conversation with his friend completely blindsided me. Why should my father put up so much for a down payment? What about my real estate agent? My mortgage broker? Were they really doing their jobs properly. The first question made me pissed off with my dad. Why didn't he just ask me himself if he was so concerned? (Duh. Because he hates direct confrontation. Let's all pretend that everything is fine.) The other questions? Left me feeling like I'm some idiot who doesn't know how to ask the right questions -- even though I'm not.

Back in December, my father finally started contact with the insurance company for a policy that my aunt had had. We all assumed that he would be the beneficiary. This was part of the money he had promised me as part of a down payment. Last month we found out it wasn't his to promise because I was the beneficiary. I got the check this past week.

I got to thinking. What would happen if I only put 5% down? I ran some preliminary numbers in a spreadsheet and then I contacted my mortgage broker. She confirmed what I thought. It would decrease the amount of loan for which I'd be approved. But I could take care of it on my own.

Thursday evening my dad called to see if I had talked to his friend. He's such a bad liar. Because I told his friend that I was pissed off by the whole thing and I'm sure he called my dad during the day. So I let my dad have it with both barrels. Told him that I would have appreciated it if he could have come to me personally with his concerns instead of going through someone else. And that I had rerun the numbers and did not need him under the scenario his friend had presented. And would not be discussing the topic with him -- or my mother -- any further. Because I was going to make a decision on my terms. Haven't heard from him since that conversation either.

Over the weekend I've had more time to think. So far in this process loads of folks have promised assistance. I know that there are a variety of reasons why they have not been able to deliver. That's OK though. I'm done asking for help. Because it suddenly dawned on me that I didn't need their help. Never have.

This week will mark four years since I moved into this apartment. I did that completely on my own. Found it. Moved in. Unpacked. Done it before. I'll do it again.

Sensory overload

Sometimes I need to get away from it all to recharge. Nowhere quiet for me though. I need lots of stuff. Too much almost.

Friday I arrived into New York a wee bit jetlagged. (I have great difficulty sleeping on planes. Well, only if I'm sitting in coach.) I decided that the answer, after checking into the hotel, was lunch and a nap. (Oh, and sorry there aren't really any food photos so the descriptions will have to do.) Lunch was at the hotel restaurant -- lobster bisque with creme fraiche and tarragon oil, and an omelet with Yukon gold potatoes, mushrooms and goat cheese.


After my nap, it was off to MOMA. And what a pleasant surprise. From 4-8 on Fridays is Target Fridays. That's right. The folks of one of my favorite stores sponsor a free night at the museum. I loved the museum and know that I will have to go there many more times in my life.

On the walk back to the hotel, I started reading restaurant menus. After deciding which one sounded the most appealing, I headed in and asked if they had a table. (It was around 8:00 pm on a Friday evening.) I was told, "Of course," and the coat check person asked if she could take my coat. After being seated, I was presented with a tray of crostini with an olive tapenade and some sort of eggplant dip. There was also some sort of amuse bouche with goat cheese. My appetizer was a salad of peekytoe crab. The crabmeat was mounded in a round topped with a thin layer of pureed avocado and some frisee. This all rested in some sort of grapefruit sauce surrounded by grapefruit segments and avocado chunks. My entree was the crispy duck confit on a bed a mushrooms and broccoli rabe. And finally for dessert I had a lemon tart with a poppy seed crust and pomegranate sorbet.

During the course of the meal, I began chatting with the couple seated next to me. The wife seemed surprised that I had just happened upon the place. "You know this is one of the top five chefs in New York?" Huh. Yep. Count on me to pull off a maneuver like this. Oh, and the restaurant was db bistro moderne. If I lived in New York, I would go there often.

Saturday I met up with David Dust, Mistress Maddie and the Boy Toy to head to the Metropolitan. But Mistress Maddie had a little suprise for me.

Sand tarts! And yes, some actually made it home with me.


Loads of fun at the museum. Then we had to head in so that David could rest. He had some sort of plague or pox or something.


Saturday evening started off at David's for cocktails and Chinese delivery. After exiting the cab, I had some random carriage driver yelling at me as I crossed the street in front of him. "Hey gorgeous! Gorgeous! You want a ride?" It was so tempting I almost had to ditch David et al.

David will tell you that after the food and drinks that we headed off to a club. I'll believe it when I see photographic proof of such. I was thoroughly impressed on Sunday morning that I had put my clothes neatly away on Saturday night though. I was equally surprised that I had left my phone at David's. I never do that.

By 11 (I awoke at 8), I decided that they had to be starting to get up so I headed back to David's so that we could all head to brunch at his restaurant. Where we had hair of the dog in the form of mimosas. Served by a guy who looked like Grant Show's character in "Swingtown."

Then it was back to the hotel for a quick power nap before heading off to meet up with Lisa B and HFCG at Les Halles for dinner. Just the kind of mellowness I needed to prepare for my return home. Even if the place was packed.

So after 15 hours of traveling -- running a fever and with a sinus headache -- I am back home. And I'm feeling much better today. Nothing like the combination of Drixoral, moutrin and hot & sour soup. Sometime in the night my 102 fever broke and my temperature is normal once more.

And I'm completely recharged. Especially after finding a couple of "surprises" in my mailbox. And I'm also trying to figure out when my next trip to New York will be. I hear rumors there just might be a Dust Bunny convention...

Note: Yes, I am reposting. Because I totally screwed up Lisa's URL. I thought I was better but I'm really not. But I do have a doctor's appointment for tomorrow.

Update delayed

I had every intention of telling y'all about my trip. But I just walked in the door about 25 minutes ago due to flight delays. And I have a 102 fever. So now I'm going to go back to the couch with my blanket while I wait for the Chinese place to deliver. Hot and sour soup. Mmmmm. Oh, and I've already taken drugs as well. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to do my take on the weekend.

Time to get out of the house

Your result for Name That Tune - TV Edition Test...

Totally Completely Addicted!

Wow! You truly ARE addicted to TV! You watch way too much! You should really get up off that couch (or bed or computer) and get out and live some!

And please rate this test if you enjoyed it!!

Take Name That Tune - TV Edition Test at HelloQuizzy

That's right. I have gotten out as I'm currently in New York.

Sorry

First of all, this is a word I rarely say. I figure if you think before acting, then you should almost never have to say this word. And I'm saying it now because lately I have been feeling a wee bit guilty about neglecting y'all. I've just been preoccupied with a lot of other stuff as of late.

There's my new obsession with Facebook. Yeah, I finally caved about a month ago. And now I'm in the midst of planning a reunion/potluck with for a bunch of folks with whom I attended high school. I have had no contact with many of these folks since I graduated back in 1984. So we've also had a lot of catching up to do. And then there have been the conference calls with the other two organizers, both of whom are out of state.

The last week has also been spent obsessing over my trip. I leave tomorrow night for New York. It will be the first "real" vacation I've had in years. Even without the madness of last year, I think I'm way overdue. And the cool thing is that I will get to meet David Dust, Mistress Maddie and LisaB. Needless to say, I'm excited beyond words.

And speaking of David Dust, I came across this nifty little thing on his blog today. You know I had to try it out. The results...



I think I kind of rock. Although they got my title wrong. Anywho. Gotta run. I have packing to do. And hopefully there will be loads of photos once I return.

It looks like I'm "it" again

Make a list of things you can see without getting up.
Bed with behind of cat sticking out from under it. (Boris thinks he's hiding but I can see his tail.) Rug that needs to have cat hair vacuumed from it. TV. CDs that I almost never play since most music I like is on my computer at this point. Sofa with inviting pillows and blanket.

What were you like when you were five?
Shy, mischievous, short-tempered. My family said that I was 5 going on 25.

What are you wearing now?
Yoga pants and hoodie sweater.


What story/book/novel have you read over and over again in your life?
The Tao of Pooh.

What’s the last thing you read/are currently reading?
The Friday Night Knitting Club

Do you nap a lot?
When I'm sick or feeling blue.

Who was the last person you hugged?
My dad last weekend.

What’s your current fandom/obsession/addiction?
Facebook

What was the last thing you ate today?
Grilled pork chops at a Vietnamese place on Piedmont at lunch with my friend, Emerald.

What websites do you always visit when you go online?
Google reader and Facebook.

What was the last thing you bought?
My bed

What are you listening to right now?
The hum of the computer and the clatter of the keys.

What movie are (or were!) you most excited to show your kids?
No kids.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?
Time travel

What is your favorite weather, and why?
Anything around 80 degrees or so. I will wear a cardigan even at 90 because it's not really hot to me until it hits at least 95.

What time do you usually get up?
I wake up between 4 and 5 most mornings. I actually get up at 6:30 or so.

What is your most challenging goal right now?
Getting my ass out of bed/off the couch on a consistent basis on weekends.

Say something to the person who tagged you.
Zombie Mom, we really need to do dinner and cocktails soon.

If you could have a house–totally paid for, fully furnished–anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be?
London

Favorite vacation spot?
Barbados

What is your favorite children’s book?
Just one? Anderson's Fairy Tales.

Name one thing you just can’t resist no matter how bad it is for you.
Cheese -- because it is bad in the amounts that I'd like to consume it.

If you could meet anyone famous
I'm not sure. My brain hurts already from all this thought so I'm just going to leave this blank.

Also I'm not in the tagging mood so steal away.