Having lived in a house for the last 21 years, I didn’t really have a problem with noisy neighbors. The only time it was noisy on Leggett Place was when the kids were out of school and would sometimes play outside until after midnight, even on days when the rest of us had to get up for work the next day. Sometimes our neighbors had parties that would get pretty loud, but it was never anything constant or too annoying.
While we were traveling in the RV, the only noise we ever heard was the occasional barking dog, or the train whistles, which I've written about several times.
Now, we’re living in a cute little apartment, and the walls (and floors) must be pretty thin, because I can hear the two guys who live downstairs as if they’re in the next room. During the day, when we have the TV or radio on, you don’t notice anything, but every morning they get up early to go to work, and it’s pretty noisy.
I first heard what I thought was a guy throwing up, but have since figured out is a guy who must smoke going through his “early morning hacking.” It’s pretty horrible. Eric and I saw the two guys one afternoon and they both look like they’re about 25, so to have such a hacking cough every day is pretty unhealthy.
He also likes to sing in the shower – very badly. So, every day at 7:00am, I’m now waking up to hacking and singing – horrible hacking and bad singing. Most times, I can just turn over and fall back to sleep, but this morning it went on for a while, so I got up and came into the living room. I read my emails and worked on my typing project.
At 9:00am I went back into the bedroom and watched REGIS AND KELLY while Eric slept. I found my eyes closing, so I turned off the TV and fell back to sleep. I didn’t get up until after 11:00am. I don’t know what time Eric woke up, but he was already showered and dressed when I came out in my pajamas.
I finally showered at around noon. I wanted to go to MICHAEL’S for a can of varnish for my decoupage project. I know I have some packed away somewhere, but I can’t put my hands on it and I figured it would just be easier to go buy a new can. Luckily, there’s a MICHAEL’S just a few miles away – down Clairemont Drive. I swear if I had a thousand dollars to spend there, I could do it in one afternoon
They sell MARTHA STEWART craft supplies – for scrapbooking, gift-wrapping, etc. I had to run away, because I can’t get started with all that. It’s just too expensive a hobby and I have too many other crafts to do! MICHAEL’S also sells every other craft supply you can imagine, plus decorative stuff, too – and their prices were really good.
I purchased some urns for our balcony, right outside our front door. We wanted to dress it up a little. They were on sale, so they didn’t cost much and now we just need to buy some soil and plants and we’ll be all set. It’s nice, because they’ll live all winter long here!!! In Whitestone, we would put out planters all spring, summer and fall, but then Eric would have to either bring them in the house or put them away in the shed for the winter, and most of the plants would die. I told Eric I’d like to find little palm trees for the planters, but I don’t know if they really sell those!
After Michael’s, I drove into Pacific Beach and my drive-through STARBUCKS. Then, I headed back up to Clairemont to go food shopping. I went to KEILS, stocking up on veggies for our "big salads" and also buying some chips, grapes and cheese to put out when our guests come on Saturday afternoon. I figure Audrey will be starving after her flight (you know they only give you that teeny bag of peanuts!) and everyone can snack a little before we go to NYPD for Italian food!
I saw one of our neighbors for the first time today. A young man – also probably under 25 – and he was very sweet and waved to me. The two guys who live under us didn’t even smile when they saw me and Eric. There’s also a girl who comes out of her apartment and sits on a curb by the pool to work on her laptop. Not only does she look uncomfortable, but she’s right in the way of your path when you walk by the front entrance. You could trip over her legs, because she's almost sitting on the ground (the curb is just about 6 inches high), but she never looks up or acknowledges you. I think that’s so weird. At least smile at someone!
Half the neighbors I’ve encountered smile and say hi, while the others just ignore you as if you didn’t exist. We’ve been here almost a month and not one person has struck up a conversation, like “Oh, you’re the folks that just moved in,” or “Welcome to Pine Terrace!” (that’s the name of the building complex, since there are big pine trees outside on Clairemont Drive.)
I don’t need to have someone bring me a casserole, or a plate of home-made brownies, and welcome me to the neighborhood, but a simple “hello” would be nice! Is that so much to ask? I thought everyone in California was SO friendly, but I honestly think New Yorkers are more friendly and outgoing! Eric and I have made some acquaintances – mostly in places we’ve gone to eat or shop – but I haven’t made one friend yet. I’m hoping when I start working, and going to yoga, I’ll meet some people and make some friends.
I’m the kind of person who makes eye contact and smiles and talks to most anybody. I get it from my mother. She’s the same way. When I visit her in Florida and go shopping with her, or to the doctor’s office for an appointment, or to a restaurant, every single person knows her and most of them give her a hug and kiss! She’s so friendly and builds a relationship with everyone she comes into contact with. I’m pretty much the same way. I think it’s nice to be friendly, but people here obviously don’t feel the same way!
Eric went bicycling while I was out shopping. He’s made a few acquaintances mountain biking and visiting BICYCLE WAREHOUSE. He will also stop and talk to anyone he sees with a mountain bike. He’s very friendly and outgoing, too.
Since I got home, I’ve been spraying my decoupaged tray every half hour with the varnish. The more coats, the better. Tonight I’m doing the top. Tomorrow, when it’s good and dry, I’ll do the bottom. I’ll photograph it and put pictures on the blog, when it’s all done. I really think it came out great!
I bought all the ingredients to make Eric Chicken Asparagus Gorgonzola and I had Salmon Asparagus Gorgonzola. We also enjoyed a side of Uncle Ben’s Vegetable Harvest Ready Rice! I really don’t mind cooking when it’s a recipe I know and don’t have to think much about it. I’m kind of lazy that way, and I’m lucky Eric is easy-going about food, because he’s just as happy with a tuna sandwich and a handful of potato chips, or a bowl of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese! As I always say, he didn’t marry me for my cooking!
Eric and I are very excited about our trip on Monday. I went online and found a few car service companies that can pick us up at 4:45am. Since our flight leaves at 6:15am, I figure we need an hour and fifteen minutes to check in and get through security, and it takes about 15 minutes to get to the airport. Yikes! We have to get up at 3:30am!! Maybe we won’t even go to sleep that night and we’ll sleep on the planes.
We’re flying into Houston, then changing planes to go to Columbia. I’m anticipating delays, since it IS Christmas Eve morning, but we’re not on any schedule, so we’re ready for whatever happens!
Tonight I started another craft project. I went through 5 big tins of jewelry that I use for crafts – most of it is broken, or missing stones, but a lot of it is clip on and screw on earrings, which no one wears anymore because they’re so uncomfortable! I used to sell a lot of pairs in the shop, because a lot of the older women who came in never got pierced ears, and they were so happy to find nice clip-ons or screw-ons. I have about 200 pairs and I want to use them to decorate a round mirror I brought from NY. They’ll be easy to recognize, so they will appeal to anyone who likes costume jewelry. I know no one will buy them to wear, so I might as well use them for crafts!
The earrings were all mixed up in all the tins so I ended up putting pairs together and it was like that game – Concentration – where you have all the singles laid out and then you have to find the match. I told Eric it was good exercise for my brain!
I probably won’t get to the project before January, because we will be busy tomorrow running errands for our company and for our trip on Monday. Saturday our company is coming, and Sunday is our last day before we go away!