samedi, 22 mars, 2008
this is the view from my bus stop each morning
they’re like cotton candy pom poms. even on a grey day, they never fail to cheer me up.
i’ve been sick at home for the past two days, and i’m still not feeling 100% today. can’t shake this gastrointestinal bug. it’s annoying. a number of people i know have had it, though, and for a few days, too. grand!! being at home but not having the energy to do much unpacking hasn’t been all bad, though. it was rather nice. it gave me two days to just be here and get used to it. i’m right next door to my dad, so this apartment complex has always felt like it belonged to dad. the first few nights, B and i looked around in a confused awe and said, ok, can we go home now? but slowly, it’s felt more and more like home.
it’s very quiet. and green! there’s a sliding glass door to an outdoor patio, all surrounded by a cedar tree and green shrubs. the front door opens to peonies, rhododendrons and a small lawn. i can hear the birds all day long. there are raccoons that live nearby but i haven’t seen them yet. lots of squirrels and even a fawn-colored rat who skitters along, looking for birdseed (he’s not gross). i can hear the traffic from the street in the photo above, but it’s more of a background noise. the downstairs is mostly unpacked, thank god, and everything seems to fit ok. the kitchen is wicked crowded, though. B has a ton of kitchen stuff, and it’s hard making everything fit. upstairs is still in boxes, but slowly settling out.
i’ll be happy when my bug goes away so i can do some more unpacking. today is the first sunny day we’ve had all week.
Posted by nikki c. at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)
samedi, 15 mars, 2008
the apartment
smells like when we first moved in: a little musty, like paint, a little damp. everything is echoing. it’s been raining on and off all day and the tree outside the window has tiny red buds of leaves just starting to unfurl on the branches. i’ve been listening to music really loud, and that’s been grand, and the cable tv was just turned off. it’s been lovely having a last afternoon alone here. i made a last trip to the grocery store and stocked up on donuts for tomorrow’s breakfast. we’re trying to entice people to help us move with coffee and donuts, and later, pizza and beer. i’ve caught myself more than once thinking that i’m leaving this city entirely, but i’m not. we’re moving only five miles away! it feels like such a big change, though. today’s the ides of march. the sun just came out again. the weather has literally been rolling by in waves. it matches my mood. cat stevens helps, too.
Posted by nikki c. at 4:35 PM | Comments (0)
vendredi, 14 mars, 2008
penultimate night
goodbye view of the mountains and the us bank tower. goodbye tall ceilings and walk-in pantry. goodbye tiny bathroom and clawfoot tub. goodbye stoop and maple tree. goodbye pocket doors and hardwood floors. goodbye dining room. goodbye nice neighbors.
hello, patio and garden. hello freshly painted “marshmallow fluff” walls. hello gardening and azalea bushes. hello blue jays in the rhododendrons. hello crickets. hello neighborhood cats and racooons. hello quiet mornings.
goodbye noisy neighbors and slamming iron gates. goodbye door that doesn’t stay closed unless we lock it. goodbye living on the top floor and goodbye lugging groceries. goodbye thin, uninsulated walls. goodbye grey trim everywhere. goodbye cupcake shop. goodbye pearl. goodbye drunk men with shopping carts.
hello living right next to my dad. hello elderly landlord. hello spooky basement. hello eating outside. hello smaller space. hello terrible carpet. hello no fan in the bathroom. hello to where i lived when i was first born.
hell yes!
Posted by nikki c. at 8:48 PM | Comments (0)