Sunday, October 31, 2010

Sunday, October 31, 2010
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Sunny and cold
SAMHAIN

My festive kitchen stove in the house.

I’m posting this today so you can read it tomorrow morning while I take another load of stuff up to the house. And I thought it was about darned time I showed you some pictures!

Weekend was really good. I got a lot of sleep, I did my work, I caught up on a bunch of paperwork. I ironed out the last few details with the movers. I rough outlined 3 new stories. One, I’ve done all I can on for now — I need to write the first few chapters, then outline the next bit, etc. The second either has to grow or be dumped, because, as it stands, it is, quite frankly, lame. The third isn’t quite sure what it wants to be yet — a novel outline or a series outline. It needs more percolation time.

My lovely fireplace, with Samhain decorations and the silver-plated candleabra. Once they’ve got tapers in them, they will look awesome! Typical — no furniture, but I’ve got the decorations up. Because I am just that kind of freak.

I also read — finished Terry Pratchett’s UNSEEN ACADEMICALS, which was highly entertaining, and re-read and continued reading a book I’m going to feature on Biblio Paradise shortly. I’m not quite finished with it yet, but I’m taking notes on it, and it should be a very interesting review.

Detail of fireplace with lit candles.

Came home late afternoon today, packed as much as I could, doing this, then I will start my Samhain rituals and then have to start my four/five days of rituals for the Dead. It is simply not an option to skip them because I’m busy. One either lives one’s beliefs or one doesn’t. I took an oath that I would fulfill these rituals for the dead at this time period every year, so that’s what I do. Hopefully, when I’m dead, someone will be kind enough to do the same for me. When it’s time to do the Ritual for the Animals in a few days, I know I will cry my eyes out over Elsa. I miss her more each day, and wish she was with us in her well and healthy form to enjoy the move. She’d love the new house, and she’d have a calming effect on the twins. I have to say, I’m shocked and saddened this year at the amount of people denigrating my religion. Some of them are even running for political office, as that nutjob in Delaware. I unfollowed a bunch of people on Twitter — I don’t make nasty comments about your religion, so give me the same respect!

This will be my writing room eventually — gets great sun, and yes, it will contain lots of plants!

So, that’s basically it. The “stuff” I usually use for these nights is packed, some at the house, some here, so it’s all about working from the heart. At least, this year, although I still work in serious and honor, there’s also a lot of joy involved.

I can’t wait to get back to the house tomorrow morning.

Devon

Photo of the shelves in the Writing Room — the contents will change a lot over the next few weeks, but I will enjoy every bit of it!

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Saturday, October 30, 2010
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Scheduled to post

How to make me froth at the mouth: When I say I am not phone accessible for X amount of time and I need you to EMAIL me information, do not fucking CALL me!!!!

Okay, now that that’s out of the way!

We were on the road by 6:30, at the house by 10:30 on Thursday. Hit my head badly on the car — have a truly egg-shaped lump that hurts like hell. But I’m not seeing double and no slurred speech, so it’s all — well, not good, but nothing serious. Instead of La Famille Raccoon, we were cheered on by a skunk. By the time I finished packing the car, the skunk was making faces because he was downwind of me and I was that rank! 😉 Thank goodness for the fabulous shower at the house. The owner was there, repainting the cover on the back deck. He and his wife are so great! She’s friends with the local librarian, and will take us over to introduce us, once we’re really moved in — and have a utility bill so we can get a library card. That’s always my favorite part of going to a new place — getting the library card.

Unpacked, started the dishwasher, raced out to do some errands regarding my mom’s birthday, picked up some gifts, etc. Came home, had lunch, and my mom went with me to pick out my new mattress. I haven’t had a comfortable bed since I gave up the Manhattan apartment, so it’s about damned time!

It gets delivered when we’re back up at the house on Monday.

And it will have new sheets on it, because I bought some new sheets and towels. Somehow, no matter how many sheets and towels I have, I always want a new set for a new place.

Put the new sheets and towels in the wash and, in the dryer, wound up with a fluff bomb! The lint trap was cleaned, but it refilled about every five minutes. Finally took the sheets out and hung them up in the storage room over the garage to dry (the storage room that has two walls of bookcases and a wall of closets, and will eventually have two reading chairs, a lamp and a rug in there, too).

Did some more errands, mostly looking for lamp shades. All the shades I liked came with lamps. And, if I bought lamp & shade and then swapped out the shade, I’d have to find a new shade for the now-naked lamp. And I didn’t like the bases that came with the shades.

Yeah, I know, earth-shattering stuff, isn’t it? I am well aware that the Fate of the Universe will not be affected by my choice of lampshade.

Found a great consignment shop in S. Yarmouth. Right near some of the other houses we looked at, and near Seven Beans, the really good coffee place. I like the woman who runs it a lot. I’ll be back when I’m in a headspace for vintage clothes and shoes — they were great, but I’m in “housewares mode” right now, and couldn’t focus.

Cooked a great stir-fry dinner. I love cooking in the new kitchen. And now most of my baking pans are up. Soon, there will be cookies!

Did some more measuring, figured stuff out, hung out in the livingroom with the candles and decorations. Those candelabra I bought look AWESOME on the mantel. I’d actually measured the litter boxes and the small ones will fit where we want them. Don’t yet know where we’ll put the big one.

Meditation before bedtime — so much easier there. Slept well, up early, wonderful yoga and meditation session in the morning. I have my mat and my crate with the weights, jumprope, yoga books, etc. up there now, which is nice.

Good breakfast, packed the car, had to wait what seemed like an eternity for the dishwasher to cycle through — I’m still at the stage where I don’t want to leave the house until everything is OFF. Watered the grass seed — provided entertainment value to the neighborhood as I wrestled with a garden hose for the first time in my life. Pretty funny, and got my shirt dirty, so had to wash it and change before we could head home.

Opened the front door and found my next assignment for Confidential Job #1 was delivered to the house! It made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Didn’t get out the door until 8:30 this time, but had done a thorough walk-through, check list so I didn’t have to drive back again. I love this house — it feels like it’s alive, and it’s happy when we’re in it. When I’m away from it, I miss it.

Stopped in Old Saybrook. The trunk — something was wrong with it. When I touched it to check it out, it felt really, REALLY wrong. So I didn’t buy it. And the good tile tables were gone. So I bought a copper kettle and a pear-shaped candleholder.

Drive back was fine. Got to the apartment in early afternoon. The landlord crap was awful, as usual. It’s gone beyond ridiculous. So it was a rough afternoon. I got a little packing done, unpacked and repacked the bags I need for the weekend gig, prepared my mom’s birthday dinner.

She had a really good birthday, and thanks you for all your good wishes.

We already have guests booked for December, January, and February at the house! It’s such fun to be able to be hosts again. Haven’t been able to do that in a long time. And here, I’m the one so infamous for my monthly dinner parties for 20+ on the West Coast, and I haven’t been able to do that for the past few years.

Violet is so upset she’s throwing up her food. I spent as much time as I could calming her down. Iris just pretends none of this is happening.

Came home to find the rest of my book order for the classes I taught last month, and also my zafu cushion. Love it. I got 2-for-1, so my mom gets one, too.

Sleepy’s called twice already to push back the delivery time for my new mattress. It HAS to be there on Monday. Period, end of story, because we’re not there Tuesday. And, considering how damn much they charge for delivery — they damn well better be there when they say so, or there will be Better Business Bureau HELL to pay.

Speaking of which, Cablevision is acting like (string of nasty words deleted), and I’m not even talking about losing the Fox channels. Look, let’s face it, Fox does some great fiction, and that includes what they call “news” — (in my opinion, most of their so-called “journalists” wouldn’t recognize a fact if it walked up and hit them over the head with a two-by-four). So I don’t really miss those channels — but if I pay for X channels, I should have X channels. No, they’re being dicks about the previous complaint, and have sabotaged my service since I filed with the BBB. So I keep sending them invoices. I look forward, next week, to cancelling my service with them. Boy, do I have egg on my face after saying how great they were. They actually were good, the first year I had them. And then they grew too fast and reverted back to being, well Cablevision.

Unfortunately, my ONLY option on the Cape is Comcast. Which I already know totally sucks. And I will tell them, when I place my order, than I expect them NOT to suck.

Off to a job in CT this weekend, leaving early this a.m, which is why it’s scheduled to post — looking forward to lots of rest time in there — actually, my boss on the gig planned it so I could basically get paid just for being there. Gotta love it.

Hopefully, I will have packed some more last night, but I’m REALLY tired, so I might give myself the night off to rest, and then attack what needs to be packed Sunday night for Monday’s trip. I have the boxes that are the first layer, so it’s all about packing the mirrors and pictures and the broom and my oak staff and my head-on-a-stick (don’t ask), and my Karma Fairy Wand from the Moontribe Tales Project in 1999, which will live in my office and — you get the idea. My oak staff — bought at the Central NY Scottish Games a few years ago is tall, and my broom is the same height I am. We’re calling the carload “pictures and sticks”. Because if it’s a stick or a stone or a shell, I pick it up on my travels.

Hey, imagine that, it’s going down into the 30s and the scumbags gave us heat. CC’ing the Health Department on my complaints is getting results.

And yes, “resting” this weekend – includes writing.

Heck, this IS a writing blog — I at least have to use the word once a week during the moving process, right? 😉

Devon

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Thursday, October 28, 2010
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Scheduled to post

We’re headed back to the house as early as possible this morning, with another carload full of stuff, so I scheduled this to post. I asked Violet to guest post, but she won’t.

Yesterday was a warm, rainy, busy day. Off to the car place in Stamford in the morning, had everything done to it possible, including getting new wipers. VW wipers have always sucked. Headed from there to Long Island to acupuncture, which was great. Felt so much better.

Back mid-afternoon, lay down to let the treatment “set”, brought up more boxes in the evening that I stashed in the back of the car, and packed. Also did some measuring.

I’ve got some running around to do when I get to the Cape — in and around waiting for the furnace guy to show. It’s my mom’s 86th birthday on Friday, so I’ve got to do something fun for tonight into tomorrow.

The landlords at the apartment are being more disgusting every day. They WILL learn “bite me” in 14 languages by the time I’m done.

More on Saturday morning.

Oh, yeah, I outlined in my head a new story while waiting for the car. Now I have to write down the notes,while I still remember.

Devon

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Scheduled to post again

I have to take my car in for its check-up, winter servicing, and baby-I’m-working-you-too-hard-right-now at a very early hour, so I’ve scheduled this to post.

Monday was great — car loaded, on the road by 6:15 or so, smooth drive up to the Cape, got there before 10:30. La Famille Raccoon –Mother, Father, three little ones — now climbs up on the wall between the building and the first parking lot to watch us haul boxes. It looked like they were clapping at one point, so I took a bow.

At the house, the neighbor’s Jack Russell terrier came over to say hello and then pooped on our lawn. I told him he can come over to play whenever he wants, but pooping next to the garage is not cool! 😉

Felt guilty because the neighbors on the other side have a pristine lawn and I haven’t been around to rake. I do have a rake in the garage — guess I’ll have to use it on the next trip!

Unloaded, had lunch, started the first load of dishes in the dishwasher, put away the dishes washed just before we left last time. These are the “special dishes”, the good ones that go into the glass cabinet. Ran around looking for lampshades, without luck.
Looked at rugs — I need to get one for the writing room and one for the back bedroom. Couldn’t find exactly what I wanted yet, so I passed. Plus, until I’ve feng shui’d the rooms, I won’t know what colors and patterns I need to bring in with the rugs.

Unpacked, rearranged, took a rest. The owner came to see what I was doing wrong trying to get the heat on and it turns out the furnace isn’t working properly, so someone will come on Thursday to fix it while we are there. It wasn’t that cold, so no big deal. And we have hot water bottles and LL Bean sleeping bags!

Cooked a lovely dinner — the kitchen is awesome. Looked through magazines and talked about stuff we want to do with the place. I lit the Halloween candles across the mantel, pulled the drapes, and it was nice and cozy, even without furniture!

We measured all the rooms and the windows and the moldings and the wainscoting, etc., so that we can now measure the furniture and sort that out.

Went to bed pretty early, I had trouble falling asleep — some people were drag racing with motorcycles on a nearby road, and I think the neighbor behind me, who has dogs (not the neighbor with the Jack Russell, a different one), has some hounds. They were baying about something or other. Maybe at the moon? It sounded like Hounds of the Baskervilles, and I expected Sherlock Holmes to gallop through the bedroom at any minute.

I woke up around 4:44 on Tuesday, because of a storm. Loved listening to the wind and rain. Dozed off. Woke up about an hour later, wondering why it was so light — turned out it was moonlight — I love seeing the moon from my bedroom windows!

Got up a little before six, did my yoga, did a meditation — just feel so joyful in that house. Clattered downstairs to make coffee and bake biscuits for breakfast. Love the oven.

Love the shower — after years of wonky water, having a truly great shower makes a huge difference.

Packed up, cleaned up, left around 7, forgot something AGAIN, went back (I don’t quite have my leaving-the-house-routine down yet), back on the road for real by 8. Smooth ride back down.

Stopped in Old Saybrook because I couldn’t stop thinking about a few items I saw last week. It was closed. But the owner was working in the yard, asked me what I wanted, I told her. One of the things was sold, but the other was there, so she unlocked the shop and I bought a pair of silver plated candlebras. And scooped up a planter shaped like a coal scuttle that can hold kindling (for only $3). It was very kind of her.

Now, I’m thinking about a wooden chest that would make a fabulous window seat in my room and a few of those tile tables . . .

My bedroom keeps evolving. Between the feng shui and the need to sleep with my head in the north or the east, I’ve had to reconfigure the space several times. I like where I’ve tucked the bed now, but probably can’t have end tables and will have to go with a headboard behind it instead, and a mirror on the opposite wall over the bureau for feng shui purposes. I can run 15 feet of low bookcases along one wall (yes, the room is huge), plus have my two other bureaus and another ornate bookcase in there. Let’s face it, it’s the biggest bedroom I’ll ever have in my life — I could run a yoga CLASS in there, much less my own practice. I’m going to enjoy it while I have it.

It’s hateful and awful here at the apartment, not a minute’s peace. Can’t wait to be out for good.

Mover sent the quote, I have a few questions, but it looks like all is good.

Off to get the car serviced and then to acupuncture. And then — more packing!

I’ve lost most of the stress weight I put on after leaving Broadway — not doing stairs all the time and fighting the landlords every day’s causing me to over-produce cortisol. But hauling down a score of boxes every couple of days down three flights and across two parking lots to load the car is like a combo of cardio and weight training. It gets easier every time, and I’ve dropped the weight I wanted. I’ll be able to use my jump rope in the basement of the house, and, come spring, I can start running again, so I’ll be able to stay fit, and, with less stress, I won’t be living on adrenalin all the time.

However, with all the stairs, the “Broadway knee” is back. Ick.

I planned to pull the car into the parking lot right near the back door for loading, but someone’s window got smashed. Instead of cleaning it up, the maintenance guys used a leaf blower to blow the glass shards all over the place, and I won’t risk my tires by driving over them. So I have to haul all the boxes an extra 35 feet or so to the lot where I keep the car. It’s not that far, but when you’re hauling 20+ boxes down the three flights of apartment stairs, an extra flight into the basement, and then the flight back up to the lot — it adds up. If I walked it through the courtyard, it would be the equivalent of walking a full city block, so I’d rather take the shortcut through the basement.

It’s amazing how much I can fit into a Volkswagen and still see out the back window! 😉

Oh, finally, the graphic novel of LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN showed up. I ordered it months before I taught the class in September or October or whenever the hell I taught it. It was supposed to arrive in four days. It took four months. Whatever. I’m still going to enjoy reading it!

Devon

Monday, October 25, 2010

Monday, October 25, 2010
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune REtrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
No idea, it’s dark & I scheduled to post

I was a Packing Demon this weekend. Saturday, I packed 50 boxes, 30 of them books — the books in the living room are now almost all packed (two crates under my desk still have to to into boxes. I still have to dig into some drawers and under a few things, but, for the most part, it’s packed. I want to get ALL the books in the place packed, and then I’ll go back and do the rest.

Our next two carloads of stuff are sorted and put aside. Well, by the time you read this, one carload will be in the car and we’ll be on our way!

My Favorite Movers called me at the end of the day on Friday. Not only did they give me a great price, within my budget and less than what I estimated, they’re giving me that price for the TWO TRUCKS.

And they were afraid it was too high! I told them to consider themselves booked, send me the paperwork, and I’ll send them a deposit on Wed.

It wasn’t the lowest estimate, but it was certainly the fairest, and I know, had I gone with the lowest, those guys would have come up with all kinds of last minute charges. I’ve used these guys before (those of you who read my blog back when I fought daily with UHaul know how lovely they were during that trauma). I might even get some of the same guys. The crew chief already said he wants to work with me again when he heard I’d asked for an estimate. Well, I do feed & water my guys well! 😉

My new neighbors will faint when two moving trucks pull up in front of the house. It’s a tiny street with only seven houses on it.

The cats are in a frenzy. There are lots of packing pauses to cuddle them and give them treats.

Figuring out where to stash the litter boxes in the new place has been a challenge, but I think we’ve found spots that are subtle, but also work so the cats can get to them when they need to. If they are displeased with something, I have no doubt we will know about it.

Went on the hunt for a lampshade yesterday. Why is it so darned hard to find lampshades? On the cape, I checked Home Goods, KMart, Christmas Tree Shops, Pier One, and Bed-Bath-and-Beyond (that one doesn’t have ANY lighting stuff). Here, I checked Bed-Bath-and-Beyond, AI Friedman, Home Depot, Kohl’s (which is just getting grosser every time I walk in, thank goodness I paid off my card and dumped it), and a few other places. When we go back up to the Cape this week, I’m going to check Sears and Macy’s (I have both of them closer to where I live there than I do here). Eventually, I’ll make it to Target, either up there or down here. But Target’s shades tend to be fuschia and polka dot, which really isn’t going to work.

The lamp is shaped like a horse’s head, almost like a chess piece. It’s black, with the filial fastening. If I keep it in the living room, I can’t get a red shade, because I already have two lamps in “Colonial Red” (one is the floor lamp we’ve had since the 1960’s and is awesome, the other is the lamp I just bought in Old Saybrook). I may have a black lamp shade in storage (or it might be for the sewing basket lamp I never put together), but that may be too dark. Crisp white would look good, or a patterned black and white. I want a drum shade, while my mom wants a tapered shade.

All of the places we’ve visited either have really ugly shades, or they’re oversized or undersized, or nothing is in crisp white. And the selection is pretty lame, too.

I think there are some lamp stores on Rt. 28 — I’ll look them up. Yeah, I know, I could just buy the size and shape I like and MAKE a new shade, but really? Right now? I think not. I already decided I have to make winter drapes for the downstairs, and then switch them out to summer sheers when the season turns!

Sunday, I only got about 25 boxes packed, but most of the books in the hallway are done. I got the three smaller bookcases and the big unit done. I have one more medium sized bookcase and one more small bookcase still to pack. Got some of the 
“annoying stuff” packed/purged into small boxes.

My desk is way too overwhelming to pack right now.

Someone asked me what my “style” was — I’ve joked for years that it’s “early everything” — if it’s old and has nice lines and I found it at a flea market, I like it. But, really, when you think about it, it’s mostly Colonial/Federalist with some Asian-influenced pieces and a few touches of Victoriana here and there. Victorian style is a bit too fussy for me, but a few curly-que pieces and a Queen Anne chair here and there work. Also, a few old Celtic and Gothic pieces. I have a few Danish modern (pre-Ikea) pieces that need to be fixed, from the 50s, but most of it are Colonial of Shaker lines slightly softened with curves, and then a lot of Asian-influenced from all those years spent on Asian shows and living in or near the local Chinatowns in my travels. And because every piece, be it furniture or china or a knick-knack, tells a story, and nothing is bought to “accessorize” the place just to sit there, it’s very distinct.

Don’t worry, you’ll live the evolution through photos.

Landlords pulled more crap, so there will be more bickering this week. They are giving us heat, but . . .I can’t wait to be out of here for good.

And, once I put down the deposit, I will have the firm date!

I just got a bunch of new comments and scrolled through them. Okay, I was ANGRY — the post about Elsa’s death got spam about Apple and Zune. Talk about assholes with no dignity. Bastards. Five of them. None of that has anything to do with my loss. May the karma dogs come and $%#^ on your doorstep sooner rather than later!

Devon

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Saturday, October 23, 2010
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Cloudy and cold

The bozos finally gave us heat yesterday and overnight. We’ll see how long that lasts.

Yesterday was busy. Legal consultation in the morning (I feel much better), meeting with My Favorite Mover at noon. Let’s hope I don’t faint when I get the quote — he thinks it will make more sense to use two trucks, one at the apartment and one at storage. I can see that making sense — but can I afford it? However, these guys are always spot on when it comes to time and money, and I’d rather have the truth up front than get lowballed and have to scramble at the last minute.

Two other movers didn’t show up for appointments. One low-balled me because I know there’s no way to do it for that small amount; one gave me an estimate that was way, way too expensive. I’m hoping My Favorite Movers will land somewhere in the middle.

Bought more boxes and packed in the afternoon and at night. Did some more paperwork regarding the scumbag landlords.

Why does it always take longer to pack one’s own stuff than someone else’s? Emotional baggage, I guess.

Had conversations with a couple of actors with whom I’m acquainted, both of whom are shooting in LA. One actor said I’d be so surprised when he showed up and rang my doorbell. I said, “I don’t have a doorbell; you’ll have to knock.” “Good to know,” he replied.

The other actor started bitching and moaning that he was going to have to find a way to get on a Ben Affleck film shooting in Boston on his hiatus so we could work together. I said, “Why not just come hang out and drink on my porch? I’m on the Cape, five minutes from the beach.” He took a beat and said, “That’ll work.”

Costume Imp will probably be the first official guest — coming right after the New Year, which should be tons of fun.

My weekend gig cancelled for today and tomorrow. I figured it would do me good to spend two concentrated days packing. I’m not as far along as I’d like, and the packing is going more slowly than it should. I can pack out a show in a few hours, but I’m dithering when it comes to my own stuff. Go figure.

And the stuff I hid in corners and under other stuff — it’s multiplying.

Yes, I’m purging as I go, but, really, I have to get everything there and then purge at leisure. There just isn’t time to throughly go through everything, and, as I do, I want to put it in its real, true home, not just take it out of one box and put it into another.

The cats are not amused.

Devon

Friday, October 22, 2010

Friday, October 22, 2010
Full Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Still dark out.

So, lots of catching up.

Wednesday morning, we woke up at 4 AM & started loading the car by 5. We were “helped” by a family of curious raccoons who stopped digging through the garbage to come see what we were up to. They were cute as little (well, big) buttons and obviously very healthy, and we each kept a safe distance from the other. Yes, I checked to make sure no nosy one had climbed into the car while we loaded!

On the road a little after 6 AM, not a bad ride up (except around Providence, which is a pain no matter what time of day). Made it in just over 4 hours. Unloaded the car, went grocery shopping, started unpacking, doing laundry, putting dishes through the dishwasher, putting in shelf paper, arranging things, etc.

Can I just say I HATE putting in shelf paper? I know it’s necessary, but it’s a pain. Some of my lamps aren’t working, fell in love with another lamp that doesn’t want to hold its shade (which I didn’t realize until I put a bulb in it), etc. Cooked our first meal in the house — pork chops w/thyme. Yum.

Although every time we turn on the stove, the smoke alarm goes off. So we have to figure that out.

I bought a rake, and nearly took out four people while I tried to check out — by accident. I’m just not used to maneuvering a rake.

Can’t figure out how to get the heat working properly, so we were a little cold overnight, but LL Bean sleeping bags and hot water bottles are beautiful things. I slept very well in my new bedroom.

And I decorated. No furniture, but the Samhain decorations are up!

And the owner kindly put up curtain rods and the drapes that were there. We will live with them until we decide what we want to put up.

I’m putting the candleholders in the stillroom — I can actually see everything, so when I want to use something, it’s there. Put up the new crystals in the bedrooms, hung my dragonfly windchime in my office.

Up early on Thursday, cooked sausage & eggs (smoke alarm went off again), put away some things, and drove back. Smooth ride back, stopped at a favorite store in Old Saybrook, where I bought fireplace implements and a lovely lamp and a few little oddities that will go in the new house. Yeah, like I don’t have enough oddities, right?

Apartment smells like stale cigarette smoke (no smokers in the household, so WTF?). Not acceptable. And they still refuse to give us heat.

Our new lease has a very strict “no smoking” clause in it — no smoking in the house. Period. So, anyone who visits will have to smoke outside. And not litter!

Met a friend for lunch, came back and played with the cats, went down in the evening to unload the empty boxes we unpacked so we can repack them.

This morning, more lawyer discussions, paperwork, and then My Favorite Movers are coming at noon to give me a quote. Afternoon will be all about the packing. I’m working this weekend, and intend to catch up on as much sleep as possible.

Believe it or not, I’m getting a little writing done here and there, too!

Devon

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Who knows the weather?

I’ve scheduled this to post because we’re taking another carload of stuff up to the house. Cat sitter ensconced with baseball bat to protect cats & apt. from scumbag landlords.

My beloved movers called and will come by on Friday to give me a quote. Other two movers haven’t bothered to respond to requests for appointments, so . . .moving on, so to speak!

Packed like a crazy woman all day (hush, you!) Have the next carload ready as well as today’s.

Am putting up Halloween Decorations in the house today. May not have the furniture there yet, may be camping out in sleeping bags, but dang, it ‘s going to be decorated properly! 😉

Have to stop at Staples to get more book boxes. Those file size are the best for books, and I’ve still got close to 1000 books to pack.

More news Friday.

Love and kisses,

Devon

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and cold

Because we’re in dispute with the landlords, they’re refusing to give us ANY heat, even though there are frost advisories out. No heat AT ALL this season, in violation of the law, and they don’t care. And because of the deal they cut with the local City Council & Buildings Dept., they won’t do their jobs and stop it.

Anyway, we have a lot of catching up to do.

I worked all weekend, bouncing between two different site gigs. I left for one mid-day Friday, it’s one of my favorites. It was all good, I had great internet access, could get current and caught up on both workshops, etc.. etc. I also contacted two moving companies, requesting appointments this week. Of course, neither one could be bothered to get back to me by today, so obviously they are not movers I should use, no matter how high their BBB rating.

Saturday morning, I picked up my mom and took her to the one site to cover for me, and, early afternoon, I bounced to my second job of the weekend. Let’s just say it was challenging in ways I didn’t expect. I rose to it, acted like a grownup, was cordial (always watch out when I get cordial — it means I’m furious) and, by early afternoon Sunday, successfully completed the assignment. I had no internet access while there, so got behind again. Returned to job 1 on Sunday afternoon, which was such a relief, and my mom and I completed it together.

As a side note on Friday, I started to get sick, an infection. I knew exactly what it was. I even knew what medication they’d give me. However, since I don’t have health insurance, I couldn’t afford to go to a doctor, and there are no affordable clinics in the area. You either have to be practically homeless or rich — if you’re a regular working person in Westchester without health insurance, you are SOL. Thank you, George Bush Administration. It wasn’t bad enough (yet) to go to the Emergency Room, but it was horribly uncomfortable and I was pretty miserable. Doing nothing WOULD land me in the ER, which I can’t afford, either, on any level. So, I pulled out my herbal knowledge and attacked it from that angle. Threw a lot at it. By Friday evening, I was much better, and by Saturday morning, I’d completely triumphed over it. Yeah, I think it’s time I get my certification in herbalism. After all, now I have a still room, and, come spring and summer, will grow some of my own herbs. And, too, I’m moving to a state with affordable health care. I will actually be able to go to a doctor when I’m sick.

Anyway, Sunday night, my mom went off the the Tenants’ meeting while I finished up my classes (the majority of the work rocked, although there were a couple of people who regularly ignored the class requirements and ignored the notes — why the hell do they bother taking the class?). The Tenants’ Meeting, of course, was waste of time. A lot of hot air, no action. Forced myself to go to bed at a reasonable hour.

And couldn’t sleep.

Finally got up at 3 AM, we ate breakfast, packed the car, and were on the road by 5. We arrived at the house around 9:30. What a wonderful feeling to take in the bread, salt, and wine over the threshold (first items one must take into a new home), and then use my very own garage door opener, pull the car in and unload!

We unpacked and arranged the carload we’d brought up. We realize we’ll be rearranging stuff at least 80 times over the next few months until it’s the way we want it, but between feng shui and my own practices and our own instincts, I think it’ll be really nice when we’re done. I decided to haul up my Halloween decorations and put them up in the empty house — the movers won’t be here before Samhain, and I couldn’t bear the thought of keeping everything packed. So, yeah, not everything we took up this time was PRACTICAL! 😉

We did some light grocery shopping, picked up some tray tables that will be very useful, looked at some other stuff we decided we didn’t want, ate lunch IN OUR NEW HOME, and then headed back. Of course, I forgot something and we had to go back, but I remembered while we were still on the Cape, so it wasn’t too big a deal.

Stopped in Mystic, Ct on the way home, at Mystical Elements, where we got crystals to hang in the bedrooms, and then at a store called Penguins & Otters, I found a lovely, delicate glass dragonfly windchime for the window of my writing room.

I was in bed by 8:30 last night, completely exhausted.

Today is caught up with practicalities, dealing with the latest bullshit (pardon the language, but it’s the only phrase that adequately describes it) from the landlords, packing, trying to get movers in for estimates, etc.

Can you imagine that neither mover could be bothered to respond? How screwy is that? But, the good news is that I found the contact info for the mover I loved so much that got me out of UHaul Chelsea in ’09, and sent off an email this morning asking for a binding quote (and the same crew, if possible). So, while I will still get several quotes — I would not be doing my due diligence if I didn’t. But they’ve done right by me before, and, if they give an even remotely fair quote, they’re my first choice.

Wonder if the other movers will just show up for an unconfirmed appointment?

To work.

Devon

Quick Check In

Let’s just say the weekend was full of unexpected challenges! 😉

Not necessarily negative, just . . .well, I’ll catch up with you later.

Just wound up the workshops, got back from the double weekend gig, and am packing a few more boxes.

First carload goes to the house tomorrow — I’m driving up and back in the same day.

Hoping to meet with movers on Tuesday and get some quotes.

Thank you SO MUCH for all your support!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Friday, October 15, 2010
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
A Dark and Stormy Morning Outside, Glowing With Happiness Inside

Yesterday, I signed a lease.

On a lovely house on Cape Cod, the area in which I’ve wanted to live for years. In addition to a gorgeous kitchen, living area, bedroom and tons of storage, I have a bright, sunny room that will be my writing room, a fireplace, a covered deck and lovely yard with trees — some of them oak, which are one of my favorites, and even a stillroom for my herbs. There’s even an entire room of closets over the garage, with built-in shelving specifically for books. And a garage.

The owners are lovely, lovely people. They’re very eco-conscious, and the house reflects the best of that, and he’s in construction and has done a lot of the work himself. He’s teaching me how to do stuff like mow the lawn properly and handle things like the furnace filters, etc.

It has an amazing refrigerator, a gas stove, and a dishwasher. I haven’t had a dishwasher in years. It has a washer and dryer. The only appliance I have to buy is a lawn mower. Since leaf blowers turn me into a homicidal maniac, I am buying a big rake and some bags and raking!

There are only six houses on my tiny lane, and yet it’s close enough to a main road with major shopping that, if I wanted to, I could walk. It’s also close to Rt. 132 and all the major shops in Hyannis like Trader Joe’s and HomeGoods and Petsmart and all that — about ten minute drive in winter, more in summer. It’s less than ten minutes from the beach, and, up the road is a lovely lake with a name I can’t yet pronounce.

It still feels a little unreal, but I am so happy and so relieved, and we start hauling carloads of stuff up on Monday, while I get the truck sorted.

I still have a huge fight on my hands with the current (string of expletives deleted) landlords, but once we are gone, they can’t physically come in and hurt us any more, and I will have a lawyer handle the rest.

I’m giving my official notice on the first of the month, which is also when I’ll let neighbors, etc. know. I’m letting other friends and colleagues know, and it’s nice that everyone is so happy for us.

So now you all have to come visit!

I’ll be posting pictures as we go through this process, so you can see how the rooms evolve. The family in Maine is thrilled, both because they knew we needed to get out of here, and because now we’re closer and can get to see each other more.

I’d love to collapse and go to sleep for about a week, but now I have to rev up. This morning, I have to correct exercises for both workshops — I commented on Thursday’s last night when I got home, but I have to backtrack and read the earlier ones that went up late. I have to finish packing for this weekend’s gig. I have to pick up my new glasses — they told us it would take a little over a week and did them in four days — love these people! My friend scored a bunch of boxes at work, so I have to go pick them up. And I have to be at my first gig of the weekend by noon. I’m bouncing between two site gigs this weekend, and winding up the workshops, AND I have two books to read and review for different gigs.

And all I want to do is pack!

Thank you so much for all your support, prayers, well-wishes. Really, it helped me get through this.

Photos soon, I promise!

Devon

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Thursday, October 14, 2010
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Supposed to be nice until mid-afternoon

I’m scheduling this to post, because I am leaving early to go out of town on business. Puts me behind on the workshops, but all will be revealed. . .in Friday’s post!

Devon

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Sunny and cool

Yesterday was spent doing business, dealing with the landlord’s new round of threats (one which came at 4:30 PM — bite me {string of nasty words deleted}). The state senator’s office has gotten involved, and the head of the DHCR, the agency bound to protect us, is joining the tenants for a meeting on Sunday night. I’m working, moving between two jobs, so I don’t know if I can be there, but it would be good for me so to do. Of course, thanks to the wonderful lack of communication among the TO (am I the ONLY one who knows how to effectively communicate?), I wouldn’t have even known about the meeting, had the state senator’s aide not yet called me.

For all the anger I have towards the group mind of “politicians”, I have to say that the individuals who currently represent us in this area do a damned good job. Not on the City level anymore (they were bought off), but on State and Federal. You contact them, they respond quickly, and they take action. I feel very fortunate that I have such a positive relationship with my elected officials. The time I spent in DC last year, working with my Congresswoman’s staff on issues important to me — in other words, giving back time and opinions as a way of thanks for all she’s done for my family — really made me feel that there are individuals who are committed to making an overall difference and actually representing the people who pay them.

The rest of the day was spent with my students. I definitely like having a limited number in the one class. They’re paying attention, doing the work, and things are going smoothly. Although I should have limited both classes, so far, the other class is going pretty well, too. There are always a few students who believe that the guidelines don’t pertain to them and they can just put up whatever they feel like, but they either learn that I mean what I say and I’ll send it back without comment until it follows guidelines, or they drop out.

Some students were legitimately disappointed at not making the First Thirty before the cut off date because they weren’t told they didn’t get in; they simply didn’t get the password. They’ve all been told NOT to PM me asking for the password, because all I do is send them to the moderator, who has the list and is handling password and other technical difficulties. Some of them have anyway, and I send them to my moderator, as was set up. Of course, there are always a couple who think the rules don’t pertain. When someone emails me six times within a half hour with the same question that I’ve answered the same way five previous times, you’re not going to get what you want, bubbelah, you’re just pissing me off.

Anyway, I’m sure there will be further frustrations as the week continues, especially with all the other stuff I have going on, but, to my great pleasure, most of the work posted is really good. It makes me believe that the next few seasons will get some truly unique and fascinating work printed!

With all the legal finagling going on, there’s not much I can say. I have a very busy day ahead of me, between the classes and some other things I have to get done. I hope to be able to “speak” to you more freely over the weekend, but right now, I have to be a little careful.

Sorry this post is rather pedestrian and boring — hopefully, things will get much more interesting in a good way soon!

Devon