Friday, July 9, 2010
Photos!
You asked for photos so here they are! The apartment is a mess as you can see... not too much time to get everything done, plus, being on the third floor in this heat? It's stifling. If you're not moving it's fine, so sleeping has been great, but other than that it's pretty bad. I'm not an air conditioner kinda girl but I think we're going to have to get one. I'll keep everyone posted on that! Anywho... ignore the boxes and mess everywhere and take a look at the new pad!
The living room.
The kitchen.
The bathroom.
Bathroom shelves for storage.
My bedroom.
Again...
My dresser and the closet, which is BIG! The other side of the wall behind the dresser is ALL closet!!
So what do you think? Pretty rad, huh? Once we are more settled and organized I'll take some photos of the finished project! Hopefully that will be soon!!
The living room.
The kitchen.
The bathroom.
Bathroom shelves for storage.
My bedroom.
Again...
My dresser and the closet, which is BIG! The other side of the wall behind the dresser is ALL closet!!
So what do you think? Pretty rad, huh? Once we are more settled and organized I'll take some photos of the finished project! Hopefully that will be soon!!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
What is this?
A butterfly or a moth? I saw this as I was leaving work this morning and thought it was pretty cool!
Monday, July 5, 2010
State Street: Where it's at.
I bet you thought I'd be writing this from the new apartment but when I wrote last week that Monday would be my first night in the new place I forgot that the electricity wouldn't be hooked up. So now I'm thinking that Wednesday will be my first night over on State Street!
We got all moved in this morning thanks to my Dad, Jared, Adam and Adam's friend, Dan. I cannot believe how quickly the process was! I think the guys were in a hurry to finish up since it was so hot. I barely did a thing and before I knew it everything was moved in! They even helped Beth with her heavy items so we offered to buy them some of their favorite beer and cook them dinner once the place is all set up! They were cracking me up- I've never seen people make moving look so fun but Adam, Dan and Jared were laughing and making jokes the whole time! It was great, I don't know what I would have done without all the help!
It was so hot today which made the apartment pretty uncomfortable while I was trying to get things organized but it was best to just suck it up and get on with it! I got all of my kitchen stuff unloaded and pretty much everything for the bedroom. I'm already in love with my closet and technically it's a walk-in because I can actually walk into it and turn around and stuff! It was nice to just toss my shoes and clothes in there just to get them out of the way. I'm not sure if I like the way that I set of the bedroom because it feels like one side of the room is really crowded and the other is empty so I'll see how I'm feeling once everything is put away and there are no more boxes in the middle of the floor.
We're realizing all of the little things that are missing or need to be fixed in the apartment. The bathroom lacks a towel rack and toilet paper dispenser, my bedroom door doesn't latch when you shut it, where the carpet meets the tile needs some work as well. Right now there are raw edges and while they don't look nice, the real problem is that I've tripped on it a couple times already. Speaking of raw edges, the cabinets have quite a few and there is a large space behind the counter that holds the sink which absolutely has to be fixed before the kitties move in. If Neve gets back there I'm not sure we'll ever see her again... Word of advice for everyone: If you check out an apartment WHILE it's being renovated, you might want to consider telling the landlord you'd like to wait until it's completely done before you decide that you want to rent it.
That being said we LOVE the apartment and can't wait to be settled. Beth and I hit Target today and bought a few things we needed right away. We got a really great shower curtain which we already hung and it looks fabulous!! We high-fived after it was up, that's how great it looks! By the time we got back from our Target trip it was nearly 4:30 so Beth headed home but I stayed about an hour longer just to get my room under control. I threw my comforter on the bed and laid down for a minute but found myself about to fall asleep so I figured I should call it a day. Not only was I tired but the heat was making me extra sleepy! I've planted myself directly in front of a fan while I write this and I'm finally cooling off although I have to admit I probably don't smell great and I look like hell... but who cares? It was a productive day and I can't wait to have all the little things fixed in the apartment and be moved in soon!
I thought about taking some pictures today but there was stuff everywhere so I'll wait until we get cleaned up a bit more and once we have electricity I can turn on some lights!
Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!
We got all moved in this morning thanks to my Dad, Jared, Adam and Adam's friend, Dan. I cannot believe how quickly the process was! I think the guys were in a hurry to finish up since it was so hot. I barely did a thing and before I knew it everything was moved in! They even helped Beth with her heavy items so we offered to buy them some of their favorite beer and cook them dinner once the place is all set up! They were cracking me up- I've never seen people make moving look so fun but Adam, Dan and Jared were laughing and making jokes the whole time! It was great, I don't know what I would have done without all the help!
It was so hot today which made the apartment pretty uncomfortable while I was trying to get things organized but it was best to just suck it up and get on with it! I got all of my kitchen stuff unloaded and pretty much everything for the bedroom. I'm already in love with my closet and technically it's a walk-in because I can actually walk into it and turn around and stuff! It was nice to just toss my shoes and clothes in there just to get them out of the way. I'm not sure if I like the way that I set of the bedroom because it feels like one side of the room is really crowded and the other is empty so I'll see how I'm feeling once everything is put away and there are no more boxes in the middle of the floor.
We're realizing all of the little things that are missing or need to be fixed in the apartment. The bathroom lacks a towel rack and toilet paper dispenser, my bedroom door doesn't latch when you shut it, where the carpet meets the tile needs some work as well. Right now there are raw edges and while they don't look nice, the real problem is that I've tripped on it a couple times already. Speaking of raw edges, the cabinets have quite a few and there is a large space behind the counter that holds the sink which absolutely has to be fixed before the kitties move in. If Neve gets back there I'm not sure we'll ever see her again... Word of advice for everyone: If you check out an apartment WHILE it's being renovated, you might want to consider telling the landlord you'd like to wait until it's completely done before you decide that you want to rent it.
That being said we LOVE the apartment and can't wait to be settled. Beth and I hit Target today and bought a few things we needed right away. We got a really great shower curtain which we already hung and it looks fabulous!! We high-fived after it was up, that's how great it looks! By the time we got back from our Target trip it was nearly 4:30 so Beth headed home but I stayed about an hour longer just to get my room under control. I threw my comforter on the bed and laid down for a minute but found myself about to fall asleep so I figured I should call it a day. Not only was I tired but the heat was making me extra sleepy! I've planted myself directly in front of a fan while I write this and I'm finally cooling off although I have to admit I probably don't smell great and I look like hell... but who cares? It was a productive day and I can't wait to have all the little things fixed in the apartment and be moved in soon!
I thought about taking some pictures today but there was stuff everywhere so I'll wait until we get cleaned up a bit more and once we have electricity I can turn on some lights!
Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Apartment: FOUND!
Howdy! I finally have some great, exciting news to report so I wanted to post it on the blog!
After nearly 2 months of searching I have found an apartment! The location is amazing... right in downtown Portsmouth! Walking distance to shops, bars, restaurants! My good friend Beth decided that she'd like to look for a two bedroom apartment with me so we began the hunt just a couple of weeks ago. We saw a few places that definitely weren't going to work out and one place that was so completely wonderful except that the only full bath was off of one of the bedrooms- we tried desperately to think of a way to work around this, but, in the end... it wasn't meant to be. Finally on Saturday we found a place to call home!
It's a 2 bedroom/ 1 bathroom on the third floor of a 5 unit building in the historic district of Portsmouth. The entire unit has been redone as the former tenant, an elderly woman, lived there for 18 years so no updates had taken place in quite some time. The bedrooms are not huge, but still a good size and the bathroom is completely redone and pretty spacious, with a skylight so it's nice and bright. The kitchen is big and there's room for my little white table. There's a dishwasher and all of the cabinets and counter tops are new as well. The living room is right off the kitchen and also pretty big. Because it is the top floor the ceilings are slanted so I'm not sure if anything too tall will fit against the walls but we'll think of something and there really is plenty of space. There are a couple skylights in this room too! Our rent includes heat and hot water but we'll be responsible for the cable and electric bill, even so, it's in my price range. Beth and I know nothing about setting up cable and electricity but that's what parents are for, right? We have off street parking, which is fabulous considering the close proximity to downtown. I have a feeling the street parking, which is metered, gets pretty crowded. Snow removal is taken care of in the winter, also a plus!
On Friday I'll go sign the lease and get the keys! I'll probably bring over a few things at that time as well but we officially move in on Monday. I'm working all weekend and Beth will be in Maine for the holiday but we both have Monday off, as do my Dad and brother, Adam. We'll get the heavy stuff in that day and since I'll have a bed in there, Monday will be my first night in the new place, with the kitties of course!
I'm so glad for Belami and Neve's sake that we found an apartment finally! They don't like being in the room when they can hear people (mainly me) upstairs and Belami scratches the door and the carpet in an attempt to get out! What a naughty boy!! They are really going to be happy in the new space!
We started shopping for the apartment yesterday and found some great deals on cute plates, glasses and some mixing bowls. I have a few kitchen basics- pots and pans etc- already so I think we'll wait until we move in to figure out what else we need. We didn't like any of the shower curtains we saw but that's something we'll need soon... can't take a shower without a shower curtain...
I'm glad that most of my stuff is still in boxes. That will make it easier to move and I don't have to do a lot of packing! I can't wait to be settled! I'll take some pictures and post them for everyone to check out. It'll be empty at first but as we get furniture moved in and start to accessorize I'll post new pics!
Things are going great! Good to be home but I really do miss Park City a lot :( The whole experience is starting to feel like a dream... like it never really happened... I wish things had worked out for me to stay at least a little bit longer. But enough about that! I've decided to live in the moment. Don't worry about the past, don't worry about the future, just ENJOY!
After nearly 2 months of searching I have found an apartment! The location is amazing... right in downtown Portsmouth! Walking distance to shops, bars, restaurants! My good friend Beth decided that she'd like to look for a two bedroom apartment with me so we began the hunt just a couple of weeks ago. We saw a few places that definitely weren't going to work out and one place that was so completely wonderful except that the only full bath was off of one of the bedrooms- we tried desperately to think of a way to work around this, but, in the end... it wasn't meant to be. Finally on Saturday we found a place to call home!
It's a 2 bedroom/ 1 bathroom on the third floor of a 5 unit building in the historic district of Portsmouth. The entire unit has been redone as the former tenant, an elderly woman, lived there for 18 years so no updates had taken place in quite some time. The bedrooms are not huge, but still a good size and the bathroom is completely redone and pretty spacious, with a skylight so it's nice and bright. The kitchen is big and there's room for my little white table. There's a dishwasher and all of the cabinets and counter tops are new as well. The living room is right off the kitchen and also pretty big. Because it is the top floor the ceilings are slanted so I'm not sure if anything too tall will fit against the walls but we'll think of something and there really is plenty of space. There are a couple skylights in this room too! Our rent includes heat and hot water but we'll be responsible for the cable and electric bill, even so, it's in my price range. Beth and I know nothing about setting up cable and electricity but that's what parents are for, right? We have off street parking, which is fabulous considering the close proximity to downtown. I have a feeling the street parking, which is metered, gets pretty crowded. Snow removal is taken care of in the winter, also a plus!
On Friday I'll go sign the lease and get the keys! I'll probably bring over a few things at that time as well but we officially move in on Monday. I'm working all weekend and Beth will be in Maine for the holiday but we both have Monday off, as do my Dad and brother, Adam. We'll get the heavy stuff in that day and since I'll have a bed in there, Monday will be my first night in the new place, with the kitties of course!
I'm so glad for Belami and Neve's sake that we found an apartment finally! They don't like being in the room when they can hear people (mainly me) upstairs and Belami scratches the door and the carpet in an attempt to get out! What a naughty boy!! They are really going to be happy in the new space!
We started shopping for the apartment yesterday and found some great deals on cute plates, glasses and some mixing bowls. I have a few kitchen basics- pots and pans etc- already so I think we'll wait until we move in to figure out what else we need. We didn't like any of the shower curtains we saw but that's something we'll need soon... can't take a shower without a shower curtain...
I'm glad that most of my stuff is still in boxes. That will make it easier to move and I don't have to do a lot of packing! I can't wait to be settled! I'll take some pictures and post them for everyone to check out. It'll be empty at first but as we get furniture moved in and start to accessorize I'll post new pics!
Things are going great! Good to be home but I really do miss Park City a lot :( The whole experience is starting to feel like a dream... like it never really happened... I wish things had worked out for me to stay at least a little bit longer. But enough about that! I've decided to live in the moment. Don't worry about the past, don't worry about the future, just ENJOY!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Newfields, NH- part 2.
As promised here is the blog I should have written yesterday but was just too wound up for!
We arrived right around 5:30 pm with the final mile count at 2436! Now you have to remember that a couple of those miles are driving from the highways to the hotels and back again, but only a couple. We figured out that we spent around $37 on tolls altogether which is a bummer but we forgot to bring the EZ-Pass along so there was no way around it.
On the final day of traveling we drove 473 miles and spent $55.65 on gas between the two times we stopped for it. Belami and Neve had another great day of driving! They slept the whole way and now they're settling into our temporary room in Mom and Dad's basement. They seem quite content- B is sleeping on the window ledge, perfect for a cat, and Neve is sleeping here next to me. There are lots of noises to keep them on their toes- mostly these noises come from the crazy Irish setters running around upstairs! So far Nellie, the Chihuahua, and Lacey, my parents' sweet Siamese kitty, have come in the room to say hello and I think we'll probably leave it at that for now. This is a lot for my little guys to take in and they really are doing swell!! We never did find Neve's collar so we'll make her a new tag at the shelter tomorrow morning.
I've begun the apartment hunt and I'm excited to see what the Portsmouth area has to offer! I think I've gotten past the fact that I really had THE perfect apartment and roommate in Park City and I'm trying not to compare the places I find to my previous digs on Three Kings. I saw a cute apartment today but it wasn't exactly what I'm looking for. Great location and they allow kitties but it's very small and while I'd have my own bathroom it was sort of down the hall from the rest of the unit and I think I'd have to walk by someone else's door to get to it. I didn't really explain that correctly but it just wasn't an ideal situation. There's another place I'll go look at on Friday so I'll keep everyone posted on the search for a great apartment!
I'm looking at one bedrooms/ studios currently. I really do like having a roommate but I don't want to end up in another roommate from hell situation like the one I found myself in when I first moved to Park City. I wouldn't have a problem moving in with someone I know or even someone that one of my friends knows but for now I'll stick to looking for places on my own.
Looking for an apartment is one of those things in life where you can't control any aspect of the components that go into it EXCEPT your own attitude so as long as I keep my chin up I know I'll find something great!
The weather is absolutely gorgeous right now! I want to make it to the beach in the next couple of days and enjoy the ocean, which I've missed! It looks like it's going to rain, but all day the sun has been shining and a slight breeze blowing. The temperature stayed in the seventies- perfect.
Tomorrow I'm going to pick up Jared at Keene. I'm excited to see my baby brother and check out the area he's been calling home for the past couple of years! I've been to the KSC campus before when Meg and some other high school friends were attending, but it's been years. Since Jared started his freshman year a few weeks after I moved to Park City I've never been able to visit him there so I'm really happy to go pick him up!
On Friday I hope to make a trip to downtown Exeter for a Serendipity run and maybe grab some lunch at either Blue Moon, The Loaf and Ladle or The Green Bean! So many choices for delicious, fresh food!!! I had my first Dunkin Donuts ice coffee since last July and it was yummy and refreshing and inexpensive! Haha. Today I started reading for book group which I am so excited to rejoin this month!!
It's great to be home! Definitely feels a little weird but I'm excited to start this next chapter in my life! We are in control of our own happiness and I'm taking charge! I learned a lot in Park City and I feel stronger and smarter than I did before I took the leap and moved out West without knowing a single soul! I have lots of wonderful new friends to thank for making my 20 months in the mountains so wonderful! Never fear my Utahns- I'll be back for a visit before you know it!
We arrived right around 5:30 pm with the final mile count at 2436! Now you have to remember that a couple of those miles are driving from the highways to the hotels and back again, but only a couple. We figured out that we spent around $37 on tolls altogether which is a bummer but we forgot to bring the EZ-Pass along so there was no way around it.
On the final day of traveling we drove 473 miles and spent $55.65 on gas between the two times we stopped for it. Belami and Neve had another great day of driving! They slept the whole way and now they're settling into our temporary room in Mom and Dad's basement. They seem quite content- B is sleeping on the window ledge, perfect for a cat, and Neve is sleeping here next to me. There are lots of noises to keep them on their toes- mostly these noises come from the crazy Irish setters running around upstairs! So far Nellie, the Chihuahua, and Lacey, my parents' sweet Siamese kitty, have come in the room to say hello and I think we'll probably leave it at that for now. This is a lot for my little guys to take in and they really are doing swell!! We never did find Neve's collar so we'll make her a new tag at the shelter tomorrow morning.
I've begun the apartment hunt and I'm excited to see what the Portsmouth area has to offer! I think I've gotten past the fact that I really had THE perfect apartment and roommate in Park City and I'm trying not to compare the places I find to my previous digs on Three Kings. I saw a cute apartment today but it wasn't exactly what I'm looking for. Great location and they allow kitties but it's very small and while I'd have my own bathroom it was sort of down the hall from the rest of the unit and I think I'd have to walk by someone else's door to get to it. I didn't really explain that correctly but it just wasn't an ideal situation. There's another place I'll go look at on Friday so I'll keep everyone posted on the search for a great apartment!
I'm looking at one bedrooms/ studios currently. I really do like having a roommate but I don't want to end up in another roommate from hell situation like the one I found myself in when I first moved to Park City. I wouldn't have a problem moving in with someone I know or even someone that one of my friends knows but for now I'll stick to looking for places on my own.
Looking for an apartment is one of those things in life where you can't control any aspect of the components that go into it EXCEPT your own attitude so as long as I keep my chin up I know I'll find something great!
The weather is absolutely gorgeous right now! I want to make it to the beach in the next couple of days and enjoy the ocean, which I've missed! It looks like it's going to rain, but all day the sun has been shining and a slight breeze blowing. The temperature stayed in the seventies- perfect.
Tomorrow I'm going to pick up Jared at Keene. I'm excited to see my baby brother and check out the area he's been calling home for the past couple of years! I've been to the KSC campus before when Meg and some other high school friends were attending, but it's been years. Since Jared started his freshman year a few weeks after I moved to Park City I've never been able to visit him there so I'm really happy to go pick him up!
On Friday I hope to make a trip to downtown Exeter for a Serendipity run and maybe grab some lunch at either Blue Moon, The Loaf and Ladle or The Green Bean! So many choices for delicious, fresh food!!! I had my first Dunkin Donuts ice coffee since last July and it was yummy and refreshing and inexpensive! Haha. Today I started reading for book group which I am so excited to rejoin this month!!
It's great to be home! Definitely feels a little weird but I'm excited to start this next chapter in my life! We are in control of our own happiness and I'm taking charge! I learned a lot in Park City and I feel stronger and smarter than I did before I took the leap and moved out West without knowing a single soul! I have lots of wonderful new friends to thank for making my 20 months in the mountains so wonderful! Never fear my Utahns- I'll be back for a visit before you know it!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Newfields, NH.
Hi everyone!
We made it home safe and sound this evening! I'll write an actual blog entry all about the last leg of the trip tomorrow so look for it!
For now, bedtime. Sweet dreams!
We made it home safe and sound this evening! I'll write an actual blog entry all about the last leg of the trip tomorrow so look for it!
For now, bedtime. Sweet dreams!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Batavia, NY.
Can you believe it? We're already in New York! We'll be home tomorrow afternoon!
Another great day of driving! A little traffic in the Cleveland area but nothing we couldn't handle. The roads are a little bit weird around there because there is an express lane and then there's a local lane and the AAA Triptik instructed us to drive in the local lane. We remembered this from the trip out as well, and were confused by it then just the same. There were a few little log houses being transported on the road in this spot as well and the guys driving the cars that said "wide load" were doing a TERRIBLE job!! One of them was probably 10 cars ahead of the truck with the houses! It was an old man and I doubt he even realized he's sped up that much but maybe he needs to think about getting a different job! We just had to pay close attention with the funny roads and speeding log cabins!
Update on last night's hotel before I move on to tonight's accommodations and stats. After writing my blog last night I was really thirsty but only had twenty dollar bills- nothing smaller. I went to the front desk to get change for the vending machine and the girl told me that she couldn't make change for me because she'd been giving people change all day. Now, you all know me, I DO NOT get irritated when it comes to customer service but I was really annoyed with the service at this hotel already so I could feel myself getting angry with this dumb girl. I just told her that all I wanted was a water so where could I get one. She acted like I had asked her a difficult question and she really didn't know how to help me when this other guy working at the hotel came out of the office and she asked him if he had change for a $20. Luckily he did and I got my water. But how stupid! I mean that was her only solution?? To ask some random guy if he had change? What would she have done if he hadn't had the change??? Just told me I was out of luck? This story does have a happy ending however. The Best Western of Hammond, IN redeemed itself when the much more capable and pleasant girl working the front desk this morning refunded my $45 without checking the room or anything. It would have been fine if she had since the kitties didn't damage anything but it was nice to not have to wait around while they did it.
You can all uncross your fingers now since we had a MUCH easier time finding a pet friendly hotel tonight. I called a hotel in Geneva that allowed pets but then we decided we didn't want to drive that far so I called this Days Inn in Batavia after that and they also allow pets! Yay! Speaking of pets and hotels, Neve has lost her collar somewhere in the room and it's nowhere to be found! What a goofball! It's okay, I brought an extra collar and we only have several more hours of driving anyway. Neve and Belami seem to be having a great time in the room, well B more than Neve, but she has certainly improved since the first night! They drove really well all day again so this trip has been a success as far as my little babies are concerned! I keep telling them that not all kitties are so well traveled- they're lucky! They do love their Grampy too! And I can tell the feeling's mutual!
We covered approximately 650 miles today- bringing us to about 1950 total! We're not sure of the exact miles and I'm not about to go outside and look- sorry- but this is a pretty close guess. We crossed into the eastern time zone this morning, making me feel that much closer to home! I have decided that I'm too fidgety for all this driving! I move around too much, not only while I'm driving but also while I'm in the passenger seat where it's a little easier to move around. Lucky for me, Dad likes driving so he's done a majority of it. Cruise control is my new best friend by the way- it's the best!! I like driving but sometimes it just makes me nervous and I get all tense and pick at my nails... ugh, I wish i wasn't like that! Oh well, I've done really well with it. It's nice to have such a calm co-pilot! For the most part our weather's been great which has also made things go a lot smoother and quicker. Thank goodness!!
Well I'm tired and want to rest up for the final leg so it's time for bed. I'm so excited to see my east coasters SOON!!!!
Goodnight everyone!! XOXO
Another great day of driving! A little traffic in the Cleveland area but nothing we couldn't handle. The roads are a little bit weird around there because there is an express lane and then there's a local lane and the AAA Triptik instructed us to drive in the local lane. We remembered this from the trip out as well, and were confused by it then just the same. There were a few little log houses being transported on the road in this spot as well and the guys driving the cars that said "wide load" were doing a TERRIBLE job!! One of them was probably 10 cars ahead of the truck with the houses! It was an old man and I doubt he even realized he's sped up that much but maybe he needs to think about getting a different job! We just had to pay close attention with the funny roads and speeding log cabins!
Update on last night's hotel before I move on to tonight's accommodations and stats. After writing my blog last night I was really thirsty but only had twenty dollar bills- nothing smaller. I went to the front desk to get change for the vending machine and the girl told me that she couldn't make change for me because she'd been giving people change all day. Now, you all know me, I DO NOT get irritated when it comes to customer service but I was really annoyed with the service at this hotel already so I could feel myself getting angry with this dumb girl. I just told her that all I wanted was a water so where could I get one. She acted like I had asked her a difficult question and she really didn't know how to help me when this other guy working at the hotel came out of the office and she asked him if he had change for a $20. Luckily he did and I got my water. But how stupid! I mean that was her only solution?? To ask some random guy if he had change? What would she have done if he hadn't had the change??? Just told me I was out of luck? This story does have a happy ending however. The Best Western of Hammond, IN redeemed itself when the much more capable and pleasant girl working the front desk this morning refunded my $45 without checking the room or anything. It would have been fine if she had since the kitties didn't damage anything but it was nice to not have to wait around while they did it.
You can all uncross your fingers now since we had a MUCH easier time finding a pet friendly hotel tonight. I called a hotel in Geneva that allowed pets but then we decided we didn't want to drive that far so I called this Days Inn in Batavia after that and they also allow pets! Yay! Speaking of pets and hotels, Neve has lost her collar somewhere in the room and it's nowhere to be found! What a goofball! It's okay, I brought an extra collar and we only have several more hours of driving anyway. Neve and Belami seem to be having a great time in the room, well B more than Neve, but she has certainly improved since the first night! They drove really well all day again so this trip has been a success as far as my little babies are concerned! I keep telling them that not all kitties are so well traveled- they're lucky! They do love their Grampy too! And I can tell the feeling's mutual!
We covered approximately 650 miles today- bringing us to about 1950 total! We're not sure of the exact miles and I'm not about to go outside and look- sorry- but this is a pretty close guess. We crossed into the eastern time zone this morning, making me feel that much closer to home! I have decided that I'm too fidgety for all this driving! I move around too much, not only while I'm driving but also while I'm in the passenger seat where it's a little easier to move around. Lucky for me, Dad likes driving so he's done a majority of it. Cruise control is my new best friend by the way- it's the best!! I like driving but sometimes it just makes me nervous and I get all tense and pick at my nails... ugh, I wish i wasn't like that! Oh well, I've done really well with it. It's nice to have such a calm co-pilot! For the most part our weather's been great which has also made things go a lot smoother and quicker. Thank goodness!!
Well I'm tired and want to rest up for the final leg so it's time for bed. I'm so excited to see my east coasters SOON!!!!
Goodnight everyone!! XOXO
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Hammond, Indiana
Tonight I'm writing from Hammond, IN!
We ended the day after about 600 miles- putting our total after the two days at 1300 miles traveled. We finished Nebraska, drove through Iowa and Illinois and made it just over the Indiana border. We got to the hotel around 7pm but we'd hoped to drive until 8pm. The problem came in the fact that we couldn't find any hotels that would allow pets about 60 miles east of here so we had to start calling places a little closer. As soon as I found a place that allowed pets we decided to stop there since I called about 15 hotels between LaPorte, Gary and Michigan City. I found one place that only allowed pets in the smoking rooms so we left that as a last resort but luckily didn't have to stay there.
Even though we aren't using the GPS to actually get home (I love my GPS but even I love having maps to look at) it really comes in handy when we start looking for a place to stay for the night. All I have to do is type in the city we want to stay in and look under lodging for the names of hotels. It gives the phone numbers so I just start calling around asking if they allow pets! If they say yes then I start asking other questions: any vacancies? AAA discount? How far off the highway? etc.
Tonight we're in a Best Western just like we were last night and it is a lot more expensive. We paid a $10 fee for the kitties last night and got a AAA discount bringing the total for the night to somewhere around $80. Here in Hammond they made me pay a refundable pet deposit of $45 (so I'm assuming I'll get that back-they inspect the room upon checkout) on top of a $10 pet fee and a higher rate to begin with bringing the grand total to $144!!!!!!! I asked about a AAA discount and she told me she was already giving me a discount because it's so slow... whatever! No complimentary breakfast either!!!! This place is lame, but at least they allowed kitties so I guess I shouldn't complain.
We hit some crazy rain in the Des Moines area but it didn't last long so we made it through alive! There has been some road work- actually just the set up, not many people actually working since it's Sunday. The terrain is a lot different- lots of farmland, some cities, not as many trucks, a lot more cars... We've been hearing the same songs on the radio, even the oldies the stations play- they're all the same. The two songs which are tied for the most plays at this point: "Hey Soul Sister" and "Use Somebody" although "Hey Soul Sister may have a slight lead. We saw our first Dunkin' Donuts today and tried to stop at the second one we saw since it was across from the gas station where we filled up, but it was closed :(
Speaking of gas we filled up 3 times today. We wanted to clean the windshield of bugs and check the oil first thing this morning so we decided to fill up then even though we didn't really need it so we spent $14.20, then later $24.20 and finally $38.25.
Neve and Belami are still doing so great. I'm so lucky to have such good kitties. I don't even want to think about this trip with cats who fuss the whole time. I can tell Neve is feeling more comfortable on the drive because instead of just laying in the crate looking scared to death she was grooming herself and looked quite comfy today. She is even doing better in the hotel- exploring more and not getting stuck in every little crevice she finds! Belami, as always, is being a clown and LOVING the hotel!
We reached our halfway point around noon today which sure did feel good! Can't wait to be home! I'll blog from a hotel tomorrow night. Keep your fingers crossed that we have an easier time finding a pet friendly hotel tomorrow!!
We ended the day after about 600 miles- putting our total after the two days at 1300 miles traveled. We finished Nebraska, drove through Iowa and Illinois and made it just over the Indiana border. We got to the hotel around 7pm but we'd hoped to drive until 8pm. The problem came in the fact that we couldn't find any hotels that would allow pets about 60 miles east of here so we had to start calling places a little closer. As soon as I found a place that allowed pets we decided to stop there since I called about 15 hotels between LaPorte, Gary and Michigan City. I found one place that only allowed pets in the smoking rooms so we left that as a last resort but luckily didn't have to stay there.
Even though we aren't using the GPS to actually get home (I love my GPS but even I love having maps to look at) it really comes in handy when we start looking for a place to stay for the night. All I have to do is type in the city we want to stay in and look under lodging for the names of hotels. It gives the phone numbers so I just start calling around asking if they allow pets! If they say yes then I start asking other questions: any vacancies? AAA discount? How far off the highway? etc.
Tonight we're in a Best Western just like we were last night and it is a lot more expensive. We paid a $10 fee for the kitties last night and got a AAA discount bringing the total for the night to somewhere around $80. Here in Hammond they made me pay a refundable pet deposit of $45 (so I'm assuming I'll get that back-they inspect the room upon checkout) on top of a $10 pet fee and a higher rate to begin with bringing the grand total to $144!!!!!!! I asked about a AAA discount and she told me she was already giving me a discount because it's so slow... whatever! No complimentary breakfast either!!!! This place is lame, but at least they allowed kitties so I guess I shouldn't complain.
We hit some crazy rain in the Des Moines area but it didn't last long so we made it through alive! There has been some road work- actually just the set up, not many people actually working since it's Sunday. The terrain is a lot different- lots of farmland, some cities, not as many trucks, a lot more cars... We've been hearing the same songs on the radio, even the oldies the stations play- they're all the same. The two songs which are tied for the most plays at this point: "Hey Soul Sister" and "Use Somebody" although "Hey Soul Sister may have a slight lead. We saw our first Dunkin' Donuts today and tried to stop at the second one we saw since it was across from the gas station where we filled up, but it was closed :(
Speaking of gas we filled up 3 times today. We wanted to clean the windshield of bugs and check the oil first thing this morning so we decided to fill up then even though we didn't really need it so we spent $14.20, then later $24.20 and finally $38.25.
Neve and Belami are still doing so great. I'm so lucky to have such good kitties. I don't even want to think about this trip with cats who fuss the whole time. I can tell Neve is feeling more comfortable on the drive because instead of just laying in the crate looking scared to death she was grooming herself and looked quite comfy today. She is even doing better in the hotel- exploring more and not getting stuck in every little crevice she finds! Belami, as always, is being a clown and LOVING the hotel!
We reached our halfway point around noon today which sure did feel good! Can't wait to be home! I'll blog from a hotel tomorrow night. Keep your fingers crossed that we have an easier time finding a pet friendly hotel tomorrow!!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Kearney, NE
Hello from Kearney, Nebraska!
This will be a quick entry as we had a long day, I didn't sleep that well last night and we want to get up early tomorrow to get in a lot more driving...
So here are the facts:
We drove for 11 hours today through Utah, Wyoming and now we're halfway through Nebraska. We are in a different time zone- central, than when we started- mountain. We covered 730 miles! We stopped for gas twice. $37 the first time, $40 the second time. I'm not sure if we saw more billboards advertising fireworks or the Little America hotels, but I do know that said hotels have a mechanic on duty, 50 cent ice cream cones and marble showers you'll "go gaga over." We saw SO many trucks on the road, way more than cars, it was weird.
Belami and Neve did GREAT!!! I couldn't have asked for better behaved kitties! Now B is running around the room and Neve is hiding under the covers next to me. She is a little freaked out but fine. She explored a bit and got stuck behind the bed a couple of times, made herself at home in a drawer but happily hopped into bed with me as soon as I sat down with my computer.
Sorry such a boring blog... I'm so tired. Hopefully I'll be able to write more tomorrow and upload some of the photos I took from the car!
I can't help wondering where all of my belongings are on their journey to NH...
This will be a quick entry as we had a long day, I didn't sleep that well last night and we want to get up early tomorrow to get in a lot more driving...
So here are the facts:
We drove for 11 hours today through Utah, Wyoming and now we're halfway through Nebraska. We are in a different time zone- central, than when we started- mountain. We covered 730 miles! We stopped for gas twice. $37 the first time, $40 the second time. I'm not sure if we saw more billboards advertising fireworks or the Little America hotels, but I do know that said hotels have a mechanic on duty, 50 cent ice cream cones and marble showers you'll "go gaga over." We saw SO many trucks on the road, way more than cars, it was weird.
Belami and Neve did GREAT!!! I couldn't have asked for better behaved kitties! Now B is running around the room and Neve is hiding under the covers next to me. She is a little freaked out but fine. She explored a bit and got stuck behind the bed a couple of times, made herself at home in a drawer but happily hopped into bed with me as soon as I sat down with my computer.
Sorry such a boring blog... I'm so tired. Hopefully I'll be able to write more tomorrow and upload some of the photos I took from the car!
I can't help wondering where all of my belongings are on their journey to NH...
Friday, April 30, 2010
Moving Day!
Well howdy folks! I thought I'd revive this blog of mine to document the move back east!
The movers arrived promptly at 8 am today- good for them. I overslept until about 7:30 am- not good for me. But I managed to throw some clothes on, brush my teeth and wrangle the kitties in time. Kelly was nice enough to let Belami and Neve hang out in her room while the movers are here since she is away for a weekend of camping. Lucky!
Speaking of Kelly, and the marvelous Maggie (or Margaret as Meg dubbed her) I'm really going to miss my roomies! I'm going to miss my great apartment here on Three Kings and my fabulous landlords Suzette, Glenn and of course, Henry- junior landlord.
But let's not dwell on the past! Onward and Eastbound! Looks like the movers are just about done and I have one bit of moving advice for everyone out there. Even though the coordinator and the guy who comes over to do the estimate tell you that it's okay to leave your clothes in your dresser drawers, it's actually harder for the people who do the moving. Luckily I had an extra box I could put all my clothes in and the movers were really nice about it, but I wanted to save y'all the trouble in case you come across this scenario!
All that's left to do is clean the apartment and pack up the car before I pick Dad up at the airport and we take off tomorrow. I hope the weather isn't too bad for the drive and that the kitties are okay. I'm just thinking good thoughts and so far so good! I'll be home in less than a week! WEIRD! Can't wait!
I'm going to miss everyone here in beautiful Park City. Today I get to see Lauryn, Carole and Kristi one last time before heading out. Sad :(
Well I just heard one of the movers say "Last piece!" So I probably have some business to attend to. Until tomorrow night then, when I'll blog from the road.
The movers arrived promptly at 8 am today- good for them. I overslept until about 7:30 am- not good for me. But I managed to throw some clothes on, brush my teeth and wrangle the kitties in time. Kelly was nice enough to let Belami and Neve hang out in her room while the movers are here since she is away for a weekend of camping. Lucky!
Speaking of Kelly, and the marvelous Maggie (or Margaret as Meg dubbed her) I'm really going to miss my roomies! I'm going to miss my great apartment here on Three Kings and my fabulous landlords Suzette, Glenn and of course, Henry- junior landlord.
But let's not dwell on the past! Onward and Eastbound! Looks like the movers are just about done and I have one bit of moving advice for everyone out there. Even though the coordinator and the guy who comes over to do the estimate tell you that it's okay to leave your clothes in your dresser drawers, it's actually harder for the people who do the moving. Luckily I had an extra box I could put all my clothes in and the movers were really nice about it, but I wanted to save y'all the trouble in case you come across this scenario!
All that's left to do is clean the apartment and pack up the car before I pick Dad up at the airport and we take off tomorrow. I hope the weather isn't too bad for the drive and that the kitties are okay. I'm just thinking good thoughts and so far so good! I'll be home in less than a week! WEIRD! Can't wait!
I'm going to miss everyone here in beautiful Park City. Today I get to see Lauryn, Carole and Kristi one last time before heading out. Sad :(
Well I just heard one of the movers say "Last piece!" So I probably have some business to attend to. Until tomorrow night then, when I'll blog from the road.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Sleep and GOOP.
Anyone out there having trouble sleeping? I am always interested in articles about getting a good night's sleep. This makes no sense considering that I have NO TROUBLE sleeping whatsoever, but for some reason I like reading up on sleep tips!
Gwyneth Paltrow has a website called GOOP. I signed up for her newsletter and every so often I get an email with some new info Gwyneth has decided to share with the public. Today I got this one about sleep. Getting enough sleep helps us stay healthy! On the few occasions where I've found myself unable to sleep it's been so frustrating, I can only imagine how awful it must be for people who frequently have a hard time snoozing. So read through this article from GOOP. And if you like it, check out the whole site!
Gwyneth Paltrow has a website called GOOP. I signed up for her newsletter and every so often I get an email with some new info Gwyneth has decided to share with the public. Today I got this one about sleep. Getting enough sleep helps us stay healthy! On the few occasions where I've found myself unable to sleep it's been so frustrating, I can only imagine how awful it must be for people who frequently have a hard time snoozing. So read through this article from GOOP. And if you like it, check out the whole site!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tipping.
Ever wonder about tipping? I do! I feel like there are a lot of questions about it, and apparently so did these etiquette experts. Here's a little info on tipping...
To tip or not to tip.
I don't feel obligated to tip at a coffee shop, unless, like the article says, I am friendly with the people working and frequent that particular shop. Honestly, I do more work for most of my customers than the people behind the counter at a coffee shop do for me.
Do YOU tip at coffee shops? Where do you tip? Not tip? Have you ever had a moment like George on that Seinfeld episode where he wants the person to see him putting money in the tip jar and when they don't he tries to take the money out and do it again, but gets in trouble? Haha, I have to admit, I like people to see me putting the money in the tip jar!
To tip or not to tip.
I don't feel obligated to tip at a coffee shop, unless, like the article says, I am friendly with the people working and frequent that particular shop. Honestly, I do more work for most of my customers than the people behind the counter at a coffee shop do for me.
Do YOU tip at coffee shops? Where do you tip? Not tip? Have you ever had a moment like George on that Seinfeld episode where he wants the person to see him putting money in the tip jar and when they don't he tries to take the money out and do it again, but gets in trouble? Haha, I have to admit, I like people to see me putting the money in the tip jar!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Quick As a Cricket
I'm as quick as a cricket,
I'm as slow as a snail,
I'm as small as an ant,
I'm as large as a whale.
I'm as sad as a basset,
I'm as happy as a lark,
I'm as nice as a bunny,
I'm as mean as a shark.
I'm as cold as a toad,
I'm as hot as a fox,
I'm as weak as a kitten,
I'm as strong as an ox.
I'm as loud as a lion,
I'm as quiet as a clam,
I'm as tough as a rhino,
I'm as gentle as a lamb.
I'm as brave as a tiger,
I'm as shy as a shrimp,
I'm as tame as a poodle,
I'm as wild as a chimp.
I'm as lazy as a lizard,
I'm as busy as a bee.
Put it all together,
and you've got ME!
This book, complete with some beautiful pictures, by Audrey Wood was my favorite as a child. Pick it up sometime or give it as a gift if you know any youngsters with a birthday coming up.
Is it any wonder I liked it? The protagonist is obviously a total schizophrenic who relates his (it was a boy in all the illustrations) various character traits to different kinds of animals!
I'm as slow as a snail,
I'm as small as an ant,
I'm as large as a whale.
I'm as sad as a basset,
I'm as happy as a lark,
I'm as nice as a bunny,
I'm as mean as a shark.
I'm as cold as a toad,
I'm as hot as a fox,
I'm as weak as a kitten,
I'm as strong as an ox.
I'm as loud as a lion,
I'm as quiet as a clam,
I'm as tough as a rhino,
I'm as gentle as a lamb.
I'm as brave as a tiger,
I'm as shy as a shrimp,
I'm as tame as a poodle,
I'm as wild as a chimp.
I'm as lazy as a lizard,
I'm as busy as a bee.
Put it all together,
and you've got ME!
This book, complete with some beautiful pictures, by Audrey Wood was my favorite as a child. Pick it up sometime or give it as a gift if you know any youngsters with a birthday coming up.
Is it any wonder I liked it? The protagonist is obviously a total schizophrenic who relates his (it was a boy in all the illustrations) various character traits to different kinds of animals!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Holy sheet!
Look at my new sheets! About 2 years ago I won a gift card to Pottery Barn and I finally used it on these beautiful new sheets from PBteen! I love them! Belami is so nicely modeling them for you- one of his favorite things is when I make the bed. Animals are so weird...
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Winter
And for those of you who love winter...
Revival
Snow is a mind
falling, a continuous breath
of climbs, loops, spirals,
dips into the earth
like white fireflies
wanting to land, finding
a wind between houses,
diving like moths
into their own light
so that one wonders
if snow is a wing's
long memory across winter.
Revival
Snow is a mind
falling, a continuous breath
of climbs, loops, spirals,
dips into the earth
like white fireflies
wanting to land, finding
a wind between houses,
diving like moths
into their own light
so that one wonders
if snow is a wing's
long memory across winter.
-Steve Crow
Summer
For those of you who are, like me, sick of winter, here is a poem to bring a little sun into your life!
Summer
I like hot days, hot days
Sweat is what you got days
Bugs buzzin from cousin to cousin
Juices dripping
Running and ripping
Catch the one you love days
Birds peeping
Old men sleeping
Lazy days, daisies lay
Beaming and dreaming
Of hot days, hot days,
Sweat is what you got days
It's never too early to dream about summer...
Summer
I like hot days, hot days
Sweat is what you got days
Bugs buzzin from cousin to cousin
Juices dripping
Running and ripping
Catch the one you love days
Birds peeping
Old men sleeping
Lazy days, daisies lay
Beaming and dreaming
Of hot days, hot days,
Sweat is what you got days
-Walter Dean Myers
It's never too early to dream about summer...
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Oh Oscar!
Here's a link to the full list of Oscar nominations:
Nominated :)
Here's a link to the films and performances that various EW readers feel were snubbed by the Academy:
Snubbed :(
Thoughts? Are you surprised by any of the nominations? Or by anything that wasn't nominated?
Oh and I'd just like to say congrats to Colin and the rest of the incredibly talented folks at Pixar on the BEST PICTURE NOMINATION!!!!!! for Up!! Well done!
Nominated :)
Here's a link to the films and performances that various EW readers feel were snubbed by the Academy:
Snubbed :(
Thoughts? Are you surprised by any of the nominations? Or by anything that wasn't nominated?
Oh and I'd just like to say congrats to Colin and the rest of the incredibly talented folks at Pixar on the BEST PICTURE NOMINATION!!!!!! for Up!! Well done!
Movie Recommendations!
Know what I was thinking would be really fun? If once a week I put up a movie recommendation!
So I actually have two recommendations this week...
Bright Star
Rated: PG, 119 minutes
Directed by: Jane Campion
Starring: Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider
I saw this film when it was in theaters a few months ago and I loved it. It's about the poet John Keats and the woman he was engaged to, Fanny Brawne. Their love is a tragic one for reasons I won't go into in case you're not familiar with Keats' story. The film is beautiful with stellar performances from the young cast especially, but all actors do a fine job. If you like poetry, this film is for you. If you like fashion, this film is for you. If you like love stories, this film is for you. It came out on DVD last week so grab a copy and a glass of wine or cup of tea perhaps, sit back and enjoy. Also, I believe Abbie Cornish is one to watch. I have only seen two of her films but she is a talented young lady. If you are a fan of Avatar's Sam Worthington watch Somersault, a 2004 Australian picture starring Worthington and Cornish. It's not a great movie, but it's not terrible. And they both impress with deep performances of damaged characters.
The Hangover
Rated: R, 108 minutes
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms
I'm sure you're wondering why I'm recommending a film that everyone is already obsessed with. Well I still hear people say that they haven't watched this!!! Can you beleive it!? So on the off chance that someone reading this hasn't seen The Hangover, you need to stop what you're doing and watch it. NOW! I saw it again last night and I swear, it's as hilarious the 4th viewing (or 5th, or however many times I've seen it) as the first! I actually heard a funny line last night that I had never noticed before! I would not recommend a beverage to go with this film as you'll probably spit it out from laughing so hard.
So I actually have two recommendations this week...
Bright Star
Rated: PG, 119 minutes
Directed by: Jane Campion
Starring: Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider
I saw this film when it was in theaters a few months ago and I loved it. It's about the poet John Keats and the woman he was engaged to, Fanny Brawne. Their love is a tragic one for reasons I won't go into in case you're not familiar with Keats' story. The film is beautiful with stellar performances from the young cast especially, but all actors do a fine job. If you like poetry, this film is for you. If you like fashion, this film is for you. If you like love stories, this film is for you. It came out on DVD last week so grab a copy and a glass of wine or cup of tea perhaps, sit back and enjoy. Also, I believe Abbie Cornish is one to watch. I have only seen two of her films but she is a talented young lady. If you are a fan of Avatar's Sam Worthington watch Somersault, a 2004 Australian picture starring Worthington and Cornish. It's not a great movie, but it's not terrible. And they both impress with deep performances of damaged characters.
The Hangover
Rated: R, 108 minutes
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms
I'm sure you're wondering why I'm recommending a film that everyone is already obsessed with. Well I still hear people say that they haven't watched this!!! Can you beleive it!? So on the off chance that someone reading this hasn't seen The Hangover, you need to stop what you're doing and watch it. NOW! I saw it again last night and I swear, it's as hilarious the 4th viewing (or 5th, or however many times I've seen it) as the first! I actually heard a funny line last night that I had never noticed before! I would not recommend a beverage to go with this film as you'll probably spit it out from laughing so hard.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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