artykins

So somewhere between laundry, drinks on Friday night, the boys telling me that they're thinking of naming their production company 'scrotumus maximus' and today, I spent the day with my mother and her mother before her.  It was Mother's Day yesterday here in the states.  I know the UK has its Mother's Day at a different time, but yesterday was the day here.

We initially planned on going out for Chinese food, but the place was PACKED.  I don't think I've ever seen it that busy there and while I was bummed that we actually didn't end up going there, I was really glad to see it so busy.  You see, La Piñata (a great little Mexican food dive) moved into the space next door to said yummy Chinese food.  The last few times Matt and I have gone out for Chinese, whether we eat it there or do take-out, La Piñata has been hopping and barely anyone is in the Chinese food place.  And this Chinese food is the best I've ever had.  It's muy delicioso and it's my favorite place to go, so while the prospect of yummy food was never really in jeopardy yesterday, it was good to see that the place was so busy.

I say 'harumph!' to that.

Yesterday was a good day all around.  Got up, went to church with Matt (where there were a surprising number of people gone), went to the house, did some laundry, went out to lunch, went back to the house, did more laundry and then I slept while everyone else played games.  I was seriously tired.  Eventually, Matt came to wake me up, he finished folding the laundry and we more or less hung around a little longer before packing up and coming home.

Other stuff has been going on as well.  For instance, my thesis is open and sitting on my screen behind my Safari window because I'm going to start re-reading it to get a feel for Penelope's voice again.

Matt and I are looking at buying a house by year's end.  We can do it financially, but I would covet your prayers for wisdom in the process, for the right house to be open to us and for the whole thing to more or less go smoothly.  I'm not sure I'd like a turn-key house (although that would be spectacular, I'll admit) because I kind of like the idea of doing some kind of work in a house.  It makes it more your own somehow.  Of course, even in a turn-key house, I'd probably paint certain things.  I'm just hoping the kitchen is big and has nicer appliances than the one we have now.  I mean, come on...three times our fridge has up and died on us.  Three.  That's ridiculous.

I actually had appliance lust yesterday.  Jeff was housesitting for Geoff (yeah, go figure).  He lives in a little condo and his kitchen is seriously lust-worthy.  Stainless steel appliances, lots of storage, nice cabinets.  I think I was also offended because in Geoff's fridge...his beautiful, amazing fridge, lives only cheese and yogurt.  That's it.  I would have all manner of good stuff in there!

I haven't been feeling too hot as of late, so I'm home today resting and doing some minor cleaning.  The coat closet in the dining room needs some attention.  I've already sprayed the shower with vinegar to eat away at the grout and the stuff on the shower curtain, so I'll be going in a little while to rinse that off.  I plan on using some of my time to write as well.

Lastly, I've been feeling assaulted a little lately.  Not that I really care.  The assault is coming from a person who blames me for things that I have absolutely no hand in.  It's hard to have sympathy or care when I know I've done nothing wrong.  They seem to be angry with me just because I'm alive, because I'm happy.  They try to be nice, but deep down I think they want things to be my fault so that I can be blamed for the way things have turned out.  It saves them from having to take the blame themselves.  And deep down they know it's not my fault, which I think makes them even angrier.  

It's hard to know what to do in that situation.  A part of me wants to be the bringer of good news, the source of hope, but I've done that before with some people and it just doesn't work.  Some people are melancholic by nature and always see the darker side of the moon instead of what the sun shines on.  I've found that it's not up to me to change the dismal outlook.  It's up to the person who holds it, and unless they really want to change, they won't.  

In some cases they stay melancholic so that the sunny-minded person will stay and try to 'fix' them.  I used to be that person.  I still am in some ways.  The only difference now is that I just don't have time to deal with such foolishness.  I don't have time to be liked and then hated and then liked again, but then be prey to anger when deep down the person really wants me to stay.  That's absolute foolishness.  I sometimes wish they would come right out and tell me what they want so I can say yes or no and move on with life.  It would make things so much easier, although I must admit that moving on with life isn't that great a challenge now concerning people like this.

Alright, I should go really go check on my vinegar-coated bathroom.  It smells a little like Easter here.

- Arty