I almost titled this entry “Cracking up” but I have this thing about the power of words and self-fulfilling prophecies.
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I also almost wrote an entry detailing why things are difficult for me right now, but not only would I not get any sympathy from y’all, I’d probably get active hate mail. So let’s just put it that my life has changed dramatically from the first part of May. For example, Darin worked at home. So when I needed a break or to run an errand, he was there. This is not the case now. It’s different, and I haven’t adjusted yet.
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We live in a small town. The local weekly has on its cover this week the story of two English teachers at the local high school who fell in love and got married. It’s a cute story, but…um…slow news week?
Well, it’s better than yet another story about the Rampart district. Or cleaning up the Belmont site.
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Since I posted my discovery that I could go exercising after dropping Sophia off at preschool, I think I’ve gone out maybe once. So of course I get discouraged and think, “I’m never going to exercise or lose this damn weight!” and go out for a Frappucino. With whipped cream.
It’s amazing I’m not 300 pounds. There have been a lot of self-soothing Frappucinos of late.
Update: Um, of course what I meant to say is, “I have been using Frappucinos as self-medication” or something along those lines, not “Frappucinos are lonely and need love.” But you knew that.
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Part of the difficulties of adjusting to this move have been that I don’t have many friends around here. Actually, in the immediate five miles, I don’t have any. I think other moms have put out the word: “She’s coming! You know, the one who’s desperate to talk to other adults! Run!”
I’m trying. Evidently some of our neighbors have kids the exact same ages as ours. I called their number, haven’t heard back. These things take time. It’s hard to have that perspective when every day brings a new exercise in “What do I do with the kids today?”
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Sophia has the funniest line that is guaranteed to make Darin and me crack up whenever she says it. Whenever she puts forth an idea for something she wants, she says, with her biggest, sunniest smile: “Can we go to the bookstore now? Yeah? Is that a great idea?”
Not a good idea. A great one.
No idea how she came up with that one.
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For several months there Darin had to read Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel to Sophia every night, mostly because he made the mistake of telling her that it had been his favorite book when he was a boy. Darin turned the nightly recitation into an audience participation event, with Sophia finishing half the sentences.
We finally (yes! finally!) opened one of the boxes of the kids’ books and one of the books was Mike Mulligan. Sophia asked me to read it to her last night.
She didn’t remember any of it. Mike. Mary Anne. “Neat and square.”
Which might mean she’s already forgotten a lot about Los Angeles. Not everything: she still brings up her friends from time to time.
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I didn’t mention that one of the biggest stresses we’ve been under is that—ta da!—the buyer for our house in Los Angeles backed out a week before we were supposed to close escrow. And she didn’t even tell us, we found out when the escrow agent called to tell us. And because we’d set up the purchase between friends, we didn’t even get to keep the down payment.
Which would have really, really helped, given that we’ve had two mortgages going for a few months now and had to pay for some stuff to be fixed at the old house. (Like termites. Yes, my house got tented and I didn’t even get to see it.)
Reportedly everything is fixed now—we have the most amazing real estate agent in the world who is handling everything for us; if you are buying or selling a house in LA call Jeanne Valvo at Coldwell Banker, you will not be sorry—and the house should go on the market soon. Jeanne may already have a buyer for us. I just want to see the check.
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I’ve promised all my friends that I will stop complaining to them all the time. I don’t know when, though. I’m just a little stressed out right now.
Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne – Favorite line: ‘The Operator called the folks in Kipperville and CopperVille and told them what was happening in Popperville.’ (from memory so probably not 100%)
Good luck with the house…
I recommend you subscribe to a real newspaper. They must have one up there, don’t they?
Or….you could just read blogs!
Read…what?
I get most of my news from blogs, actually. My top three non-blog sources are the SF Chronicle (which is mostly reprints of stories from bigger outlets with better layout), the NY Times, and the LA Times (old habits die hard). I hate the Mercury News’s site; hardly ever go there.
I also check in with the Guardian periodically.
If I bought all of these papers in paper form, I would a)have a house full of newspaper, b)never read them, and c)be poor!
You know, considering all the stress you’ve been under, it sounds to me like you have all your faculties going just fine, and I got no beef with Frappucinos. As a matter of fact, we go waaaaaay back.
Sophia is just too cute! I can just HEAR her! lol! “Yeah? Is that a great idea?” lol!
She reminds me of me and the reading thing. Yeah, lots of good signs there. Keep up the good work!
Re: the neighbors. I don’t think it’s you. I really, really don’t. I’m beginning to think hermitry is epidemic.