Oh, the catching up to do

Ok, so it's been.... a very long time since last I posted. Yes, my little condo sold even though the first buyer dropped out. The second, the vampire, is supposed to be signing docs now, so I should see my little bank account inflate for a brief while.
The poopsie house? It's gone. Lost it by $5000. Which is fine. I don't have another chunk of money like that, so it's fine. Whatever. Now it's all up to Shawn and Brett, my realtor, to find the next place. Makes me giggle sending those two men out all around Seattle to find a home. I wonder what they talk about.....
I got to Santa Fe three weeks ago, and it's been very different from what I expected. Good and bad. Will fill you all in as the summer goes on....
The Roadtrip was so lovely, I can't even begin to describe it. I had no idea how much I needed to just plain hit the road....

See, I wasn't lyin'

Ugh

They called. Said they're waiting a week to see what an open house over the weekend does. Fine. If they had wanted more money, why didn't they simply list it that way? I put in a good, solid, full price offer. Stupid crapheads larger than life.

My little gingerbread house

I put a bid on a little bungalow. It's what my mother would call a "poopsie" house. It's just about as much house as Shawn and I could handle. And it, the bid, expired at 12am last night. It's now a full 12 hours later and I haven't heard a peep from them. Not one little noise that would let me know either way.
I'm trying really hard not to be sad about this. I know as much as anyone what this market is, how strange and awful it could be, and I don't get my hopes up about any part of the process. Hell, my condo was on the market for two and a half months before it sold. In a market where places get into huge bidding wars. you don't get excited about any part of it, and you certainly don't fall in love with places knowing that you can be outbid at any moment.
But, this is my house. It's mine. I knew it the moment I first saw it, and was ready to sell my first born for it. I hadn't even stepped foot inside. It's full of magic and was meant for me. I'm crying so much right now, even as I type this. God, it's just a house. But it's mine. Why don't they call?

Mickey B

Oh, poor Clare. It's been a tough show for her. For all of us, really. MacB turns out to be an absolute mess to produce. I don't think I've been through such a difficult show since Hoffmann.
Thank god the weather has been gorgeous and we've gone to the coffee shop for sun on dinner break.
Frank comes and visits Titi on the break, and on that day is was a bit of Pugapalooza outside.
It strange, we're all still together, but with Maddy being in Wardrobe now, we don't get to hang out with her often enough. She's loving the new job, though, and that's all that matters. Ok- off to pack!

Shawn got a fancy computer

And it has this little camera mounted in it. I admit, there may have been a first ever boob shot completed to utilize this new technology. But it looks more like a cantelope. I don't know whether to be proud or horrified.

Oh, the little condo, she was sold!

Goodbye, little cute view! Oh, crap. There's too much to do before closing.

Thank God Seattle has been so frickin' beautiful lately! Shawn and I spent a few hours on the day off in the sunshine drinking coffee and reading books....

Oh, Capitol Hill.....

Dan's 30! Oh, and this little blog is back up

Happy Birthday, Dan! We all went out last night to celebrate Dan's big 30. His ladyfriend, TJ, got everyone to make him a mix CD of their favorite music to fill his brand new IPOD with. Yay! It's strange, but it's the first time in what feels like forever that everyone came out.
Melissa dropped her purse and found a sock. Not so strange if you consider the bar we were in...
Even Clare came out. It's good to get her the hell out of her crazy life every now and then.

All had fun, all had a good time, and thank god this friggin' winter is over.
Apologies to any and all that read this and are pissed off that I've disappeared. My little computer had some problems, I couldn't get blogspot to be happy, and then really, I've just been doing nothing but waiting for something to happen.
It just did. I got an offer on the condo the other day and now it's difficult to type due to all fingers being crossed at all times hoping it all goes through. I'm supposed to close 5 days before I leave for Santa Fe.....crap. What the hell do I do with all my stuff?

Out with the gals, walking by Toys in Babeland....

Out at chapel this weekend. Shawn got me tickets to see Ben Folds on Saturday. If he hadn't done the legwork of picking the date, looking at my calendar, buying tickets, and presenting them to me I never would have gotten my ass to the theatre for one of the best shows I've ever seen.
It has been a DJ crazy month, with seeing Josh begin his fantastic stint in "FLEA MARKET" at great clubs all around the city and the debut of DJ Sharp at the Mercury the other night. Well done, Paul! In a club where you can still smoke! It was heaven.
In other news, my far flung friends are really having a rough time of it. I send huge love to Minneapolis, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Fort Collins today. I don't what the hell spring has to do with any of this, but life better start turning around for all of you soon. I love you and my extremely large cell phone bill.

The fruit of my sister's loins

Not only does the bangle look suspiciously like bakalite, but the face is so reminiscent of the Too Much Light baby that I'm still not quite convinced she didn't pop out of ME 6 years ago. She is the Kiss woman is the cutest package we've ever made. Thank god she got the good genes.

My current knitting project. Yup, I go straight from scarves into strange wig hat territory. Dez, do you see why I'm so confused?

Ah, the chill winter wind

It's cold in Seattle. Yes- a brisk 35-40 degrees. When Shawn and I got to the car, there was....gasp....ice on the windshield. Silly me, don't have a scraper in the car. Why not? I live in Seattle now. We have no need of stinkin' scrapers...

Went out with the ladies the other night to the Wild Rose. A delightful time was had by all, and we laughed at all the silly boys in there. I mean really, how can you not know it's a lesbian bar? They were all strutting around, checkin' out the ladies....It made us all giggle.

In other news, it was so pretty out yesterday that Melissa and I took the dogs to Discovery Park. I say the dogs, because I've decided that Frank really is mine. Or at least, I'm the godmother 'cause I get to take him whenever I feel like and he loves me a lot. Thank god Titi got this smushy little pup for me to take all my nuturing feelings out on.

Goodbye little condo

And so, it goes on the market tomorrow. All 400 square feet of the largest debt I've ever had in my life. I love this little house more than life itself. I know it's time to move on, I mean really, how long can a girl spend in a tiny place that doesn't fit her big strong man and his fuzzy kitty. I could indefinitely spend my life at this level, but it stilts me. Ugh. Let's hope it's like ripping off a band aid. Quick, and jarring. That way the pain will be deadened by the relief at finally being able to move on. Getting rejected on our first offer due to the contingency was the straw that broke the camel's back. It's time to see just what sitting on a little piece of property does.
Thankfully, Frank has been distracting me quite effectively this week. The bathroom nonsense has driven me to the brink, but the new tile really does pull it all together. It was such a trial, but now at least I know I never need to do it again. Ever.


Goodbye little window seat with your sparkling views of Puget Sound. Next time I see you, it'll be from another tiny condo with a different perspective.

oh, anyone want to buy the cutest 400 square feet you've ever seen? It's a great co-op in lower Queen Anne. Top floor, quiet building, views, low HODs....anyone? Bueller?

Arg......yes, like a pirate

Know why I don't update more often now? I'm condo shopping. It's horrid. Ugly. Arggggg....
Tried to put a bid on a perfect place last week and got rejected due to our contingency. See, I'm trying to be responsible and not own two condos at once, thereby strapping myself to the point of not even being able to eat ramen, and they won't even let me do that. Stupid crapheads. Good news? Well, the bank did approve me to spend 44% of my income on my next mortgage. Crazy, isn't it? What happened to the days of spending a quarter of your income on housing? I don't think I have one friend who owns property and doesn't spend at least half their income on it. This generation sucks for buying property.
So, the little condo on Queen Anne is going up for sale. The other part of the situation I don't have the answer to is how much I can actually spend on the next one. Problem is, I have NO idea how much mine will actually sell for. Until we know how much cash I get out, we don't know how much cash will go in...this is a thousand times worse than buying the first condo. It's moments like this that I just want to pack it all in and move to Italy. I've been a barista, I could do it again, and learn a fancy pants language at the same time.....
Arggggg....

Merry Christmas to me...

For Christmas this year I asked for what every girls really wants. A gift certificate for Home Depot. See, it was time to do the bathroom, but I'm lucky. Since it's the smallest room in the tiny condo, I had some money left over to get rid of the fantastically huge track lighting cans from 1983. I replaced them with these lovely orange glass cans. Ohhhhhh. So modern and delicate. Thanks, Mum! I swear, who ever buys this place had better love color or I'm in deep doodoo.
And so, the bathroom remodel begins. I'm not sure if the painting is actually going to work. I'm really unsure, but I figure once I get it all together, lord knows I have enough time right now to deal with it.
Problem is, I pulled up a little corner of the lino to "see what was underneath". Tim came over and pulled a little more. Sadly, the old tile is gone, but then I had this hanging flap of a corner and Tim said "we can tile this in two days!" I believed him, and now am starting one of the worst projects I've ever tackled. Pulling up linoleum, backing, and adhesive off of cement. It's the worst idea I've ever had. It took me 6 hours to get this far......

Crap. Ah well, At least tile will add value......right? In other news, the new condo search is hard. Really hard. This market is killing me. The second a good looking condo comes on the market it's "subject to inspection". How the hell do they do that? I mean, the stupid thing just got listed! But, I'm being patient. Really patient. I do believe in house destiny, and the right one will come at the right time. I'm going to see a new construction in Ballard tomorrow. Wish me luck...........

This is one of the many reasons I had to say no to that offer in Chicago..........

His majesty we celebrate.....

Ah, Fledermaus. Here's a few photos from a night out with the singers.

They're cutting loose, ripping it up. Chris is a singer I worked with a bunch in college. Strange that I finally get to work with him so many years later.

Roger cancelled his contract in Colorado where we would have worked together. He was the Don Jose that jipped us. Strange how that works out....

Happy Christmas, baby!

Chitown for a brief three days. It's the longest I've ever gone without the city. Spent furtive nights with friends, and leisurely days at home playing cards.

Clara took my camera the next morning to document the madness. I'm so frightened by her all around artistic sense. She's good at anything she does. creepy.