Thank God for Movers

As of yesterday, all of my junk has made it to the new place. It's a bit tighter of a fit than my last place, but I got everything into the new apartment. The movers had to get creative as for how to get things through a narrow doorway and up a flight of stairs, but they did it. It was worth the $250 + tip just to have them deal with getting my stuff into my abode. Plus, they had to deal with my indecisiveness of asking them to move my dresser to opposite sides of the room 3 times, my tv twice, etc.

Unfortunately, tonight I head back to my old place to steam clean the carpets (luckily my brother has a steamer), empty the refrigerator, and clean the oven. Can you believe the last place I stayed charged me $30 because I didn't clean the oven?!?! I guess it's worth the $4 it costs to buy oven cleaner, huh? Thank goodness I already knocked out cleaning the bathroom.

Other than apartment stuff to complain about, I have little of interest to report. This week will be the adjustment period. I'm sure that the ding dong I am will occasionally find myself driving towards the old apartment at which time I will have to turn all the way around and head to my new home. Oh, well...

Moving Day

Right now I'm blogging from my blackberry while I watch my movers hall my junk out of my place. So far they're doing a great job on efficiency. I used the same guys last year seeing as they did such a quick and reliable job on moving Baby from one house to another. Hopefully they can do it in less than 3 hours. Trying to stick to my moving budget. Wish me luck!

What a disasterous morning!

So in an effort to get back on my healthy track, I got up this morning and ran 2.5 miles. I was struggling BIG TIME. Just a couple of months ago, I was running 3 miles stretches with ease 4 days a week and up to 5 miles if I felt like pushing myself. Gotta hate when slacking on your gym time takes it's toll on you! I get back to my apartment and head straight to the bathroom to turn the shower on, and then it happened - *squirt, squirt, trickle, squirt*. The water wasn't working. So I head over to the sink and try that. Again, denied.

After calling my complex for almost half an hour and getting a busy signal, I finally get the answering service at which time they confirm what I already knew. A water line had broken affecting the entire complex, and there was no estimated time as to when it would be fixed. So there I stood... mortified that I would have to go through the day a greasy, sweaty, smelly mess because we're short-staffed today, and I HAVE to be at the office and can't take a personal day. What's even more ironic is that it's the one day that every single one of my friends that normally don't have to be in for work until 8:30 a.m. or later all went to work early this morning squashing any possibility of toting my toiletries elsewhere for a shower. What are the odds?

So I kicked into resourceful gear. With the help of some bottled waters and a packet of my two-year-old niece's baby wipes left at my place on her last visit, I was able to make myself quasi-presentable for the general public. I felt like I was camping with what I had to work with. Greasy hair pulled back in a ponytail and doused with tropical body spray, I was only 30 minutes late to work. Maybe this is a sign that going to the gym is bad luck...haha.

Weekend Update

Hmmm.... Let's see.... what did I do this weekend? Friday night, Baby and I had dinner at Willie G's. A little celebrating on an outstanding annual evaluation on his part. Excellent seafood and a great glass of pinot noir was exactly what this little phillie needed after her rough week. Afterwards, we decide to take it easy and stay in to catch up on some episodes of House that he had recorded on the DVR. Woo hoo! Partay, partay animals we are, I tell ya!

Saturday was a bit more active during the day. I was an errand running fool. After a full day of running all over town, I was too exhausted to even think about packing so I yet again procrastinated. Luckily, Sunday Baby and I spent the better part of the morning packing up my place. I think I'm about two-thirds done on the packing (maybe more), so all I've got to do now is wait for the movers to move all my stuff.

So that's it for a weekend update.

Baby is leaving today for Cancun for "work". Although he's got seminars all day, I'm still super jealous seeing as he'll be surrounded by beautiful beaches. He says the weather anticipates cloudy/rainy weather the whole time he's there through Thursday, but still... CANCUN v. HOUSTON.... I think I'll take the former any day. All he needs is one afternoon with a break of sunshine to make up for days of rain out there.

I will not be homeless at the end of the month!

It's official - I have a place I can call home once my lease at my current apartment expires. It's uber cute! It is located in the Montrose area right at the edge of where it stops being Midtown. It's fantastic. It's a privately-owned unit that is smaller than my old apartment, but has LOTS of charm. Luckily, it was built only 8 years ago, so all the paint, fixtures, and appliances are relatively new.

I decided when I planned to downgrade in my living space and expenses that I would be losing a lot of the amenities that I have become accustomed. However, what this place lacks in size and no dishwasher, more than makes up for in location, PRICE, and kitsch factor. Doing dishes by hand again will be somewhat of a challenge, but that shouldn't be a major problem with it just being me... guess there will be no major entertaining at my casa anymore.

Here are a few pics of the place:

This is the view from the living room to the dining and the kitchen. The landlord imported the stained-glass windows from London. They open out from the side... very cute. And, no, that's not my tacky table. I think it's extra furniture the landlord lets tenants use should they want to.

This is on the way to the vanity. It will take some getting use to all this girlie decor, but for the most part, I find it quaint.

This is a look into the bathroom... nothing extravagant, but nice and clean.

I guess I'm a snob

Today I went looking at an apartment complex over my lunch hour. It is one block from where I live now. I knew walking into the situation that this place would be a downgrade from where I was only because it is an older complex built in the 1960's. It was renovated in 2003, but you know that they can only do so much. But, they had an awesome price (about $110 less per month than what I'm paying righ now). So I figured I could entertain the idea of not living in a luxury apartment. WRONG. Yes, the price was even less than what I was hoping to pay, but I guess I've gotten used to the attached parking garages and not having to walk half a mile to a dumpster to take out my trash. I couldn't believe how snobby I was....but I suppose I've become a true yuppie. The unit was a good size and great price. Why oh why can't I just like it?!?!? Maybe even just deal with it?!?!?!

Here are the problems I had:

1. The MAJOR problem - the unit is located right in front of the complex's front entrance gate. So I'm guessing I will hear the thing creaking open and closed late at night or whenever some drunkass decides to plow into it...as we all know happens in EVERY complex...even the nice ones.
2. Another biggie is I'd be going to unassigned, first-come-first serve, limited covered parking. As stated above, I'm a snooty chica whose had an attached parking garage for almost 6 years. I'll actually have to use an umbrella to go to my car if it rains...wow, I really am a spoiled brat!
3. Downgrading from a garden tub to a regular tub - this I might be able to handle, but the bathroom itself is less than half the size of my current - I would consider it more of a nook rather than a bathroom...and it does NOT have a linen closet in it. Where the hell am I suppose to keep my towels? And mind you...this is me just being high-maintenance, but I'd also be going from 8 drawer spaces to ONE! Granted, I never used all 8 but still! It was one of the perks of having a double-sinked bathroom when there was only one of me :) But the extra sink was great for guests. I'm more horrified about the linen closet...
4. This will be my OCD about little things that will kill me. The little bar area that is a cutout window to the kitchen...it's counter is crooked. I mean dipping down the middle as if some elephant had been sitting in the center. Yep, that will kill me to have to stare at...kinda like broccoli in someone's teeth.

UGH! So I'm officially a high-maintenanced, snobby yuppie. Go ahead...shoot me now! At this rate, I will never find a place in the lower price range I want. I might as well just SUCK IT UP and pay what I'm paying now...