Crom74’s Neighborhood

Let's see. I think it is official that all of my good friends own something. Either a house,a condo..a brand new car...shit, something. It's not that I'm trying to hop on the "buy a house wagon" but it got me thinking about where am I going to live next year and where will I call home.

What can I afford?

Shit, I have no idea. I mean, I like spending time at home. I like renting movies, cooking, entertaining friends. I also like to enjoy an occasional night on the town. Can I afford that if I purchase a condo?
I like to shop. I shop in moderation ever since I had Gabby. I have no shame in saying I discovered thrift stores and go to Value Village. Will I be able to afford shoes for daughter if I purchase something?

Will I be able to afford a vacation if I'm a homeowner?

My boss said," I first purchased my condo when I was making 16.80 an hour"....

I told her, "I'm not making 16.80 an hour yet....."

Man, purchasing a home falls under that "signing of something". *Have I mentioned I have a fear signing things??

I spent the early part of the Fourth of July over at Ault Park.  I went for a run around the trails.  It had rained all the night before and was still raining, so the trails were muddy and slippery.  I had to walk them in places.  It was fun, though.  There's something very enjoyable about being alone in the woods in the rain.

Here are some pictures I took while I was there (l-r): imprisoned flowers, muddy trail, muddy legs, muddy shoes, non-muddy snail

And here's another batch (l-r): stairs w/foam, shelter that didn't actually shelter, rock stairs, little sun w/flower

Next it was time for the graduates to receive their diplomas. Up they trooped, solemn and radiant, in many sizes, all beautiful as only the young can be beautiful. Even the ugly ones were beautiful, even the surly ones, the fat ones, even the spotty ones. None of them understands this -- how beautiful they are. But nevertheless they're irritating, the young. Their posture is appalling as a rule, and judging from their songs they snivel and wallow, grin and bear it having gone the way of the foxtrot. They don't understand their own luck.

- Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin

How and when do you reward yourself?
Submitted by Rainbird.

Sometimes I don't reward myself. That's the problem.

I need to start rewarding myself with more shoes. I think shoes are important and I just don't have enough of them. I would reward myself with more Seven jeans but that could get expensive....

On the not so-superficial side to things- I find it rewarding after I teach the weight loss program at work and I receive emails of thanks and people are happy with themselves.

That truly makes me smile at the end of the day.

1998 was a busy year for us--lots of big, happy things in our life. So, this year we are celebrating several ten year anniversaries.

Ten years ago today (July 5), we got married. I have to say, of all the things that came out of 1998 (or really, ever) this was the best!

It's funny--it seems like forever...and not all that long.

The picture is of our ketubah, the most easily photographable thing from the wedding (short of the wedding pictures, where I looked scary (my wife, lovely)).

We have a babysitter for tonight, and we're going to the Precinct, a very nice restaurant in town.

Have any of you ever played this game? It's a game where they give you the first half of a saying "A bird in the hand is...." and then each person makes up their own ending for the saying, trying to convince everyone else that you know the real ending.

Man we had some good laughs over that one this weekend.

I have to buy that game because the one we played belongs to my son and DIL and they took it home to their house.

I see it's for sale on Amazon for 42 dollars. Wow! That seems high for a board game. But, I'll pay anything for some laughs.

I have some pictures to post, but I can't do that until I get home from work. Pfffffft.

I can still blather on here without really saying much of anything.