November 06, 2004

9:59 p.m.

Notes from the Burrow

Dar came from Boston today to help me do apartment things. It takes him about two hours now, longer even than when I lived in New Hampshire. He found it hard to believe there isn't a major highway any closer to my town, but that's the truth. Yet, as we drove around today, through scenic Coventry and Eagleville, he kept gasping at the beautiful quaint houses and the farms and the little churches, and how lovely they were. I forget that he looks at tall buildings and asphalt all day.

Anyway, after my landlord came to adjust the toilet mechanism, Dar and I painted the bedroom doors and headed out with a long list of things to try to get for the apartment. We actually made a lot of headway. First was to return a tv antenna that didn't work, and to look at the two rugs I saw that I adore but can't afford. The woman in the shop said to check back just before Christmas and they might be on sale, or even just afterwards. She indicated that she might be able to get the manager's permission for a 25% discount today, but I said that I still wouldn't be able to afford them both, and I would certainly come back in a few weeks if I hadn't found anything in the meantime. I'm keeping my fingers crossed -- it's the kind of thing you like so much that everything else, no matter how reasonably priced, only reminds you of what you liked better.

Then we went looking for a loveseat that will fit up my front stairs. The place where I got my other (too big) sofa was our first stop, but the prices were higher than I expected. There was only, in many cases, a difference of $30 between the big sofa and the loveseat anyway, and I'm not in the market to spend $700 on a little couch right now. So we went to Bob's Discount Furniture (if you're not in an area where Bob has his stores, you're missing out on the campiest radio ads -- you simply must hear about his Bob-O-Pedic beds) and, to my surprise, I found one I really liked. It only comes in blue. I wasn't counting on a blue couch, but I did want to introduce some elements of blue into the room, so I said I'd think about it. It's a nice, lightish blue, in a really plush fabric with little hints of brownish gold. It might do nicely.

Dar loves the Christmas Tree Shops, and he thought they might have rugs, so we went there -- and it's already mobbed. I reminded myself to stay away from the mall from now until the middle of January. We didn't find anything there.

Then to Lowe's, one of my favorite stores, for some more paint swatches and a ceiling light fixture which I plan to install myself, maybe tomorrow. There are four in the apt. which are generic and ugly. I'll start with the one and work up. I also got replacement cabinet pulls for the bathroom sink console -- they're round with a copper swirl. They look great. I'm also zeroing in on paint colors for the bathroom and kitchen -- it's going to be so amazing!! I'll never want to leave home!!!

I also got a larger mailbox, some lightbulbs and a few more foam paintbrushes. By this time we were cross-eyed and exhausted so we went out for sushi, and came back to watch our band DVD which Dar had never seen. I finally met my 2nd floor neighbor, Seth, in the parking lot as I pulled in. He remembered me from when I lived here before -- I was just moving out as he was moving in, as I recall.

So there you go -- my mundane but productive day. I'm supposed to go to the band's house tomorrow evening and stay until Tuesday evening. I don't want to go. Meanwhile I'm burning a lot of incense in the bedroom, hoping it'll permeate the tacky paint on the doors so the room will smell nice instead of like latex paint. When the room itself was painted, it took weeks for the smell to dissipate.

Happy to be here.