I'm Not Down, Yo.

I've been sick on my couch for the past three days, coughing and now sneezing every five minutes. Gross amounts of snot. I'm not sure how one can even produce so much. However, due to the Seahorse, I can't take any meds besides Tylenol and Sudafed. So lots of water and a large box of Kleenex. It's not been fun. I pretty much haven't moved since Tuesday morning. I don't even know if I'll try to go to work tomorrow. I don't think they need me, and I don't know if I'll be recovered enough to spend a day at school. Taking a shower made me tired today.

While I've been home, I've had the chance to observe the new neighbors and I do not like them, I do not. First of all, I don't think any of them do anything. They are home all day. One guy leaves every few hours but returns in about ten minutes. Another dude sits out in the car occasionally, in the passenger seat with his cell phone. I'm not sure if a woman lives there, but I am assuming so because they have a minivan and someone is often cleaning, or scraping the walls? Scrubbing the tub? I have no idea, but it's not a silent chore. I'm shocked by this interruption of noise because our last neighbors were almost like ghosts. They even had a child. Yet, I never heard them. It's very odd, and I would like them to come back or maybe the new folk to leave. I like my apartment not to sound like there is someone tromping overhead in my bedroom.

Let Me Tell You

No, Hobbs doesn't have a a Target. We only get to shop at Wal-Mart and Albertson's. All my furniture comes from Rent-A-Center. New Mexico is a flat wasteland of despair. My apartment must have once been occupied by a smoker because all my clothes are tinged with the smell of an ashtray. I haven't met anyone my age here. No one sells Canada Dry Flavored Club Soda here. Fall never happened. Colorado is hours and hours away. There is no red-headed niece to come over on the weekends.

But I am happy.

I have a job I enjoy. Even if some days I want to throw broken bottles at the bad kids. I have great fellow teachers to eat lunch with. I go to aerobics class in the morning and work my butt off. I have a walking path with Hunter. I have my own apartment, stocked with everything thing I need. I have wireless internet. I get to cook whatever sounds good to me. (As long as I have a starch, meat, and a veggie.) I am so well taken care of by CS.

Maybe my life back in Colorado had a few perks, but it was nothing like my life now. I am happy now because I am here with someone who makes me happy. That's all I really need.

For The Folks Back Home

The Back Yard. I say that loosely, because it's mostly concrete except for a tiny patch in the back. In summer, there are three 5 o'clock bushes and the fence by the gate is covered with morning glories. It's the only redeeming part of the "yard".

















The living room is one large space that also contains the laundry closet. My walls are mostly bare. I owe nothing large enough to cover them. These pictures make me sad, it looks as if I don't live here. It's so empty and stark.

















I made CS buy that TV stand so I would no longer have to look at the Rubbermaid bin that used to act as a TV stand. The bin is still in the living room. It's underneath the window. So much for that plan.

















My kitchen is divided from the living room by a center wall that houses the heat/air conditioner. It creates two entries into the kitchen, but it's annoying. That's why the table is right next to the couch and two of the four chairs are useless.


















The kitchen, and the kithen cow. I love my coffee maker and my toaster oven.

















My bedroom. Also bare. Except for that tiny little shelf and the wire candle holder above it.

















My windowsill. I keep books there. And my peacock stained glass wall hanging.

















The bathroom. I have a shower curtain with fish on it. They have googly eyes.
















The extra bedroom. Which is really just floor space to hold all the things we don't have closet space for. Also, most of CS's clothing. He never wears it, so it's rather useless to hang it up. At least, that's my explaination for why we've lived here for four months and it's still in bags.

Where Once Again Hunter Gets Attacked By Nature

This came in through the front door last night. CS and I were watching TV and Hunter starts making this horrid sneezing, choking noises. I lean over to see if maybe he was trying to eat a sticker that someone tracked into the house (He does that, eats prickly stickers for some reason) and I see a large bug scuttle away from him. I shriek "Ew" and then "Ah, Chris, it's a scorpion!" He finally coersed the little pincher into a ziplock so we could look it up on the internet and take it to the vet if need be. I don't think it actually stung Hunt, since his face didn't swell to comical proportions. Unlike the last two times he's gotten into a fight with an insect and LOST.

The scorpion is no longer in the house. I made CS take it with him to work since I didn't think I could convince him to kill it. And we are not letting it loose in the driveway to return to my front door. No way! Apparently, they are common here and the sting isn't terrible but I'm in no hurry to get one. They better not be able to climb stairs.

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!

Hola!

I am a substitute teacher!

I went back to Colorado for Labor Day!

I have three extra people living in my house!

Oh, I've got nothing else.

Substitute teaching. I went in on my birthday to apply for the sub list in Hobbs, and ended up with a long term positon. I started the next day. They didn't even ask to see my ID. They just gave me the paperwork and off I went. I'm teaching AP English to the 8th grade in the morning, and I go over to the Freshman High School in the afternoon to teach regular English to 6th and 7th period. It's going well, I really enjoy the middle school. They are actually willing to learn and talk to me, while the freshman just want to talk to each other and make a lot of noise. I don't know who thought that a freshman high school was a good idea, but I think that upperclassmen serve as role models to freshman in the form of intimidation and these kids are just not getting that on a daily basis. The middle school teachers I'm working with are nowhere nearly as helpful to me as the freshman teachers. Fortunately, I can understand what we are doing in middle school a lot better than the high school. Not that I don't understand the freshman curriculm but it's hard to teach something to people who won't shut up, so they don't make it easy on me to make mistakes or hem and haw about what to do next. I think I have about a week left before the actual teacher can be here, so I'll enjoy knowing what I'm doing on a daily basis for now.

Colorado was awesome. JBelle is so CHATTY. I taught her to do some yoga poses before I left, I think it was a successful trip. It's hard, because I had just gotten used to not seeing her and now I miss her crazy bad. She knows I'm in "Mexico" though, now she asks me "where you at, Jess? Mexico?" I just say yes. The best part about home, beside being home, was Whole Foods. How do people live happy lives without one close by? I just feel better right now knowing that I have Whole Foods items in my fridge. Like Banilla yogurt and some special cheeses, and Peace Pasta. I love you. I don't understand about how I can be so close to Texas and yet nowhere near a Whole Foods or a Wild Oats. Oh, wait. Yes, I can. Because Target is so far away.

The quest for loosing the chubbiness is going well, now that I have a job that requires I not sit on a couch all day. Also, I take two walks a day. Plus one hundred sit-ups and som yoga. I enojy it. And the walks are good for Hunter.

Ok, time for grading. Maybe I'll write up the adventures of houseguests later.

The Good News Is, Marriage By Proxy IS Allowed In Colorado.

But not in New Mexico. However, cousin marriage is allowed. Go figure.

Actually, Colorado Marriage Law allows for Marriage by Proxy for those in the military or those who are incarcerated. Surprised? I thought not.

Anyways, the Common Law Marriage paperwork is on my fridge. I don't know what to do with it, so I stuck it there.

Today was rather exciting as I have been up since 5 AM. I went running for two miles with Hunt before getting ready for my first day at work. (It's really dark at 5:20 in the morning, yet I saw about 5 people out walking.) I'm not very good at running, but it's a lot easier to do when it's not 1 PM on a Sunday afternoon and 103 degrees outside. Oh, and post-drinking too. That was just plain stupid. Anyways, after the run, I headed off to start at the Pacific Rim. I didn't actually study like they told me to; I just looked over the paperwork. But I didn't do too badly. They want me to also work over at the restaurant during lunchtime, which I guess I am ok with. She tried to get me to work five days a week, and I told her I didn't want to. I said I'm ok with four, but depending on how I like it, I may go down to three. It's not like a need the money, nor am I bound to make a lot. too bad bars aren't popular during the day. Maybe I should go work at the casino. Ew, no, they are allowed to smoke on the floor and I am not down with that.

After "work" I went over to a few places in town and picked up a few things. Like two pillows, dog toys, spatulas, a rug, and some light up Princess Pens. Then I went over to Hobby Lobby because I love that store and when I left to go to the bookstore, my car died. I knew just what happened, as it's done this before. The cable connecting the battery to the car came loose and it just needed to be tightened. But, I don't know how to do that. Luckily, there is a Checker Auto right next door so I went over there and told the guy what was wrong and he came out and fixed it for me. I would have taken it straight to Brakes Plus, but I don't know where that is, so I drove home, as I would rather be stranded here. I have an appointment to get it fixed and an oil change tomorrow. No more chances! Fix it now! But man, I'm going to hate paying for car repairs now that I am no longer in Colorado.

Sleeping House

Well. I have a guest. She is sleeping on the couch. And CS is napping in his chair. Hunter is on the floor at my feet. I just showered, so I'm not all that interested in lying down and mussing my hair. And since Lace is here, we are going out tonight. I don't feel like showering twice in one afternoon. So I'll just sit right here.

I'm feeling very frustrated with myself right now. I feel so uncomfortable with myself and the weight I put on. It's probably not a lot, as I can still put on my jeans I wore constantly, but it's enough that I can tell it's more than just a few pounds. It's enough that I can see it when I look at the pictures we took last night. It just happened, all of the sudden. It makes no sense as I have been working out everyday, a lot harder than I have been for the past few months. You would think that the amount of exercise I get would make up for the extra food intake. I suppose that's it, I've been home and constantly snacking for two weeks. It just doesn't feel like that.

So I'm putting the smack down on snacking. It's not really a diet, as I don't like that word. It more like I will actively avoid food and possibly start running in the evenings.

Fortunately, I got a job so I will be getting out of the house and away from the snacks.

And what's my job? I'm going to go work at the "Starbucks" here in town. I start on Tuesday.

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!

Ya'll Are Just Haters.

I'm at the only coffee place in town that serves Starbucks. Hobbs doesn't have an actual Starbucks establishment; the Pacific Rim just serves as an outlet for Starbucks' business. Much like the St. Cloud Hotel in Canon. I'm actually at a coffee bar, and I can see about 50 bottles of Yellow Tail Chardonnay behind the counter.

I started coming here for the wireless as well as the Starbucks. I adore Starbucks coffee. It is the only coffee I can drink with no cream, just some sugar. And I prefer it to be a dark roast. Apparently, that's the first step in admitting I have a "coffee problem." Ok, ok, I have a problem. I love coffee. And I've been without for days. But I do have English Breakfast Tea at home, so I've been handling the withdrawals well.

Last night we ventured out to the casino/race track for the evening with a few people. The casino has an All You Can Eat Seafood Buffet, which really translates to All You Can Eat Snow Crab Legs and Maybe Some Cocktail Shrimp. I truly think buffets are the bane of society and what's wrong with America. Then I ate about 14 crabs. I suppose that I would place fast food on a lower level of evil than buffets as buffets usually have actual vegetables included, but still. It's wasteful and unnecessary. Kind of like dining halls at college!

I have an interview for the library on Monday. I suppose it's slightly wretched of me to go into an interview when I haven't told them that I am not able to work the hours they have posted on the position. But it's also a library, and from what I've seen, they are usually flexible with schedules. I'm not sure how that works if your reason for not being able to work is because you want to actually see your live in boyfriend sometime and also you don't actually need money, you just need a hobby.

Hi, I'm a 24 year old Homemaker!

Oh, wait. I'm only 23. But just for another 2 weeks.

I did find out that we are coming back to Colorado for Labor Day. I have no idea of that's what CS had in mind when he told me they were off for Labor day, but my immediate response was "Can we go home?" Perhaps you can't say no to that kind of thing. Which thank god, because I really want to talk to JBelle. Today on the phone she told me she was going to eat Superman Yogurt and I thought she said "some yogurt" so I asked what kind of yogurt. And she repeated it slowly for me, but in a tone of exasperation. Like "S-u-p-e-r-m-a-n Yogurt, Jessi. Are you not being a good listener right now?" Sometimes the enormity of what I've done hits me, and I realize that though I didn't move to Ohio I did move far enough away that I am not a presence in her life anymore. And that I might not be for years. Some days, that's really hard to face.

Making A Habit.

Now that I am settled (for now, I still have TONS of things on my "Need this" list) into our house, I am trying to get my life back to normal. Since I don't have a job yet, I have an entire day to fill. Luckily, I have lots of things that I want to do. I've started getting up at 6:30 in the morning and taking Hunter for a walk. The first few days I think we only went about a half mile but after some trial and error we are up to over a mile a day now. The only downside to walking is that I live a neighborhood that is surrounded by major roadways in Hobbs. So everywhere I walk, there are cars driving by. And I am used to nice quiet walks in the country where no one drives by and no one else is around. Although, the city people confine their dogs better and I don't get chased! After our walk, I feed Hunt and put him outside while I watch Good Morning America and do a hundred sit-ups followed by some good yoga poses. After that, I take time for cleaning, a shower, breakfast, and run my errands before going out to the job site on occasion. In the afternoons, I usually end up hanging out with Tracy until the boys get back around 5.

I am going to look for a job soon because I know that my days aren't always going to be entertaining to me and I would like to get out there and meet people. The library here is looking for a part timer, but the hours they want me to work are 4-8 and I would never see Chris. Which was the whole reason I came here, so that wouldn't work out. I applied anyways, and if they decide to give me an interview I can see if they are able to adjust my schedule should I work there.

I pulled out my bag of yarn yesterday and I started a project over again (for the 3rd time!) but I think this time I am happy with the pattern. I was disappointed because I thought I had two skeins of this bright, grass green yarn and I only bought one. Not sure what I can do with just one, but we'll see.

I'm struggling with morning TV though because I am still boycotting the Today show after I decided that they were in the wrong for bringing people on the show with no knowledge of the fact that they were about to be ambushed on live TV. I don't really like Good Morning America, and I really Hate Regis and Kelly. The Food Network isn't showing the "good shows" at 8 AM, and I want to watch something educational this early in the morning. I pick trash TV for later in the day. Right after I watch Ellen, actually.

Ok. I'm Back.

I have been cleaning. My new townhouse isn't actually dirty, surprisingly it's rather clean. But I washed the walls anyway. Seriously, I washed the walls. And some of the paint came off onto my rag which is probably a bad sign. But we are here now, all moved in and somewhat settled. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have my own place now.

It was somewhat a process to actually get to here. LPR (CS's company) pays him each week for housing, which when you have a place to live is an insane amount. But when you are living in a hotel while looking for a place, the money they give them each week goes away fast. So it's hard to save up for a deposit when you are giving most of your money to a stupid hotel chain. Fortunately, we were able to go stay with some friends of CS's after we found this place. I say fortunately because it allowed us to save money for the deposit and the first month's rent, but it was also the hardest week I've been through since I got here. I say this a lot, and when I say it, it's said rather jokingly but I'm realizing that I'm semi-serious when I say I don't like kids. I love, love, love JBelle more than words can say. I love being around her, I love playing with her, and doing whatever she wants. It's completely unconditional love. That is what I have for her. Other kids? Um, not so much. CS's friends that we stayed with have three kids, 10, 9, and 2. And they are fun, sweet kids. But they are still kids and they are often trying to be around. It was hard. I felt very confined. Not only did I stay at the house with Tracy and the kids all day long, when Mike and CS got back from work we'd hang out all evening. I had nothing to do all day but wait for CS to get home. I think I retreated into myself for part of that week because if I allowed myself to dwell on what I was doing I would have broken down and cried everyday. But I knew that I needed to wait until we got our own place.

And so far, so good. I'm still not finished with putting this place together. But it's ok. I don't need to have every single rug, dish, lamp, and picture that I've coveted for the past two years when I fantasized about my "apartment". I can wait for another paycheck and the weekend to go to Target rather than settling for something from Wal-Mart. I have months ahead of me here, and then another town after that. There is no rush. And if CS has his way, I won't be taking half the things I "NEED" here because we can just buy new ones. I beg to differ. There is no way I'm giving up some of the things I want once I get them, NO WAY DUDE!

So, I'm here in my two-bedroom townhouse, with ugly brown carpet and a concrete backyard. But I have my pretty curtains in the window and wireless Internet on my laptop while I sit on my couch and watch TV. It's not home yet, but I don't want to walk away.

I do plan on finding a job of some sort while I'm here. I've kept myself busy this past week with cleaning and organizing, along with random errands I needed to do. I know eventually I will not need to do as much with the apartment and I will find myself with a lot of time on my hands but I am confident I could also entertain myself. Although it would be easier if I had friends. And one best makes friends in a new town by working around people. I do want to have time to work on my writing, to be crafty, learn new things. This is such a new beginning, one I've never experienced and I want to see what I can make of it.

The Saga Of New Mexico

On Monday, I went to the walk in clinic in Hobbs because I felt horrid. It started right after I got out of the theatre for HP5. I thought it was just from being in the air-conditioned movie theatre, cramped up in my chair for over two hours. But then I started shaking while sitting in the car and I could tell it was the on set of fever. I didn't sleep well that night and Monday morning I decided (with the Mom's help) to go to a clinic. Turns out that was a good plan. I had a fever of a 102.9 and also a nasty UTI.

What's even better than that? I had to load up my car with all my stuff before I got to the clinic because we couldn't stay at the hotel again. But that also meant I had nowhere to go after the Dr. and I was driving around Hobbs with Hunter, a fever and the temperature outside was triple digits. I drove around the entire town looking for a hotel with a room. Almost all the good hotels are booked all week long because there are so many people flooding into town for work. And the town simply cannot accommodate them all. I finally found a place at the Days Inn and I could not have been more relieved. I just wanted to lie down. And then I may have slept for about 24 hours. I still didn't feel better yesterday, but I felt a lot better most of today. No more fever, but I did have a headache. That's finally gone! Three days was a long time for a headache.

In better news, I think we have an apartment that we get to move into on Friday. We turned in our background checks and the application. So we just have to wait for them to clear us and we can move in. I haven't seen it yet, but it's a townhouse and it's in an area of town where there is a park and a pool. I can't wait. I'm so looking forward to going grocery shopping and being able to eat real food, no more fast food or chain eating. Do you know how hard it is to eat well? I think that's part of my health problem right now, my body isn't getting enough nutrients to fight this nastiness off and it's taking a lot longer.

Oh, and I also have a spider bite under my arm, in MY ARM PIT!

We went to Midland, Texas on Sunday, which is only an hour and a half away, and thank the lord they have TARGET! Along with a mall, and a Petsmart. So good thing the real world isn't too far away. This girl can't go too long without a trip to Target. It just makes me feel good!

New Mexico: The Land of Enchantment. Or, Could It Be Any Hotter?

Actually, YES. It's called Texas. And thank Goodness we aren't there. I mean, it's five miles away. But I'm sure that makes a difference.

So I moved to New Mexico. On Saturday. With Hunter. I did a fantastic job of packing my car up. Hunter had a ton of room, as opposed to sitting in the front seat the whole way there, and I could even see out the back window. (I can't now but that's because I packed up all of CS's stuff when we moved out of our hotel room.) The drive down wasn't bad. It's the longest I've ever driven alone and I think I did well until the end when I got bored with myself and ancy to get out of the car and just be there already. Hunter did quite well too, only one minor mishap at a gas station when he sniffed some weeds and started sneezing. I worried he was bee stung again and there was NO WAY IN HELL that I was going to be able to find a vet for some shots, and all he would be getting was some Benedryl. Luckily, the fit passed and he was fine. I gave him some Lunchable though, just to make sure his appetite was still there. I bet he wouldn't give up cheese if he was dying though, so maybe not a good test.

Hobbs is everything and nothing like I thought it would be. Unless you've actually been out west and know what it's like, I don't think you can comprehend it all. Yes, there are white people here. No, there are no cacti. There are three parks, one strip club, all the fast food you could want, two sit down chain restaurants, a Wal-Mart, an Albertsons, plenty of ghetto apartments, a few nice neighborhoods, and a lot of construction.

I haven't been "Downtown" yet because the streets are all torn up and I don't feel like walking around downtown with Hunter just yet. We don't have a place to live because all the apartments we looked at yesterday (ALL of them in this town) are ghetto. Just trashy. There was a duplex type place and a house we are looking at but we have to wait for the real estate people to come back from vacation to see if the house is acceptable. CS's boss and his wife are waiting on another house with the same real estate company, so some of the waiting is due to them and what they decide. Hopefully, they get into a nice house with a yard so we don't live up living in Seminole, TX just because the market in renting a place in Hobbs is god-awful. I only don't want to live in Seminole because that's at least an hour drive from the job site, which means I would see CS, hmm, about never. Sundays! Also, the population is 5,000. I didn't want to move away from Penrose to move to the Texas version of Penrose. I'm sure the choice is up to me if it comes down to Hobbs vs. Texas towns. Do I want to live in a small town outside of Hobbs to be near to Tracy so I have a friend? Or do I want to stay in Hobbs and meet people on my own? It all depends on Saturday and I'm hoping these real estate people have something good for us!

Hunter has been a lot better than I thought. I've only wanted to kill him a few times and mostly because it was dark outside and I was crabby to be walking around in a field that makes my legs itch and if he would just pee already my life would be so much better. I've since decided to just let him go and hope he comes back to me when I call him. So far, so good. He's been great with Tracy's kids, too. JBelle did a good job in teaching him to "fear the baby." The baby also feeds him cheese, so I'm pretty sure he's not going to mess that opportunity up.

I joined Schnozz's online group, WWW. And I've done nothing with it. I really should. I owe my friend, Em from Ohio, a thousand words by the 20th of July and I would really like them to be fresh words. I don't want to send her something old just for the sake of sending something. I need to WRITE. But this is somewhat hard when I have to check out of my hotel by 11 AM. Although, I could just get up with CS at 5 AM. Even though this option is NOT appealing to me. I sort of did today, but then I fell back asleep and got up at 9. Like normal. I was productive though, as we went to the park and Hunt burned off his energy. Thank goodness for 95-degree weather at 9 AM. Kills all the fun!

Go, Go Toledo

I'm here in Toledo with Annushka. We went sunbathing today, after lunch at Starbucks then again in her back yard. I understand how people get obsessed with the tanning beds because I am the same way, just with actual sunshine. It's best when there is a body of water standing by, like the pool at home or a lake, but I can lay out for a few hours without it. I do have to shower afterwards though. Sweaty is not the look I like to go for.

Sally is getting ready to move into her apartment in AA so this morning we checked out some cookware sets at JCP. I couldn't help but wonder all the things I'm going to need when I get to New Mexico. Like, do we have dishes? What kind of shower curtain am I going to want? Rug from Target for the kitchen floor? Yes, I can just ask CS what he has, but I'm not really going to know until I get down there. He says that we only need the essentials and that he has everything we need. I somehow doubt this. I am a girl, after all. I'm kind of proving him right, actually. Since he thinks it's scarier for a guy to have a girl move in with him rather than a girl moving in with a guy. Because girls come in and change everything to be like how they want it to be. And while I'm laid back and not worried that maybe his sheets won't match my conforter, I am wondering if I'm going to be making dinner out of a skillet or something like that. Boys. Such a mystery.

But then again, I like surprises!