Going Home Again

Well, I've been moved out from my parent's house for a whole two and half weeks and already I'm back home, though it is just for a night! I came back up to visit and watch chick flicks! My poor mama is outnumbered by Dad and Troy so she can't watch girlie movies. I decided to stay and sleep in my old bed and snuggle with my cats, so that they don't crowd mom and dad like they have been. I hear that once the cats snuggle in--usually one between your feet and one by your side and one by your head--mom has an impossible time moving without disturbing kitties!

We are watching the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, set in Botswana, a TV series based on a book series. It is simply adorable.

"A Possible Never-Ending Cycle of DOOM"

Yesterday, Nick and I drove to Sacramento to find an apartment for us to move into by mid-August. We looked at four separate apartments: one was old and friendly, one was big with vaulted ceilings and a large balcony (let's call it "Drum" because that's the moniker stuck in my head when I think about it; I have no idea why), one was out of large one bedrooms and only had a junior which made me feel claustrophobic, and one had no availabilities.

On the drive home (exhausted, hungry, tired, slightly cranky) we stopped for Chipotle and discussed which we liked best and why. Our favorite was Drum, because of the tall ceilings and the balcony, and the beautiful flowering trees outside the windows, and because it was a gated community. It was even within our budget, more so if we chose a twelve-month lease. Unfortunately, Drum was a few miles farther away from where we want to be, so it's back to the drawing board.

Which is where I am right now. Let me just tell you how tired I am of apartment rental sites and management company sites. However! My two hours of googling has turned up eight new possible apartments, four of which are perfectly situated near the school Nick will be attending.

Now we just have to go back down to Sac and look at those, and then probably find more apartments in a never-ending cycle of apartment searching doom. Wish us luck!

(On the bright side, I adore imagining what our apartment will look like so it's not all repetition and sorrow.)

Idiosyncrasy Confessions: Procrastination

I am a huge procrastinator. If I can put it off I will put it off. If I can't put if off, I will anyway. If it is an inconvenience I still won't do it. Nagging does nothing to spur me on. Bribes have no effect.

Exhibit A: My house keys. They have been at my friend's house for months because I lost them in her car and then she found them the next day. A few days ago she emailed me and said oops, by the way, forgot to tell you my parents are moving far away and your keys have been packed! (Note, I have had MONTHS to pick them up. And have not.) So! I said okay, cool, send me their address and I'll mail them money so she can ship them to me.

Because of my procrastination, for months now I have not been able to get into my house. I get home from school and nobody is here so I am stuck outside.

I was able to convince Nick to break in for me about three times before he lost patience and said I either need to get my keys or break in myself. So I have been breaking in to my own home. Multiple times a week.

Yesterday, Nick stopped me on my way to break in. He asked how long it would take for me to either get my keys, and when I said I didn't know, asked why in the world haven't you made a copy of the original house key so you can stop breaking in? It will take just a few minutes and, like, a whole dollar.

Quite simply, that is more work than I am willing to do.

Home At Last

We left Valencia at nine this morning and arrived home at six-thirty in the evening. We are all pooped. We made a quick stop at five for Quentin's indoor soccer game (they won by 24-3! Quentin made two of the goals! And then he played goalie and stopped a goal!) and a few other bathroom breaks, and I am so glad to be out of the car, you have no idea. Also, vans are uncomfortable to sleep in.

I spent over 200 dollars on clothes in Santa Monica, and will post pictures soon! I've already done two fashion shows for my family.

Puppies

Once upon a time, there was a wonderful dog named Rosie, who was chosen from all the other dogs at the pound to come to our home, where she lived for about twelve years. She was sweet and fun and "talked" in excitement when we came home, and she and dad would run circles inside the house until she caught him.




Unfortunately, she had malignant sarcomas and we took them out and bought her nine more months, but then we found it had metastasized and we had to put her down . . .and then we were sad.

After a while we searched for a new dog that would be as close to perfect as Rosie had been. And we found Sage, who was a golden retriever/pit bull mix but with darker shorter hair (so it wouldn't get on the carpet!) But then dad wanted a dog that "looked" like a golden. And so we found Kali.



Sage was born at the shelter and was six months old when we adopted her. She wasn't potty trained very well and didn't know any commands. Kali is short for Kalahari, because she was found in the desert with two of her own puppies. As you can see, she was malnourished and didn't have much feathering on her. She had a "happy tail", from wagging her tail and hitting it on the bars of a cage. She also was terrified of going down our stairs.



They are adorable together.



We wanted a dog that was just like Rosie, but that's impossible. She was our perfect dog while we had her, and irreplaceable.

But, you know, when we stop comparing Sage and Kali to our old girl, these ones are pretty special.



All grown up and nearly a year now, Sage actually sits for a moment and lets me snap a picture. Normally she's too busy being SUPER-excited to see you and LICKLICKLICK.



And Kali is beautiful now. Whenever we go to the dog park she's our social butterfly, running from dog to person to dog. She's filled out and her feathers are long and wispy. She and Sage hate to be apart and like to romp through our living room, and they LOVE tummy rubs.



It's nice to have dogs again. ^_^