Busy

I've been busy. Very busy. And what's more, I don't have Internet at home yet. So I haven't posted. And I have been incredibly lax on sending pictures of the house. But they're coming. Just as soon as I clean up my mess heaped in the living room, then you can see what Kevin and I have done so far. You'll have to ignore the fact that two of the three curtain panels were not ironed before they were hung up (item #74 on my to-do list). Bedroom pictures will follow after I hang curtains, pictures and the giant mirror.

I currently have enough projects lined up to keep me busy until I die. Assuming I die at age 148. I won't tell you how many hours I spent trying to find curtains for the bedroom before deciding to make them out of sheets. You'd be ashamed. You'd think, is this the same Audrey that preaches anti-materialism? Yes, you have a fair point, but please remember that in the end, I am making them out of sheets. Cheap ones. I am going to join the craft club at my community center, so I can socialize and be productive. Luckily, I also have friends who are willing to hang out and watch me pick stitches on pillow cases. I don't have to be entertaining to maintain relationships.

And speaking of entertaining, we meant to have a house-warming party, but at the rate we're going in getting rid of clutter, it seems Kevin's birthday bash will be the party's raison d'etre. Said extravaganza will have to take place this month, as Kevin will be gone for work from early October to early November and again from mid November to mid December. That's right, I will be without husband for two months this fall. Possibly this is when I will get my many projects done.

Kevin also has had his fair share of projects. Our yard looks beautiful, thanks to his weeding and mowing efforts in the face of hostile fire ant attacks. He anchored our beautiful new bookshelves to the wall (we do plan to have children climbing them eventually), and he plans to install our garage door opener. While I have proven myself very good at handing him tools while he's on the ladder, I think he plans to invite male friends along, so he too can socialize without being entertaining. It's a universal right that I can't deny him.

Some things that have been ignored but will soon be taking my time include writing--every Wednesday evening--and applying for Graduate School. Kevin (the most supportive wonderful husband I've ever had!) has agreed that I should not be stuck at the Co-op, that I need a chance to try my hand at writing, and that seeking a master's degree in sociology is a worthy growth opportunity. So, while I will stick it out in my current position until the end of my verbal contract, wheels are turning and plans are in the works for post-resignation pursuits.

Job Panic

I have been experiencing some serious job panic for the last week.

Kris quit. She has been the VP of Merchandising for eight years now. I have reported to her, either directly or indirectly, my entire 3.75 years at the company. I have liked her and been afraid of her by turns. I have always respected her. When she left, I surprised myself by crying like a little girl. I miss her, as a person, and definitely as a leader in the company. The entire store came to a screeching halt when Kris walked out the door.

The only person who doesn't seem to think that her departure has doomed our company is Mr. Mitchell, the president, whose bad decisions and sexist attitude caused Kris's departure.

When she left, I began to panic. What is this place without Kris? She carried it. She did two people's jobs. She was the buffer between the narcissistic president and the rest of the store. She was the buffer between our offices and the incompetence of Russell Athletic. She fielded the nonsense that the rest of us just complained about. Now that buffer is gone.

I immediately began to apply for any job on Craigslist that would accept me without my name on my shirt. I haven't decided that I want to leave my company, and it wasn't as though any of those positions screamed my name. But I panicked. I needed to know that I had a life boat should this ship start to sink.

I learned some things. I have a good resume if I want an administrative assistant position. I have had three call backs for interviews. I also have a good resume to become a retail buyer. I have three years' experience in buying, and I worked for Kris, whose name means something in these circles. Alas that Austin is not a retail center. I could have a great job in Houston or Dallas, but in Austin I am left with options as a purchasing agent for construction companies, and that's not where I want to go.

I guess the biggest problem is that I don't want any of these jobs. I have no ambitions to work as a secretary or a supply purchaser. I also don't want to stay here, not forever. The Co-op was never the long term plan. It is a place holder, a way to pay bills until I begin my career. When I left school, I was either going to marry Kevin and become a full-time mother, or I was going to grad school to become a teacher so I could write in the summers. I work here until one of those happens.

But I don't know if I can keep working here. It is a good job. But just in the last two days, I have had enough ridiculousness from both Mr. Mitchell and Russell Athletic that I don't know how long it will remain a good job. And if it becomes a bad job, I don't want to replace it with another filler position, I want to start working on my plans. I want--in order of desire--to be a mother, to write, to go to graduate school, to teach.

The hitch is that motherhood is terribly unpredictable and not in my power. I may get a call back tomorrow or never. I don't know if I have the time to finish gradutate school, let alone recoup the investment. The same goes for teacher training. What I would love to do, if it were just me, is quit my job and write. I want to be a writer. That is my dream. But it's not just me. I have a husband and a house, and it wouldn't be fair for me to stay home and play all day.

And I guess that leaves the Co-op. So I really hope that it does not fall apart around here.

Painting Party

Our House is Done

Door

We have our closing date on our house! July 28th. We get to do the official walk-through on the 21st.

The builders also let us know that they accidentally painted our front door the same color as our shutters, while it was supposed to be the same color as the siding. After I saw the picture, I asked them not to correct the error. I really like the dark door.

Ugly

I chopped my hair off for several reasons. Mostly, I never had or took the time to style my long hair. It took too long to wash, to condition, to dry and to curl. And usually the curl went flat. So I wore it in a low ponytail every day. I felt frumpy. So I chopped it.

I loved my new hair cut. LOVED. It was everything I dreamed. Wash and wear. It had a grown-up nerdy look to it that suited me perfectly. Plus, I got rid of all the hair I had previously dyed, so I was back to my natural dark color. When I wanted to style it, I could. I used a curling iron 1" in diameter and I did ringlets away from my face. Then I combed through with my fingers for some really stylin' hair. For two whole weeks I enjoyed my hair.

And then I got greedy. What if I could do that every day? What if I could put in permanent spiral curls, and just wash and wear that? I had a consultation at a salon. I explained everything. I used the exact measurement of curl I was looking for. Perhaps these people just didn't know what the word "diameter" means. And I'm sure they weren't ready for the "vertical" concept. I have natural curl in my hair, large loose curls, but it's inconsistent. I just wanted to make it uniform. They warned me that with my hair as short as it is, I would likely not have curl but wave. And it might not last you very long, maybe only two months. Perfect, I said, body wave was just fine with me. And since this was an experiment, I really wasn't looking for a six-month unalterable style. If it didn't take, that was fine by me.

Oh merciful heavens. The rods they used were about half an inch in diameter, max. And they placed them horizontally over my whole head. And on the bottom part of my hair, where it was shorter, they used smaller and smaller rods. Now the hair that grows off my neck, which used to curl into lovely ringlets all on its own, is in small clumps of hair stuck against my skin. As Heather said, I asked for wave and I got Annie.

I tried washing it out. They warn you not to shampoo or condition your hair for 3 and 7 days, respectively, for fear that your curl will relax too much. It doesn't. I tried. Thrice. They also tell you the curl gets looser over the first couple of days. And that is true. But it doesn't make the curls go from a tighter curl to a looser one. It simply makes the hair pull straighter. Now it's not tiny ringlets on my head that reach only to my ears; my hair reaches my chin again and looks like it has been put through a crimper. And it forms the shape of a mushroom, thanks to those smaller curls in my shorter layers.

I have never felt so ugly. I sobbed for hours. I confess to praying in the shower for a miracle that would fix my hair. I didn't mind the lost money, but the hair just hurt. I avoid looking in mirrors, and I have gotten Kevin's promise not to take pictures of me on our trip next week. "What if you look really cute?" he asked. I won't. That won't be a problem.

I can't wear hats, I can't blow-dry my hair straight. I can only plaster it down with conditioner, moisturizing cream and mousse. It's almost not too terrible that way, just wet looking. No worse than the low ponytail, maybe. I might be able to get used to it. I'll just go back to being frumpy all day. Who knows, maybe bobby pins or curling irons will have some effect. It's not the worst thing to happen to a person, but it is the worst thing to happen to my hair.

House Goes Postal and Shutters

We hadn't visited our house in two weeks and we found many changes. The most apparent update is the driveway. But wait! As cool as it is, there are even better surprises to come.

I think the shutters around the foyer window make a nice addition. You can also see our house number -1805- under the very handsome carriage light.

The rubble has been cleared away, and all the little holes and outlets from the house have been covered appropriately.

A post holer. You dig holes. For posts.
Also, as you can see, besides the really fancy fence posts, we have a back patio and a flood light to blind our voyeuristic neighbors.

To get ready for putting in the lawn, they scraped off all that sand and shale topsoil to reveal the special Texas clay underneath. And that's why the garden will be above ground in planters.

Of course, where that garden will go is to be determined, again. See, we were told that the fence would come at least half way up the house. Possibly further. And yet, you can see where the posts stop flush with the back wall.

Not only does the fence-less side yard mean no garden there, it also necessitates some sort of large bush right in front of the master bathroom there. Maybe hydrangeas. Also of interest to us, though maybe not to you, we have an a/c unit.

And on the inside, we have tile!

And a hideous chandelier. I will be replacing this light fixture, thanks in large part to Do-It-Yourself videos from Home Depot.

There are also doorknobs. And the trim, walls and doors have been painted.

Counters. And a sink. And a faucet. And tile back splash. The kitchen is just beautiful.

The black granite counter top is just full of colors, mostly grays and blues. It's lovely.

Here you can see the recessed lighting up above.

Our fireplace, too, has come a long way. It makes me so happy to see it. Kevin says for that reason, it makes him happy too. He's nice.

Our powder bath complete with pedestal sink and oval mirror.

Now, see, I like this chandelier. Good thing too, because as I noted before, this one is out of my reach to replace.

Upstairs bath with tile and marble counter top.

Master bathroom. The sinks are in. I do not love the square sinks, but Kevin does. And for that reason, I tolerate them. I'm not as nice as he is.
We will be replacing the faucets in the bathrooms in favor of higher arched ones. The better to wash my hair in the sink, my dear.

Shelves in the closet. Happy thought indeed.

I am so happy with the tile we chose. It goes so well with the cabinets, and it looks nice on the walls too. Here it is around the garden tub.
And, if this window is going to face the public, at least it is clouded.

And inside the shower, too. Also nice are the plumbing fixtures.

Unrequited Love

I accidentally fell in love with a dress that I can't afford. As Heather pointed out to me, it is a good thing I didn't try it on. Though, maybe if I had, I would see that it didn't fit right, and I could get over this crazy crush. Instead, I will live my whole life pining for the dress that got away.

Hair Chopped

I got my haircut last Saturday. Twice. The first time, my hair seemed the right length until it dried. When I saw pictures of it from our trip out to the house, I realized that I really didn't like the shape of it. The long layers hung down along my neck, and I felt like Mrs. Brady. So I went and got a second cut. And I've altered some of it on my own. This picture is terribly fuzzy, as it was taken on my phone, but it gives you the idea.

The Trim and Cabinet Edition

Our house is fully bricked. And the siding and trim have been painted. The neutral looks far better with the brick than the yellow did.

Ignore the privy.

The pictures of the back do a better job of showing the contrast between the siding and the trim. You can see it just under the roof and around the windows.

Ta da! Cabinets! You'll be sick of all the cabinet pictures before the end, but I was terrible excited by them.

Those are my hands doing the excited gesture from Wallace and Gromit.

Giant pantry. Complete with door. The doors have gone in all over the house. As have all shelves.

The cabinets have also gone into the bathrooms.

The stairs have a hand rail.

Second bath...with cabinets.

The bay window I love.

Here you can see the door frames, doors and baseboards that all went in this week. Also, all corners have been rounded,

Check out the ceiling above the bay window. Neat.