A Stiff Upper Lip

I am slowly going mad.

While I realize that the house has only been on the market for a month, I desperately wish it would sell. I am sick of living in a pristine environment with a husband who is living in a hotel 45 minutes away. I'm sick with a sore throat I can't seem to get rid of, and a bad attitude. Perhaps the end of winter might help.

I went to the Toyota dealership today that will be near our new house. It was an enlightening and uplifting experience. Seriously. It showed me what Toyota service can be like! I am a complete Toyota devotee, from my 5-speed Corolla that I traded in for my 5-speed Matrix. And while I loved my car with a bit of a creepy devotion, I am not nearly as enamored with the service center in my local dealership. To make up for the fact that they're not open on Saturdays, they're open late on Thursdays. Which is as completely inconvenient as not being open Saturdays.

I phoned the dealership here (I have some free oil changes from buying a new car last year), and was told that I didn't need a Saturday appointment, and they were open until 4:30 on Saturdays. I arrived, and my car went right into the bay. They gave me a coupon for a free coffee and cookie at the cafe located in the dealership to enjoy while I waited. They even washed my car before bringing it back. I have found a dealership worthy of creepy Toyota devotion.

This week at school was career day, which was a rousing success. I also was the administrator on site when one of our students broke not one, but both wrists at the end of basketball practice along with her right arm further up. I have learned to navigate the world of Ontario Labour Law and School Policy. While I know that this is all stuff I need to learn, it's not really lessons that I want to learn.

I keep thinking that I want to learn more about jazzing up my blog. If I was around, it would make even more sense. To this end, I'm looking for a new background. Any suggestions on where I should look?

Always Look On the Bright Side of Life

I'm finding it hard to commit to the blog right now. There is a lot going on, and I'm trying to process. I just don't know if public processing is best with all of this.

J leaves tomorrow to start his new job. While I'm thrilled that he has work after 11 months of my being the breadwinner, I'm not thrilled with the fact that he won't be here. We went up and looked at the one bedroom efficiency suite that his work has reserved for him until March 25. It's a little larger than what I'd been thinking, and has a separate bedroom and living/eating room with a tiny kitchen in the middle. The kitchen is big enough to make breakfast, and that's about all. He'll only be a couple of blocks from work, which is fatastic. We need time to learn to navigate the bus system. We found his bank, and the drug store, and a few eateries, and navigated around the hotel so he'll know how to find his way.

I have been yearning for J to not be here so much for the last little bit. In fact, one of the reasons that I was happy to go back to work was that he wasn't there. I don't change my views on that. We had 2 weeks where we were together. All. The. Time. It was too much for me. But now as I pack a laundry basket of toiletries and snacks, and look through closets to find the things that he can't seem to locate, I have become very aware of how much I'm going to miss him.

The good thing, we realized as we were sitting in a coffee shop during our open house this afternoon, is that he's about an hour from here: close enough that I can go up whenever I want. My work is partway between the two. J was also good about getting 2 keys. Even if he's working, I'll still be able to come and go from the room as I wish. I like that.

In other news, we had an open house today. Now that J's job is officially starting, and we have a conditional offer on a new house, we want to be done here. Despite the crappy weather, our agent was thrilled with the number of people who came through (almost 20), and thinks that we may get an offer out of all of this. That would be fantastic too.

I can't wait for what's next.

La Vie En Rose

I seem to be losing my perspective at the moment. It's an elusive thing, this being happy and on an even keel. I no longer know what that is. There's a lot going on here on the mountain, and I'm sooooo close to being able to spill about a lot of it. With J's profession, he wants all the ducks in a row before giving me the ok to say anything. Despite the fact that I want to. Despite the fact that it's making me crazy. I'm good with secrets, but this is exciting, and it affects me...AND I WANT TO SHARE!!!

Part of the secret is out. We're moving. There's a big Century 21 sign in the middle of our front lawn at the moment, and there have been a couple of viewings, and I hate keeping my house clean. But without the point-blank question, we're just moving. People aren't being told where, or when, or why.

The other exciting that I can share at the moment is that the work permit showed up on Friday. Hallelujah! We mailed the paperwork for that in October, and it just came. That just goes along to prove once again why you should marry domestic. Not that I regret J's moving here...but it's a huge hassle that I could do without. BUT - he could now go to Tim Horton's and get a job if he wanted one...not merely at the place he left last March.

I've been thinking a lot about the year I lived in France recently. It's come up in conversation, and as I've been decluttering for listing the house, I've been finding bits and pieces from my time there. I don't know if it's the time of year, or my own lack of control over anything, or what but I miss Paris. It's been a long time. But for now, I'll stick with Edith Piaf and search for the balance that seems to elude me at every turn.

Colour me in love...

Okay, so while I don't want this colour, J and I found the perfect sofa for us yesterday.  
Just a little eye candy while I organize my thoughts.