Monday, March 20, 2006

Adventures in Housesitting

Adventures in Housesitting

Adventure may be too strong of a word to use. I primarily alternate between browsing on the internet, watching reruns of sitcoms, and reading. Jake and I went for a junk food break this afternoon. I bought some tostidos and salsa con queso, a few candy items, and a pint of Half Baked. It's funny. Now that I've quit my job I've started sleeping again on my own without the sleeping pills, and I'm gaining on average of a pound a day. Funny what three square meals and time off can do for a girl.

I have an audition this weekend for Leavenworth. I have mixed feelings about it. I've always said I would do their program someday. And this season they're doing Sound of Music, The Music Man, and Showboat. A truly stellar lineup for my voicetype. And I just make the cutoff for Maria (19-25) and Marian (25-35). For a day or two I've thought that I should put this off until next year. I have a new job that I love, and I've just moved, and getting into Leavenworth means moving again in three months, and again three months after that. That would take this year to an all new moving total of 5 times in 15 months. Mom and Dad convinced me to audition anyway just to see what happens, and then decide what to do from there. Plus, I'm really out of practice. We'll see what I can whip together this week. My audition is Sunday.

Seattle is in bloom. Last weekend as I flew back from Orange County, I noticed all of the fruit trees blooming on the descent. Today there are banks of daffodils. Purple hyacinth sprigs pop up out of nowhere. And tress that were bare four weeks ago are budding and some have leafed out. The birch trees are still holding out for warmer weather. The sun was out most of the afternoon. The perfect day to pull and adirondack chair into the sun and take Emma with me.

Pam called me this evening, another member of my "Blessed Company of all Faithful People." I haven't heard from them in a while, and with all the stress of the past few weeks, I haven't written a real letter in quite some time. They're living at the B&B while remodeling their house. They now have stained glass windows in the bedroom of their log cabin. Teri! It's the Blue Castle! (I'm so glad you liked that book, by the way. I found it at a library once, and it changed my life. Especially when she started making pithy cracks at her family during dinner. And, of course, Barney).

Tomorrow I drive back to Yakima with enough time to change clothes to teach. Mother did an in-service today at St. Pauls, so I anticipate some feedback. I'm going to wear out some more classes with the extra-athletic choreography to "Once an Austrian Went Yodelling." And I have the rest of a We Sing video to keep my kindergarteners occupied on Wednesday. I love video days. I'm thinking about starting Newsies with all my classes. That would give me about four weeks worth of lessons right there. Two weeks until spring break!

I'm still living at the folks' house for the time being. The house on Lincoln isn't ready. All my stuff is there in storage. At this rate, if I do get into Leavenworth, it almost doesn't seem worth it to get all moved in and have to pack again in mid-june. Oh well, one step at a time. And there's still the big decision of how long to stay in Yakima now that my reason for being here is null and void. I could go anywhere, but it's been lovely to be home for a little while. Nearer to family. Able to be at all holidays. And I'm not sick of Yakima yet. Pepsi and fry sauce. What's not to like.

This is kind of a rambly post. I feel like I should abound with some pithy observations about something, but I'm in kind of a post-stress lull. I did have a few drunk snowmobilers singing Roxanne with my name substituted in. It feels good to be cocktailing again. This type of bar is such a relaxing place to work - even when it's hectic. Last thursday was live music night, and everyone ate buffet and then sat around enjoying themselves. People who condemn bars for the sake of the debauchery clearly haven't been to enough of them to see the different types. Sure, Jackson's on a kareoke night, fairly rowdy. I've heard of a fight, and watched someone set off the alarms as they dragged him out through an emergency exit only door because he was too intoxicated to walk. But this place is lovely. Mostly tourists and locals, coming in for a beer or two to sit and pass a winters evening with friends. I'd imagine the pub that the Inklings met in had a similar atmosphere, although probably better lighting. I can't imagine reading anything in there. The mood lighting is really dark, but they have a lovely big fireplace with an antlered head above it.

And I'm off to bed.

This looks interesting

This looks interesting...

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Sorry

Sorry...for the extended absences.

I've been trying to get moved out, and am under some pressure to do so, but I've thrown my neck out again and it's been taking forever. All I have left to do now (after loading up the truck again today with Dad and dropping it by the house on Lincoln) is to go take out the trash, vacuum, and grab the last few things. But it's taken a several hour lie down to get my neck down from excruciating to dull throbbing after hauling furniture down a flight of stairs and in and out of a truck. Kris helped me unload the first load yesterda -- yay Kris.

On the plus side, I really like my new job. A lot. I worked Wednesday and Thursday, and made some nice money. And since Wednesday was the end of a pay period, I've already gotten a paycheck. They have 24 hour turnaround. And thank God for that, because I have 10 upcoming chiropractic visits.

I'm housesitting for the Logsdons this weekend, so I'll be in Seattle Sunday night through Tuesday morning. And that's about it for me.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Two things

Two Things:

And then I have to get back to the drudgery.

1. I'm doing the last leg of the packing and moving. I've just cleaned the bathroom except for mopping the floor. Next I'm taking the trash out, loading my car with the last of my clothes, and boxing up the last smatterings of stuff. Lastly, I'm moving all my furniture into the living room so the bedroom and bathroom at least will be totally cleared out. Maybe Dad and I can get furniture moved tonight. And then I'll be done.

2. I got a job. Whistlin' Jack's hired me this afternoon.

Monday, March 13, 2006

I'm Home

I'm Home

Wherever that is. Meaning I've moved somewhat into my folks house, but everything else is in boxes in storage -- except the stuff I still need to PUT into boxes, and get moved by Wednesday. I'm tired just thinking about it.

I moved the cats today. Chloe got so upset in the car she peed all over Cai. So they had to get baths. And Cai objected to his. So he clawed the heck out of my arm. At one point I had a 15 pound cat hanging by his teeth from my left wrist. I said things in front of my mother and sister that I don't think they knew I could say. Two words. Sounds like "ducking smell." If ever there was a time to use those words in conjunction, I think that was it. My arm is swathed in bandages. Chloe was way easier. I'm not speaking to Cai.

On the plane from O.C. to Seattle, I was stuck two rows ahead of a several family conglomeration of small children, all wearing commemerative mouse ears, watching Dora the Explorer. Some parent had the brilliant idea to seat them all together, and the combination of DVD and kid noises was a mind numbing cacophany. Especially when you add the two infants who screamed from takeoff to landing. The flight itself was fine. And I got to eat at Ivars in the airport while re-reading Memoirs of a Geisha.

Tomorrow I teach and move and that's about it.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Today

Today I:

Woke up late after going to bed early.

Cooked French Toast.

Bought lipgloss and mascara at Sephora

Called people I haven't talked to in years to get phone numbers and directions.

Talked to Steven on his lunch break.

Ate chicken nuggets and a vanilla shake.

Drove to Miracle Mile.

Listened to my new Alanis Morissette CD.

Spent an hour with Stacey and Maria.

Ate Thai Food on La Cienega.

Drove back to Newport Beach.

Figured out Dawn's new camera and memory card transfer thingy.

Bought blush and eyeshadow for $1 at www.eyeslipsface.com.

Booked my flights home tomorrow.

Saturday, March 11, 2006

The Getty

The Getty

Steven picked me up yesterday before noon and we drove into Beverly Hills to go to the Getty Museum. The traffic in was pretty bad, but never at a complete standstill.

We parked and rode the tram up to the top of the hill. It was fast enough, but then took 2 minutes to travel the last 6 inches of the trip. Very weird. The Getty is huge. First we had lunch in a little cafe. Great food. I had half of a turkey club with avacado and a bowl of clam chowder. And coffee. We both needed to wake up after being out late the night before.

The first building was the antiquities. There was a gorgeous Venus statue in marble. There was a gold laurel wreath from something like 300BC. It looked like it ought to be fake. And one statue of a saint made by a she for a change. The next room over had books from the 1200-1400. Hand written, gold leaf embossed, hand decorated with leaves, vines, calligraphy and illustrations. The second building had more paintings and statues - all breathtaking. I think my favorite from that one was a statue in black of Venus and Adonis. Another building had French furniture from around Louis XIV. It was so huge I didn't even look at individual pieces, just walked into the room and stared. And I found the bed that if I lived in the Getty a la The Mixed up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler, I would have slept in. The fourth building had a photography museum and upstairs were oil paintings. There was one by Millais, and two paintings by an artist I don't know, but I bought the postcards so that I can remember them and buy the print online. And one huge painting entitled Spring that had a thronging crowd pouring out of a castle in greek dress festooned in flowers. The paint was so thick it looked like it was standing out from the canvas. And Steven walked into a room of impressionists and the original of his favorite Van Gogh was there.

We went back for coats to go into the gardens. On the way we saw that the 405 was completely stopped, so we opted to stay at the museum and see the last building and a half we'd missed. By then my brain was on overload and I had nothing left but pithy comments (Wow. Unfortunate haircut on that guy). There was a German Newspaper satirist who had to flee the country for his criticism of Hitler. I'm sure it was cool but all I could do was stare. And the upstairs of the first building had massive amounts of Italian Iconography. Teri you would have loved it. There was a Titian there of the Penitant Magdalene which was beautiful. My brain couldn't do it justice.

The funniest painting we saw all day was a picture of the Holy Family. Mary was looking placid with her left breast exposed. The infant Jesus was standing beside her, with his arm casually thrown over her breast. It was so bizarre.

After the museum we went to dinner at Cucina Italiana on Sunset Boulevard. The food was wonderful, and we got to sit on the patio which was closed in and had heaters. My ravioli was wonderful, and we had a glass of chianti.

We killed time for an hour driving around, deciding to go somewhere else, backtracking, getting lost on the 101, heading back, and then finally his friends Sarah and Tricia called and told us to meet them in West Covina at Starbucks. We went and I got to meet his friends. And then had them take the obligatory pictures for Mom. Which I have to forward to him as well for his mother.

At midnight he drove me back home. It was a 14 hour day, and I am so exhausted, but it was worth every second. What a perfect day...

Friday, March 10, 2006

I'm in LA

I'm in LA

Last night I went out for a late drink with Steven and one of his friends. (I think her name was Tricia, but I'm bad with names) Today we're going into LA for lunch and then to the Getty.

(And nope, Sarah was who I was hanging out with. Tricia is a friend of theirs who's getting married in May. I met her when we went out for coffee)

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Sunday, March 05, 2006

packing

I'm packing.

And moving.

And looking for a job.

In case anyone was wondering.