Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Kind Of Wanting To Kill Myself
I was kind of keeping hush hush the fact that there was a job opening at the magazine here in Traverse City. This is a job opportunity that we had been keeping our eye on for EIGHT years. It never opened. We've always wanted to move up here but there is literally only one job opportunity that would allow us to make that move. This one.
A couple weeks ago, right before I left town, Mr F let out a gasp as he was doing his usual job search (always a good idea to keep our options open). After YEARS this coveted position had finally opened up. Even better? He was coming out here to visit us anyway and getting to an interview would be easy peasy.
Meant to be? Yeah that's what I thought.
As much as I am getting settled in Asheville it is not where I want to live. And, honestly, with our current cost of living it is always going to be a bit of a struggle.
You know where's a really cheap place to move to in this economic crisis? The place with the most tanked housing market?
Yep. Michigan.
Yada yada yada... I could tell you how much I'd like to live here. I could go on and on. Just imagine that place you always fantasize about living at... that's Traverse City for me.
Well yesterday Mr F called to tell me that he spoke with the editor in Traverse City... and... the job had been filled.... yester-freaking-day!
So today when I drove into the city it was no longer a drive filled with hope and promise. But instead a drive filled with agony and well... a bit... of heart break. Everything seemed perfect. And better. And CLEANER. And well planned and carried out. The donuts were... well... donut-ier. Seriously. As Kid said "You forget how delicious they are until you are eating them, and then you remember all the times you had them." Indeed. Michigan cider donuts just are better than any other donut. Period. The strawberries I got at the stand were better than any other strawberries I'd ever had. They were like jam. They were ridiculous and we ate them under a perfectly blue sky dotted with white clouds, the tall ship sailing around the Bay in front of us. And I kind of wanted to cry.
As hard as moving is and as much as I would hate the actual process...
We could have had a house ON THE ACTUAL WATER for less than our house in Asheville.
Okay not a lot less. But still... less. By like $5...it still counts. It was still a glorious dream.
Oh well... back to Assville at the end of the month.
Damn it.
A couple weeks ago, right before I left town, Mr F let out a gasp as he was doing his usual job search (always a good idea to keep our options open). After YEARS this coveted position had finally opened up. Even better? He was coming out here to visit us anyway and getting to an interview would be easy peasy.
Meant to be? Yeah that's what I thought.
As much as I am getting settled in Asheville it is not where I want to live. And, honestly, with our current cost of living it is always going to be a bit of a struggle.
You know where's a really cheap place to move to in this economic crisis? The place with the most tanked housing market?
Yep. Michigan.
Yada yada yada... I could tell you how much I'd like to live here. I could go on and on. Just imagine that place you always fantasize about living at... that's Traverse City for me.
Well yesterday Mr F called to tell me that he spoke with the editor in Traverse City... and... the job had been filled.... yester-freaking-day!
So today when I drove into the city it was no longer a drive filled with hope and promise. But instead a drive filled with agony and well... a bit... of heart break. Everything seemed perfect. And better. And CLEANER. And well planned and carried out. The donuts were... well... donut-ier. Seriously. As Kid said "You forget how delicious they are until you are eating them, and then you remember all the times you had them." Indeed. Michigan cider donuts just are better than any other donut. Period. The strawberries I got at the stand were better than any other strawberries I'd ever had. They were like jam. They were ridiculous and we ate them under a perfectly blue sky dotted with white clouds, the tall ship sailing around the Bay in front of us. And I kind of wanted to cry.
As hard as moving is and as much as I would hate the actual process...
We could have had a house ON THE ACTUAL WATER for less than our house in Asheville.
Okay not a lot less. But still... less. By like $5...it still counts. It was still a glorious dream.
Oh well... back to Assville at the end of the month.
Damn it.
Monday, July 6, 2009
A Look Inside
Wondering exactly what it's like "Up North".
Probably not what you are envisioning.
The cottage lies on a strip of land between Lake Michigan and a smaller inland lake. You drive down a wooded private drive to get here. (It used to be really secluded feeling but a few years ago a bunch of rich assholes from Chicago bought up several tracks of land near us and put up a whole bunch of appallingly large summer homes and tore up the woods. They even put in a elevator so they don't have to climb up the dune to their house. I'm just sayin'... We hate them.)
When I was growing up we had a dock and boathouse on the little lake and would catch minnows and turtles. My grandfather had a pontoon boat and would take us all out there with his cocktail in hand and drive us around before dinner.
Now some new assholes moved in next door and are real sticklers about their property line... so... the boathouse was torn down and the dock is kind of falling apart. (Okay enough complaining)
Well when my grandparents built their cottage in the mid 60s this little house was on the property.
We call it the boathouse and that is where the girls and I are staying. Up here specifically.
The only downside is this... 
and this...
and this...
The main house
is a showplace for my grandfather's eccentric collection of big game taxidermy, art, and random stuff. Baby calls it the "Animal House". If you think of the whole Max & Erma's, TGIFs, & Applebee's decor scheme as an actual style then my grandfather invented it. It's kind of intense. Surprisingly the kids aren't afraid.
It's also pretty safe to say that I'm probably one of the only people who's had to say (well in this century anyway) to their two year old "No, no, no.... that's not for kids... that's not safe!" upon finding them holding a rusty bayonet.
The extended family has gone back to their respective homes for the rest of the week. The girls and I are hanging with The Cougar until their return (and Mr F's arrival on the 11th!) and trying to catch our breath... well... I'm trying to catch my breath... I"m hoping they'll catch some ZZZs.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Happy Fourth! (a holiday retrospective)
The weather has been pretty cool since we got up here... but yesterday was perfect. Beautiful cloudless sky while still breezy enough to keep the sun from melting us into the sand. We spent a good part of the day down at the beach... thankfully the water is cold enough that I don't have to worry about Baby running in and drowning herself (that's the one good thing about the frigid water).
Then we had a big dinner out on the deck overlooking a magnificent sunset. Well... the other people did. I ate inside at a small game table trying to keep the dog from eating Baby's ribs. Once it was dark we enjoyed a pretty decent fireworks display put on by my younger sister and her boyfriend. Well... the other people did. I sat inside holding Baby's ears. It was fun.
My mom made some fantastic corn pudding: 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix, 2 eggs, 1 c sour cream, 1 stick butter, 1 can corn (drained), & 1 can of creamed corn. Blend. Bake in greased dish at 350 for 1 hour. Seriously... Yum. Very much like the corn pudding at 12 Bones. Sometimes she puts in a can of diced green chilies.
Also I've been introduced to a new cocktail. It's an alcoholic Arnold Palmer (which I'm not sure what you would technically call since the whole point of an Arnold Palmer is that it's non-alcoholic). Anyway, my sister-in-law arrived up here with lemonade and Sweet Tea flavored vodka. Burnett's Sweet Tea flavored vodka to be exact. Is it just me or is the sweet tea craze going a little far these days? I had my initial doubts but in this instance it is worth it. It was delish and refreshing and perfect for my light weight drinking ways... and there was none of the malty aftertaste of say a Mike's. Look into it.
Then we had a big dinner out on the deck overlooking a magnificent sunset. Well... the other people did. I ate inside at a small game table trying to keep the dog from eating Baby's ribs. Once it was dark we enjoyed a pretty decent fireworks display put on by my younger sister and her boyfriend. Well... the other people did. I sat inside holding Baby's ears. It was fun.
My mom made some fantastic corn pudding: 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix, 2 eggs, 1 c sour cream, 1 stick butter, 1 can corn (drained), & 1 can of creamed corn. Blend. Bake in greased dish at 350 for 1 hour. Seriously... Yum. Very much like the corn pudding at 12 Bones. Sometimes she puts in a can of diced green chilies.
Also I've been introduced to a new cocktail. It's an alcoholic Arnold Palmer (which I'm not sure what you would technically call since the whole point of an Arnold Palmer is that it's non-alcoholic). Anyway, my sister-in-law arrived up here with lemonade and Sweet Tea flavored vodka. Burnett's Sweet Tea flavored vodka to be exact. Is it just me or is the sweet tea craze going a little far these days? I had my initial doubts but in this instance it is worth it. It was delish and refreshing and perfect for my light weight drinking ways... and there was none of the malty aftertaste of say a Mike's. Look into it.
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