"How are you today?"

If you are going to ask me how I'm doing, stick around for the answer. If you are not sticking around, don't ask me how I'm doing. I think it is rude for someone to ask how another person is doing and not listen to the answer.

When walking through a store, the store clerk should not ask how you are doing if they are not going to stick around to at least see if you are going to ask for help finding something. If they even say hello, they should see if you need help. If they are busy they can knod an acknowledgement that they know you are there and finish what they are doing then come and help you. They should not be asking how I'm doing while whizzing off because they are already helping someone else or running off to their break. If you're going to say something tell me who to find that can help or that you'll be with me in a moment.

So tell me how you are doing. Really, I'm sticking around for the answer.

DIY carpet installation

So far the new carpet in the Master Bedroom is looking great. We bought carpet from a local Lowe's store and rather than pay the money to have them install, we installed it ourselves.

My Dad came over to help, but none of us had ever put carpet in before. There is still work to be done. We only had an evening since both my Dad and I had to work this morning. The carpet has been cut and is looking great. We chose a burber carpet and it feels super soft under your feet or stomach (I'm currently laying on it).

I'm mad about one thing. I wasn't able to take pictures! My camera batteries died and I can't find the charger in the mess of boxes. The sad thing is I remember seeing it somewhere around here. But anyways, I'm mad because there is no proof that we did it all ourselves. We plan to finish the job tomorrow so unless I find the darn thing soon, there will only be pictures of once the carpet is all done and installed. I guess all that matters is that we know we did it ourselves and we can feel good about a job well done.

First nights

We just spent the second night at our new home. It doesn't feel like sleeping in your home though, to me it feels like camping. Like in a few days I'll be leaving. Even though I know I'm not leaving, I'm here to stay.

I expected the first night to be weird but not the second night. Or at least a little less weird. Alas, I still have that "I'll be leaving soon" feeling.

It probably doesn't help that we are sleeping on the floor, hard wood floor at that. We do have a bed ordered, it just hasn't arrived yet. I hope that when the bed comes that will hopefully help this feel at least a little less like camping, and more like living in our new home.

Putting in the kitchen sink

Tonight we tried to put in the kitchen sink. Currently the installation is still in process.

It has not been an easy time and I've enjoyed the commentary by my Dad and Boyfriend who have been doing the installation. The faucet was put on first before putting the sink in so that they wouldn't have to worry about putting the faucet on from underneath. I hear that went fairly easy. I wasn't actually home for that part.

I walked in after they had finished applying the caulk under to put the sink down. They were trying to attach the clamps for the sink to hold it down tight to the counter. My Dad and Boyfriend kept complaining that the clamps wouldn't grip. They would think they had the clamp down, take their hand away, and find the clamp falling to the bottom of the cabinet.

...

Now they have finished putting the clamps in but have added some things to the countertop. They piled on tool bags, tool boxes, 5 galon bucket of mud, and anything else they could find with weight to it; it's all sitting on the lip of the sink to help hold it down while the caulk dries.

The plumbing still has not been hooked up.

So much to do, don’t know what to do

Ever have so much to do you don’t know where to start or what to do next? I’m at that point. There is so much still to do with getting this house move in ready that I don’t know what to do next.

There is still basic cleaning to do, and last night I learned of one more cleaning task. Still need to set up for internet access, put carpet in the master bedroom, put base molding on, and some minor painting. That’s not even the start of it, there are still more tasks that thankfully I’m getting help from my dad for, such as rewiring some of the switches so that instead of working an outlet they work a ceiling light.

I suppose the best way at this point to choose what to do next would be to play the kids game of eenie-miny-moe. Everything needs to get done, some things more than others I suppose. That would be another way to choose what to do next. Of course though everything I can do myself can be done after we move in, so I think I’ll stick with eenie-miny-moe and see what I get to do now. Anything is better than sitting here just thinking and wondering what to do next.

Mortgage through parents

I must be thankful to my parents for my new house, if not for them I may not have it or any right now. They have allowed me to get a loan through them; my parents now joke with the rest of my family that my boyfriend and I got is from their own financial institution they run.

However, this has put a strain on our relationships with some of our friends. They are the same age, working the same kind of jobs but can't afford a house. They have become so jealous they won't even talk about the house anymore.

I can see where they are coming from. If the tables were turned I'd be jealous of them, but I wouldn't allow my jealousy to get in the way of our friendship. Right now all we've been doing is working on the house non-stop outside of working our jobs. So there hasn't been much to talk about, but they won't talk about their lives so much anymore. I feel that the friendship we had is falling apart and is impossible to be repaired.

As if moving out on our own for the first time wasn't hard enough, now we are loosing the people we would go to for advise. I don't know what to do anymore.