« October 2005 | Main | December 2005 »
November 23, 2005
People Who Need People
I'm going to wax sentimental here for a moment, so grab your hankies, folks...
As you may recall from earlier entries, I've commented on the hell that is homebuying, wedding planning etc. What I fail to acknowledge with all my biting cyncism is that through the process of buying a house or planning a wedding, you meet a lot of really interesting people.
These people will become a part of the fabric of your lives (no, I'm not talking about cotton, people, work with me here...). Some of them are just a temporary addition, who will be remembered through stories or self-reflection, but some of them become a fixture. Take our oil service guy, Troy.
If you ever wondered what type of person listens regularly to country music in the Northeast and watches "Dog the Bounty Hunter", it's Troy. He is a fellow cynic, who has been in the oil business for approximately 30 years. He is a heavy smoker and I'm surprised that he lungs haven't run screaming from his body considering all the abuse from asbestos, spray paint, oil, dust, and smoke he has inhaled over the years.
I met Troy through Paul Kelly, another oil guy recommended to me from our fabulous realtor, Cathy. Shortly before we moved into our house, our oil burner gasped its last breath. After a series of conversations with our crappy homeowner's warranty company, we decided to just have Paul replace the boiler. But to quote Paul, "Darlin' I've got a problem. I'm goin' outta town next week, but here's what I'm gonna do... I'm gonna have my friend Troy take care-a you."
Poor Troy agreed to help us and I think, if he hadn't liked me so much, he would have driven past our house once he saw we lived on a hill and don't have a bulkhead into our basement. But he did the job and we are forever grateful. And boom! Troy is now part of our lives, as are Paul Kelly, and Cathy.
But it doesn't stop there. We have Anna, our attorney, who helped us buy the house and will do our estate planning now that we actually own something of value; Cathy's sister and partner, Ann Marie; Jill, from whom we bought the house; Jim Rogers, the roofer; Kevin and Keith, the bank's attorneys; Sonia from Wainwright; Irene, the Seller's Agent, Rich the insurance agent and so on.
All of these people were a small part of us buying a house, but they were all part of it and they all have a role in our story and moving forward, I'll always be connected with them. Suddenly you begin to understand to a much greater level the "six degrees of Kevin Bacon". It especially hard to believe that in the coming year, we will come to rely on an ever growing web of people to help us have a wedding to remember.
Now if only some of these people would stop taking our money and get over here and help me unpack some boxes or interview a caterer already.
Posted by jessica at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)
November 22, 2005
Lampy Anniversary, Lampy Birthday, and many Lampy Returns...
Here it is. The day I must confess that I've totally lost it. Let me start at the beginning of my forgetful shame spiral and let you be the judge.
For the past few weeks, I've been distracted, by the house mostly, but also by coming up with a reasonable budget for our wedding. I've fretted and sighed and made list after list. Tossed and turned at night as I comptemplate our lack of money, time, energy, my failure to communicate to family and friends, how desperately I miss my mom during this stressful period, and my big fat butt.
And to top it off, things have also been naturally a bit stressful at work (which I can't get into in a public forum) and with my new long commute, have been keeping crazy hours to avoid traffic (Come in early, leave late; come in late, leave late...)
This past weekend, we were busy buying a ladder, clearing leaves from the gutter, buying a new rug, unpacking, and tidying in anticipation of the imminent arrival of Thanksgiving and the family that will come with it. I also took today (Tuesday) and Wednesday off of work to continue cleaning, unpacking, and the additional work that goes along with those activities (like hanging shelves and hooks and curtain rods).
So, tra-la-la, clueless wonder Jessica says goodnight to Brendan on Sunday, kisses him goodbye on Monday morning, and chats briefly on the phone and via IM with him throughout that workday.
Since I was taking today and tomorrow off, I decided I needed to work late yesterday in order to accomplish a few things prior to leaving and would be working late. This means I can pick up Brendan on my way home because he works late on Mondays, too. This also means I couldn't make it to an offsite going away party for a co-worker because I was too busy and... I don't know; something was niggling at the back of my brain.
I am running late; I wanted to arrive at Brendan's work to pick him up by 7:30. He wanted me to come up and have some snacks since he had been responsible for this week's snack time, and already I am not leaving my office until 7:40. Arghhh. I call him on my way out the door and tell him that I'll just meet him at the library, which is across the street from his office and a normal meeting place for us.
"Really?," he says. "Can't you just come up? You'll be here by 8:00."
So I say, all bitchy-like, "You want me to get there, try to find parking, and then come all the way up to your office?"
"Ahhhh. Yeah."
"Fine. Goodbye" Click.
(Ain't I a charmer?)
I can't justifiably be mad that he would want me to proactively come to his office to have a snack, since I often work late on Mondays and pick him up on the way home. Usually, I arrive at his office (or the library) starving and since I'm hypoglycemic, he worries about me. So I just assume that is what is motivating him. Remember tra-la-la? Yeah.
I make it to Cambridge in record time, but have to go around the block a few times to find parking. In a teeny huff, I make it into the building 3 minutes before 8, take the elevator to Brendan's floor, and have a brief fantasy in the elevator car that maybe Brendan's co-workers were having a little engagement party for us, but quickly dismiss it, realizing how late it is and what a silly idea that would be. In actuality it was much worse.
I glide through the 3rd floor lobby telling the receptionist I'm there to see Brendan, and go through the door leading to his office. I see that his overhead light is off, which catches me by suprise, and wonder (a little snottily) if he isn't even in there.
Rounding the corner to his door, I see he is happily toiling away at his computer and there, on his desk is the Most Beautiful Lamp in the World. The very Peruvian lamp that I had admired lovingly in the window of "A Thousand Villages" just a weekend or two before. And he had bought it for me... for our 7-year anniversary... which was that very day. Which also happens to be... oh dear God, no.... his birthday... which I've forgotten.
Oh, the shame.
He gets up from his desk with a big smile on his face, lovingly opens his arms, and says "Happy Anniversary, honey! I love you!"
I stand there stock still, my face frozen in horror, hand to my mouth. And quietly say, "I've forgotten your birthday...." And promptly burst into tears.
Wailing, I continue, "I've also forgotten our anniversary! I'm a terrible person!"
I continue to blather on about all my failings as a human being, and this wonderful man stands there, embracing me, on his birthday -- which I've forgotten- comforting me, telling me that it's ok and I'm not a bad person, on and on, assuring me that I've been under stress, so-on-and-so-forth, until I stop crying.
I'm sure lapsed Irish Catholics qualify for Sainthood, right?
Eventually we get on with it; I ohh and ahh over the Most Beautiful Lamp in the World, continue to apologize, and joke that this is one major get-out-of-jail-free card for him for the next few years and we are on our way.
I do so love this man o' mine.
The end of the story is kind of funny, actually. We arrive home at 10:00, grumbling that we have to still take out the trash in the rain, when I notice our screen door is prompted open, which means there's a package! Joy!
I run up the stairs and see it's for Brendan. Double joy! This day is not ruined! We do our chores and then Brendan wants to open his present. It's from his sister, Deirdre, and after reading the cards, I can tell that Brendan seems to have an inkling of what's inside.
Hot Damn! It is as he suspects, and instead of ruining the surprise for you. I'll let this picture do the talking.
Yes, on the day I get the Most Beautiful Lamp in the world, Brendan receives the Ugliest Lamp in the World. A Schaeffer Beer lamp, no less.
And all is right again with the world ,except for the fact that I've totally lost my mind. In the end, I guess the day wasn't a total wash and I've got time come up with an idea on how to make it up to Brendan. Whatever I do, I guess I'll have to rule out getting him a lamp. I mean, how can you possibly top these beauties?
Posted by jessica at 07:56 AM | Comments (0)
November 16, 2005
Isabella is-a Bella
Here are a couple of new pictures of Isabella Zuzu to get you through your day...
(new!)
Posted by jessica at 11:19 AM | Comments (0)