Can I be this happy?

I'm not sure where to start.

Job - LOVE it! Got lectured that I'm "Nobody's Secretary" and that's what I've been wanting to hear since I graduated college, finally! Also the commute is about 20 minutes from home, I haven't had a commute shorter than 45 minutes in the past 3 years. Weather - I love the cold, but I HAVE a cold now. We got snow for a night, but it disappeared by morning. My cold felt like flu but now it is at cold level, I need to invest in more kleenex and hot tea.

Speaking of hot tea, I'm addicted to the Chai Latte which I got this morning from Starbucks. Well, Pete got it for me. It's so delicious and good on my sore throat and cold...But then Pete told me the price. I think it's time I get a little mini coffee maker for my desk so I can heat water and make my own teas.

The Apartment - Fanbloodytastic. We've been using craigslist (washingtondc.craigslist.org) to find free furniture from international students going back home or people moving out, and have gotten some great stuff.

Our landlord is also wonderful. He's a chauffeur from Turkey, and the nicest person we've met up here. He took us out to breakfast the morning we signed the lease, then when they forgot my coffee, he went out of his way to starbucks to get me one and surprised me with it. He also gave us a microwave, old computer, great computer desk when he saw that the free one we got is broken, and found a job for Pete. He and his wife are so adorable as well, they couldn't be nicer. Yesterday Pete got some consignment shop furniture and unpacked almost every box, then he picked up a free (but used/old) bed from a friend of our landlord,

So for the price of $55, we have a furnished apartment, all we need to do is get our dresser, tv, and extra couch (if we think we need it) from baton rouge and that's it! oh and bedside tables... but we're using boxes right now for that.

Last night was our first night in the apt w/a bed, seemed like the first real night, we had our mini christmas tree up, I cooked a full english breakfast for dinner, Pete had it unpacked and tidy, no tv so we chatted and listened to the radio (free too!), and it dawned on us... this is OUR place, we're not visitors or guests, it's OURS, alone! It makes Pete so happy and me so happy, we forget we're on Zoloft and Effexor, We're a Proper married couple now, with our own place, finally!!! Then I get up in the morning and look forward to going to work, and actually enjoy my day at work...I'm so freakin' happy I just might explode.

Right so... how is everybody else? Also - we're driving down to Baton rouge tonight (well we start driving tonight, we'll get there Christmas Eve), and will be back Jan 2. Take Care and Happy Holidays!

Today

First day of work - good, fun, think I'll like it but I'm so freakin' exhausted you'll have to wait 2 more days to hear more.

Apartment - saw the place we've wanted tonight, like it, sweet woman from turkey and her hubby live there, we can move in monday if we come up with rent and deposit tomorrow night...it's $1000 deposit, we were expecting no deposit since the guy never mentioned it until tonight... we're kinda screwed unless we win the lottery

Pete - no job yet but he's looking

oh and I ate Indian for lunch, hadn't had that since i lived in england, over 2 years ago... yummy!

love y'all, peace love and tikka masala grease,
ash

Here..sort of

Hi, yes we have arrived in DC safely, although there is a story to tell about our trip:


After leaving the family party in Mississippi, at 6pm, Barb our future landlord called and said that she decided at the last minute to rent the room to her old roommate who needed a place to stay.

We immediately called the person who was second on our list of places to live, and yes his apartment is available...as soon as he moves out. He is waiting to hear from a place to see if he is accepted, and if so, we can move in as early as next Monday. We find out Tuesday if the place accepts him and he is able to move.

The other places we call are not available. Finally, after many phone calls and praying, the priest at our old church in Baton Rouge has made reservations for us at an extended stay hotel for a week, and he is paying for it. We arrived today after spending the night twice on the way up, and buying another tarp and bungee cords to hold all the boxes in the back of the truck.

We arrived tonight in DC, and have a dial-up connection available in the studio room we have here at this hotel. I start my job Wednesday. Tomorrow we'll look for places and also find out if the apt we really want will be available. If so, we can move in next Monday.

I'll keep you updated as we find more stuff out.

Moving Day

Ta-ta for now folks, tomorrow we're driving up to Mississippi to the family Christmas party and from there we'll head to Virginia, arriving late Sunday night. We probably won't have the computer hooked up again until Monday afternoon, so you hear from us until then.

The past few days, or week really, has been exhausting emotionally and physically. We did a majority of the packing over the last two days and still aren't finished. My heart is breaking as well, as I realize more and more just how heartbroken my dad is over us moving. He is really taking it hard, but I just can't see myself living down here and loving it like he does...plus there isn't any job market for a college graduate. Especially one who would rather not live with her parents. We had an awful lot of goodbyes to say to our church family, and it is still difficult to think about them without tearing up. I have never been close to people from a church, and certainly have never felt as though I belonged to one, but this little church has pulled at my heartstrings from day one and have embraced me since I first pulled into their driveway.

The folks at work threw me a pizza, cookies and brownies party (I was pmsing when they asked what I wanted on my last day, heh) AND gave pete and I $130 for moving money and a handmade cookbook of all their favorite recipes. They're really special ladies, even the boss. I think now that I no longer work for her, I really seem to like her. Life does that to you I guess.

Well off to sort boxes so that we can find the bed again, goodnight and talk to you Monday...or later!

New Digs

Well I suppose I could tell you about the new digs in DC, but work is a bit too busy at the moment to get on with that. Instead I've spent half an hour procrastinating by changing the blog template - I got sick of the other one. I suppose blogger is telling me that I have changed enough, b/c before I could finish by adding my links, blogger decided to go down for a bit and stop allowing changes.

Perhaps it's a sign asking me to get back to that payroll. Ya think?

For a better update, you're welcome to check out DH's blog: http://thespencers.blogspot.com
Good luck!