Category: Domestic Life

more paint at the Augur Inn

Robby the Bomb gave me a ride back to the Augur Inn last night and picked up the kindergarten table and chairs which my Granny gave to my parents back when I was a wee tad.  It was odd to be giving furniture that has been in my family for 45 years to somebody else, but Robby (and his amazing wife Char) have been most excellently good to me and my family for many years, and they have two soon to be school aged children – and he said they’d bring it back for my grandkids, ha ha, so I felt pretty happy about that.

I painted trim and doors and carried garbage downstairs and cleaned the upstairs bathroom until I ran out of tile cleaner. Keith said he was really upset about all the changes – he only just came to this realization and it’s making him feel very odd and displaced.

Tonight, Dinner at Tom and Peggy’s.  I may pick up a couple of the frozen salmon and bring them back here: Paul can have the rest as he still has the barbeque.

Paul moved into his apartment yesterday. 

Keith gets mugged, but it all works out OK

Yeah, there’s a sentence I didn’t think I’d ever type.  Keith opened the door for me this morning and there he was with a picturesque and bloody bandage on his chin.  I said, what happened, and he said, with a big smile, I got mugged.

He got off work and three guys jumped him.  I asked him if he gave a good account of himself and he said no, and I scolded him.  All those bloody years of karate…

Anyway, they stole his lime green shirt, the one that was so ugly it caused a mutiny, his work ID, and his extremely expensive dress shoes that I got him for work.

He got two blows to the chin and his glasses fell off (but were recovered), but he didn’t fall over or lose any teeth. He seemed to find it quite bracing.  Honest to god.

So he went in to work and found out that his muggers, on opening up the bag and finding nothing in there but evidence that Keith, unlike them, had the wherewithal to get a job, had tossed his packsack in a dumpster, where it was recovered by an angel in human form named Mike, who promptly walked it back to Metrotown and had the pleasure of reuniting Keith with it in person.  Keith lost nothing in the encounter, to hear him tell the story.

Today I cleaned and went to Metrotown and bought myself shoes and then met up with Katie.  Not a single effing thing that I was looking for in HMV was there, berloody useless store, but Katie spent 100 bucks on herself, and then we went to Spiderman 3, and then we all went our separate ways home but we’re going to get together later this week to see Hot Fuzz.  

 

The end.  Kids, I tellink you.

More cleaning

Yesterday I got to the Augur Inn, where I a) returned the penultimate Strangers in Paradise, b) cleaned the downstairs bathroom, removing paint spatters and glue which had been there since we moved in, cleaning the door, and putting the light fixture back up so that all that remains is scrubbing the floor and painting the door c) cleaned the railings in the deck, d) rewashed some windows, e) ran the loveseat cover Janice got through the laundry and hung it to dry as Zeek! bled all over it, f) started detailing the downstairs kitchen, g) scrubbed out the laundry room sink some more (it isn’t done), h) washed the exterior of the windows in the garage.  Partway through my day Katie took me out for breakfast.  It was yummy, and you can get steak and eggs at the Big 6 for $6.35.

About 3:30 I bailed and Paul drove me to the liquor store and I picked up beer, wine and vodka (the only mix I have is orange juice….) and helped me in with MORE boxes and some pictures (I left them in the garage) and then I spent a lovely four hours with Gail, Jerome’s mum, who’s a simply fascinating woman who has raised three simply splendid children, and whose brother Bruce wrote that Vancouver Map Book (before there were computers).  This is a book which shows what Vancouver looked like in ten year increments and which lived next to my bed from the time I got it to the time I moved (of course I can’t find it, but I will when I’ve finished unpacking…)

 

Then I unpacked my new vacuum cleaner and I LOVE it. It’s a new Hoover canister and it does everything a vacuum cleaner should do and there’s only two attachments and it looks like a bug eyed alien and is bright orange. I vacuumed my apartment (well, not the bedroom, the bedroom is a disaster still) but the rest.

This morning I got up and washed the pot and pans I got at Ikea and made myself coffee and breakfast, and now I’m going to figure out when the first bus comes and then go over to the Augur Inn.  Katie was going to take me to see Spiderman and Keith and Paul invited themselves along but that’s okay….

The weather has clouded over.  There are many, many birds here,  I could birdwatch all day.  This morning I watched a hawk kill something.

Burnt and his new bride are probably honeymooning somewhere.  I will get a full report on the wedding from LTGW on Monday, or so I hope.  Men never remember the details women want to hear, unless they’re gay or making a heroic effort.

I have started reading Master and Commander.  Stephen Maturin’s comments about thinking he was gonna die are very funny, and Jack Aubrey is the most admirable mixture of low cunning, high spirits and cluelessness that ever walked on the foredeck of any ship, real or imagined.  Sigh,  I can hardly wait for Pirates of the Caribbean III.

Paul has made revisions to the separation agreement (as have I) which I have not yet seen.  He says he’s not putting the house on the market until the separation agreement is chopped, and also I shouldn’t have moved out because it’s costing a lot of money.

Uh…. I wasn’t thinking about money when I moved out. I was thinking about my sanity.  I had a little hiatus there while I didn’t do much, but that had as much to do with the unbelievable YogSuggothian hor-ror of work as any other emotional background noise, and I was still going back to the house to clean rather more than I want to, because I am actually serious about getting the house sold.

I already know what’s going to happen.  Paul will stall until the house selling season is over, then move back into the basement and rent the upstairs.  He can do what he likes.  I still own half the house and when the time comes to renegotiate the mortgage, he can buy me out and experience the joy of doubling the size of the mortgage on one income with a renter who may or may not work out.  Even if housing prices plummet I will still be free.  This is why I find what Paul’s doing so amusing.  He keeps talking about money. He never talks about the emotional stuff, only about the inconvenience, and how the house which he spent many many hours complaining about has now majickally turned into a haven.  I already got what I wanted.  I have contemplated how I would feel if I lost every penny on the house.  I would be plenty cheesed, but you know, life goes on.  My spiritual advisor has lost just about everything, twice, in the last ten years, and all it’s done is make him a better person with a clearer understanding of what’s important.  I should be so lucky as to have life events that did that for me!

I want to sell the house and get the best buck possible not because I am a raving acquisitive bitch, but because I want to have the wherewithal to help my children.    Happy Mother’s Day, everybody.

More cleaning

I am off to the Augur Inn for more cleaning, and then a visit with Gail.  Hope everybody has a great day – the weather is simply glorious.  Which means, of course, that the chances are very good that I will be sitting on the administrative side of a table in a reception center after the Fraser floods….  Pray that it cools down and doesn’t rain too much….. or that we just get lucky.  The disaster planners are thinking about numbers that are just mind croggling.

window cleaning

I cleaned windows, got a pizza for the other folks in the house, cleaned the downstairs mirrors, and will probably have to clean the outside windows again as they were pretty filthy and some of them needed to be scraped down.  However things look a lot better and the gunk where cat noses had been is gone.

Katie experienced the unholy anger and disappointment that comes when your manager doesn’t tell you something and your grandboss finds out and then your manager, in front of you, tells the grandboss that you WERE told.  And leaves you to hang out to dry.

Katie is looking very hard for another job.  I think she shouldn’t have a problem finding one.  She’s decided she wants to go back to working for a privately owned business as she’s finding working at a chain pretty soul deadening.

Off to work….

Course today

I tried to find a way of conveying how much happier I am to be going on course today as opposed to going to work but the only analogy I could think of was both so violent and so vulgar that I decided not to sear my ma’s eyeballs with it.

My apartment is a sty because I’m never here when I’m not exhausted…. I detailed the laundry machines and cleaned the rug in Dr. Filk’s old bedroom last night. Also saw Katie back at the Augur Inn as she did laundry and tried to figure out what of her stuff is going with her over to Suzanne’s. Dax has moved out.

I have picked up Tom and Peggy’s housewarming present, with thanks and love. It is two little rosemary plants to replace the monster rosemary my mum planted by the front door of the Augur Inn. The rhodo is in full bloom in front of the old place… another thing I will miss. Next up at the Augur Inn. Windows, downstairs. Dan T. is also working flat out on the house which is great.

Keith was nowhere in evidence at the Augur Inn last night and much missed. He loaned me Jeff’s copy of Master and Commander so I will now start a Patrick O’Brian jag.

cluelessness continues

I stood Tom and Peggy up last night.  I can’t seem to walk and chew gum at the same time these days (and during the day I am dealing with the miilitary industrial complex, which is adding new richness and depth to my panicky moments).

Anyway I apologized and offered them tea over at the Augur Inn, got the first draft of the separation agreement into print and Paul drove me home.

The computer just needed to have its battery popped back out and in.  Thanks Lexi for helping the tech support happen.  

I hope today is better. 

bleagh

what a day, what a day….

Lexi has agreed to drive me around while I deal with my laptop meshuggas, and then I’m supposed to go back to the Augur Inn and work on the separation agreement, or so sez Paul, and frankly it is a good idea.  Most of the items were no dispute (like we’re splitting the house, and the few sticks of furniture caused no issues) but some of the other stuff is really chewing on the ol’ goolies.

I have now received no fewer than three emails advising me to go after Paul’s company pension and CPP. Oh, and the lawyer was quite firm on the subject; she told me I was daft if I didn’t.  Like sheesh.  I have no idea how I’m supposed to handle that; part of me is thinking “You Will Die in Poverty” if I don’t, and part of me is saying, “Why bother?”. 

However, my spidey sense says don’t.  I have no idea why, but the message is very clear.  I will have to draft something very tricksie to avoid giving up my rights without actively pursuing them.  What I really need to know is if there’s a statute of limitations on when I can enforce my dwindling rights; that of course requires me to cough up a large retainer if I want that kind of answer.  It’s a puzzler.

Work does unspeakable things to long dead bears.

Tammy SAID I’d be accident prone

So it is with no surprise that I report that I sliced myself a good one this morning (on my numb toe, oF COURSE, so I didn’t feel a thing) and bled like a good thing all over everything (although only one spot fell on the carpet, thank heavens).  Also, when I went to show off my laptop last night to Paul – the screen died.  It had been working fine that morning, and then, nothing. 

So…. I went looking for my receipt and do you suppose I could find it?  Of course I did register a three year extended warranty so I’m not going to have any trouble swapping it out, but it wasn’t what I had planned this evening.

Cleaned some more at the Augur Inn last night and gave back the motorcycle helmet I inadvertently walked off with when Paul drove me back.

Patricia has invited me for drinkies at her place on Friday.  I will be seeing Brother Jerome’s mum Gail on Saturday; she just moved to town and I don’t think there’s a lot of women her age (or  reasonably close thereto) for her to hang around with so she’s coming over for tea.

With all the excitement, I suddenly remembered where I’d left the Tarot cards.  First three cards on the Celtic Cross….. Judgment.  Justice.  Strength.  I’ve never had three major arcana come up like that, I just about fell over.  But I have to say that money appeared nowhere in the reading, and I must admit it troubles me.  Although I supposed I should be happy that both the 5 of cups and the 8 of swords are now behind and below me…..

Things didn’t happen

Well, I didn’t get to go to the Railway Club, and Lexi didn’t come over (she wuz feeling porely) but excellent things did happen to me this past weekend, including a FABULOUS meal at Dosa Garden. And a spit at the Boathouse. Verra nice. Got to mention the Vorkosigan filks to Jo Beverley, who’s pals with Lois McMaster Bujold. And I got my internet running at home, did I mention that? Oh, and I bought a…. vacuum cleaner. It’s orange. And I have no place to put it.

Dr. Filk has requested that I forward him a copy of his resume. So tonight it’s off to the Augur Inn to fetch Dr. Filk his resume and clean his apartment. Oh, and I have to take the adjustable spanner back to the Augur Inn, too.

err

I am re-reading Doris Lessing’s excellent “love, again”.

I dropped over 3 bills in IKEA last night but I now have enough chairs, ice cube trays, cutlery,  also a shower curtain, plates, bowls, serving tray, bathmat, 3 lamps, oven mitts, etc ….  and I did it all in less than two hours door to door.  I still want a footstool.  The living room is (except for the box carcasses) pretty much as it will be – but I still need a TV stand – and a TV.  I’m looking at the deals at tigerdirect.ca.  I don’t think I want a refurb.

I picked up my first piece of mail, patronized two local establishments (small grocery and the optician, where I got the broken nose pieces on my glasses replaced for 5 bucks), collected my phone books, and shoved stuff around.

I wonder what horrors await at work this morning.  There is an all staff meeting.  They’ve already announced layoffs – I am not currently affected.  I know that what they are doing makes sense for the organization, but I’m heartsick nonetheless.

Fridge contents

Are now milk, orange juice, one burrito and 13 beers (please note, the beers are preparatory for beers on Friday at my place – I hadn’t actually planned to consume them all). Cleaned Dr. Filk’s old apartment last night for two hours. Paul gave me a lift and helped haul groceries, which I appreciate.

Dan P and Dan T were both there working. For those of you familiar with ‘the dungeon’ most of the upholstered walls are now gone.

I actually ate a healthy breakfast this morning! Organic crunchy peanut butter and organic whole wheat bread.

Seared catfish at the work cafeteria today. That new cook is something else. I love the work cafeteria. They don’t even blink if I’m into them for $75 (and they know I’m good for it.)

First call on the new phone line last night, to the folks. Thanks much for the material and moral support, ’tis appreciated. You will be amused to note, after our conversation, that the first living thing I saw this morning that wasn’t human was a coyote, a young one, trotting along the edge of the parking lot south of my apartment.

Moved

 

I have moved in and spent the night in the new place – and I slept from 11:30 until 6:45.  My fridge contains one burrito and 7 beers.  I intend to improve upon this situation, expexially with respect to the beers, later today.  Okay, maybe some vegetables.  They will look lonely in that fridge, though.  There’s a nice big freezer in the fridge. 

Cleaning has commenced in Dr. Filk’s old suite.  

I have lots of other news, but nothing for public consumption. 

 

Busy day

Both of the kids are available to help me sling boxes later today.  I woke up at 3 but once I saw what time it was I had no trouble crashing and going back to sleep for a couple of hours.

I’m in to work for the morning and then I’ll go pay my rent and get my keys and sometime after five the movers will show up.  I really don’t have that much stuff and if I have people helping at the other end I’ll be in good shape.

It may be a bit longer than I had hoped before I’m on line in the new place, but I’m definitely going to have a phone….

Bad day at the Augur Inn

I didn’t exactly cry my body weight yesterday, but very close.

Today my vision is very blurry.

My feelings of sadness, failure and rejection loom large right now.  Paul and I went for a walk late last night and halfway through the walk he – unwittingly – picked a seat where I could see my new apartment building.  I guess I’ll let the coincidence speak for itself. 

I phoned Sandy yesterday looking for sympathy, and her response was a brusque, “Well, what did you expect?”  That too speaks volumes.