Sunday, March 29, 2009

C. had to work and I'm trying to purge...

the house of things that we don't need to move to the new condo. I'm much better at getting rid of non-essential things than C. is. I'm trying to be the strong one in that process. I also seem to have far more stuffs than C. so I feel that I bear the most responsibility.

I've been thinking about the new condo almost non-stop. We pick up our keys on April 10th and will have a few weeks to move everything over. One of the great features of the new condo is that we'll have two full bathrooms - one for each of us! We'll have an "on-suite" bath and each of us has their own closet in the master. We won't know what to do with ourselves. It's been five years since I've had a closet to myself - the small things make me happy.

We are on the waiting list for the private garage next to our new abode. I am hopeful that this won't take long - my desire for storage is almost overwhelming.

C. has been gone for less than an hour and I miss him terribly. Since December we haven't been apart for more than a handful of hours and I am so used to his steady presence that the prospect of a day without him makes me a little melancholy. I know that he'll be back tonight and I look forward to hearing about his day.

I have finished knitting the Diamonds and Pearls shawl and need to block it today. It's dank and rainy and the pictures will be awful, so I hope to share it tomorrow. Till then, this is all of the news that's fit to knit.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Over

Today we got the phone call:

Them: "Hello Yarnal, this is the lady who decides if you get to come and live in our really nice condo complex. You know, the one with the cathedral ceilings, the sky lights, the bay windows and central air conditioning? The one with your very own washer and dryer in your condo? The one with the upstairs and the downstairs?"

Me: "Yes - I believe we filled out the history of our lives application".

Them: "You did indeed. I'm happy to tell you that we will now let you through the gate. You have been accepted."

Me: "Fantastic. We'll take it!"

Them: "Of course you will. Now show up this weekend with an obscene check and we're all set."

Me: "Will do."

-----------------------

The search is over - and you can see a glimpse of our new condo on the right side of this blog under the "Next on Yarnal Knowledge".

In knitting news - I'm moving near a great yarn shop! More on that later and I'm casting off on the diamonds and pearls shawl from KBOY. Pictures soon!

Till next time, it's all the news that's fit to knit!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Real Update

So we saw another condo yesterday in the never-ever-ever-ending search for our new place in the suburbs of New York City. (For the record, I had no idea that this search was going to be this big of a deal). We liked it a lot and we were mentally placing furniture in places. I was polishing the granite counter tops and sipping wine on my porch (with water views!) which C. was doing the laundry in our very own washer/dryer - when the call came in - the place had no offers for ten months and in the one night that we saw the place, they got six offers and signed one with someone who is not writing this blog right now. Helllloooo square one, it's nice to see you again.

So now we're on hold until Thursday. Are you on the edge of your seat? Are you wondering if your dear YarnalKnowledge will be blogging from under a bench in Prospect Park? Will she never get out of the city? I'm worried too!

Till Thursday, it's all the news that's fit to knit!

Friday, March 20, 2009

The Search Goes On

Our new home search continues and we're totally distracted by NCAA March Madness.

We've received the returned end lease agreement from our current landlord and it seems we both agree that it's time for C. and I to move to a new place. Their need to raise the rent a whopping 5.5% was too much for my husband's blood pressure. That's just a mighty big raise in these times. Both of our offices are now operating out of Westchester County, so it looks like our city living days are soon to be behind us.

There are things that I'll miss about the city and there are things that I won't miss at all.
  • Of course, I understand that the readers of this blog will certainly miss the continuing announcements of where we are in the mouse v. us situation. Every time we think we have those punks conquered, they're back. So I won't miss that.
  • I will miss the mile high ceilings and the excellent lay out of the space in this apartment - my exposed brick wall, the rarest thing that is my NYC dishwasher.
  • I won't miss my upstairs neighbors. I heard them leave at around 10 AM this morning and their dog (a mastiff) in our no pets building, has been barking his head off since the second the door closed. It's 5:13 PM as I type this post. I hope to goodness he's also chewing up their sofa. I'm so tired of the sadness of his woof.
  • I will miss Russo's, their fresh pasta and mozzarella cheese is to.die.for.
  • I will not miss paying the parking garage hundreds a month to beat the ever living crap out of my car. We brought the car in looking spanking new; it is not leaving that way.
  • I will miss the ease of getting into the city. The F from Park Slope is pretty good.
  • I will not miss walking twelve blocks each way to the grocery store.
  • I will miss the incredible delivery that's available here.

I could go on and on. There are big swings in what I love and hate about city life. We're moving to a place where needs will be met much easier. Places with more living space for less money, new fixtures and things like private garages that are included in your rent, but we do give up the city and a lot the good things that come with city living. I guess we'll have to see how it goes, but I have a feeling that the suburbia girl is going to be headed to familiar surroundings 14 miles north of Manhattan.

For now, this is all the news that's fit to knit.

Friday, March 13, 2009

33

I turned 33 yesterday. It was a nice quiet birthday – not much pomp, but I spent it with C. and that was terrific. We went to dinner here in the Slope at a place owned by some other Yinzers (read: Pittsburghers). It was so nice to be around some people from home. I love Pittsburghers, they’re just so great. It made me feel at home and homesick all at the same time. The food was terrific. The cauliflower puree was sooo deelish! I’m still thinking about it.

The big news of the month is that C. and I are finally headed to Europe.







We’ve been kindly invited to Johnny’s wedding in Dublin, Ireland. We’ll be headed there and then taking a side trip to Paris. It feels like a dream that I might be able to make this trip. Is Europe real? I mean, I know it is, but this will be my first trip and I just can’t wait to experience something so new to me. I love history and learning – so this will be a trip of a lifetime. It will even better to see Johnny and Aisling tie the knot – couldn't happen to two nicer people. I'm trying to learn French off of iTunes podcasts...wish me luck.

Speaking of weddings; six months ago today I was getting hitched! Happy anniversary, Mr. C.

I find that coming into my 33rd year is good. I think I’ve turned a corner. I’ve spent the last few months trying to get a handle on insecurity and have been trying to become a positive thinker. It’s paying off in spades. My life is calmer, more centered and my mind is quieter, more focused.

We’re moving in a few weeks – one of our least favorite past times and we’ll be giving up a precious Saturday to drive around Westchester county in search of a place to live. I’m hoping to find the following three amenities (for the record, I don’t think these are much to ask for, but apparently here in NY, they are):

A washer / dryer in my apartment. I’m so tired of sending my clothes out to be laundered. Many of you are thinking “if I could send out my laundry, have it washed, folded and returned to me, I’d be in heaven!” and I hear you – it’s nice. On the flip side, we loose clothes, have clothes shrunk and tend to see that the life time of our clothes is much shorter. I just want to be able to wash my own stuff when I want to. Sheer laziness often causes some questionable laundry pile ups here at casa de Yarnal.
An assigned parking spot – or tons and tons of parking. I hate to look for on street parking – especially at night and in November. November creeps me out. Something about the wind, often the rain and the dark at 4:30 PM.
The ability to have a doggie at the new digs. I really want to adopt a dog.



As for knitting, I’m working on the Diamonds and Pearls Shawl from the KBoy. I love it. I really do! It’s a fun knit and how great is this yarn? It makes me think of Neapolitan ice cream or cupcakes or some kind of pastry.

For now, this is all the news that's fit to knit.