It's been a whirl!

So last week I was feeling sorry for myself, and in many ways not much has changed with people in my other home lands, having no schedule, no scrilla, suffering with the greatly reduced sunlight of Ohio. However. In other ways, wow.

Emily decided that she needed to pick up the Amish Friendship batter sooner rather than later so she came by on Thursday after work. She is really fun to hang with and I swear there is a part of me that watches us and feels like our banter (because it really is banter that we do) is reminiscent of Lorelei and Sookie of the Gilmore Girls. How cool is that? Okay it's also probably terribly wrong and represents an inflated sense of our (particularly my) cleverness but it's fun nonetheless. I'm not saying who is who because it's not entirely clear and doesn't really matter because we have fun.

Friday plans held up and after filling out an application at "American Video*" for a clerking job (don't ask!) I headed to Yellow Springs. Dru ran late but I had fun rambling around looking at stores and chatting up one of the owners of Living Green, she was SO friendly. Dru and I chatted for a long time after our meal was done, it was nice catching up.

My dear sweet Jeriann called and we talked until my battery died on Saturday. It was a very wide ranging conversation and really nice to reconnect. In addition that day I scheduled an interview at "American Video", again, don't ask.

On Sunday I confirm that TGF is cool with me disappearing Sunday night to go down to the Insomniac Knitting Group that starts at 8-ish. At 5pm I leave for the interview and by the time I get home TGF has gone to the 'rents. After the lovely {ahem} time at American Video, I am SO grateful that Andi is coming by to whisk me off in her unheated chariot to some knitting.

The interview went great, really had fun chatting with Dan* and was told there are three steps to getting hired. I passed the first round because Dan really likes me. Next on Monday I take a two hour standardized test. Then if I pass I meet with the regional guy. For a frigging clerk job at a video store! Oh and get this, I will need to remove my nose ring when at work. ARHGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!
I mean I worked at Smith College School of Social work and didn't need to remove it. I left the interview furious, feeling like crying, thinking of my cousin saying to me many, many years ago "How the mighty have fallen". I couldn't think of anyone to call to bitch about this with and instead sat on the couch, watching bad television, eating potato chips and playing Zuma (so addictive!) on my computer.

As I said, thank, as Glamour Gal would say, The Goddesses without Husbands for Andi inviting me to join her last night. She got the full vent about the interview, patient woman. It was way too much fun. Aleza has apparently been reading my blog (hi honey!) and was just thinking about writing to invite me to join them. Michelle was just too much fun, it was great to see Anna again. Danielle was a blast! It was after midnight by the time Andi and I were back in the car.

Tonight after my North Dayton Knit Night I am driving down to Jer's place to help out with The Most Awesome Nephew Ever since she has to go out of town for work. So the next two mornings I will be making sure he gets on the bus for school. How cute is that?


*Neither store name or store employees are real to protect, um, me

In which our herione finds redemption in whining the other day

So a few hours after posting my blog post, my friend Jeriann sends me an ecard. I write her demanding that she fess up to reading my blog. She says, Of course, how else do I know what's happening. BUT I was going to write you anyway, so there. Cool beans.

An acquaintance from California reads my post and emails me - how lovely!

Also get an email from my pal Dru who we finally visited up in Columbus (great visit) asking if I'm free for coffee on Friday. Hey I have no life, of course I could do this, just need to put gas in the car.

A neighbor writes me asking for my blog addy. I give it to her but tell her not to judge me by "today's post" (my lonely whine from the other day). She writes back later to say, "I am very glad you and TGF are here and making this your home". Man I love that woman. She welcomed us with open arms from day one.

Today I find out that I have won two more blog contests. I told TGF about it saying, If only I could turn this ability into cash!". So a shout out to Keanalee over at Meowfish Pie Knits and Melissa over at Misfit Knit (don't you love that name?).

Tonight my buddy Emily (from Dainty Kitty) emails that she is free to cook, knit, and generally pal about next Friday.

Earlier today I finally made the sweet bread from the funky batter called Amish Friendship Bread that Dru so kindly gift me with. This stuff is like a chain letter, you get the stuff, feed it, divide it, use some to bake with and the rest you give away or keep. But you are warned that if you give it all away you will never know when you might get it again (as if this is a bad thing - I read someone gained 5 pounds because of this stuff in 6 weeks!). On a list I'm on I threatened to send it my friend Supee because she thinks she lives too far away being in California and all. Another lister is begging me to send to her in Oregon - will do!

So while a lot of things are the same my mood is much improved.

In which our heroine has left the house 3 nights in a row

It is truly amazing that I can be so busy in the evenings when I have just arrived in this state. Of course for some of this business all praise must go to Ravelry which allows me to find all these knitting/fibrous things to do.

Sunday was not the best night in the house as TGF was very quiet, not wanting to talk, and I could not separate from her mood. Luckily I had an option! On Sunday evenings there is a knitting meet up at a St*rbucks near the Dayton Mall. Some women get together starting at about 8ish and goes, as I learned later, until the last person goes home. This particular St*rbucks is open 24/7 and as there is caffeine available it certainly lends itself to the night owl crew. There were only two others who showed while I was there (WildWoman wrote later to say she got there at about 11pm). It was still fun and I learned that these two women were open and amusing to hang with for an evening. It was definitely the right thing to do rather than stay home. I didn't even spend any money on tasty drinks.

The next night I had already decided I would go to Cody's lacrosse practice/game as it would be one of the last for the season. I arrived at Jeriann's place just as they were leaving to warm up the car - it was quite cold last night! We had a good chat while Cody listened to the radio. It was quite the night of meeting up with folks. Jer's parents came by and it was really great to meet them. Her mom sent me off with hug for TGF. Michael, Cody's godfather came with his wife and there 19 month old son, but they couldn't stay long so Cody didn't get to see them. Cody wanted to me stay for dinner, but mom said homework was more important. I got a hug before he headed for the front door, and just before entering he called out "Love you". Melted my heart I tell you.

Tonight is Tuesday and I love my knit night at Therapy Cafe meet up. These women are fun and it's so close to home, it makes it easy to go. We were a smaller group tonight and unfortunately Squeezleknits didn't make it. Also Dainty Kitty didn't show, boo. I showed off my chemo cap (photo and details soon) for Catherine, worked on TGF's Odessa hat and blatantly ignored the sleeve of her sweater. A lot of my annoyance with the sleeves are the needles, Clovers, which I really do not like but they were all I could find when I needed them the other week. I really like the Silky Wool yarn and I think it's going to make a lovely little hat for her. The company was so entertaining that I misread the directions and wound up having to tink the four rows I knit. Never fear, I have reknit about half of that while watching the final episode of the Tin Man on the SciFi channel. Good stuff that was!

It almost makes me want to go out again tomorrow night and you know what? I could because there is a knitting gathering at the B&N near where I was Sunday night with yet another group. Isn't that a trip? And I didn't go to one last night in North Dayton. And I think there is one on Friday morning near TGF's store. Crazy huh?

Oh South Park is having their first annual Xmas party (I will have to talk to someone about how politically incorrect it is not to say "holiday", don't you think?) on Saturday at our tavern. Admission is two cans of food per person. I think we can manage that. I have tentatively invited Jeriann and Cody for candling lighting and latkes on Sunday, which will also be the day we put the tree up.

Looks like a busy week over here in South Park for me.

I found my hidey hole

While researching the area when the topic of this move first came up I had lobbied for potentially moving to Yellow Springs. In my searches I found that the town had a street fair in October, so the idea of going there had been in my mind for months. As it turned out we were not moving that day and as a bonus Jeriann was up for adult time as Cody was doing a visit with another aunt.

Jer came by the new place so she could give us her verdict - she approved by the way. She came by while TGF was out running an errand. As we were chatting there was a knock at the door and I looked at her, shrugging. It was our next door neighbor who had just left this unit. According to Karin she moved because she needed more space due to being a pack rate. The neighbor/former tenant said she moved because there was no central air. Somewhere between those two lies reality methinks. A short time later the three of us hopped in our car and were off to Yellow Springs.

It was one of those perfect autumn day with a bright sky that seems to only happen in the month of October. The air was warm, the sun was shining and the trees were a kaleidoscope of colours. The trip was short and it delighted me that this area was so close. Skylines were open and there was rural feel that was invigorating and compelling.

The streets of the fair were crowded and the bustling didn’t bother me the way it usually does but Jeriann had a hard time with it. The stores we went into were like those one would find in Northampton or Berkeley but the setting brought New Paltz to mind more than any other town. Jeriann and I made plans to come back another time so we could browse the stores in greater comfort. We decided to head back to our neck of the woods. Hunger was getting to all of us so we decided to head “The Tavern,” a popular spot amongst South Parkers, which I guess we were on our way to being. Who should we see there but Teresa, the bartender/waiter greeted us like old timers, and it was feeling a bit like Cheers only real. Actually the waiter was hoot and a half; and the pizza was fantastic! Towards the end of our meal I noticed our new landlady, Karin, eating there as well. As we were readying to leave she noticed me and called me over to chat for a moment. This place truly has a small town feel. In a good way.

After dinner we pick up the dog and walk around the greenway. Rehabarama has begun and we are by one the houses. TGF say, go head go in; so Jer and I walk into this amazing house, immediately critiquing the choices of furniture and colour to our hearts’ content. The greeter at the house asks for our tickets and when we say “Huh”. He laughs and mentions his wife is on a dinner break. Aha! He must be Karin’s husband so I prompting introduce myself and we chat about the house. “Have you ripped out the carpeting yet?” Oh I am so happy to hear that I can do this. There is so awful blue carpeting in both bedrooms upstairs and on the stairs themselves. Of course I am hoping there will be lovely wood floor underneath but even if they are terrible it won’t be carpeting which I abhor.

It was a lovely day.

Blinded by the light

....of a job offer. Okay maybe more like a potential job offer. Not for me but for TGF.
In Ohio. Yes, yes, the state I said I would not move to, ever. Okay one of the states I have said that about but this declaration was made repeatedly and emphatically.

TGF has a son, like I have a daughter, not by blood, not through official channels but still a young person in our lives who we have taken a parental role with over a long period. Well he works somewhere (a large chain) that has a store opening (that I guess is sort of in his region), has pull (he is a very charming boy), and spoke to TGF about it yesterday.

In theory the store is set to open in late July but has been pushed back a few times. The timing could not be much worse for me as that is right at the height of work for Dance New England for me, right after the end of a school semester - in other words a mess.

This is very much like deja vu for me. Six years ago, almost to the month my ex applied for a job in California when we were living in Massachusetts. Memorial Day weekend 2001 she and I came out here for her interview and to check things out a bit. C left Massachusetts with 98% of our belongings in mid July while I stayed behind to finish getting the house ready to sell, went to Dance New England, and then I drove west after it was over. I've never seen the movie, but this is feeling a bit like Groundhog Day to me.

Nothing is written in stone, it's only been 24 hours since she was sort of offered the job, there are a ton of questions our boy and the business would need to answer but what a ride already.

The town where the store is scares the hell out of me. It's 95% caucasian. I have never live anywhere like that. There are about 12,000 people, so it's smaller than anywhere I've been and I could not find a synagogue in the town. As of a recent census there is 0.10% lesbian population. Read that again folks, one tenth of one percent! I woke up this morning saying it "why couldn't it be somewhere like Yellow Springs if I have to move to frigging Ohio." Well, actually we could move there as it's a reasonable drive to the job.

TGF's friend, and mine really, Jeriann is totally excited about this potential move as she lives nearby in Centerville. Jeriann was recently here trying to relocate with her company but just yesterday morning got the offer which made it a no go deal for her. We both talked to her about options. Then TGF got the job phone call while I was out. It took her over two hours after I got home to tell, and that after trying to figure out with Jer how to tell me about all this.

Just how did she tell me you might wonder. I came home, we had some dinner and were watching television. Then she says I need to run out and get a Mountain Dew. I did think it odd as it was after 8pm that she would get a "pop" but I blew it off. We are back to sitting on the couch, laptops engaged, television crackling. I see an email come through from her at about 8:40pm. The subject line is "Fwd: home" with a real estate listing link saying she sent it to Jer. How odd I think, Jer has a condo. "Why would you send that to Jer?" There is a very awful pause and a funny look passes over her face. "I got a job offer today.....in Ohio." Blown away I think begins to describe my reaction. Realizing this morning that Yellow Springs is a reasonable option as made this a bit easier for me.

There are some benefits to this, number one being she would have a job that could definitely pay our bills and we could start paying down the debt we have accumulated in the last two years. She is promising me that we would not stay there more than two years (think it would be longer but hopefully not more than four). We would still work on moving to the south, somewhere that will hopefully be our "forever" home. TGF is regularly homesick being here and has not fallen in love with California. We would be able to really get to know our niece, T'Mane which is really appealing. It would be lovely to be near Jer, but I would miss my friends here so much it's hard to breath if I think about it. I would be closer to the east coast so in theory between it costing less to fly and having money I might actually be able to see family and friends more.

Stay tuned. Follow the bouncing ball. Buckle up for the roller coaster. Start an office pool. Remind me to breathe.