Couches

I have been waiting all day for these couches,
But they still are not here.
I am beginning to go nuts
And that is what I fear.

Nick will come home tonight,
And find me curled up in a ball,
Fighting for my poor sanity,
Up against a bare wall.

He'll come in the door and he'll ask me,
'You waited all day for a couch?!?'
I looked at him pissed and then kick him,
Barefeet in pain I'll say "ouch!'

Hopefully this is not karma,
Because I'm impatient and mad,
If so then I guess I'll just sit here,
And wait for the couches for my pad!

--It is very rough, but I am very bored and my butt hurts from sitting on the floor all day. I moved everything out of this room and I was hoping they would be here early. Now the threat of rain is plaguing my day, and I am afraid to even run to the bathroom for a minute in case that is the minute they show up. The scenarios in my head as to why they are taking so long are as follows.

1-The moving dudes took the day off and the couch people decided not to call us because they have our money and don't want us to take it back and go elsewhere.

2-There is a traffic jam on 8 south caused by a herd of cows trying to get out of the impending doom of rain and they are stuck in it, possibly even pushing cows out of the way.

3-They are lost, which is 100% possible if you know where I live and also note that I accidentally said the house was 'blue and white' when it is really white and blue.

4-Their GPS took them to West Exeter instead of West Winfield which is two towns away and now they are wandering down their street which is the same name as mine instead of mine.

5-It was all a LOST dream sequence and nothing that I imagined was real. In fact I am not sitting on the bare floor, I am really in an insane asylum or on the floor of the jungle. Who Knows?!?

Also in response to PMs comment asking if I think a couch can fit in her living room, I think a nice Loveseat would be comfy in there and it would fit well. One of those really nice Futons might work too. I would get something with foldable arms because they give the option of extra seating, and I really like the look.

Above is the actual style of our sofa, and the color is that grey/green I showed before.

Joys of New York

If there is one thing I miss more than anything about living in NY it is the milk. I don't know why, but milk always seems fresher and delicious here. I grew up as a kid in Utica, NY and my mother would shove all three of us kids into the stroller(or drag us by the hand when we got older) to the nearest Byrne Dairy (about 4 blocks from our old house) so that we could pick up a half gallon of chocolate milk, a half gallon of 2% milk, and ice cream bars all around (they were always on the house because the people there loved us) It was something that we looked forward to all of the time, and I remember it was because when we didn't go on the outings dad would bring home a plastic jug of milk, but when we went with our mother we were able to get the milk in glass bottles. I had always thought that this was the coolest thing. Milk to me had always come in plastic of cardboard containers and the glass was something that I thought reminded me of the good old days when people used to get milk delivered. We never did of course and I wasn't even alive during that time. I thought it was the coolest thing to relive and old way of life, and was sad when we moved to West Winfield and getting Byrne Dairy milk became even more of a luxury.

The stories of milk's past though were not lost, and my mother told me about a cut that was in our outside wall and how that was where an access panel for the milkman had been covered up once milk deliveries had stopped being door to door. My mother told me stories of how people used to get their milk delivered in those access panels and would leave the milkman money in the panel and he would open a small door from the outside and place the milk in it. Somehow the milk stayed cold until someone came to get it, possibly an hour or so after he dropped it off, and the people of the house would enjoy the milk. There were times I really wished I had lived back then because I think it would be neat to grow up as a kid and watch the milkman drop off the milk in the panel, and possibly even play a few jokes on him, as kids like to do. But I was never that lucky, and had to simply settle for the plastic bottles that generic stores would dish out. It simply was not feasible for us to use a half gallon a week anymore anyway. I think at one point we were going through 3 gallons a week thanks to my brother and his love for milk.

Now that we have moved back, Nick works in Utica, so I make sure that he stops in New Hartford and gets a half gallon of the good stuff. Stuff that brings me back to my childhood and beyond. Plus it has the added benefit of keeping my bones strong, and it seems to taste better out of the glass bottle.

Above are the bottles we get now. (we still get 2% looking at going to 1% because it tastes so rich compared to other milk) and also what the compartments of the old days look like. A door on the inside for access of the housekeepers, and placement of the money and old bottles to be taken away, and this one doesn't show it well, but there is supposed to be a door on the outside as well for the milkman to deliver, and close the door so nobody stole the milk. Both of the doors could be locked from inside the house to keep creepies from entering the home lol.

Couch Potato

So above you will see that I have pictured here a couch. A couch that looks a lot like (or is) the one that we bought this past Saturday morning. We went to Joe Tehans and saw a few that we liked and finally settled on this one (or one like it) I like it because it is comfortable and also because I am sick of sitting in a miniature popasan chair. I am ready to have real furniture. Nick likes it because when he laid down on it he fell like it would be really comfortable to watch movies on. I wish it had reclining seats, however I sacrificed in order to get the heck out of the store (which we had been in for about an hour) and appease Nick who basically hated everything that I thought was comfortable. I think he really just wanted something to replace our existing furniture, so it is probably a good thing that we decided on this set. There was also an arm chair with Ottoman, but after sitting it it, we were both really disappointed. We instead decided that we would get the couch and two... yes I said TWO loveseats. We figure that if they drop it off and there is no room, oh well they can bring one back and refund us the money. Either that, or we can stop by the store again and pick up the coffee table and end tables that we both really liked. Either way, we are one step closer to being able to entertain. The way I see it, we are close enough and done in my head, but he seems to think we still need more chairs for the kitchen. I don't cause the two we have in there already make it really hard to get around the table, but I guess we will see what he ends up splurging on next. The best part is that this place is finally beginning to feel like home. Personally the only thing that would make it 100% home sweet home is if Nick would finally tackle his office. It's getting a little cramped in there and I have no idea what his plans are, and that scares me.

Photo Chop!

So interesting story... I was being a weirdo with my camera and taking pictures of my mother as she chopped away at vegetables last night and I was getting really into it and even sort of freaking her out. Suffice to say she decided she wanted to review them to see if she looked good (which with my skills you never look bad) and she was deleting the ones she didn't like. She ended up deleting them all by mistake and that sort of made me upset, and that is when I realized I was getting upset over nothing and I tend to do that a lot. I think my stress level is unusually high for a normal person and possibly because there is a looming cancer screening in my near future, or possibly because I am a control freak with no control. I realized it is probably the first one that caused the second one, and here is why.

In Spring 2004 I started my college life at SUNYIT. That was all fine and dandy for me because I didn't really have anywhere to go in my head. I was engaged to be married to C. H. who lived in White Plains, NY up till he got into a serious car accident which paralyzed him from the waist down and moved to Mesa, AZ after which he proposed and I said yes which led me to believe I didn't really have a choice in whether or not I moved to AZ and I needed to have an excuse to stay in NY and college was my excuse. (yes I was in fact an idiot) So anyway, I had hardly ever gotten sick before and I started to get all sorts of sick. I had a small run-in with pennicillin via the form of rotten oranges in the common area left conveniently by one of my roomates. I am coincidentally allergic to pennicillin which was all sorts of fun for the ER when I came wheeled in by one of my friends who claimed I was talking and passed out, then woke up breathing funny. I of course remembered none of this. I was treated and my friend was ordered to remove the toxins from the suite and so was Res. Life who told me I could charge my roomates who I did not know and did not wish to piss off. I did not charge them, because I was alive and thankful. Anyway I was requested to see the doctor at the college once in a while where they then said "Hey, while your here lets get your feminine tests out of the way." I was eager to get out and just got it over with because I hate doctors offices.

Well my tests were abnormal and I had to go through all sorts of freak tests with St. Elizabeth medical center in West Winfield and New Hartford. It was in New Hartford that I was told that I had precancerous cells on my cervix. They also revealed to me that they were caused by the HPV virus, and by the look of the growth I had had them for a few years. (apparently pre-cancer cells grow much like trees, I think they counted the rings) So I got my first treatment which was a liquid metal treatment that burned the cells off the cervix and then froze the cervical cells they were attatched to. The warning that came with the treatment was "You might feel discomfort for a few days and you may urinate dark" Well I urinated Black, and I could hardly move without feeling like my uterus was going to pull out my intestines. It burned like there was a devil setting me on fire on the inside. I was tested 6 months later to find out that I still have the virus and always will, but the pre-cancer was gone... for now.

Now I am doing what every person that I have ever known with a disease does. I deflect the issue and take control over every other thing in my life, and make excuses for why I don't want to go to the doctor. I don't want to lose control. I don't want to hear bad news. In my head I think I am ok. I don't want to be told I can't have kids. I don't want to be told I have cancer. I definitely don't want to be told that it's not under control. I know it is dumb and a little out there, but ignorance is bliss, and knowing that I have a test in a few months really scares me. I don't want to know. I would love to know that everything was ok, but I don't want to know if it is not. I don't care if you tell everyone else that I am sick, just don't tell me. I feel like if I feel fine then I am fine, and why soil my bliss with bad news? I can't control this feeling, so I think I take it out on Nick a bit. I know he is not a slob, I would just like to have some control over his actions too. Afterall he is the one who cares so much as to make me promise to set up the appointment... and keep it.

Nothing New to Report

So there really isn't for once.
I am sort of hearing crickets in my life and I kind of like it that way. I have been getting a lot of things done which is great, and also and finding that there is a lot that I have already done and can put behind me.

However I think I found me biggest pet peeve. Disorder. I know everyone hates it, but do you hate it as much as I do. I have such a desire for control when it comes to order and I really have no idea where this idea comes from. The smallest things like a box not being labeled with it's contents, or the date not being put on a bag of meat that you are storing in the freezer really get to me. Things that really are not crucial. However, I can go a couple weeks without vacuuming my floor and be completely fine with it. (I do have to vacuum by the way so it is an element of truth as well as comparison) I also like things to be put back in their places when people are done, and I find that I get a little twitchy when things don't go back in their place. I think I was raised by a crazy person at times because I honestly don't remember a time when I didn't put things back when I was done with them.

I think elements like that in my life are things that I could sit back and let go, but for now I am grumbling over each of the unmarked boxes that I have to go through in order to unpack and organize Nick's stuff. I am particularly not fond of ones that are marked simply with "stuff" LOL I think everything of his is "stuff" more clarification would have been nice.

I don't have any pictures to share, which is sad, but all of my pictures are in the process of being moved so that I can put Windows 7 on my laptop. I am hoping for the best here and I really hope things go well and quick with it so I can continue my awesome lifestyle of working hard all morning and being a computer addict most of the afternoon.
Hope things are well with you, Happy Wednesday!

Glimmers on Glass

So I went to Glimmerglass State Park on Friday with my family. I was over at my parent's house for my mother's birthday and they were all talking about how they had the following day off and how they were so happy that they could all sleep in. I chimed in with 'Let's go to the beach' and it was all downhill from there. Everyone thought that it was a great idea until they were getting ready for bed, when they all said. "Oh my goodness, now I have to get up early to get ready!" Thankfully, I didn't want to get up at the crack of dawn to go, I wanted it to be a liesurely day, so we didn't rush around all morning.

We went out to the beach, and I have to say that it was very relaxing. I sat in the shade for the first hour or so, then took a dip in the water with my mother, and laid on the beach and tanned. Yes, this time I really tanned because I had a base tan to work with. After we took another dip and dried off, it was fairly late in the day, we had already eaten and I had the great idea of going on a hike. We were in a State park afterall and I know almost all of them have trails. This one did in fact have a trail and it went straight up hill for about half a mile before it finally let us back down. We diverged off of the path they had gone before and into new territory, and at times we honestly thought that my dad was trying to get us lost. It felt like we were in the forrest for hours, but we had no choice really but to trust him. Even though we were in flip flops, we trucked along at a good pace and made it back to the beach in about an hour or so. I took some nice pictures along the way and I think it sort of sums up the relaxing day we had.

Mysterious Mushrooms, Stump... with a chipmunk that was not the focal point till after we took the picture, Some plant that I like because it is spiky, the view of the lake, the view of a field next to our picnic area.

Whirlwind Weekend

Sometimes there are events that I am priviledged to be a part of. This weekend was one of those events. We went to Valley Forge, PA and we attended the wedding of one of Nick's old co-workers, Sandip. He is Indian, and his wife is American, and they had decided that they wanted to do a dual heritage wedding. They had the Quaker ceremony early in the week, and we were able to attend the Indian Ceremony on Saturday. I don't really know how to explain it other than it was probably the single best wedding that I have ever attended. The Indian people really know how to party. I think weddings are a time of intense celebration and this was no different than that.

We got to PA at about 12 noon on Saturday, knowing that we wanted the comfortable for the ride in and therefore would need to change our clothes once we got to the hotel where the wedding would be held and where we would also be staying thankfully. We changed and were ready for the events which started at 2pm. The whole process started with the groom riding in to greet the guests and the family of the bride. He rode in on a very decorated white horse, and was surrounded by family and friends who danced in celebration of the wedding to come. We then moved inside and the ceremony began. It was entirely in Sanscrit so I had no idea what the man was saying, but he tried to explain to us what he was doing to keep us involved. The whole time people were getting up, moving around, and eating. It was like the ceremony was really for the bride and groom and people were allowed to do whatever they wanted. We found out at this point that there would be a lot of Indian food, and possibly not too much American food. My favorite part of the ceremony was the way that the altar and aisle were decorated, and how they incorporated music into everything. Everything was upbeat, happy and gorgeous.

The Ceremony ended at about 4pm and we had some time to kill since the festivities of the night did not start till 6pm. Cocktail hour started at 6pm and we got ready to drink, eat and be merry. There was a ton of Indian food, which was all very spicy and very good. There was a small corner of cheese and veggies which I think a lot of the guests who were hesitant on eating Indian food indulged in, however I found that a lot of people were willing to take the risk of spice and try something new. Cocktail hour ended at about 7pm and it was time to move into the main banquet hall for the meal. They introduced the bride and grooms families as well as the bride and groom, but did not start the meal till everyone was dancing and burning off the incoming calories. It was fun to watch and even more fun to join in.

The meal was great as well and I think I would love to attempt making something, but would refrain simply because I don't know if I could get anything right. After dinner, it was as if we were back at a normal wedding. There was after dinner dancing and fun. Nick was really glad to see some of his old co-workers, and I was happy to meet them as well. It was really nice to enjoy something so different and have it be such a great experience. I think this sort of opened my eyes to an entirely new culture. It also may have given me some new ideas on what I want to do for my wedding. Their decor was a little out there, but I know some of it could be used to make something interesting and different for mine. Here are some pictures that I took that give you a taste of what we experienced.

Below, in order: Sandip (the groom) waving to the crowd as he rode in on the white horse. Sandip on the horse that was fully decorated. The altar. One of the many elephants and half arches that surrounded the aisle that led to the altar. Nick and some of his old co-workers from SIG in Bala Cynwood, PA.

This is a Story About a Girl

She is from Irish roots and back in 2005 she met the man of her dreams. He was perfect in every way, looked Irish, acted Irish, and even drank like an Irishman. You would have thought it was an Irish match made in heaven. But it was not. He was 100% Italian. From an Italian family who spoke loud, cooked amazing and drank to fill up the time. But they were in fact a match made in heaven. They got married on October 13, 2005 and in December of that same year, he passed away. He was only in his 20's so this was a shock to all who were there to experience it.

The years however passed and his memory was not forgotten, but the hole he left in her heart remained. That was until she met someone. He was perfect for her, and she found him on match.com. She was hesitant because originally she was not looking for Mr. Right because she felt she had already found and lost him. However he was Mr. Right and he soon proposed marriage. They got married this past February, had a son in June (on my birthday I might add!) and we were all invited to join them in a celebration of their love this weekend at their wedding reception and wedding service for family and friends.

It had to be one of the most fun weddings I have ever been to. I had been to her last wedding, but it seems that it paled in comparison to this one. You could see the light in her face as she took her vows, and the smile in his eyes as he took his. You could tell that this time around it was a little bit truer. Not that the last one was not true love, but there was something special about this one. Like this time around she was willing to make it last forever, but she was willing to simply living in the moment.

I took a few photos, but I didn't bring my camera because she had hired photographers and I didn't want it to be a big deal that I brought mine. In hindsight I should have brought it anyway. But here are a few pictures of the fun that was had, and the love that they share. Oh how sappy!!

They are: The couple getting greeted by guests while holding their baby, the couple entering the reception after dinner, the bridesmaids dancing, and the whole bridal party dancing. (my sister is the one to the immediate left of the bride in the last two pictures)

Change, Change, Change!

It's good.
It's bad.
It's Ugly.
And it's real.

I exchanged all of my change in the bank the other day and received $67.00 in cash. I was proud to finally have the burden of the two massive canisters out of my mind. It was one of the many things weighing on my mind as the Windstream internet installer knocked on the door of my new apartment. I needed to get rid of change! I need to get rid of a lot more than just change though, and that is what is making life a little miserable for me. I realize that I have too much "stuff" and that some of it will have to be donated, thrown out, or stored in order to make room for my fiance's stuff. Thankfully I have not yet moved all of my "stuff" out of my parents house, so I can take my time sorting through it an making the changes I need to my ownerships.

In other news on the moving/change front. The move went well, and by well I mean that I moved in in mid July, only to move back to MD for a week. One of Nick's family members commit suicide and we went to services in Philadelphia. (We also heard today that another member of Nick's extended family accidentally shot himself recently, so there is a lot of that hanging on my mind.) Thankfully, things started to turn upwards as the weeks past and I was able to move back for good this time to NY. However internet was a luxury that I simply did not have unless I walked to the local library, and I found myself too busy most days to enjoy that luxury. I did get to send some notification out that I existed, but sadly not to the blogs.

Now though, I have my internet back, and am working furiously on my resume, or at least attempting it. I am finding myself without ambition and not wanting to have a job. I don't really want to DO anything. I want to take pictures. That's all I have been doing in my "free time" and I find it relaxing. I puttered today and realized that if I could do what I really wanted, I would go back to school for photography and business and I would start up a business in photography. I would kick ass in it, learn all the techniques I need to master, and boot all of the mediocre photographers out of CNY. Until the day that that happens I will probably be stuck wishing I had never taken a single psychology course in my life and regretting the time I spent in the classroom on what I deem a worthless degree.

So for your viewing pleasure and as a welcome back gift to all of you here are some of my putterings: Keller, a bee on a globe thistle, my favorite Dahlia, My engagement ring, and the rain that plagues NY.