Current Dirt

I woke up the other day to a city covered in snow. Ahh, Spring has arrived in its usual fashion. And it made me smile. I love when our little world is wrapped in the white stuff, so quiet and warm, like a blanket. This smile was also because I knew my car would make it out of the driveway and down the street without any shoveling or pushing or cursing. It was the kind of snow that was for show, a way to say, look how peaceful and pretty your neighborhood is this morning. A snow that was there just to say goodbye. So goodbye snow, goodbye boots, goodbye puffy down jacket, goodbye really long scarf. Till next year.

It has been an exhausting day. But Chey is home.

We did hit a couple of road bumps with the physical car itself:

Papers were signed, everyone was happy, we walk out to get the car and there is some shmootz on the rear bumper. I saw it there on Thursday but was told it would be taken care of. It wasn’t. So back to the garage it goes. They could not fix it to absolute perfection but at the same time it’s not the kind of mark that will create any future problems. For the shmootz I got the mud flaps I wanted, my first oil change is free and they gave us the tube of touch up paint that is my car’s factory color. That’s a nice bonus too because there will be plenty more shmootz’s to come.

Everyone was happy, and this time we actually get in the car to drive away and there is a coffee stain on the inside of the driver’s side door. So back to the garage it goes. The coffee stain came out with some heavy duty cleanser. No problem.

Everyone was happy, but getting tired, and we actually drive away but before I get out of the parking lot I see a scratch on the trim between the front windshield and driver’s side door window. So back to the garage it goes. Some manager type guy comes to me and says (kind of snotty) that they are just going to get me a new car, that I keep finding scratches and every car has scratches. I said if it can be taken care of I will drive away in this car. An unscratched replacement part was ordered.

I finally drive away. Far, far away.

In the end I was able to negotiate both the car price and trade amount I wanted. And for a smaller monthly payment I have a brand new, two door, five speed, higher optioned, sexy car with mud flaps and an extended bumper to bumper warranty with accidental wheel damage coverage. Hey, alloy wheels are expensive!

This morning after my dentist appointment (no cavities) and after an appointment with my nutritionist (healthy weight achieved) I went to the Honda dealership to get an oil change. I left with a new car.

Sort of out of nowhere, but somewhat premeditated I traded in my 2006 Honda Civic LX for a 2008 Honda Civic EX 5 Speed Coup in Atomic Blue Metallic.

The motivation? I have no use for four doors. And when I sat in the EX Coup today I felt at home. The gear shift, the clutch, the moon roof, the thumping bass of the stereo. Home.

Now it is very possible that the car dealer laughed all the way home from work today because a young women in a pink sweater was totally ripped off. But I don’t think that is completely the case. I feel it was a win-win for me and the dealership. I drive away with the car I have been wanting (I mean REALLY wanting) for the same monthly payment as my old Civic and the dealership will make a nice buck or two or three with my trade. So the dance goes.

Pics to follow!

…I will shower in my own home!

The shower is done and working and wonderful! The contractors expect to be around for two more days, but when they left on Friday they said the most magical words…you can use the shower tonight.

So here for your viewing pleasure is the construction (so far) of our shower…

Believe it or not, Tom is in the last shot. I love our glass brick shower wall. So light and free, yet private.

I am off to get ready for work which will NOT consist of packing a shower bag for the Y!

I survived my first day showering at the Y. Barely. First I want to say I am not sure why I am making such a big deal of it. People workout in the morning and shower at the gym before going to work ALL THE TIME. I’m not even throwing in the workout – though that is something to consider. Anyway, I could barely sleep a wink last night. It may have been partly the concert – but mostly it was running the list of things to remember in the morning, my bag with stuff, my other bag with stuff, my actual gym bag for after work, my clothes. Oh yeah, my clothes. I am three blocks away from home this morning – exhausted from not sleeping well and with a kink in my neck – when my cell phone rings. “There are some clothes on the back of the chair downstairs” Tom says. Click. That’s me hanging up on him so I can turn around and get my work clothes. Showing up in jeans – that doesn’t even fly on Friday’s. Apparently our dog Chyna tipped Tom off to my blunder by sniffing at the chair which got Tom’s attention. Thanks Tom and Chyna. Good save.

But I am ready now. I know what to expect tomorrow, and for the next two weeks. And it’s all going to be worth it, once this place gets some walls, and a toilet, and a sink, and a shower…

…still don’t like it.

Carrie Underwood has that hot song out that even Top 40 stations play (did I just admit I listen to Top 40 – um yup) so I went to the concert knowing three things 1) her hit song played on my station 2) my husband thinks she’s hot and 3) free tickets. Put it all together and it was totally worth it. And when I went through my photos at the end of the night I came away with this butt shot. Lucky Tom.

Here are a couple of things that I could have been posting about, but haven’t:

Upcoming:

Tom is going to see Carrie Underwood in concert tomorrow. I am going too so I can wipe up his drool. Neither one of us likes country music, she’s just that hot.

This weekend I watched an entire Nascar Race, voluntarily. That paired with the concert. Scares me.

Our bathroom officially starts tomorrow. This time for real. I hope to keep a photo diary and bore you with those pics in the near future.

The bathroom remodel is going to give the YMCA a whole new meaning in my life. It’s where I am going to shower every morning for, um, two weeks.

My lovely girlfriend Carrie is coming to visit. She has a hubby and three young boys and she is leaving them all behind for a girls weekend in the area. First stop – getting wasted with me.

My parents are off to travel the world again. Paris and Northern India. They haven’t left yet and I miss them already.

Ongoing

We are making our house nice and cozy. We had an energy star audit done a few months ago. Bottom line: our house has zero, none, zip, zilch insulation. So a two man crew has been here for a few days getting our house all nice and snug.

The insulators have been nice enough to point out a couple of things to us. 1) They can see the sky when they look up along the chimney from the attic. Great.* 2) That smell of natural gas in the basement? Do you smell that too? Why yes I do. Well, bitch, you may want to call the gas company. Oh. Oops.**

Can’t wait for the phone calls from the contractor when he starts looking behind the bathroom walls.

Meanwhile the dogs have been going to grandma’s house everyday while the various crews work in the house. They absolutely love it. So do we. They are tired when they get home.

The energy audit also suggested we buy a new fridge. Done.

* Flashing around chimney fixed.
** Gas leak taken care of pronto.