I have been knitting. I have. Ask anyone at the Island Yarn Company's Monday or Thursday knit night.... I've got one active knitting bag that has socks-in-progress b/c that's all I can handle right now. Truly.

What else could a gal in her 30s, with no job, be doing all day?

Packing.

Oh, good Lord, the boxes.

Piles of them.

Piles of newspaper.

Piles of trash.

If you don't hear from me for a week or so, it's because

1. I am moving and too busy
2. I am trapped in/under/behind a box and I need you to call the fire-rescue in Newton.

As PC, Pumpkin and I say good bye to what is our first home as a "family", it's sad to leave. While, we are upgrading and life is good... this is still our first home together and that brings with it a lot of memories. Christmases, special occasions, bringing Pumpkin home.... I keep getting more and more emotional.

Until I think about the kick-ass brand new stainless steel appliances waiting for me around the corner. Then, sad? Not so much. :)

-Mini

Happy Dancing?

We have a home! PC and I will be inhabiting an apartment around the corner from our current place. Same neighborhood, better landlord (we hope, but so far, so good) and a pretty nice apartment.

Now, no job yet. And, I'm going to talk about it, so settle in. There's no job. I've been looking for 6 months. My field has openings, and yes, I've applied to them all, but I feel like a bad penny! Throughout my 10 year career, I've made some bad decisions and job-hopped a bit and now it's coming back to bite me in the tush. The reasons seem clear to me and I saw a good strong future at my old company so the lay-off was a shock. And, it's hard to explain to an HR person that I want this job and I'll stay with this position for years and years, when my resume says 'probably not."

How do you explain that throughout this you learned, you grew and you took responsibility for mistakes you made? Private things affected job decisions (like when my mom was so sick and I was the only one taking her to the ER and missing work? Laid off. They were nice about it, but I know why.) and I don't know how to explain it without sounding whiny.

I have interviewed for a great job and I was told "great fit!" and haven't heard anything. Two emails have gone unanswered. I want it, willing to work my butt off for it... and yet, nothing.

I'm really tired of not working. Of feeling like a mooch on PC. Of not having anywhere to be Mondays at 8am.

Any advice, suggestions and cheering up encouraged. Today's a bad day.

-Mini

Movin' On...

Well, better things must be in our future... thanks for the commiseration with us. Being told that you're "not the right people for the apartment" brings up a few emotions: anger, disappointment, confusion, and feeling diminutive. I think what I struggle is this: we're good people who have been trying hard. We don't have great furniture, I do the best I can do with the apartment I have, and well, if that's not good enough, than what is? PC and I have decided to leave it alone and just simply move on. But it's hard. You wonder "what was is about US that makes us wrong for this place?" and then you wake up at 2am and realize: it's her, not us. She's the one with the problem.

Karma will kick her in the ass or at least down a flight of stairs one of these days.

How's about some knitting?



















Pattern: Baby Blanket ( my own)
Yarn : Shetland Chunky (blue and brown- 3 skeins of each)
Needles: US 10

Notes: I knit this for a friend who's expecting baby #2... well, now. She's due right around now and she's a woman who really appreciates the handknits! And since baby #2 is a boy... blue and brown are so chic and so fun... it was a match made in heaven . Or Pottery Barn. :) Simple pattern: Cast on 22 stitches, knit 36 rows of garter, change colors, rinse and repeat. Make 5 strips of 5 "blocks" and stitch together. I did a simple crocheted edging.



















Meet Abby. Abby was named by her new "mommy", the big sister of the baby-on-the-way. I think it's hard for 2-3 year olds to understand the whole new baby thing, so a new toy might help ease the pain of the baby getting a lot of attention. She's a great little girl who loves loves dolls... so this is perfect. I used the same pattern from Twist as my ladybug for Noodle. I made the dress separate so she can practice "dressing her babies". And, for her birthday, a few teddy bear/ Cabbage Patch kid sweaters are needed and some new clothes for the Abby doll. I am thinking more dresses (at least two), pants, tops and of course, undies for the potty training. :)













I am so happy at her face.... she looks so happy, playful and not at all scary. :) I'm addicted to making these dolls. I have one more to make: a bee for Noodle's first birthday (in 5 short weeks!!!)

"not for bad luck....

I'd have no luck at all! "

I'm not sure who exactly who coined this phrase, but today: it's fitting.

So, I am going to talk trash about someone right now. I don't usually do this, but after reading, you might think I am vindicated.

Our new apartment comes with a whack-job of a landlord, complete with her own 18 points addendum to the lease. We ignored strong indications of the whack-jobness of this woman and signed anyway. Well, flash forward a week. We have a SIGNED lease and she hasn't cashed our checks yet. That's okay, we have a LEASE. And banks have been known to take their time with checks. Running home today, getting ready to head to a birthday party for a very special 2 year old, we get a phone call. It's the new landlady informing us she'll be at OUR current apartment in 10 minutes.

What????

I AM PACKING. Crap is EVERYWHERE. WHY is she coming over??

She claims to have shredded an important document and needed us to re-sign it. Um. Fishy?

Upon walking into our 1/2 packed apartment, she declares we are unsuitable for renting her precious apartment.

Did I mention the part where we changed our addresses with the post office, scheduled utilities to be turned off and on, etc?? Oh, and hired movers.

Let me take a moment to thank PC for being the man he is, not throwing her ass over teakettle down our stairs or punching her in the mouth. She basically told us we aren't clean enough.

What. the. fuck.

PC does have the presence of mind to demand our checks back, and once in hand (she keeps gabbing like we're all old friends now) tells her to "leave our house now."

So, if you are renting an apartment in WATERTOWN MASSACHUSETTS, near the high school--- email me. If' the address matches what we have been through, I will tell you the God's honest truth about what happened to us here.

And, because I know you guys will love these addendums to the standard lease, here are a few of them summarized:

• All mini blinds must be kept exactly 1/2 up or all the way down.
• Windows must be open more than 3 inches if no one is home.
• Landlord retains the right to enter the apartment if she thinks there will be rain and your windows aren't lowered.
• Cat must be brushed regularly.
• There is an approved list of cleaners for the bathroom tiles.
  

Like I said, if not for bad luck in 2009, we'd have none at all. No job, PC's illness, and psychotic landlords.

• 
  

We got the apartment. All 6 rooms and 2 decks! :)

Now all I need is a J-O-B.

Interviews go great... and then nothing.

Gr.

Something will give, right?