Apple A Day

We walked down the street from my mom's house to the apple shed on Sunday.

I'm pretty sure the first apple I ate cured me from my Pioneer Day Celebration (if you know what I mean.) We let Jacob and Jayden ride in the wagon at first, but then I remembered that 6 year-olds have functioning legs and made the big girl walk. I'd already pushed her and Jacob in the stroller so I was a little tired. And sweaty.

This farm does spray their apples, so while there were tons of lovely apples it's kind of a bummer to know they use chemicals.

Jayden offered to pull Jacob back to the store, so I let her. It lasted about 20 yards and she was done. But I left Gramma push the babies back home part of the way. It was downhill though, so she got the easy part.

When I took my farm booty home with me, I had 5 peaches and 4 apples to deal with. The peaches were on their last days so I sliced them up and put them in pie. I used this pie recipe, except I left the creme fraiche out. Partly because I didn't have a day to waste to make the creme fraiche and mostly because CS won't eat it if I do. But I love this recipe because it only calls for one pie crust and it has streusel! I also took a hint from these hand pies and added some bourbon to the peaches. I couldn't really tell it was there, but CS said he could.

We still need to get a box of peaches for jam but hopefully we have time for that! Maybe next year I will attempt to can more than just fruit jam. Maybe by then I will have a pretty little house with a pantry to store it all.

Keep dreaming, I know.

Churries!

I was a very busy bee last week. The sour cherry tree in the backyard was ripe and loaded with shiny red globes. The birds were unaware that such a bounty was waiting for them so I had to pick quickly or I would lose.

I'm pretty sure I won. They picked it clean a few days after I finished. I couldn't get the cherries on the top of the tree, but there were plenty I could reach.

Then I searched for a jam recipe and found this. I made two batches and ended up with over ten jars and two rubbermaid containers. I probably should have blended the cherries to make a smoother jam, mine is a little chunky but it's still delicious.

Springtime

This morning, when we took a pile of my laundry to the apartment's laundry room, I left Jacob run over to the swing set and play for a bit before coming back for breakfast. It's a perfect sunny day, too warm for long sleeves and jeans. I sat on the swings and watched him run around like a wild monkey, goofy arms and wobbly run. And I thought how perfect this summer will be. Spending most of the day outside, soaking up the good weather before another endless winter.

Then I realized that I have to start working soon. My plans of spending the summer with my boy in the pool as a stay at home mom aren't really reality anymore. I need less than a thousand a month to support us, but I'm not sure how to make enough without working too much.

All I ask for is to be able to stay home and raise my baby. Is that too much? I hope not.

Hot Mess

I never liked wearing my hair in a pony tail for long. I never liked photos of myself when I was wearing no make-up and post working out.


I used to get up at 6:20 every morning during the week so I could work out and walk the dog. I used to go to work everyday and wear pretty clothes and jewelry.



I used to care if I didn't shower before noon. Not showering was reserved for late nights after going out to the bars or weekends when there was nothing to do but watch the Food Network and lounge.


I never understood why people wore yoga pants all the time, or talked about yoga pants, or wished they were back in their yoga pants.



But so much is different now. I like it.

Meatloaf, Again

I have a slightly unhealthy fixation on meatloaf right now. Mostly because it's easy and tasty and since I don't spend much time at CS's house during the day I need quick meals that satisfy his need for meat. starch, vegetable. I'd prefer meals with just a starch and a vegetable but the carnivore in residence would probably complain, or just eat a hot dog right after dinner. Cold, no bun, no condiments. And that's just gross.

I haven't been very creative with food lately. Thus my many meals of meatloaf, spaghetti, pork chops, burritos. Rinse, repeat on a weekly basis. It's sad. I'm sad. I miss buying groceries and making new things. While I'm sure CS's parents would get things I might need, it's just an annoying hassle to have to ask and plan since they don't grocery shop as often as I need. That's the nice thing about being at my mom's. I don't feel bad going to the store and getting things I will cook at her house, because she sends me shopping for her. Then she's happy because she has real food in her fridge. And I'm happy because someone likes what I cook and it doesn't go to waste. You never realize how disheartening it can be to cook and while people might eat it? No one compliments it either. Everyone likes a little recognition. And that's just not something that happens here. Or when I have my own place. CS is very bad about saying nice things about dinner or anything I cook. The only thing he has ever raved about? The car bomb cupcakes by Smitten Kitchen. You should have seen my jaw hit the floor when he started going on and on about them to his friend and how he had to try them, as they were awesome. Hell, I still want to make them on a weekly basis so he'll keep saying how good they are.

But while meatloaf and car bomb cupcakes are tasty, they lose their sparkle after weeks of repeat. I guess there is a freezer full of pork that I could mess with. I have a hankering to delve into something with curry. Any ideas on curry and pork? Is that even allowed?

Don't Shoot!

Ok, I know I promised pictures but I have no camera. Since I'm staying at my mom's, I left my fancy camera under Jacob's crib. I figured I could just use her camera while I was here if I wanted to prove that I really have been crafty. Except the woman who can hardly take a photo at any function to save her life? Took her camera. I have my cell phone but that's not really the best way to document.

So instead I have a pizza recipe! It's an adaption of Jim Lahay's pizza bianca and Smitten Kitchen's pizza with peppers.

For the dough:

3 cups flour
1 tsp. yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 cups water

Combine the dry then add the water and mix with a wooden spoon. Once the dough has incorporated most of the flour, shape in to a ball and place in a bowl oiled with olive oil. Cover and let rise for three hours.

Once the dough has risen, take it out of the bowl and place onto a well floured counter and let sit while you get the toppings ready.

For the topping:
four strips of bacon, diced and fried
1/2 onion thinly sliced and caramelized in the bacon fat
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced
8 oz. Mozzarella, shredded
1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 oregano

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place pizza stone in oven.

Combine the tomato sauce and the spices together in a small pot and let them simmer. Once your toppings are cooked and sliced, you can roll out the pizza dough. Split the ball in half and roll out one half. I had to use plenty of flour to keep it from sticking to the counter. I don't have a pizza peel so I use a metal pizza sheet and cover it with flour and cornmeal to keep the rolled out dough from sticking too much. Once it's rolled out and on the tray, assemble the toppings. Make sure the pizza can move around on the tray before you quickly slide it onto the hot baking stone. Bake for 15-20 minutes until edges are golden and cheese is starting to brown.

Slide off the pizza stone and let cool a few minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Crafty. Like A Fox.

I don't know if it was the change of seasons or if I am so starved for creativity that it had to come out somehow, but I have been on a rampage of crafting. I can't stop! I keep buying fabric or knitting needles and picking up books on knitting. I'm searching Etsy daily, looking for ideas of things to make or fabric I covet. (Why is fabric so expensive? It's the only thing holding me back.) I've already started a stash of Christmas gifts. I finally made myself finish a scarf for my uncle that I started FOUR YEARS AGO. I started it twice, to be fair. But seriously, four years. And it was delicious yarn, so why was it so hard? I made Jacob a tiny bedwarmer, filled it with dried peas instead of rice. I got buckwheat over the weekend and I'm excited to see how that pans out for the next batch of bedwarmers. I made Jayden a crayon roll. Actually, I made two, but I gave up on the first and started a second one when I didn't think through my "quilting" part of it. I learned that I am terrible at quilting. Good thing she's only five. I felted a knitted bowl and I have a plan to needle felt it, except I discovered that my needles are bent. I have no idea how they are bent and I broke one trying to bend it back into place. It still works, just looks wrong. I probably need new ones, but that can come later. The worst part of this "crafty sickness" is that I used part of my Verizon rebate/birthday gift card to buy more crafty items. Fabric that I will probably sew up and give away! I fail. But in my defense, I did buy a set of Halloween PJ's from Target with part of it. That was probably a mistake though, as I now want three more sets. Target is a bad place for me. Bad, but oh so good.

Life In A Small Town

Tonight, we went to the football game for the old high school I went to freshman year. Granted, the school has a new, shiny building so it's not the exact spot where I once attended games, clad in a jersey of the player I was dating, but still the same name and the blue and gold colors. And it made me want to bemoan my life to one of my friends but I couldn't because I knew she'd just say "you chose it" and I'd have to agree.

When I went with CS to his 10 year reunion at Manhattan's (now Kate's) where I used to work on Wednesday and Saturday (and where I hung out on a nightly basis if we're being honest) the DJ asked me why I was back when I had left with such big plans. Of course, the truth of the matter is that I didn't exactly choose this plan. I mean, I did by choosing to stay with CS and his decision brought us back here. I could have stayed behind in multiple places, everywhere we have gone I want to stay because I get attached. I love being back home, and seeing my mom and my friends here. But I love to leave. After being here too long, I want to go. I've lived here long enough and I'd love nothing more than to pack it all up and go back to Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio. Or even somewhere new. I wish we had that option now. But CS's job promises to keep getting better. I wish it would get better faster so we could live on our own and get past this awful stage. But CS can't quit his job because he needs it so we just have to wait for them to follow through on the myriad of promises they have given. It sucks, I hate it. I hate not being able to pay the bills because they won't pay him the amount they told him. But at least he has a job he likes and that he goes to, everyday. Even on a holiday weekend. I hate living where we do and the minute he gets his raise, we are moving to our own house. Where we can all sleep in the same bed together, and the dog can join us. I'm just trying to get through this phase. Hopefully, we move into a phase where things are easier. Where I can get past the fact that I'm living in the same place I have been trying to escape since I was 16. Sometimes, I look at my life and wish I could go back in time and tell myself not to make the same choices. To avoid all the bad things that have happened and make my life easier. Hindsight is a bitch. Part of me has such a hard time with my life because I have spend the last year at home with Jacob. I haven't been making my own money and taking care of myself. I've been relying on CS to do it, and there's a lot of trust in giving over all the things that I was proud of and now it seems like my life is in shambles and I can't put it back together without giving my son up during the day.

I try not to let myself dwell on these things, but after a bad day, sometimes it's hard to forget. But there is always tomorrow, as long as the baby lets me sleep past 6 AM.

Alone

Now that CS is finally going to work everyday, I'm discovering that I am alone all day long. It's not gotten to me yet, but I can see the potential for it becoming a problem. Especially since he isn't so great at dinner conversation and now that I can watch TV all day long, it loses it's fun factor in the evening. And guess what he wants to do when he gets home? So my one source of conversation is now engaged into a UFC fight. Great.

I do try to get out of the house and do something once a day. As Jacob gets older, we will go to the library for story time and crafts. Make an effort to get to know other moms with children so I can have play dates. This stay at home mom life has potential. But now, when he's so small, it's harder to go places without needed to nurse in the middle of an outing. Or constantly waking him up as we go from store to store, when I know he just wants to take a nap. I'm not trying to be a stickler for a schedule, but I do like have some thing loose to gage our day. He naps so frequently right now, and bedtime comes around 9:30, so bath time at 8:30 every other night.

There's so much to parenthood that I already understand. I can do this. I've always wanted to be a mama, and I'm good at it. But CS's experience with children isn't like mine. So while I have my own ideas and plans for how things should go, he's not always there with me. We're working on it though. Last night we went to his parents for dinner and I didn't have to ask him to leave, he did it on his own. Baby steps, I guess.

Please Let This Election Be Over.

Wednesday, 12:45 PM

Phone rings: Caller ID says random numbers: Hello, this is a 45 second political survey. (says automated voice) Would you like to participate in this survey?

Me: Yes (why not?)

Survey Voice: Would you like to take this survey in Spanish?
Woman's Survey Voice: Something in Spanish.

Me: No.

Survey Voice: Are you worried about your job and the future of your company?

Me: No.

Survey Voice: Please say Yes, No or Repeat.

Me: No.

Survey Voice: You Should BE!.


CLICK.

Too bad this wasn't a real person. Since my job title is now MAMA and I don't think that's going away for life. And what's more, I'll be getting a second job in about three to five years. So sure, my job and the future of my company is secure.

I should have kept listening. Was it a Democratic or Republican ad? Could be either at this point, am so SICK of negative campaigning. Someone should put that into the Constitution. I'd vote for anyone if they took that stance in an election. Democrat, Republican, Dictator. Who cares.

Welcome To Arizona, Land Of The 24 Year Old Snowbird

CS and I bought an RV yesterday. Supposedly. According to the sales people, we meet a few of their banks criteria for loans so even though it was a Sunday, we signed the forms and paid a down payment on a Prowler 5th Wheel. CS assures me that it's not a joke, that his is how he got the truck but I'm waiting for them to call and say "ok, when do you want to pick it up" and "here are your keys." That's when I'll go along with it.

I know it sounds so ridiculous that I am going to own an RV. I mean, I'm having a baby for Pete's Sake. However, this RV? Has an extra room, with a little cupboard and drawers! And a real DOOR. Right now I'm living in a box and I can't tell you how much difference a real door makes.

So before you freak out that I'm a crazy, crazy who lives in a RV park and will be having 6 kids in dirty clothes and 3 dogs tied up underneath my 5th wheel, let me explain. If we continue moving around from place to place (like we plan on doing) we are going to be wasting handfuls of money every month. Not only in rent to skeezy landlords who allow their apartments to fall apart and refuse to give any of the deposit back when we can't give a full thirty days, to paying for utilities, and also renting furniture. Will all those bills piled up, we are paying over fifteen hundred a month in living expenses just to live in a horrible apartment. By buying an RV, we are saving ourselves almost a thousand a month. What would you do if you had an extra grand a month?

The other benefit is with moving. When we get to a new place, we don't have much time to find a place before CS has to be at work every day. These small towns aren't used to a large group of people coming in so finding a place isn't easy. Which means staying in a hotel and that costs mucho dinero. Also boring for me. When we have our own 5th wheel, we just secure everything down and drive away. No more scramble for boxes and packing them into my car and CS's truck. No disrupting the baby's life because we are picking up and moving. It's the closest we can get to making a stable environment for a baby.

This 5th wheel is HUGE. It has a really tall ceiling and the kitchen has tons of cupboards and even a pantry! (sorta) There is a TV stand and a table. Room for Hunter on the floor and a real shower. It's new. It doesn't smell musty and previously smoked in. Truly clean and sparkly. It just makes sense even if it's a tad bit weird to admit that I will live in the RV park off the highway, last row at the top, third trailer in.

Sweet Potato Makes Me Cry!

Go read this.

Ok, you're back now? Was that not the funniest thing you've read? I laugh until I cry when I read that, every time. Maybe it's because I have my own Sweet Potato Thief in Huntykins. I can relate. I read it during Advisory today, and one of my student's saw me and asked me what I was doing. She wasn't amused by my answer. But who cares. She was tardy today.

I just have to get through some Springboard online testing tomorrow, and then I'm home free! I'm so excited! I have so much I want to do, and so little time. Christmas break is going to be well appreciated. That will be 10 days of un-interrupted goofing off. I'll probably be broke broke at the end, but it will be a good time! This is why I have a savings account, and I know how to use it. And I'm talking about mine, not CS's. He has his own. I may or may not control it with an iron fist (if you ask him) but it's for his own good. I can't help it if I'm good with money. It's part of my make-up. Right next to the gene that demands I collect useless things, like empty wine bottles for an unforeseen reason. I'm pretty sure that it's not going to go away, this compelling desire to save, save, save. It's only going to get worse. Honestly, is that such a bad thing? I'm never going to be like my grandparents, and scrimp and worry about spending any money. But I'm also not going to be like my father, who spends like it's literally going to burn up if it's not out of his hands in mere minutes. I want to have a decent amount available at all times. An "In Case of Emergency and There is No Other Option" fund. Before I moved, I was saving up to move. Now, I'm saving up "Just in Case." In case something happens and CS can't work and we need to pay bills. In case I need to fly somewhere in short notice. CS may make good money at his job, but holidays and bad weather mean nada moolah for us. And we have BILLS, BILLS, BILLS. Destiny's Child ain't got shit on us. Between my loans, his truck, and our rent, we make it alright. But it'd be easy to be struggling. Like they say, "You make more, you spend more." Although, Lord knows what we spend it on. It's not like Hobbs offers us a whole lot of options. New Mexico is so Enchanting that I drive to Texas for cleaning supplies.

Login!

I finally have a Login name and password for my classes. Or for the computer in my room. I can actually enter grades now. Which, I suppose I should be doing right now. Oh, wait. Can't. All my grades are in a packet that's currently in the computer lab. I'll do it during 4th period. Which the kidlets take a test. Online state testing is my friend.

Except for the fact that I hate No Child Left Behind because in actuality, it CANNOT work. It's not my job to teach that punkass kid who refuses to learn. I can only present the material. I can't make anyone remember it.

Yesterday, while we were having lunch, Coach asked me what I was eating. Just like he does everyday. I had brought leftover stuffed red peppers, the ones from Smitten Kitchen, I believe. It's full of eggplant, carrots, onions, and tomatoes with a little bit of ground chicken, topped with sour cream. It's very good, I recommend it! Anyways, it's sort of a game to me. I bring in weird food and he asks me what I'm eating, because I think he's glad he didn't end up with a woman who cooks squash and actually likes it! Poor CS. Honestly, I don't bring in really strange things, although if I lived near a Whole Foods, you know I would. I've brought hummus, pita, spaghetti squash, Progresso Soup, Taco Salad, ect. I eat somewhat healthy at lunch. Yesterday, when he sees my red pepper lunch, he asks if I ever just want some steak and a potato. Which, of course I do. Just not daily, like someone else I live with...who also doesn't like rice. OMG. So I told him about how I read food blogs lately and I've been cooking things from there, including my pumpkin cheesecake brownies. Everyone started giving me a hard time about how come they aren't seeing any of this at work! And my response was "I only send it to my friends!" Which was not how that was supposed to come out. And man, did I get in trouble for that. So I went home to redeem myself and I made Carrot Zucchini Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe from Coconut and Lime's blog. They are pretty damn tasty. I wanted something with a Fall-ish taste but I didn't have a good recipe for pumpkin bread. I didn't want banana because I wanted to use cream cheese frosting. So I knew carrots needed to be involved but I wanted it to be healthier than carrot cake. Thus-Carrot Zucchini. In pretty little Fall colored leaf liners.

I think I redeemed myself. I'll have to think of something else for next week. Since I don't always have to stay after school on Wednesday because I'm technically a Sub, I get to leave at 2:30 instead of 3:30 the rest of the week. I am planning on taking that extra hour I have and making something for Thursday. Can you tell I miss brunches?

The Truck Wants to Make Out With Me, And Buy Me Pretty Things!

Or maybe just marry me.

Why? Because I took it in to be serviced, and I vaccumed it, and I attempted to wash it! Automatic car washes are not an option for CS's beloved truck. No way, dudes. So I washed it by hand, with a bucket of car wash soap. Did you know there is such thing as car wash soap? I have never thought to wonder, until now. Now I just know. Only buy Maguires. Ok? I'm sure you were worried about what kind to use, and possibly you have been using the wrong kind. So start with the "good for your car" kind tomorrow.

I say I attempted to wash it because it's very dirty and covered in mud. And the water here leaves spots and white streaks when it dries too fast. I am just a short little girl who doesn't really know how to wash cars, much less huge trucks. But I did my best. And I cleaned out all the trash in the bed of the truck too.

Seriously, this truck wants to marry me now.

I accomplished quite a lot on my day off today. Flies have taken residence on our back screen door and the window above the kitchen sink, so last night I smeared up my windows trying to kill all the awful flies that invaded while we were making dinner. I killed a lot. Not many of them returned tonight! I vaccumed the house, cleaned the bathroom, waited around for the maintenence men to show up and fix the damn door already. Which they did. I heard loud bangs while I was in the shower, and I'm glad I didn't need to let them in. It's so nice now, I no longer have to slam the door shut or drag it open! It's like magic now, and so quiet. They also manages to somehow lock me into the house when they fixed it. The deadbolt on the front door doesn't work and when I came down to open the door for them to tell me they had finished, I discovered I was locked in. So I had to go out the back and work the key around in the lock before it opened again. After he saw that it was broken, he told me they would come back and they actually did! Fixed my deadbolt and gave me a key! Which is good, because you can totally open that door with a credit card. I am better not knowing that information, but I made CS tell me how he and our guests were getting in when they had lost his key. Then I made him show me how to open a door with a credit card. Just in case, you know?

After my house was all spiffy and clean, I went to get the truck and take it to Ford for a ton of services. I was there for an hour and a half, and only at the end did some annoying man start to talk to me. Luckily, they called my name. Actually, they called me Mrs. Slattery, about three times before I realized he was calling me. Hey! It's not my name! Oh, but you don't know that...Just gonna roll with it. Close enough to it, anyways. I also have his credit card and account password. It's not my fault I'm so good with finances! Plus, when I had no money and nothing to do, I felt really isolated in my position. So I control the money. He just makes it. Riiight.

And that's why he's buying a Wii on Friday.

Putting Off Bedtime

I'm not sure why I don't want to go to bed. I'm also not sure why I'm watching a movie about sled dogs racing across the Arctic to find their master, either. Hunt wants to know who the hell is barking and why can't we play? Sorry, buddy, TV dogs are the only pals you've got right now. But this is too funny, he really thinks that there is a dog somewhere in the apartment, he just doesn't realize it's on TV. And now....he's looking out the window.

I am cruel.

I've been thinking for the past few days that CS and I need a little break away from the norm here in NM. I feel bad for him because he's so tired all the time. He works hard all day, comes home, eats dinner, watches some TV with me, and then falls asleep around 9. My life isn't spent working, like his, but I do spend very little with him. I know that when I get home I want to sit in front of my computer and veg out, so he does that too. I can't force him to go out and do something every night because 1) that's hard to do here, and 2) he's exhasted. I told him yesterday that we needed to take a vacation. He told me today that he's not working the third weekend in October. All the foremen are having a workshop or conference in Denver and he will have time off. "YES!" I thought, right away. That's perfect. Three days for us to just be, maybe we can get away from here. Secretly, I want to go to Austin, TX and play around there. But then he goes on. His boss and friend, the one we stayed with in the beginning, is going to the Denver meeting. And he wants to bring his wife. And not his kids. Apparently, they have been fighting a lot because they haven't had any time together sans children. So he asked if CS and I would stay with the kids at night while they are gone. Someone else would watch them during the day, but we'd take over at night.

And I...just. don't. know. I want to say no, but I feel like that's not an option. CS is their unofficial "godfather" so is it wrong to put ourselves first? And you all know it's no secret that I have a difficult time around the kids. They are of an age I don't relate to, and their lack of discipline makes it hard for me to enjoy them. So to give up three days of time with my boyfriend? The boyfriend I see and talk to for three hours daily? That's hard. Yeah, I understand it's rough to live this life, to move around, to have kids in tow. But that's why we don't have kids. Why we won't have kids and live like this. I want my kids to have a stable home and I want to have friends that are mine, not my husband's coworker's wife or GF. I want to be selfish here and say "You picked this, and I need time with my significant other, too" but maybe that's out of line here.

I'm not even sure if we could afford to go anywhere on this three day weekend, but that's three days I could be with CS and actually get to know the man more. See him well rested again, and check some of the world around us, together. Babysitting is not my idea of a fantastic long weekend. I'm not sure if I've officially said Yes or No, though. More of an "I guess" in a reluctant, I can't look at your face when I say that because I know my feelings are written all over my face, sort of way.

I Think Some Pie Is In Order

I don't know how to make pie. But I may try tomorrow. If nothing else, after this stint in New Mexico, I will be a proficient baker. Maybe I can perfect chocolate chip cookies, as mine always seem to come out badly. I wonder what kind of pie I should make. Or maybe you all want me to make something that's shippable.

Somehow I think that will be the overwhelming desire. Hmm, what's fun and shippable? Fudge? Cookies, again? Brownies? Too bad cake and cupcakes are not shippable. I would like to make those!

So we were supposed to go to Carlsbad Caveran tomorrow, but CS has to attend some sort of CPR class in order to keep his job, which is a good thing, but that means no trip to Carlsbad. And I was really looking forward to that. I don't know why, but I was. So that disappointment, on top of CS falling asleep tonight at 5 and not wanting to wake up for dinner (which took me a while to make) has me kind of bummed out tonight. Or maybe I've reached my limit of "alone time" and I would like to have a friend here. One that I'm not dating, and one that has similar interests to my own rather than just the fact that our significant others work together. I wonder if any of the teachers at the school are close to my age, or if I'm sort of out of the loop on that. Being 24 isn't easier. I think it's harder, because now people are starting families as opposed to going out and drinking. I know that none of my OWU friends are doing that, but that's because we are special and we value education over procreating RIGHT NOW like many of society chooses to do.


***********

So two days later...

I ended up talking to CS after all that and I feel better now. Mostly I was just frustrated that I made dinner, and then ate dinner alone. I realize he works hard, all day long and six days a week. But I also spend a majority of my time doing things and waiting for him to come home. I'm going to work on going out and doing things in the evening, as opposed to making dinner and watching TV all evening. That's a winter thing. It is fall. So first up on the list: Rollerskating! I'm thinking tomorrow.

We did end up going to Carlsbad in the afternoon and it was COOL. The caverns are huge, it's amazing that this was created and that it still stands. I'll put up photos in my Facebook and Myspace, but sadly it was so dark in there that it's hard to tell what you're looking at. I highly recommend them if you are ever down in the Southwest. And especially if you enjoy geology, like I did (Thanks, Dr. Mann). There was one section called the Bottomless Pit, which has a bottom and also Fairyland, which I thought looked a lot like something in Dante's Inferno and maybe we were in a circle of hell. What shocked me the most was the fact that they have the Lower Caves and they haven't even been explored yet! There are tunnels and caverns that no one has been into! How cool is that? I am speechless over it.

I should get baking on that pie now. And maybe some Snickerdoodles for my lovely friends!

I Resorted To Sticky Notes.

Yesterday afternoon one of the houseguests brought down a bunch of glasses and mugs that had been sitting in their room for days. I refused to do them. All evening, I knew those dishes were in the sink. They made dinner with everything still sitting in the sink. I also didn't do the dinner dishes, just left them on the counter. This morning, the female faction of our guests left without touching them (they left the cooked chicken out over night! And all day!) so before I left this morning, I put a sticky note on her computer asking her to do the dishes, take out the trash, and put away the food.

And I came home to a clean kitchen and no houseguests!

Seriously, they moved out.

Ok, ok, not because of that. They found a place yesterday and all their furniture was moved this afternoon. Thus, they are gone! Perhaps I will miss not having houseguests to hang out with in the evening. But I'll take a clean house and no one using my towels after I do with much glee!

Hunter and I went to the Dog Daze of Summer at the pool this afternoon. Just like the one I went to in Denver, they allowed all the dogs to run around and play in the water before they drain it. Hunter had a great time, he spent most of it in the water or chasing his new friend Doc around. I met a few people there, and I am hoping I'm brave enough to call her and maybe do lunch sometime. You never realize how much you miss having educated people around until there aren't any. I'm sure most of you never have that problem. Anyways, it was nice to get out and meet some people with dogs, wait, people with dogs who care about them. I'm going to a chili cook-off at the end of the month and maybe I can find some more friends! Oh, and I also got a hairdreser while I was at the pool. Perhaps I can find a Dr, or someone else useful!

For The One Who Has Read The Internet

You know who you are <3

Sorry I didn't post as promised last night. But I got home from school and broke into mass cleaning mode. I did everything in about three hours. Kitchen, vaccuming, windows, bathrooms. And in the end, I was happy. For about two hours before the f-ing tenants came back and fucked it all up.

Actually, I can't say that about all three of them. One is very nice and respectful of all that he does and I would let him sleep on my couch for as long as he needed. The other two, however, need their own maid service. And that does not make me a happy camper.

Unfortunately, this might have all been avoided if they hadn't started out on the wrong foot. See, Rule #1 in my "Book of Proper Houseguests" is Don't use the Hostesses make up, especially her eyeshadow brush. So, see? Hate, all in the first 24 hours. From there it's leaving shoes in places like the bathroom, cereal and milk in the sink, leaving plastic bags on the toaster while cooking something, MGD bottle caps all over the place, and lottery ticket shavings on the table. Yeah, I would have gotten annoyed by these things, eventually. Since I am clean here. And because I would respect someone else's house.

Ok, time for me to go sub again! But it's Wednesday, and that means short classes!!

Just A Common Thing

Before I decided to come to New Mexico with CS, I had a very had time with the idea that I was losing my health insurance. I've never been without it, except for two months when I first started working after graduation. When CS told me about coming down here, he told me that I wouldn't have to worry about health insurance once I was here because I would be able to get on his plan.

Well, now that I'm down here and coming close to the cut-off for pre-existing conditions (maybe past that limit already, actually) I remembered to remind him I wanted on his insurance. Two days ago, he told me he went into the office and was told it would be easy to add me.

Today he brought home the forms.

CS: You may want to read these. You might not want to do it.
Me: Um, ok. (scans a form)
CS: Look at the other one.
Me: Hmm? (Am distracted. Easily.)
CS: Look at the one on the table.
Me: What? (Also, can't pay attention to spoken words.)
CS: This one!

Oh. The one with QUESTIONNAIRE FOR COMMON LAW MARRIAGE splayed across the top of the page?

Oh. That one. Turns out I need to have a common law marriage with him in order to be able to get benefits. Of course! After I read the form and screeched out an "Oh my god", CS got down on one knee and asked me if I'd be his Common Law wife. (In JEST, people.) I suppose that I should have seen something like this occurring. What with all the trouble people across our nation have with health insurance. No way some construction company is going to allow the unwed participate in their plan. Must have a ring! Or at least some sort of declaration that we will maybe someday have a real wedding, but if not at least he can claim me on his taxes!

My mom had me look up Common Law Marriages in New Mexico before I came down here. NM does not have a common law marriage law, but Colorado does. And since we are both still legal residents of that state, I don't think I can claim to be married here but not in Colorado.

So I guess I have to decide if I want to be "married" in order to have health insurance. I certainly couldn't have predicted that two months ago!

Today I:

Walked 2.5 miles.
Did a hundred sit ups and 20 minutes of Yoga poses I learned in DANC115.
Had tea and granola while reading my blogroll.
Started laundry.
Unloaded the dishwasher.
Showered, dressed, did my hair.
Interviewed at the Hobbs Public Library.
Drove to the job site to bring CS lunch.
Went to Hobby Lobby, the Post Office, Cotton Castle.
Went to see Tracy for a bit.
Swept and mopped the kitchen.
Sprinkled smell good dust on the carpets and vaccumed.
Started dinner.
Did the dishes.

And I still have a list of things to do tomorrow.