Blah, blah, blah

Dang, this weather is getting to me. I woke up yesterday with a scratchy throat and today when I woke up the cold was worse and the weather was horrid and my mood (as well as my energy level) plummeted. Of course the house stress doesn't help, either. And the other thing that is getting me down is that I actually have a new man in my life (that's the good news!) but he is out of town for 8 weeks (that's the part that is hard to handle.) So today I am feeling quite sorry for myself, on so many levels. I'm just going to whine here for a minute and then maybe I'll feel better.

Ya think?

Housing Depression

Harrumph. Apparently I am not updating my blog frequently enough for some. Well, I guess that's a valid complaint, it has been quite a while. For whatever reason, I am just not feeling "in to" blogging these days - there have been times in the past when I have written more than once a day, so I guess now I am feeling the reverse of that. Sorry, my enthusiasm will probably return eventually.

Anyway, perhaps a large part of why I haven't been writing is due to my housing woes. Four houses. Four offers. And still no house. The first house I was outbid on, that was quick and easy. The second house is the one in the perfect location and weird owners - who accepted my offer but refused to do their legal duty to get the house into foreclosure so that I (or anyone) could buy it. My offer is still sitting on the table for that house, but a few days ago the house went off the market, and we are unable to determine why. The third house is the one with all the inspection-revealed issues and the uncompromising owners which I walked away from. Then, the fourth one - the one which has been empty for 2 years, the one which I said "the only reason I would walk from this house is if, when they turn the water back on, all the pipes burst" .... you got it, they turned the water back on and all the pipes burst. This just happened a couple of days ago. The listing agent here (in Minneapolis) is supposed to be talking to the bank which owns the property (located in Chicago) to see what their response is, but I don't expect anything as they have been clear in the listing as an "as is" property. But who knows - if they can make me a good offer, they won't have to start completely over.

But then this suddenly becomes a bigger job than I was thinking of. And I am not sure I am ready to take that on.

And please, don't even ask me about the sale of my townhouse. Because then I would be forced to say there is NOTHING happening, and then I might have to hurt you.

So this is the type of thing occupying my mind, keeping me from blogging.

Sorry!

Mexico!

I am very excited. My college roommate Alice, who now lives in Denver with her husband and 3 daughters, called the other day with an offer I couldn't refuse. She has access to a house in Mexico later this spring where we can stay for free - all we have to do is get there! A few hours spent checking frequent flier balances, flight information, and I booked my flights - going through Denver so I will get to do the international part with Alice - and hooray, a vacation is in my future!

We will be staying in the town of Sayulita, which apparently is known for its surfing conditions. So maybe we'll get to see some great surfing while we lounge on the beach! I also read that they get a lot of whales nearby, and that in the spring you often see moms & babies frolicking in the water. We are going to be there a bit after the peak season, but there's always hope!

But frankly, what I am looking most forward to is baking in the sun. This winter has been long, and with all the house stuff it's been stressful, and the thought of lying in the sun with a book that I will pretend to read, with no children needing attention or dogs needing to be walked ... now, that's heaven on earth!

Bizarre Mystery???

Somehow I seem to have gotten subscribed to the magazine Bazaar.

Clueless as to how this may have happened.

I don't even like this type of magazine. I have never looked at a Bazaar in my life. I don't even bring them into the house because of the perfume sample inserts.

Anyone have any ideas where this might have come from??? Anyone want them???

Yay T-Mobile!

Someone posted this link on Facebook and I watched it, totally entranced. Then I found another Youtube piece about how this was made ... watch them both, and enjoy!

Just for Fun

DWTS!!

Last night was the premier of Dancing With The Stars, pretty much my favorite TV show these days. I was not in a very good mood yesterday for a variety of reasons, but when the first couple went out on the dance floor (Lil Kim & Derek) I found myself grinning from ear to ear and responding to the music and just feeling oh-so-much better. I am not overly impressed with the lineup of stars this season, many of them I have never heard of (or don't care about) but I am very excited to see Shawn Johnson, the Olympic gymnast, there, and after last night I am really going to have fun watching Gilles Marini. WOW. Umm, yeah. OK then.

(sigh)

Yeah, this season promises to be a good one.

Monday Morning

Well, it's Monday morning and I got nuthin'. No showings (our house is looking a little more "normal" - i.e., messy!!), no news on the new house. I'm feeling just a teensy bit dejected. Of course I have been battling a nasty cold all week which may have something to do with it, too.

Wish I had some witty or provocative or inspiring message to post here.

But nope, I got nuthin'. Happy Monday to you.

Things I am not doing

I have no books to review for you. Well, I did read the latest Spenser novel, which Carla abhors, but it's fluff and not worth really writing about. Entertaining quick read but no substance at all.

I have not picked up my knitting needles in weeks. I have a 2/3-finished baby sweater and the baby it is for was born 3 weeks ago ... but it's big (the sweater, not the child), so I still have time.

I have no creative projects going of any type, no home decorating efforts underway, no work projects that have been interesting or are completed.

I *do* however have a made bed every single day (which for me is BIG news), I *do* have 3 clean bathrooms, I *do* have empty kitchen counters. As Ty said, this does NOT look like our house.

It better not be our house much longer. I don't know how much longer I can not do stuff.

This week in California

Not a whole lot is going on in my life right now, I am just kind of in a holding pattern. Waiting to find out if I get the new house, waiting to find out who will buy my townhouse. There is no news on either front; I will certainly update here as soon as there is. Thank you for not asking!

Tonight I am going to see the movie "Milk." Sean Penn won best actor for his role as the title character. I am especially excited to see it as this week in California, Prop 8 is being re-looked at, and the California Supreme Court will decide whether or not to hear the case regarding the constitutionality of the vote last fall. Because they had previously determined marriage between any two consenting adults was legal, it is expected that they will open the door for Prop 8 to be rescinded.

Last fall I spent a lot - really a lot - of time thinking about this issue, and really working to read and learn about the positions of those who promote the legal division of which adults can marry and which cannot. I really tried to grasp their arguments and see both sides of the issue.

But you know what? After all that time, despite the fact that there are people I respect who are on the other side of this argument, I just cannot get past the fact that people who oppose gay marriage are saying that they are in favor of legally discriminating against people who have different opinions than they do. I have challenged people to convince me otherwise, but no one has been able to.

So I continue to sign petitions, and send money, to help the cause in California - in hopes that some day soon, any two adult Americans will be able to marry one another, any where in this nation of ours. Freedom will ring.