Sometimes the hardest part about making a life with someone is syncing your schedules.
Steve and I have been living together for three years and even now, it’s difficult to work around each others wants and needs.
These past few weeks have been quiet. There have been a few changes in my life that have given me more time but less pay. Thus, I find myself with some half days during the week and less money in my pocket at the end of two weeks.
I’ve spent those days cleaning and running errands and doing stuff that would normally take up my weekends. Stuff that would normally keep me from spending time with Steve or the dog or family or from doing nothing. Just normal house stuff – laundry, cleaning, errands, phone calls, bills. In all honesty, I’m loving it because by last Friday night, my house was spotless, my to-do list was virtually non-existent, and I could sit on the couch and surf the Internet all night guilt free.
The problem was I was exhausted. My sleep schedule has been thrown off with my foot injury and allergy meds and thunderstorms that keep me awake until god awful hours of the morning (plus a dog who is terrified of thunder and insists on crawling in bed and snuggling with us everytime he hears a sound) so by Friday evening, all I wanted to do was plop on the couch, eat a good dinner, watch some TV and surf the Net. And I would have been perfectly content to do that all weekend. Mostly because I was trying to save money and also because the sheer effort of getting dressed and making myself looked human was utterly unappealing at the time.
Steve, on the other hand, wanted to go out. Somewhere, anywhere. He wanted to get dinner, then maybe hit up Best Buy then Wal-Mart to get some stuff. And while I wanted to spend time with him, it would require makeup and brushing my hair and PANTS! And I just don’t want to wear pants on most occasions (just you wait for my new header graphic – it speaks perfectly of me!).
But I put on my pants and brushed my hair and we went out to dinner. No makeup since we were just going to get some cheesesteaks and I didn’t really care what I looked like at that point. Then I think he compromised because afterwards he drove home instead of heading to Best Buy or WalMart.
There are times when Steve says the he wants to stay in and have a relaxing weekend and I jump for joy. Because that means I can sleep late and hang around the house and just be lazy. And generally he means it, until about 3pm on Saturday when he is so utterly bored that he turns into a five year old and whines because he’s so bored and he can’t find anything to do and let’s do something. Which leads to me feeling either guilty because I feel like I need to suggest we do something and we need to spend time together or feeling resentful and angry because we have all of this expensive shit and he can’t entertain himself.
It’s just striking that balance that’s hard. I think we did well with it this past weekend. We went out for cheese steaks on Friday night then met some friends for dinner on Saturday evening. And while that may not have been enough for him, it was enough for me. It was fairly reasonable as far as money went and we both got a chance to get out of the house and not drive each other insane. But we were able to relax enough to feel like we had not drove ourselves crazy overdoing things.
We have enough stuff coming up this summer that we really need to be able to enjoy the downtime.
In the meantime, we are making plans and trying to strike a balance there. We’ve got some trips in the works, some trips that are specifically for us to enjoy and some that allow us to visit with people who we haven’t seen in awhile. We’ve got some movies to look forward to and some dinners and small events with friends. We’ve got an enjoyable summer ahead of us.
And now we just have to work out an amicable schedule between the two of us. Because I want to sleep until 10am darn it! And somebody in this house like to wake up at 7am, even on Saturdays!
In continuation of my post from yesterday, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite places in the house.
Guest Bathroom: This came together rather slowly because it wasn’t high on the list of rooms to change. Truthfully, we didn’t remove anything, I just added my own personal touches. The walls stayed the same color and even the shower curtain came with the house (it’s a soft suedelike fabric and it was too nice not to use). What I love most about it is how the accessories bring it all together. The two pictures over the toilet are paintings of local landmarks in cheap $4 frames I picked up from Wal-mart that almost match the frame around the mirror. The brushed nickel sink accessories match all of the other hardware in the bathroom. The pineapple is a candle I picked up from Bath and Body Works just recently that I think fits beautifully (and the pineapple is the symbol of hospitality!). And the white towels and washcloth always stay on top of the toilet until we have guests and I wash them. Regardless, I find it very welcoming and warm and have received quite a few compliments on it.
Front Entryway: I love the decorative glass and the tile and the way the light plays through the windows at night. I still want to get a console table and maybe a coat rack but overall this was one of the things that made me fall in love with the house.
My Kitchen: I love my kitchen! Compared to others, I might not spend a lot of time in here as I’m not a gourmet chef or anything. But I do love it – it was one of the main reasons we bought this place. I love the black on white, something I didn’t think I’d be too keen on. It has enough space for two of us to move around comfortably in and for even more to gather and chat and hang out when we have people over. I love that it has the little breakfast nook off of it so people can sit and chat if you’re preparing something but it’s closed off enough from the living room to keep the kitchen noise from disturbing people in there. I love our knives, our canisters, the paper towl holders, the sink, the cabinets, the window, and the granite countertops (though, while I love the color I don’t particularly like that it’s tile and in the future would consider a full slab – tile is pain to keep the crevices clean). Overall, this is a place that’s welcoming and comfortable and modern/chic looking enough for my taste but still warm enough to make it feel like a home and not a museum.
My Corner: This my end of the couch. On any given day, you can find me here surfing the Internet, watching TV or playing video games. Please note that all of my accouterments are there: the laptop, meds for any given thing (this day it was sinuses and pain and some antibiotic ointment), the books and magazines I’m currently perusing (Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult, two Glamours, two Cosmos and a Real Simple), my purse in case I need anything from there since that’s like my little portable home. In the teal ottoman is a ball of yarn and my current knitting project, more magazines, a Dave Ramsey book that I want to read and there are yet more magazines in the slot under the tabletop. Please also note the fuzzy blue blanket to the right. This was the last thing I should have included in the my favorite things post yesterday because that literally is my security blanket. When I travel it comes with me, when I’m home, it’s always near me, even if it’s summer. It’s soft and warm and protective and just plain comfy.
So there you have it, some of my favorite places in my house.
Maybe next I’ll try video blogging!
When Steve and I started the house hunting process a few years ago, I had steeled myself for a long, arduous process. Amazingly enough, it only took us about a month to find this house and while it didn’t meet all of our criteria, it had enough of what we wanted for us to be able to make it a home.
And I think that’s why I love this place so much. Because we have made it our home. Of course, there’s always room for improvement but overall, it is beautiful. It’s comfortable. It’s welcoming. And it’s ours.
When I was picking up this weekend, I realized that there are a lot of things here that I truly love so I thought I’d share them with you. These are a few of my favorite things.
Photo Wall: I created this setup initially when we were in the apartment but it really shined when we moved into the house. I think it’s the fact that the wall it’s on is the perfect size for the frames, the wall color complements the frames nicely and the photos are displayed right in our living room/entryway. But it’s something I’m proud of because it not only looks beautiful but it’s a collection of what I think are my best photos of local sites. And I’m constantly switching them out so there’s always something new and fresh available.
Kitchen Windowsill & Plants: I have a nice window above my kitchen sink and while the view is mediocre, it at least allows some natural light in and gives me something to look at while I’m slaving over the dishes. Plus, it allows for storage of my dish stuff because I don’t have any space behind the sink itself and it lets me put pretty plants like these up. And I love these plants! I got them on our last trip to Ikea and to this day, they still make me smile when I walk in the kitchen.
Fuzzy white rug: This was another find at IKEA that we originally bought for Sammy because we thought he would like something soft to lay on. Well, two years later and he barely even acknowledges it. Thankfully, though, it looks beautiful draped over the fireplace brick and really works to tie the whole area together. And since we rarely burn real wood in the fireplace, there’s not much of a fire hazard (we move it when we do burn real wood). It also makes for a nice comfy place to sit when you want to warm your back at the fire.
Sand dollars: We have many of these around the house pristine as the day they came out of the ocean. They serve as perfect ambient decorations and they’re amazingly budget friendly since we can go right down to the water and pull them out. Let them dry out and then soak the shell in bleach and you have what some souvenir shops would charge quite a few dollars for.
Plumeria box: I got this in Hawaii last year and fell in love with it because it had the plumeria flowers on it. I use it to store my daily jewelry in, the necklace Steve bought me and the medical ID bracelet I have to wear. It’s on my dresser right by my bedroom door so it’s easily accessible and the yellow really stands out against the black dresser.
Axe: When I asked Steve what he wanted me to bring him from Hawaii, he said something cool. Well, this was his something cool and it’s been on our dresser ever since. I love that it’s strong and sturdy and it goes nicely with our decor. I’m thinking about hanging it up but still not sure about it.
Inlaid Wood Jewelry Box: My dad brought this back from Italy quite a few years ago and I have always loved it. I love the deep blue and the swirls in the wood. I love the image on the top and the sturdiness of the box. It even plays the Godfather theme when you open it. I typically store small trinkets in here – flattened pennies, bobby pins, etc. But it also stands out beautifully against the black wood of my dresser and matches our decor beautifully as well.
Hawaii Souvenirs: I love every single one of these because they remind me of Hawaii. From the painted kukui beads to the koa wood bowl to the coconut shell hair clip (which is possibly the best hair accessory I have ever purchased), they all remind of the glorious week I spent on vacation in paradise last year. The flash doesn’t do the laughing Buddha justice either as it’s made of a deep coppery substance with sparkles embedded all over. And the Hula girl I bought for Steve but he doesn’t really have a dash, so we keep her around because she’s funny. But all of these, I absolutely love because it reminds me of a place that I will get back to someday.
Monkey candle holder: I got this at Target well before I moved and long before I knew I would adopt black/dark wood as my unofficial color scheme. I loved it because it was kitschy but classy. Dark enough to where it wouldn’t jump out at you but it’s a monkey! So when people got a look at it they’d be like, “Holy shit, it’s a monkey! Holding a candle.” And I think it’s perfect for our home because it’s not obvious but it’s still pretty hilarious.
Wall-E: There’s still a part of me that likes to be a kid and I loved the Wall-E movie so when I saw this toy, I knew he’d be perfect on my bookshelf. It breaks it up enough to where it doesn’t look so serious and when I turn him on, he dances. How could you not love that?
Bookshelf: I love my bookshelves. They are decorative and functional and just contain all sorts of knowledge and entertainment value for me. And yes, I have read pretty much every book on those shelves.
Wallflowers: I like my house to smell good and the Wallflowers from Bath and Body Works are amazing with as much scent as they can put out. It’s strong enough to where you can smell it but not overbearing. And since there’s such a variety, you can change it up for every season. Plus, they come in night lights so I can see when I’m up hunting for water in the middle of the night.
Amalfi landscape: This is something else my dad brought me from Italy and it’s a sort of 3-D landscape of the Amalfi coast. It’s small but pretty and is a nice personal touch to our kitchen. It has come with me through all of my apartments, even when I was living on my own and now it has a home in my very own kitchen. Next to the Benadryl, of course.
My Bed: I love my bed! It’s super comfy. It’s spacious. It’s the first really nice wood bed that I picked out and paid for myself. It’s where I spend most of my time and where we as a family cuddle at night and in the morning. It is my sanctuary. (Sammy likes it too, if you can’t tell!)
Finally, two things that my house would not be complete without.
Diet Dr. Pepper: I need it. Gotta have it. I’m completely addicted. There is usually a constant supply of this in my house and if I’m out, I’m not out for long. It’s how I function. I wish they gave discounts if you buy in bulk because I’ve probably bought enough to own half the company.
And finally ….
My Sammy: My love, my puppy, my child. How could you have a place without a guy like this? 
Life always seems the craziest when you’re actively trying not to be busy at all.
Last summer was rough for us because we had so many people staying with us throughout June, July and August and we vowed that we wouldn’t repeat that this year. We made plans to not make plans at all.
The problem with that is we either end up doing absolutely nothing at all, thus turning into literal sloths who serve no other purpose than to make the ass prints in our couch bigger. Or things end up appearing so unexpectedly that before we know it, we’ve blown through seven or ten days and can’t tell you the last time we got to enjoy our sloth states.
You’d think as much time as I spend being a sloth, I’d be able to think up good things to write. Instead, you’ll get a series of snippets.
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This past Monday, I wake up at quarter til seven to the dog going batshit crazy in the office, which is where his perch is located that lets him watch over the neighborhood. And this was his ‘Get the hell of my property!’ batshit crazy bark not the little ‘The neighbor kids are walking across the street’ chatter. I shoot out of bed and squint through the blinds to see two cop cars pulled up to our driveway and Steve standing behind his truck gesturing towards our backyard. So of course, I panic a bit because early morning and cops being at my house doesn’t bode well. I throw something semi-decent on and walk outside to find Steve and a cop standing on the side of the house looking towards the park that backs up to our yard while the other cop is trying to navigate his way across the tiny creek. And in that park is a car.
That’s a silly place to park a car!
I asked what was going on and Steve said he was leaving for work and noticed the car in the park so he called the cops because that’s not exactly a thorughfare. The cop then explained that two vehicles had been stolen from the neighborhood the night before and that the people they thought did it actually lived close enough to the park that they weren’t surprised to find the vehicle there. Said they had been to the woman’s house enough for domestic disturbances and that she was always doped up on crazy pills and stuff. Steve then headed off to work and they spent the next hour or so making calls and trying to get into the vehicle before they finally towed it out of there.
Needless to say, I spent the week worrying a bit because the last thing you need is to find a stolen vehicle pretty much in your backyard. Guess it’s time to get the security system installed.
At least I got to close the day out with Conan O’Brien on The Tonight Show. I love him! I truly do.
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Work kicked my ass this past week on so many levels. So many levels that I’m not going to discuss in public because that would not be kosher. I can disagree with my job but I need it and am thankful to have it at this period in time. I just don’t like change and am not good with it. I much prefer for things to continue exactly the way they are because with change comes stress and with stress comes with an unhappy me and an unhappy me is not fun at all.
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My toes, on the other hand, are healing. They’re still swollen and still painful but they feel surprisingly better than they did before the doctor aspirated the nail. On Friday, I went back to work but had to wear the slip-on shoes I’d bought when I had my blood clot because when I tried to put on normal shoes, the foot protested by sending searing pain up my foot and into my leg. I was able to remove the band-aid Friday night only to find that the hole was still oozing a bit but even that was over by Saturday morning.
Now they’re just black and blue and yellow and green and I can even move them. The swelling has gone down and the oozing has stopped. I just have to remember to take it easy because they won’t hurt for some time and then I’ll walk on them wrong or catch my foot as I’m walking, as I did last night, and it’ll hurt like crazy again. I thought I was able to stop the pain meds because I was feeling better, but I’m feeling better because of the meds. If I’m off them completely the foot kills and it’s the worst if I’m standing still. It’s easiest when I have the meds in me and my foot is elevated with nothing on it, because even the weight of the blanket hurts.
This was Saturday’s progress! It ain’t pretty.
When I went into work Friday, I slipped my sock off and showed my boss who looked right at me and was like, “You know, you could’ve just asked for the day off!” then smiled.
Apparently, when I do it, I do it big.
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I finally finished the closet reorganization that was the cause to the whole toe debacle. Steve had been after me for months (ok, years) to go through our closet and my clothes because well, he’s a man and to him anything more than five shirts and two pairs of pants is too many clothes.
But it was time. I still had clothes in there from college. Skinny girl clothes that I just wasn’t ready to part with because you know, I might fit into them again (we all know how much of a truth that really is). I mean, there are a few favorites that you could hang onto for that reason but they either need to really be your favorite or they need to be classics with style that outlasts trends. An entire closet does not count towards that rule.
Plus, I was having a really hard time finding a place to put things when I did laundry. And I was wearing the same thing over and over again. It just needed to be done.
I thought it was going to take a week. Had it not been for my injury, I would have finished it in an afternoon. That being said, it took a total of one day.
Here’s the before:
Before: The Closet
That is a walk in closet big enough for two people to walk in. If you shut the door, you could fit three, maybe four people. In other words, that’s a lot of clothes. All the ones hanging pretty much consist of my clothes with the exception of a small sliver to the far left that is Steve’s and that starts approximately where the solid burgundy shirt is. The basket on the floor is overflow laundry that has yet to be put away. And the entire left side on the top shelf is my clothes. The back wall on the shelf is Steve’s. That’s not including our two dressers that we have.
Here’s the after:
After: The Closet
It still looks a little crowded but that’s purely because I ran out of hangers, otherwise, the shirts on the top left shelf would have been hung as well. Also, Steve didn’t humor and go through his clothes. But unlike before, everything is organized. The entire left side is now mine and is organized into categories: work shirts and blouses, crossovers (i.e. plain cotton shirts that I can wear to work or out with friends), nice casual shirts (most of them are printed so I can’t wear them to work), polos & button downs and long sleeves. Sweatshirts and sweaters have been moved into our guest bedrooms closet which has been deemed the winter closet. Steve now has the entire back wall with space for his nice shirts and his work shirts. The tucker on the floor contains overflow clothes that he needs to go through but since it has a lid, it serves a dual purpose: as a shelf. Which was an awesome find because I was going to purchase shelves but with this, I can just pile his work pants onto it and they are accessible without me having to worry about putting them into drawers or throwing them on the top shelf (they’re heavy Dickies pants so they were too much for the shelf). The clear boxes and the smaller tucker contain my shoes, the brown bedding is overflow winter bedding for our bed and there’s finally room to tuck the hamper back in the corner. And what you can’t see is that on the top to the left are three of the fabric grocery bags you can buy almost anywhere now. One contains bathings suits, extra bras and my heavy fuzzy winter socks, the other two contain hats and accessories (handbags and belts) respectively. And my drawers, at least, are organized for pants and others things that can’t be hung.
Everything now has it’s place and that’s one more thing that I can mark off my list.
It’s makes my internalized OCD very, very happy!
(I’d like to say the pain of the toe injury was worth it, but it really wasn’t. I mean, I’m crazy, but not that crazy!)
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The only other things worth noting is that we had a very nice dinner with some great friends last night at TGI Friday’s, of all places (they have never been high up on my list of restaurants) and then went to see The Hangover, which was absolutely fabulous and as phenomenally funny as the trailer leads you to believe.
And also, this guy:
SO.FREAKIN’.HOT!
Seriously, I’ve had celebrity crushes before but he is easily one of the best. Right now, it’s him and Gerard Butler, haunting my dreams. Love, love, love! Funny as well as smokin’ hot … my kind of man!
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That’s about it though – the most exciting parts of my week crunched into totally unrelated recaps. I’m hoping for a better week this time around but only time will tell. Here’s one final image from this week.
Hangin’ Around …
One of the things about living in the South … there’s always strange visitors right outside your front door!
May was quite a month. We had quite a few endings and some new beginnings. And any month that has new food discoveries is always a good month!
For starters, this guy right here graduated college. This is my younger brother, Eric. In the beginning of May, Steve and I got really early one Saturday morning to drive an hour and a half to Myrtle Beach to watch him walk across that podium at Coastal Carolina University and receive his college diploma. Everyone in our family had come to celebrate – my mom and stepdad and other brother, my grandma, dad and younger sister and my cousins. We were all very proud of him and we had a really, really good day afterwards gathering at a hotel right on the beach and eating food and cake and opening presents and swimming in the pool and watching the sunset over the water. We went home exhausted but overall, it was a throughly enjoyable time with family to celebrate such a long anticipated event. Congrats kiddo! Welcome to the real world!
Secondly, the beauty below now belongs to me! That’s right, I finally paid off my car loan after five long years. She’s stuck by me for five years, four accidents (only two my fault), thousands of miles and an interstate move all the while running awesomely and giving me great gas mileage. This actually if the first time I’ve ever paid off a car and damn does it feel good. That picture below was taken exactly five years ago as of tomorrow and that was when she was pristine and beautiful. Now, she’s broken in and lived in with some minor wear and tear but overall, she’s still hanging in there. Let me stop before she kicks the bucket on me which is the last thing I need. Anyway, it feels good to now own the car and have that burden of payment off my shoulders.
In the food category, there’s a restaurant called Mellow Mushroom that we recently discovered. I’d had lunch delivered from there before but it was only when we actually went back to eat there this month that I realized how awesome they are (I ate there twice and just talking about it makes me want to go back). The first time I had a steak and cheese calzone but when I tried Steve’s ham, it was delicious. The ham had amazing flavor to it and the dough is phenomenal. So the next time, I got a ham and pineapple calzone and it was just as delicious, though I think I will go without the pineapple next time. Regardless, we’ve tried both the downtown location and the Mt. Pleasant location and while downtown seems more like a local pizza joint as opposed to Mt. Pleasant’s more commercial feeling, the food is still delicious. Next on the list to try is their pizza!
Also on the docket this month is banana splits. I happened to see a commercial for a local ice cream place a few weeks back where these kids ordered this amazingly beautiful banana split and immediately, I had a craving for one. So the next time I was at the store, I picked up some Breyer’s neopolitan ice cream, some Smucker’s caramel and chocolate syrup, some bananas and a praline crunch type nut mix. And soon enough, I had this:
It may not be pretty, but it was so very delicious. No cherries for this girl but looking back, I should have gotten whip cream as well. I think the praline nut crunch definitely made the sundae. Now I’m all out and I’m going to have to go back to the store to get some supplies. Maybe I’ll have an ice cream sundae party, just as an excuse. Oh who am I kidding, I don’t need an excuse to eat ice cream.
As for TV, the only thing I’ve really been watching besides Rescue Me is The Real Housewives of New Jersey and OH MY GAWD! I have such a problem. I cannot stop watching this show. Even when reruns are on I can’t help but watching. Now I loved the Atlanta housewives but not like I love the Jersey girls. I don’t know if it’s because they remind me of friends and family or if the locale and attitudes and stereotypes make me feel at home but I can’t get enough of them. From Caroline’s ‘thick as thieves’ family mentality to Teresa’s unforgiving ostentatiousness to Dina’s quietly smiling in your face while judging you silently to Jacqueline’s overall sweetness is such a cutthroat nasty state, I love them all. Except Danielle. She disgusts me. She’s everything that’s wrong with women and her face is hideous. I mean seriuosly, what is up with the eyebrows. And the clinginess. You are a grown woman! Go out and take care of yourself and stop clinging to all those other women like the airbrushed t-shirt you got on the boardwalk that is two sizes too small for you. Overall though, this show makes me summer and I unabashedly admit that it is my guilty pleasure. If that makes me somehow worse of a person, it don’t matter to me.
An honorable mention goes to season finales of many of the shows that I watch. I like TV alot and sometimes it’s nice to have a forced break from watching the latest Grey’s Anatomy or Heroes episodes. Granted, there are plenty of new shows on this summer to keep me busy but there are much fewer which make catching up nice and easy while still allowing us time to enjoy our summer nights.
Finally, the old school geek in me can’t help but rave about both the Star Trek and Terminator: Salvation movies. While I was never a huge fan of the original Star Trek (I was more of a Next Generation girl), I knew enough about it to want to see the latest incarnation. To say it was awesome was an understatment. I walked out of there all geeked out and hyped up to see another one with this entourage of characters. And Terminator! Oh lord, I remember when the first two were big (the stupid third one doesn’t even get an honorable mention, it was that stupid) and awesome and just wow and this one certainly lived up to the older ones. The story was awesome, the characters were great (though I could do without Christian Bale using his Batman voice all gravely and hoarse – is that how he thinks Americans speak?) and I just might have developed a bit of a crush of Sam Worthington. So needless to say, I had some very geeked out moments this month in the movie theaters and am looking forward to the continuation of both of these franchies in the future.
So overall, May was a fairly good month. There were a few low points as there always are but that’s just life. Now I’m just looking for a quiet June with some dinners and movies and outings planned with some friends and some more time spent with family. Summer is always a nice time around these parts so I’m sure next month I’ve tons of things to rave about!
Happy June everyone!
