U-Turns and flip arounds

20:38 Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
As you know, after much debate, soul searching, discussion and examination, my landlords came to the decision to give notice to myself and another tenant.
So for the past few weeks I have been checking the rental listings, visiting (viewing) prospective sites and in a couple of instances I even submitted applications. I have never heard from those I applied to. It is rather like a job search in that way.
I have been scavenging boxes from work and attempting to purge, sort and pack only what I really want to keep - with mixed results of course. ;) The end result is that my house is a huge mess.
And just the other day, there came a knock on my door and a rather embarrassed landlord.
It seems they did not think things through in a thorough enough fashion. They still need some rental income since one of them will be going to school in September. I have been offered a one year stay - naturally my rent will go up, that is a given. It is also a given that rent will be closer to what I will be hypothetically paying somewhere else. But the message is clear, they are hoping I will stay and they promise no more flipping around on the subject.
In truth it is the switching back and forth that is most annoying to me, more so than the time and energy swallowed up by my search. Although really, do I honestly want to unpack everything I have packed only to re-do it all 12 months from now? Conversely, do I really want to leave a big mess of boxes stacked around for the next year? This is going to take some weighing of the pros and cons for me.
I told them I would think about it ( I was in no shape to make snap decisions that evening) and let them know when I return a week later. I need to take an honest look at what my opportunities are and figure out what's best for me.

The search continues...

20:39 Posted In Edit This 2 Comments »
So I have hit the ground running in terms of the search for a new home. Thus far this week I have viewed 7 different places with another viewing booked on Saturday. My final decision will come down to two main points:

1 - Is there sufficient room for my art studio? Art Studio sounds fancy but really I just need space for my work table, bookshelves and room to open up my easel for painting. Having a dedicated space to be creative is very important to me as I know how irritable and moody I get when I have to constantly pull everything out and pack everything back up again. And I'm even worse if I have no space at all.

2 - Is it above ground? I have lived in various basement suites for almost 10 years. To be blunt - I want light! I will admit that if the suite has decent windows and does not feel like a dark dungeon then I could sacrifice being above ground if the space meets the first requirement. Although to be honest, the basement suites I am finding are all charging the same as a ground level or higher apartment. So why stay below ground?

So far my top two choices are a two bedroom condo with the longest commute to work and a one bedroom apartment that is a bit shy for space but is in a pretty good location. I shall see what Saturday holds for a potential 2 bedroom basement suite and then hopefully make a decision this weekend.

Changes

21:33 Posted In , Edit This 1 Comment »

Changes are coming, and I can honestly say I am not surprised. I have noticed the tension lately. I have been aware of the stresses and frustrations as the upstairs people have come to the conclusion that they are running out of options. So when I found a voicemail asking for me to call right away I knew that whatever has been building over the past while has finally taken form so to speak. I received my notice to move out by the end of August.

It's nothing personal, I have mentioned before that I live in a small space but it is practically a palace compared to the same small space upstairs that currently houses 3 adults, 2 large dogs and a cat. For them it is about having breathing room.

So let the games begin! I need to start going through and figuring out what I can get rid of or pass on before I move. I need to start raiding the box pile at work to start packing up what I want to keep. And I need to hunt for a new place to live that will accept a cat. This sort of thing is never ideal but I can either stress myself over it or accept the change and recognize it for the chance to clear out some cobwebs and other detritus that has gathered from being in one place for so long. I choose not to stress - at least not for now, that can wait until August.

Ramping up for the Spring detox!

21:21 Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
At least that is the plan. I spent all last night cooking, and a large chunk of this evening doing the dishes from last night. It is always easier to do something like this when there is a bunch of stuff already to eat for any meal. Yes, once again I am embarking on the Wildrose 12 day detox, something I have not done in quite a while. It is more stringent than what I did last fall but I think this is just the approach I need to give myself a culinary kick in the right direction. To say I have fallen off the wagon of healthy eating would be an understatement...

So a few of my menu ideas for the coming week...

Baked pepper chicken with veggies (also baked) sprinkled with garlic and herbs along side rice flavored with chives and minced onion.

Ginger / Garlic stir fry with more chicken and veggies on a bed of tasty quinoa.

Salmon steak covered in home made salsa and served with fresh salad.

It sounding (and tasting) pretty good so far.

It's finally warming up (for the moment)

17:25 Posted In Edit This 3 Comments »
Easter has come and gone again for another year and as per my family's tradition, we went camping out in the foothills. We enjoyed warm sun, good food and good company for the three days in Maclean Creek. Yes, there is still a fair amount snow laying around but I also noticed some green starting to peak through.
Aside from a leisurely walk along Elbow Falls, I spent most of the weekend outside in the sun with a good book in hand, much like a contented cat by the fire pit. The concept of just being still and able to relax for any extended length of time is fairly odd for me. Most of my holidays are spent going somewhere specifically to do something. Henna, certain art exhibits, presentations or whatever the case may be, I don't see a lot of true down time. That and I typically find myself too restless and active to sit still for long. This is not necessarily a bad thing as far as I'm concerned. It's just the way I'm built. But on those occasions where I can really sit back and relax, I can certainly enjoy it.

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