domesticity

I am unemployed again! That’s enough, let’s not talk about it any more. Other things we can talk about:
The apartment! Holy cats, people, I love it so much. I love the walls and the french doors and the kitchen with its granite counters and black appliances. I love the gorgeous Roman shades my mom made for all our windows, I love the shiny white pedestal sink, I even love the four flights of stairs because hey! When I make it to the top, that’s an accomplishment! And I’m unemployed here, I need all accomplishments I can lay my hands on.
Our housewarming party is this weekend and while there’s still a lot to do to prepare (hey, table of tools! Why didn’t the pixies put you away yet?), I’m looking forward to seeing how this place holds up under our delightful barrage of friends. The Astoria apartment was always such a perfect party place with its spread out rooms but too many people ended up in the kitchen, always, and this kitchen is a little bigger. Does that mean the amount of friends-per-square-inch in the kitchen will stay the same? Probably.
We learned a lot about our stuff, back in Astoria, and packing it all up. One thing I’ve been inordinately proud of is the organization solutions. I know! You hear that and fall asleep. Trust me, so does Stuart, although he begrudgingly admits I’m right to obsess. Back in Astoria, we’d only implement a solution when the area had been dubbed the “_______ from Hell”. But here, oh yes, we’ve gotten smart! A couple of problem areas have been neatly and realistically organized from the get-go, like the bathroom closet and the too-deep pantry.
[Just so you know, in the interest of full disclosure, there are labels on my pantry drawers and bathroom cubbies. I will tell you why there are labels. Because two weeks ago, I lost my crap over a paper-towel rod i was trying to install underneath our kitchen cabinets. People, have you ever tried to install a paper-towel rod under your cabinets? It will turn your brain to mush and your brain will roll jauntily out your ears like SO MANY MARBLES. So in my incoherent rage, when I nearly threw the drill at the wall, I decided to take a break and accomplish something soothing. Soothing and effective. I made labels. AND PLACED THEM. And do you know what? It worked. Making labels and putting them on things is like my very own Paxil.]
Also enjoying: the park! Holy crap, having a little patch of cool, green grass just a two minute walk away has been a balm on the soul. Sunset Park isn’t very big and the western half – the half with the view – is pretty crowded with soccer players and volleyball and other types of ball as well. But the eastern end, near our place, is all leafy old oaks and London planes, and wide expanses of grass for me to do my lying-out-with-blanket-and-book routine. Also in park? Inexpensive weight room and cardio equipment access! So far, I’ve gone every day this week. Why? To take my mind of being unemployed, that’s why!
I think I’ve bored you people enough with the minutae of my week. It DID occur to me that if I blogged more often, I wouldn’t have to tell you all of this in one epic long post. On that note, I leave you with FALAFEL! Which I made for dinner last night. petit Hiboux: all domesticity, all the time.