STAR CHART

We’ve got a large number of our boxes unpacked. The entire place is still an awful mess though. Except for the kitchen. Cool thing is, the movers come back once and will pick up the boxes and packing paper. I think they’re coming this Wednesday. We’ll have most of the boxes done by then. We have a few boxes that still need to be put in the basement storage, and all of the books are still unpacked. I’m saving them for last. Right now all our knick-knacks and stuff are on our bookshelves, so we need to get more wall storage to put them up before we can do the bookshelves.

We bought a new shower head today. The shower head that was here is level with my shoulder. So we got the kind that has all the different settings, from extremely violent water to mist, that you can take off the wall and use it like a bidet if you want to. (But probably not a good idea to use the extremely violent setting for that one…)

We also bought a new microwave, a stainless steel one! Because the one we had was damaged in the move. I’m kind of glad in a way. It was a really nice microwave, but this one is much prettier.

We also got a Costco membership for the first time. I look like a dork on the picture, but then, everyone always does. We found out that not everything there is cheaper. The showerhead we bought there was twenty dollars cheaper at Target.

My Cat Hates You

We spent Christmas with Dan’s grandparents in Oceanside, California, which isn’t too far from San Diego. It was in the upper sixties most of the time we were there, and sunny for much of it. It was such an interesting 2 days that it’s hard to think of a way to write about it all here. But I’ll try…better be chronologically.

First of all, we flew out Friday night. I think eleven or so. I can’t really remember. The flight was about two and a half hours, and it was pretty uneventful until we got to the San Diego area and realized that it was completely fogged in. They actually closed down the entire airport. So we circled for a while, hoping it would lift, but finally, they flew us to L.A. instead. A lot of planes had been diverted there, and first, the attendants told us that they were just parking out of the way in some random spot and would fly back to San Diego as soon as the fog lifted. Of course it didn’t, so then they bused is in to the airport to pick up our baggage. Those who were on connecting flights got a free hotel room that night, but since San Diego was “close” (two hours away) they didn’t pay for hotels for the rest of us. In the meantime, Dan’s grandpa was planning on picking us up at the airport, and we had no way of getting a hold of him because we had an incorrect phone number for him.

After a scammer tried to talk us into using his unlicensed car service that would have costed even more than a taxi, we succeeded in renting a car and driving to Dan’s Grandparents house. We arrived between four and four-thirty in the morning. x(

Staying with Dan’s grandparents was wonderful. They fussed over us and pampered and spoiled us with food-laden tables every morning and evening. His grandmother told us fascinating stories about her life in Poland during WWII, and his grandfather played songs for us on his harmonica. Traditional Christmas songs I was familiar with, traditional Polish Christmas songs, and a few Broadway pieces too. It was so much fun. They hate the Witnesses, so it felt very validating to hear what they had to say about them. They’re pleasant enough to the JWs when they come to their door, even attend meetings with their daughters if they want them to, but they can see right through their brainwashing and fear-mongering techniques.

We took walks down by the ocean. We saw lots of pelicans, pregnant seals, and dolphins. Waves crashed on the rocks and birds cried and I really got the strong salty sea smell that I love. I love being here in Seattle, but we’ve been so busy that we haven’t had any time for going over to see the Puget Sound or anything, so I hadn’t had my ocean fix yet. Even though every once in a while I would catch a hint, in an ocean-dampened gust of wind or a seagull squawking overhead.

California is weird. It was like being in a different world. People surfing, walking around in shorts and tank tops and Santa hats, palm trees heavy with red and gold ornaments and twinkling lights, a Christmas party on the beach replete with a fully decorated “pine” tree and everything!

This morning we got up at four in the morning to catch the plane back. I slept a little on the plane, and Dan’s taking a nap now. We let our friend Cady borrow our car while we were gone, so she picked us up at the airport. It’s good to be home back in the Pacific Northwest. I just don’t relate to the sunshine. It’s like a foreigner. When I lived in Boise, it felt like a persistant unwelcome relative, nagging and demanding. It’s a relief to be away from its constant blaring, but I feel bad for Dan. Everytime the sun peeks out it’s like fresh water for him, and he drinks it in like he’s starving. I can’t help but feel that it’s my fault he’s being deprived…but I honestly can’t imagine living any other way.

He’s taken an interest in sushi. He’s had some really good smoked salmon and avocado/crab stuff…I don’t know the correct words or anything…and the other day when I smelled fresh sushi and began to talk about how delicious it smelled, he was really surprised to find that he agreed. Yay!

Also, I am starting college at the Seattle Central Community College on January 3. Unfortunately, all of the art classes are filled up. Since I can only afford to take one class at a time until I qualify for in-state tuition, I decided to try for English or Math. The English is filled up, but the Pre-Algebra (which their placement test placed me in) only had a one-person waiting list. In case I don’t get in, though, I’m taking Poetry. If the Math becomes available, I’ll just drop the Poetry, which I’m honestly not that excited about. For some reason, I’m excited about the prospect of taking Math. I’ll take Art the next quarter or semester or whatever it’s called.

I’m also looking forward to joining some of the clubs and groups in the College. The idea of participating in a community is very exciting to me. Not the participating in itself…but the idea that I might actually *have* something to contribute! I really wanted to join the Art Club when I was in High School…so I’m going to look for something like that…and/or a gay and lesbian rights group.

My laptop is being screwy. Half of the keys aren’t working. That’s not nice to come home to…once Dan needs his computer it’s gonna suck. (Ha ha! After Dan said something sucked, his grandpa said, “Yes, that sucks.” LOL)

Ahhhh, I just can’t get over how nice it is to be home. The Space Needle missed me, and even the sun is peeking out here and there to say hi to Dan.

Last night after the poor movers had to lug all our boxes and furniture up three flights of stairs (because we have a crazy manager who doesn’t like movers using the elevator…he got so mad when they used it on their way back down that he blocked it off for the entire day, even making a little old lady use the stairs. Insane creep…) Dan and I had to clean out our apartment in Redmond (which included a few boxes of stuff, a lot of clothes and toiletries, and food) and lug them down three flights of stairs to our car and then bring them back up to our apartment. Luckily the elevators were working by then and we didn’t have to lug any more than necessary.

We unpacked a few boxes last night…just so we could get our bed made and the shower curtain up and ready for use in the morning. And then I took a long, hot bath. ^_^ When I finally sunk into my bed, I couldn’t believe how great it felt…and it just feels so good to finally have all our stuff in one place permanently. Ahhhhh. And what a lovely place it is, too.

I don’t quite have the energy today as I did yesterday. I’m a lot more sore, that’s for sure. We’re leaving town Friday to visit Dan’s grandparents, and before then, I need to go down to the College and take their test so I can register for art classes by the end of the month.

That’s not me!! But she looks like me!