Lazy Lion

I have been terribly busy. And terribly lazy.

For those of you that are bombarded by my FB status updates and Gowalla check-ins you'll know that I have been working. A lot.

6 and 7 day work weeks for the two months that I have been here. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. We came up here to make and save money, so this is all helping to that end, but it leaves little time for much else.

That said, we took our first weekend off together!

OU was playing the Cincinnati Binturongs in Cincinnati so we drove down to watch the game. We had planned on hitting the road bright and early at 8 am. That didn't happen. Not even close. Between getting dog food and taking the kids to overnight camp and packing, showering and taking early morning bubble baths we didn't get on the highway until very close to 10.

We wanted to make some southward progress before stopping for break-feast so we hopped on the highway and put the pedal to the metal. (proverbially speaking mother, no speed limits were broken) We exited a short while later, after all, breakfast is only served until 10:30 at McDonald's, to an epic road block of fire engines and fire trucks and whatnot. It looked as if there were a chemical spill in Nowhere, Ohio.

Nope, just a parade. Come on guys, we just want a burrito here.

Back on the highway and we were really starting to push the far side of 10:30 at that point...within a couple of miles the golden arches beckoned again, and none too soon, because there was a serious build up of traffic all of a sudden.

Burritos ordered, but not eaten (somebody had ants in his sweatpants), we loaded back up. Then came decision time, do we patiently sit through the cleanup and rubbernecking of the rollover accident or do we employ our iphone's map skills and take rural routes... And the winner is, better to go 50 mph through tiny little towns than sit for any length of time on the interstate. Which shouldn't that be intra-state?

But I digress.

Ohio is interesting in that their towns don't bleed into each other like they do in Oklahoma. OKC basically engulfs Moore, even stretches all the way down to Norman. You can't not be in a city for a long, long time in the metro. Here, there are medium to big cities/towns and then nothing in between. Very strange.

That said, it sets the stage for lots and lots of rural routes and state highways and well maintained two-lane roads.

I can't begin to express how much fun that was for me. We were off the interstate for 45 minutes-ish, meandering through the countryside. We saw apple orchards, in fact the apple orchard that was featured at our fancy Cleveland restaurant The Flying Fig, corn fields, soy bean fields, legion of vertical gas wells, old barns, farmhouses, hills, plains, trees, and trees, and trees.

Views that made me want to get out and walk that entire route with a camera in hand.

No traffic, no road rage, no frustration for other drivers, the 14 year old driving the tractor notwithstanding, no jockeying for position on the road. Just laughs, smiles and wide eyes.

The highlight had to have been cresting a little hill/curve to be greeted with the only oncoming traffic we encountered- ye olde horse and buggy! A lovely little Amish mother with her under five Amish-ette. Obviously I have seen loads of Amish in NE Ohio, and at the Ag Fair there were some buggies hither and yon, but to see one on a road as we zoomed by in a Passat was somehow a little bit more magical for me.

We finally got back on the disgustingly grey, concrete and anti-magical highway and made it to Cinci, which a lovely little city, like New York, but smaller, cleaner and with fewer pedestrians, and had a super deluxe, fabulous time at the game.

Can't wait for our next adventure.

Best life ever.

Mishaps

Life is good; then again, I do have the best life ever...

That said, it is not without bumps in ye olde road (I really love superfluous Es at the ends of words). Three major-minor or minor-major incidents include (in order of occurence) Chief Wampum, Explorocat and That's What You Get.

Chief Wampum- One, of the legion, of the things that has to be done when moving cross country is to find new services; such as a new salon/barber. I started where anyone my age starts: google. Salon E (terrible name=red flag?) had an excellent review and has been around for several decades and it is a father/daughter business; good idea, right?

Wrong.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.

I arrive home after a self-induced annoyingly impotent attempt to set up natural gas service to find my buddy freshly- and closely- shorn. As he turned to flee my yuck, that had resulted from driving to the wrong address (oddly, Salon E's) I saw the scalping of 2010. Ernie's daughter, remember owner/operator father/daughter team, hereafter to be known as Chief Wampum is, how shall I say it... oh, I know: TERRIBLE at her job.

Rather than cutting his hair- like Calley did, with actual scissors- she, Chief Wampum used electric trimmers. Think about what Ron Artest did to his hair in the playoffs, the razor designs. Now think about how that looks when it is unintentionally done.

My angst and yuck was such that I told my buddy to saddle up, as we were immediately and directly heading to Salon E. He had no idea there was a problem, Chief Wampum had neglected to show him the back of his head. RED FLAG!

Upon entering the receptionist had a curiously confused face to see my buddy so soon after his haircut, a word which here means scalping, until I spun him around to show her the hack job and explained that he hadn't seen the damage yet. Receptionist takes us back to Chief Wampum, Chief Wampum shows him his brutally bad cut (meanwhile receptionist has already pulled cash for his full refund), trying to explain "that's where the bones are." No, that is where your lack of ability and integrity are. See ya Salon E!

Explorocat- Cats don't like change. The really don't like being drugged two days in a row and driven cross country to be plopped down in a creaky, old house that has had a barrage of activity in it. Mali really doesn't like that. In the interest of her safety we kept this indoor/outdoor feline friend confined to the innards of 1733. Then last Saturday she snuck out the slow-to-close back door, but came back within 20 minutes. So when she wanted out later that evening I happily complied. And when we left for dinner (walking trip) and she was posted up on Jeepy we thought, good work Mali!

But then she was gone.

The next day she was gone. All told she was MIA for about 30 hours. Maybe more, I haven't really done the math on that. Monday morning she appeared before we went to work, which is good because my internal panic meter was beginning to rise like Shuttle Endeavour. Hopefully that was a one-off and we'll not lose her again.

That's What You Get- Super cute little house came with stove and mickey mike, but no fridge. Craigslist, which is where we found super cute little house, found us a fridge for $200 (including delivery). It is used, big, white and ugly. The antithesis of what we had at the manse, but it keeps food cold and arrived day 2 of Ohio and those were both high on the priority list.

So, I was placing the lodge skillets and stainless steel pan on top of the fridge when the stainless lid slipped off, fell behind the fridge, hitting lord knows what (I know what it hit- I'm just trying to build suspense) just as the fridge sparked and died.

I called Jon, fridge salesman, and he informed me that as it was an as-is sale, he didn't know what the problem was nor did he care. It's fine. I called Terry instead. I don't know Terry, at least I didnt' at the time, but we had a good chat as I was preparing dinner for my buddy and myself and he was fixing the chill chest. Turns out the lid slid between the plug and outlet causing it to trip the breaker. No worries there.

However, Terry did point out several fridge offenses. Ranging from annoying, lazy, improper and illegal. Great. Oh well, it was a $200 fridge, and it isn't actually broken- yet.

These minor-major or major-minor (I can't decide which more accurately describes the semi-severity of the aforementioned scenarios) moments are the taxes in my paycheck. Unavoidable, yucky, but a small part of the best life ever.

Quilt Thyself!

I have found a quilt shop which will bind and quilt my crimson and cream situation that has been in linen limbo for several years now. Merry Christmas self!

I have also found a Quilt Shoppe Hoppe (i added the double p + e)! It is essentially a quilt pattern poker run. Each of the 12 shops will have a pattern for 1 12" square and the material available (pattern= free, material=5 American). Each shop will also have an example of their version of the finished quilt. (Everyone uses the same fabric, but not in the same way) Once you find a version you like you can purchase the finishing kit (12 American).

This is good news because the NFL Sunday Ticket is also a part of our lives in OH and I will certainly need something to do this season!

Best souvenir ever?

1 Week Deep in Ohio

Warning: this isn't going to read well. i'm too tired for that. i'm also typing this at Buzzi's laundromat because we don't have internet, or a washer and dryer. it isn't pretty but it has all the pertinent details.

House- Jarrod did an absolutely amazing job picking a house for us. The house itself is really super cute. Little bitty rooms and the steepest staircase ever to the finished attic and semi-finished basement. The neighborhood is amazing, so many beautiful and tall trees. Our neighbors (Mary and Ron, Sue, Lois and Tom, Tammy and Nala [mastiff]) are so nice. The look out for each other, and now us and our four-leggeds. We are 2 blocks away on the North from an Italian restaurant that is so tiny and yummy and cute. It reminds me of Joe's Taverna but with fried calamari and pizza. 2 blocks away on the South we have a 70 year old art deco inspired bar that has an eclectic menu and terrific bloody marys.

Job- I work at Kenyon Energy, Jarrod's company, as a secretary. It is a big change from teaching. I talk to only adults and they are all in full control of their actions, minds, and bodily fluids. It is a lot of fun.

Ohio- This place is amazing. First of all, the climate is fantastic. Humid, even more so than Oklahoma, but cool. Our hottest day was 94. That said, the winters are supposed to be horrific. Ever the optimist I choose to believe that I can bundle up sufficiently to avoid turning into a popsicle. Fingers crossed. The scenery is breathtaking. We live next to a river that has a hiking trail and river tour, both of which are in our future.

This little adventure is fun and exciting and I am thrilled beyond measure to get this opportunity to do something fully different than our real lives for a bit.

Ohio?

Today was my first (full) day in our home without my buddy. Blessedly I have had things to do to keep me occupied. Unlike yesterday, when he left at 10 and I retired to the bed until 7. No, it's fine. Today's adventures included working out (thanks Jill and Barbara!), riding my bike to Cheever's to celebrate my mother's birthday- is it terrible I don't know how old she is? yes?- and then a girl's (again with my mother) trip to the OCMA to see the Sketch to Screen exhibit. My buddy and I had plans to date night it to that, but he decided that instead he would get a job and move to Ohio!

That wasn't bitter, truly, just funny. In a million years I would have never imagined this to be part of my life.

So, starting this week I am packing up the contents of the manse, after some intense photo sessions, and waiting none too patiently for the phone call to let me know he found a house.

I feel terrible, my buddy has to work a full day, at a new job no less, and then dedicate what few daylight hours he has remaining to finding us a house. But, the minute he does I can move all of our worldly possessions and our four-footeds up there and we can start this next grand adventure!

We have looked at several houses online via craigslist (which is full of jerks trying to rip off your identity and steal all of your money- all the while posting pictures of really cute houses to lure you in) and of course one, none jerky listing, has fully captured my heart. To the point that I would pay more rent than they are asking just so we could guarantee that we get it. It is in Akron in the Highland Square area. Quarter sawn oak floors, leaded glass windows, surrounding a brick fireplace? Be still my heart.

Despite my visceral reaction to this house and longing to live in Highland Square, I am more than content to let my buddy have carte blanche when picking our semi-temporary home. He, of course, is drawn to the finished basements/attics, a term which here reads, home theatre room, with an eye to hardwood floors. I however can be swayed by something as simple as a built in hutch in the beamed ceiling dining room.

Regardless of where we end up physically, it will be the most amazing home in Ohio because our furry family will be there together. While obviously I don't want to leave my family, friends, manse or OKC, if I am being fully honest, I am really excited to have this time to do something totally out of character, for both of us, while we have the ability to do so. Once it is done, we will come home and settle in to real life, but for now, we will embark on some version of Eat, Pray, Love- with an obvious concentration of eating and loving!