Life Could Be a Dream, Provided One Doesn't Get Kicked in Their Sleep

Not sure if anyone was looking for me or not but I apologize for not posting in the last week.  We were packing and tossing and packing and tossing things until the movers arrived.  Then what I predicted would happen--that is we would have way more ish than quoted (thanks Mom) did happen and mom nearly canceled the move like we would be able to find cheaper ones to move across country before I needed to start work.  They loaded and we passed out that evening.  We woke up on Saturday and cleaned everything within an inch of it's life, loaded my car for the driver--wasn't driving 12 hours with mom after the last few days--and donated more stuff to neighbors and strangers.  We flew out that afternoon after getting a ride from one of my former coworkers and honestly flight went great, rental car was fine, staff was good and one night at sketchy hotel aside before moving into much better digs and I was feeling good about life.  That is until we WENT to the house that mom decided she wanted and didn't make it in the door five feet before she threw LITERALLY the mother of all tantrums--no pun there it was just fucking epic.  Because of the supposed delivery date from the movers (I saw supposedly because yeah it hasn't happened yet but I didn't know that on Sunday) we had exactly 48-72 hours to get out of the contract with house from hell, find another one and someone willing to let us move in early.  Well let me say that God is good because we found a nicer house that was MUCH cheaper, nicely renovated and bigger so mom's stuff should all fit and what doesn't she has allegedly decided to sell.  It doesn't have a full driveway or a garage but considering what we are saving on the house that did have a garage and not much else I am willing to find builders and finance a garage.  Plus what I can tell from all sites regarding building a garage we would get a significant chunk of that back upon selling the house.  It doesn't seem to have central ac but the fan from the heating unit made this place kinda nippy the other day so we'll see how that works later.  Neighbors all seem friendly as well and it's far enough from my job that it feels like I have to drive (it's like 7 to 10 minutes lol) but seriously walking distance from a church, hairdresser, school, two grocery stores, a big box store and a nail shop--among other things.  Let me just say we saw a lot of houses in two days and was sad by one that was so freaking cute on the outside it was ridiculous only to go inside and wonder if munchkins had lived there and how they could possibly have seen the tiny area next to the kitchen as a bedroom--it was barely big enough to turn around in.

I have been by my office, gotten my id, parking pass, met with the folks who helped hire me, talked to a lot of people and have a very busy week next week but I am very excited about this opportunity.  I will be more excited when the furniture is here and the security system is installed so mom can quit jumping every time it sounds like something is brushing against the house and she can quit waking me up at every single solitary noise she hears.  Last night was the worst.  I got kicked in my lower leg cause she swore she saw something on the ground crawling.  She can't describe it and didn't want to look for it but fell back asleep within minutes of injuring me.

In other news my hair and I are fighting.  Not sure if it's getting adjusted to the temperature or water differences here or what but I feel like a puff ball.  It's super soft but is not holding in any moisture at all right now.  Trying to take care of my hair without all of my products is a pain too.  Hoping desperately that the movers come tomorrow so we can have beds and some privacy even though I'm pretty sure we'll be sleeping in the front until we get the house secured more than it is right now.  Just wanted to give a shout to say I'm okay.  Still a bit tired but okay.

How's things for all of you?

Pre Move Update

Hey everyone,

looks like everything is finally on track for us to relocate now.  Movers will be here Friday morning.  As soon as I can confirm the car transport then we will fly out on Saturday.  Stay in a hotel until either late Sunday or Monday morning.  Do some running around to process my information so I can get paid.  Set up the cable--hopefully get the car delivered that day, finish negotiating some things that have come up from the home inspection provided that hasn't been done already.  Nothing major but things of concern for me.  And then a few days later start work.

I've had my last wash day in this house.  Or at least my last planned wash day.  I have closed up the big pump bottles and figured out I need to replace my conditioner.  I always run through that so much faster than my shampoo.  I did a flexi set and need to figure out how to get it to dry faster.  It's taking forever even when I let it mostly dry completely before adding my leave ins and detangling.  Unfortunately since I was being a lazy bum I did lose a lot of hair this wash day (which was actually Monday after an overnight prepoo).  I'm going to donate some more hair products to my hair dresser who is coming to look at a set of china momma is finally parting with before the move.  Even though nothing major has left the house it's feeling somewhat emptier with the things we have donated, given to the neighbor for their help, sold at the garage sale or flat out trashed.  I still haven't worn my giveaway prize but when I'm up and moving it's packing time and I don't want to break it.

And I just saw something on FB that makes me know I did the right thing a few months back when I finally broke things off instead of letting them drag on and on.  He seems to be happy and things aren't complicated for him any longer.  I'm feeling a little lonely but not for that relationship or even the promise of what might have been.  Things move on because they have to.  I've talked to a few friends and my brother and really it's time for this chapter of my life to close.  And that's a good thing honestly.  I'm looking forward to developing a new routine, learning a new city and just engaging life in a different way.  What's up with you guys?

See ya maybe before the move but probably not until after we get situated at least at the hotel.

Today has been hectic but good

So this morning I woke up nervous because we were still waiting to hear back on the offer we made on the house.  After our counter to their counter, they accepted early this morning and I was ready to do a dance of joy and run some errands and then sort through again what needs to be moved and what doesn't.  I called the movers to push things back because we can't move into the new house until the end of the month and then I got a panicked call back from them that yeah that wouldn't work.  I alerted mom and we went into packing overdrive for the few things that were left and was ready to get back to that when the phone started ringing again.  It twas the movers again and at that point turns out they would prefer if we moved as well cause they already have three moves in the area this weekend.  So with a little cushion to spare I'm taking a break and telling you the other good news.  Between the offer acceptance (yeah) and momentary stress from movers (boo but then yeah) I got a knock at the door.  It was the FedEx guy who never stays long enough to make sure you are home, just leaves things and takes off.  Problem was I wasn't expecting anything from FedEx and I didn't see a box when I peeped through the keyhole.  Well that would be because the box was TINY and it was from Origami Owl.  I was a little confused at first because everything was in separate bags and let me just say my fingers are not super delicate.  Anyhoo after I figured out how to open the locket and assemble everything I took some photos.  Then I decided to flip the family plate around because my motley crew was completely blocking it out on the front.  Without further adieu here are the photos and thanks to Lauren and Lauren again for the giveaway and the cuteness that ensued.

Today had been such a good day

I haven't talked about George Zimmerman or Trayvon Martin on this blog at all I think.  I've mentioned elsewhere that I think what he did, Mr Zimmerman that is, was beyond the pale and could have been easily avoided.  However, given what was known of the crime, and no matter what the jury said tonight a crime was committed, I was pretty sure that he would have to face the music for what he did.  I was wrong in one sense.  There will be no jail term, no long days spent wishing he had made a different decision in a tiny cell amongst the other murderers and felons.  And I can't comment to how he feels about what he's done but what his family has shared on their own about the case makes me doubtful remorse of any kind will be publicly forthcoming.  That thought alone has kept me somewhat paralyzed for the last few hours.  Not just because of what happened to Trayvon, the grief the must be feeling as there will be no punishment for their son's death, or yet another shattering of the trust I place in the justice system.

Revisiting Bucket Lists

Okay ladies (and the few gents that stop by) a few weeks ago I posted a guest blog about bucket lists.  I may or may not have mentioned that I was creating one of my own but eh it doesn't matter cause here we go with my own list.  Because I'm horrible about creating inspiration boards and lose them in random things until I'm packing to move (yes this has happened recently) I decided to see if there was a way to do this online and let me check things off from time to time.  Turns out yes there is.  There's a site called bucketlist.org that lets you create your own list, borrow things from other lists on the site, add photos, and revisit them to edit and tell the world when you have completed them.  Yeah for my lazy factor but also yeah because randomly if people add things to their own list from yours it reminds you that your list is there lol.  So here's my LIST and feel free to add your own, tell me about your updates, and share on your own sites.

Toodles!

Hey People

Sorry I've been in the wind lately.  I'm trying to finish packing, move money out of savings and into my primary account for the movers and oh yeah find a place to live.  Things were so much easier when I moved her cause it was just me with the possibility of my mother moving in.  Eight years later I happened to stumble upon the last moving contract I signed--for less than 1600 pounds of stuff.  They are projecting this move to be around 6400 pounds.  Guess how much of that is mine now?  Still around 1600 pounds.  Probably less than that because for once I'm letting go of things especially if I don't use them or they are so old there's no point in keeping them.  Clothes, books, letters, old bills and taxes (I tended to hold on to those under the premise that I would eventually shred them and didn't want anyone stealing my identity).  One more round of purging and I will just have a few clothes, books and collectibles to pack.

I've missed updating you on two wash days but nothing major happened.  I think the Great Detangler is working wonders but I'll give it a few more weeks.  I guess I have to pack up the hair stuff too but I may ship that just to make sure it doesn't explode in the back of the truck.  I'm almost done with the Origami Owl necklace creation process and I will share it with you when I get it.  I'm having a family piece created that I'm excited about.

I'm finding lots of other random things too and those are making me smile.  I pushed the movers back to see if the nice realtor mother found can close the deal on the house otherwise back to apartment living we go.  That will be a straight pain in the ass but I'm tired and need to get moved.  I'll update more when I get a chance.  What's going on in your world ladies and gents?

Summer VoxBox LOVE!!

Okay everyone this is a semi sponsored review in that everything I was given was free for me to use thanks to Influenster.com whom I heart more than they know right now.  For a bit of your time after you get a box you get products to use, keep and be honest about.  Since I just got it yesterday I'm mostly going to show you photos of what the box contained and will do more detailed reviews later on each product.

 This card always means I get goodies

 The other shades available in the nail polish I was given

 Goody's Hair Ties

 BB Cream in Light to Medium from Olay,

Love the smell and it blends well with my skin

 Yeah for teacher lady who will be on her feet

My actual shade of polish, I love reds

Guest Blogger: Michelle Pino

Hey everyone.  I was recently contacted by someone interested in sharing some ideas about creating your very own bucket list with everyone here.  I figured what they hey it would give everyone something new and interesting to look at other than my babble.  And it was written by someone who is shares a few of my favorite hobbies--check her byline at the end of this piece to figure out which ones.  So without further adieu here's our very first guest piece. 

Bucket Lists: This Summer and Beyond

Remember when you were younger and the carefree summers seemed to last forever?  As we get older, it's far too easy to get bogged down by the responsibilities of everyday life-- our jobs, our kids, and our car payments. Now the summers seem to fly by; we forget to relax, take time for ourselves, and slow down to enjoy life.  But just because you're a grownup now with grownup responsibilities doesn't mean this can't be a memorable summer you'll always cherish.  Sit down, brainstorm some of those things you've always wanted to do, select the few that are actually feasible, and do them! Once you have a list created you can mark each one down as you do it. Here are a few of the things on my list and hopefully they can get you started on your own!  

Get Hooked On A New Hobby

When all your mental energy goes to the things you have to do, it can be hard to unwind in your free time. Keep in touch with yourself and your own needs by picking up an old hobby or finding a new one. Join a runner's club to get back in shape and make some new friends. If you enjoy the outdoors, find local hiking trails or start gardening. MIT offers free access to materials for many of its courses on its website now; you might try learning the basics of a new field.  Find something that you like and jump into it! Having a hobby is a great way to spend some free time and also a great outlet for energy and creativity.

Focus On Your Fitness

Maybe you were on the varsity sports team in high school. Maybe you used your bike to get around everywhere in college. Maybe you used to go on distance runs in your city's greenbelt. Remember how good it felt to go on a run back when you were in shape? If you've gotten out of the routine, it can be hard to get started again, but now's the time to get back in shape. You'll be glad you did. Keep your eyes on the reward: that exhilarating feeling of meeting a new workout goal, the rush of endorphins, and, of course, having a better body and feeling healthy.  To stay motivated, recruit a friend or family member to exercise with you-- working out can be a great way to strengthen your bond as well! Use this summer to get your fitness train rolling and by fall you won’t be able to go 3 days without exercising. Think about how far you have come since the beginning of the summer, then think about how far you can go before next summer starts. It’s all about setting goals for yourself and that starts now!

Plan A Weekend Getaway With Your Significant Other

With all of life's responsibilities, it can be easy to fill your calendar without setting aside time for yourself. Look at your day planner, find one weekend in the near future you have no commitment, and boldly write in "romantic weekend getaway" before another activity finds its way there. Research nearby resorts and reserve a room. Most modern resorts offer packages for couples that cater to both of their interests. You can lounge by the pool drinking margaritas and pamper yourself in the spa while your husband plays golf and hits the poker tables. At night you can rekindle the spark and meet up in the bar for a round of drinks and dancing. Getting away for a weekend can do wonders for your stress level and general peace of mind. With summer here now is the time to get away, YOU DESERVE IT!

Rekindle an old friendship

We form ties with hundreds of important people in a lifetime. It can be hard to set aside time for the important ones. Is there someone you used to talk to every day but nowadays only send a Christmas card to once a year?  Call them up, get coffee, and catch up. There’s a saying that old friends are the best kind of friends. I believe this to be true, you might be surprised at just how easy it is to fall into your old routine when you reconnect with someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Staying in touch with people you love is one of the best ways you can invest your time. I know for me “remember whens” are some of my favorite conversations.

The older we get the faster time seems to go, and no one is getting younger. I have my list on my mirror so it is one of the first things I see when I wake up in the morning. This way I am reminded of all the things I said I would do and cannot make excuses for not doing them. Take advantage of everything you can this summer. There is no reason you can’t look back on this summer the same way you do on those summer’s from what seems so long ago.

More information on Michelle and how to contact her if you're interested:

Michelle Pino has contributed this piece based on the knowledge she has learned while working as spa manager at Skana, one of New York’s finest spas. When Michelle isn’t working you will find her baking, crafting, reading a magazine or catching up on her favorite TV shows. If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact Michelle via email at michellepino@turningstone.com