My oh my, I looked up today and realized six months have passed and I've been delinquent with my blog entries. A recap of Jan-June of 2011 in chronological order.....
January I rang in the New Year with friends at a rented cabin in Hendersonville, NC. I enjoyed from that trip: the drive up with Natalie & Harmon, it was intellectual yet light, flowy yet structured, and in the end I felt like I knew them better. The end being arriving at dusk to a mudflat instead where a lake should be and driving aimlessly in circles around it wondering where the stinking cabin was. Well when we found it, I got the room "the couples didn't want," (it was find room btw) and really the only disappointment about the cabin itself worth mentioning was the hot tub was more like a whirlpool bath and it took three attempts before we were able to use it. Plus I really I liked the confetti. It was a bitch for everyone to clean-up in the morning, but fun in the making. I also got introduced to quinoa on that trip and although I've yet to cook it at home, the dish we ate on New Year's Eve is one of the best I've had all year. Yes, I was sad that I didn't have a man to snog after the ball dropped, and no the kiss from Jenna didn't make up for it.
February After the "Ninth-Wheel Trip" I hit the online dating scene in full force and I also got pretty involved with training for my first triathlon. Which meant no smoking, eating healthy, and exercising frequently. For two weeks I had a slew of dates. Several different dates in one week once. One I really liked, but after the second date he told me he didn't really like me. One I kinda liked but he really liked me, so we kept going out on weekends and I was excited not to be alone on Valentine's Day, and in fact he really impressed me: green curry (my fave), dark chocolate fondue, a nice bottle of wine, and an adventure movie, 127 Hours. It was memorable. He's not around anymore. I used to see him on the bike trails and say hey, but he's takin' a summer of finding himself (divorcee after 11 yrs with the same woman) and scrambling up Colorado's 14er's. Anywho, all the while I'm working away still boss-less after mine left the company back in May 2010, and planning to do some major renovations on my house.
March So far, my favorite month of the year. I was still cracking away on my master's degree, staying with my cousins at the Hue while bathroom at the house got remodeled, riding all the time, and meeting some of the dandiest boys. Then one night at a spontaneous trip to Neptunes/Kings to get down at the Discovery dance party, a handsome young man started chatting with me while waiting in line for the john. I remember him telling me, "...that sometimes he's gotta listen to some Metallica and jam out, but other days it was Bill Withers or Otis Redding." I thought that comment was rather intriguing, but he was off to dance upstairs where he knew the DJ. As he walked away, I admired his physique; tall with broad shoulders and a great ass. Well when Sarah & I got upstairs to boogie, it was packed and the club lights were flashing, bodies were pulsating and I drug her up onto the stage. Then I spotted above mentioned hottie dancing off to the side with some petite chatterbox talking his ear off. I'm not the shy type, so I swaggered over, pulled his ear down to my mouth and yelled, "Are you going to stand around talking all night, or do you wanna dance?" In less than 30 minutes we were making out. I don't if was the booze, the beats, or moment but it was on. Our courtship was/is fun, and after several dates we both wanted to go steady so after several years of dating, playing the field and being played, I have a boyfriend. A wonderful boyfriend.
April I moved back into the house in April and couldn't believe my eyes. Here's a list of the all the things I had fixed in/on/at my 1957 Cape Cod house appraising at 1196 sq. ft.: new wiring in the basement (to include panel box upgrade from breaker box), first floor wiring, light added in pantry, new ceiling fan hung, new lights replaced in bedrooms and dusty outdated ceiling fans removed, a "fart fan" (as my contractor so fondly says) for the bathroom, new duct work and routing for HVAC to include new insulation in sub-floor, exhaust fan over stove, water damaged repaired in 3 rooms, walls repainted, ALL NEW WINDOWS, carpet ripped up and all hardwoods refinished, fresh paint, NEW BATHROOM (walls, tub, tiles, plumbing, sink, block window, floor), laundry room moved inside to second floor, vapor moisture added over dirt basement floor, front porch remodel (new wooden rails and pickets, new gable of hardi-plank, new light and numbers), and last but not least....outdoor shower install. Everything looks great, but my favorite part is probably my outdoor shower. Built like a beach showers with a wooden stall and hinged door, it is the perfect way to clean up on our balmy 90+ degree days. I ran an 8k for St. Patty's Day and I did my first triathlon in 91 minutes in 30 degree weather with a light drizzle - :P I had a new boss start in March, and if there were a recipe for the perfect boss FOR ME, then she would represent all the necessary ingredients. I couldn't be happier with my work situation. It's tough, but I really like it.
April a month full of love. William and I spent lots of April in bed talking, laughing, and being close. He rolled up his sleeves on Sundays and would help me with whatever project needed done: installing a light fixture, picking out, moving and hauling furniture, whitewashing the porch, drilling stuff, or anything else I needed. In return I cooked some delicious meals and showed him how a real woman gives a back rub. I met all his wonderful friends and then he met all mine. We boogied to our first concert together, Pretty Lights, and passed all his exams.
May William met all my family this month, as we celebrated my cousin's first baby (due in November), my aunt's new marriage (happiest I've seen her in my whole life) and well being awesome. May was the month we celebrated being awesome and loving life. He moved out of his condo of disrespectful roommates and found a one-bedroom all his own. I kept buying new stuff for the house and finished up another course on my degree. Work continued to chug along and I was riding my Xcaliber more than ever and loving every Spring minute of it.
June did my second triathlon today (well 2/3, co-worker ran the 5k). Mom just left after a nice visit, and last weekend we rocked Tsali on our bikes and rafter the Natty. I met William's folks last weekend too. They were delightful. William's favorite summer ensemble is his jorts and my american flag bathing suit (pictured above). Can't wait for 4th of July....
