I have a place to live! YAY!
I am going to live in the 2-bedroom place in Surf City for an amazing price. House-hunting on Saturday was depressing and exciting at the same time--depressing cause the places in my price range were SO awful, but exciting cause it makes me appreciate my new place even more.
Maya and Vikram came over last night and had dinner with us. We went out for Manhattan Clam Chowder, which is tomato-based instead of cream-based. I never knew there was such a thing! We also had really excellent crab cakes.
Also, the neighborhood is really nice. It's a dead-end neighborhood but enough cars go by because the end of the block (4 houses down) is the Surf City Yacht Club (and the bay. and the sunset.) The neighbors are year-round, too, so that adds to the safety. The guy who owns the house is part of the fire department, which is two blocks away, and is also where the police department is located. The beach is three blocks away. Long blocks, but nevertheless...!
The place is so relaxing and there is a nice breeze all the time...except it was really humid today and I felt hot. I can't imagine what the summer will be like! Oh well, I'll just go to the beach when it gets that hot =)
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Post-birthday
Saturday afternoon Maya, Ravi, Tom and my co-worker Brian came to my house. I made butternut squash and apple soup, cranberry cream cheese wontons, spicy grilled cheeses and had apple cider for drinks and apple pie for dessert. I REALLY liked the cranberry cream cheese wontons. I could've sat and at those all afternoon, for serious.
Later, my landlords Anne and Brian joined the party. It was a nice group--again, good company and good conversation.
After everyone left, I quickly showered and changed into my indian outfit and headed north on the parkway to Dobbs Ferry, NY, for a Diwali party at my aunt's house. Anyways, they had a birthday cake for me! It was really nice and I felt a little emotional. I was touched...
I then had a horrendous drive home. Somewhere on the Turnpike someone hit some sort of animal that was all shredded on the road. The driver in the lane next to me sort of hit it again, thus throwing bits of dead animal carcass at my car. So now I am driving down the parkway, in my Indian clothes, at midnight, with bits of bloody meat, probably rife with diseases, stuck to my car. Some of it comes off with my windshield wiper fluid, but a bit just beyond my wipers stubbornly stays stuck. I kept putting more fluid onto my windshield, hoping to loosen it off with the water...and in the process MISSED the exit for the Garden State Parkway.
My mind is so full of dead animal meat, that it takes a REALLY long time before I realize I am not on the GSP...like when I reached a sign that said Freehold, but didn't say Asbury Park...then I started to think, uhhh this isn't right. I ended up having to go all the way down to 195, go across the state and then head south (I could've taken a highway across, but the freeway felt safer and faster.) So I didn't get home until 2am.
this morning I had to drive BACK up to Point Pleasant Beach to cover a heart walk. But it was cool because I've never seen the boardwalk up there before, and its apparently one of the best, according to many people I've talked to. Now I am at work, tired...but there is a nice flower arrangement to keep me company! Chao sent a cute fall-themed arrangement to my office. It even has a pumpkin in it. My mom sent a big bunch home, and it came in her signature blue vase, even. Both have alstromerias, which make me very happy.
Later, my landlords Anne and Brian joined the party. It was a nice group--again, good company and good conversation.
After everyone left, I quickly showered and changed into my indian outfit and headed north on the parkway to Dobbs Ferry, NY, for a Diwali party at my aunt's house. Anyways, they had a birthday cake for me! It was really nice and I felt a little emotional. I was touched...
I then had a horrendous drive home. Somewhere on the Turnpike someone hit some sort of animal that was all shredded on the road. The driver in the lane next to me sort of hit it again, thus throwing bits of dead animal carcass at my car. So now I am driving down the parkway, in my Indian clothes, at midnight, with bits of bloody meat, probably rife with diseases, stuck to my car. Some of it comes off with my windshield wiper fluid, but a bit just beyond my wipers stubbornly stays stuck. I kept putting more fluid onto my windshield, hoping to loosen it off with the water...and in the process MISSED the exit for the Garden State Parkway.
My mind is so full of dead animal meat, that it takes a REALLY long time before I realize I am not on the GSP...like when I reached a sign that said Freehold, but didn't say Asbury Park...then I started to think, uhhh this isn't right. I ended up having to go all the way down to 195, go across the state and then head south (I could've taken a highway across, but the freeway felt safer and faster.) So I didn't get home until 2am.
this morning I had to drive BACK up to Point Pleasant Beach to cover a heart walk. But it was cool because I've never seen the boardwalk up there before, and its apparently one of the best, according to many people I've talked to. Now I am at work, tired...but there is a nice flower arrangement to keep me company! Chao sent a cute fall-themed arrangement to my office. It even has a pumpkin in it. My mom sent a big bunch home, and it came in her signature blue vase, even. Both have alstromerias, which make me very happy.
Monday, October 9, 2006
Library
YAY for having a library card. My inaugral rental is a teen novel. :-/ But that is what the library is good for: reading the books you never want to admit you want to read but you want to read. Then you don't have to buy it and have this stupid book lying around. I will move up to non-teen lit soon, but I want something sort of mindless for the next few days. Besides, I still am reading the Omnivore's Dilemma, so I can easily switch between totally mindless to totally mindful.
Um. Mindful is a word. Now.
I had a good sob this morning when my dad left, but I managed to not cry until the car was down the street. No one wants to remember their last look at someone (for a few months anyways) as that person crying.
Anyway, I like this library. It's small but its the kind of place where if you call to ask if a book is in, they will walk over the shelf and look. Cute. I really like where I live. I like my neighbors too.
Um. Mindful is a word. Now.
I had a good sob this morning when my dad left, but I managed to not cry until the car was down the street. No one wants to remember their last look at someone (for a few months anyways) as that person crying.
Anyway, I like this library. It's small but its the kind of place where if you call to ask if a book is in, they will walk over the shelf and look. Cute. I really like where I live. I like my neighbors too.
Library
YAY for having a library card. My inaugral rental is a teen novel. :-/ But that is what the library is good for: reading the books you never want to admit you want to read but you want to read. Then you don't have to buy it and have this stupid book lying around. I will move up to non-teen lit soon, but I want something sort of mindless for the next few days. Besides, I still am reading the Omnivore's Dilemma, so I can easily switch between totally mindless to totally mindful.
Um. Mindful is a word. Now.
I had a good sob this morning when my dad left, but I managed to not cry until the car was down the street. No one wants to remember their last look at someone (for a few months anyways) as that person crying.
Anyway, I like this library. It's small but its the kind of place where if you call to ask if a book is in, they will walk over the shelf and look. Cute. I really like where I live. I like my neighbors too.
Um. Mindful is a word. Now.
I had a good sob this morning when my dad left, but I managed to not cry until the car was down the street. No one wants to remember their last look at someone (for a few months anyways) as that person crying.
Anyway, I like this library. It's small but its the kind of place where if you call to ask if a book is in, they will walk over the shelf and look. Cute. I really like where I live. I like my neighbors too.
Sunday, October 8, 2006
Welcome to the Island
ARGH internet connections. Sorry folks for the lack of updating. After I got here, we didn't have an internet connection. I went to the library, but only to get directions (they only gave me 45 minutes of internet time because I had to log on as a guest.)
ANYWAYS I have arrived, safely, and so has all my stuff. The minimal damage involved one drinking glass which broke and my Apples to Apples game spilling out into the trailer, so some of the cards are dirty, but not bent or anything.
Friday morning it started raining--this was my first Nor'easter! And we got to unpack my trailer in the rain! cool! (end sarcasm.)
Then Saturday morning, my landlord, Brian, came downstairs and told me I better move the car because it was not only a Nor'easter, but also a high tide combined with a full moon. This meant that the rain from the storm could not drain into the bay, so the street was flooded! We went to Manahawkin to return the trailer then spent the day putting together 4 bookshelves, one desk and one dresser. The waters receded by about 5pm.
-----
The drive out here was AMAZING. We chose the best time to drive--the leaves were just starting to turn in Western Pennsylvania, along the top of the Appalachian Mountains. It was so breathtaking that I didn't even bother to take pictures, because they just wouldn't do it justice and you would all be disappointed. Just imagine a wall of trees with green trees accented by golden ambers, bright oranges, deep reds and occasional burgundy. Beautiful.
It is perfect weather today. We went to the beach for a stroll then drove up to the Barnegat Lighthouse and had pizza. Dad and his buddy are now on their way to Atlantic City for some gambling. I thought of going, but I am sort of tired. I hope I won't regret it later, because my dad is leaving tomorrow, so it is taking out of time with him. But I really dislike the insides of casinos, they depress me. Especially when the weather is so great, I don't want to be indoors.
except, of course, to update my blog! Now to the outside!
ANYWAYS I have arrived, safely, and so has all my stuff. The minimal damage involved one drinking glass which broke and my Apples to Apples game spilling out into the trailer, so some of the cards are dirty, but not bent or anything.
Friday morning it started raining--this was my first Nor'easter! And we got to unpack my trailer in the rain! cool! (end sarcasm.)
Then Saturday morning, my landlord, Brian, came downstairs and told me I better move the car because it was not only a Nor'easter, but also a high tide combined with a full moon. This meant that the rain from the storm could not drain into the bay, so the street was flooded! We went to Manahawkin to return the trailer then spent the day putting together 4 bookshelves, one desk and one dresser. The waters receded by about 5pm.
-----
The drive out here was AMAZING. We chose the best time to drive--the leaves were just starting to turn in Western Pennsylvania, along the top of the Appalachian Mountains. It was so breathtaking that I didn't even bother to take pictures, because they just wouldn't do it justice and you would all be disappointed. Just imagine a wall of trees with green trees accented by golden ambers, bright oranges, deep reds and occasional burgundy. Beautiful.
It is perfect weather today. We went to the beach for a stroll then drove up to the Barnegat Lighthouse and had pizza. Dad and his buddy are now on their way to Atlantic City for some gambling. I thought of going, but I am sort of tired. I hope I won't regret it later, because my dad is leaving tomorrow, so it is taking out of time with him. But I really dislike the insides of casinos, they depress me. Especially when the weather is so great, I don't want to be indoors.
except, of course, to update my blog! Now to the outside!
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Last day in Minnesota
So this is it. This is probably the last day I will spend in my house as a resident of my house (obviously I will be back. In fact, I will be back in December for my friend's wedding.) How am I going to spend my last day as a Minnesota resident? Packing, duh.
My sweaters are MIA. We think we know where they are, and once we find them they will require no packing, since they are already packed, but it is one of those things I cannot afford to not have, since I think it probably gets cold on my ISLAND too.
Oh...I guess I won't need my awesome Sorrel boots and I'll have to find another winter shoe since those will be too warm. That is sort of sad. I love those boots and I live in them in the winter. Hopefully it gets cold enough to wear my boots...I should look up winter weather there.
This morning I heard the train whistle in the distance. It had been a long time since I heard it...probably because if I am ever up at that time, I usually have the radio on. I think something was in its way because it was whistling rather urgently and rapidly...but it was nice to hear. It used to comfort me when we moved to our new house because it wasn't that far from our old house and I could still hear the train.
WOW! this is happening, finally! I am excited, I really am. I don't think its hit me yet that I am leaving. Last night it did a little bit...and it was so so sad. I thought I was going to start crying in the restaurant. I really am going to miss Minnesota. I just hope I don't become that girl that says "Oh, well in Minnesota we do it like this..." like my friend from a small town always says.
I don't think I will have the chance to update a lot because I won't have a computer when we get there. My old one is kaput and I don't have the budget right now to get a new one (but it will be a Mac. Believe you that.) The public library (only a mile away!) has internet accessible computers, but they are closed on Sundays, so it might be until next Monday, unless my dad brings his laptop.
My sweaters are MIA. We think we know where they are, and once we find them they will require no packing, since they are already packed, but it is one of those things I cannot afford to not have, since I think it probably gets cold on my ISLAND too.
Oh...I guess I won't need my awesome Sorrel boots and I'll have to find another winter shoe since those will be too warm. That is sort of sad. I love those boots and I live in them in the winter. Hopefully it gets cold enough to wear my boots...I should look up winter weather there.
This morning I heard the train whistle in the distance. It had been a long time since I heard it...probably because if I am ever up at that time, I usually have the radio on. I think something was in its way because it was whistling rather urgently and rapidly...but it was nice to hear. It used to comfort me when we moved to our new house because it wasn't that far from our old house and I could still hear the train.
WOW! this is happening, finally! I am excited, I really am. I don't think its hit me yet that I am leaving. Last night it did a little bit...and it was so so sad. I thought I was going to start crying in the restaurant. I really am going to miss Minnesota. I just hope I don't become that girl that says "Oh, well in Minnesota we do it like this..." like my friend from a small town always says.
I don't think I will have the chance to update a lot because I won't have a computer when we get there. My old one is kaput and I don't have the budget right now to get a new one (but it will be a Mac. Believe you that.) The public library (only a mile away!) has internet accessible computers, but they are closed on Sundays, so it might be until next Monday, unless my dad brings his laptop.
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