Moineau’s Neighborhood

Live in the NOW, now.

Jazz
7 days ago
11 comments

It's 4:30 on Tuesday, Nov. 3rd, which is significant if one plans to participate in NaNoWriMo. I've spent most of the day organizing Hub's maddening sock drawer and uploading photos to Facebook. At one point I considered discarding FB - it's a time sucker and my brain's not geared that way (I barely even get on). FB's immediacy is scary - the instant I post anything, there are comments (not that it matters). I'd be better off posting a cry for help on FB than use a cell phone. I'd achieve greater simultaneous coverage and have a better chance at being rescued. So I'm keeping the account, removing the privacy cloak, and actually trying to be social. Sort of. I posted some photos, a drop in the bucket compared to my Vox posts. Coming here to read my long-winded rants seems to pain non-Voxers...but I like that about it. And I like this format (even though it seems increasingly unstable, Vox!)...so until I figure out my WordPress situation, here I stay.

It's been so long since my last real post. The many various and sundry things that rolled around in my brain the last month have evaporated into the ether. I just wonder if I can really do NaNoWriMo. I tried it back in '06, right after I was diagnosed, but couldn't escape the grip that death and cancer had on my imagination. I'm still somewhat in that grip -- I had a scan two weeks ago and have the oncology appointment tomorrow. There was a slight decrease in the left lung tumor, but no mention of the right lung activity seen in July. I don't think Tarceva's as aggressive as my doctor would like to be, but we're conscious of diminishing options in chemo. So there's some concern.

I feel like an idiot for wasting my six-month chemo break on house hunting. I look back on the futility of it all and get angry, which isn't a way I get anymore. The realtor emailed last night, asking if we wanted to start again, and I wanted to flip her off. She irritated me during that last ordeal, and I'm done with her, although she stuck it out for 8 months with us. We found all the houses, and all she had to do was open a few doors and write up the offers (9). It wasn't for lack of trying and I could feel bad, but I really don't. I feel worse about wasting my good health on such an activity. (Yes, I also feel bad about housework but I get immediate gratification from that)

We're on hiatus from house hunting. It's trade show and holiday season, so there's travelling to be done (YAY!). I bought a wardrobe from IKEA (after two years I now have a closet), a dutch oven (not a Le Creuset, so tune in for reviews), and seriously, it's time for a new bed, premium cable channels, and faster internet. I could pass away before we buy a house, so I should enjoy the amenities of a home, here. Now. Also, I bought some lovely mugs from the Danville Crafts Fair, made by Oakland potter Rose Lee.

Siamese mugs

Don't they look like my cats?

Siamesepottery

We are Siamese, if you please

I slow-roasted almost all the Roma tomatoes from the garden (1 plant). Takes all day, but they taste incredible, truly.

We planted late - in April, after realizing the house hunt might take longer - so there are some stragglers left. They're all pale, rather vampirish-looking things. I should pick them and put them out of their misery.

What else? Watched some movies...saw Where The Wild Things Are at the Alameda Theatre (designed by Timothy Pflueger of Paramount and Castro Theatre fame). Beautiful art deco theatre, convenient to all things Alameda.

Started a number of books (see sidebar). I think my favorite is The Book Thief...

Maybe I should just concentrate on posting more often. Not sure I have 1800 words/day in me. Hoping everyone's enjoying a lovely autumn, with spiced cider, turning leaves, and the promise of comfort to warm cold days ahead.

Discovered

Jazz
Nov 3, 2009
3 comments

...at Feel Good Bakery in the Alameda Marketplace!!!!

The evil cookie case

French macarons

I used to call it Feel Bad Bakery because the staff were so grumpy and unfriendly. Well they still are but I have to put up with it AND pay $2/piece for these suckers because they are SOOOO GOOOOOOD. Especially the blackberry ones (lavender, in the middle there). The green tea and chocolate orange ones are interesting, as well.

They are, however, a bit too sweet, and slightly larger than Miette's (which lack the bright colors and are $1.50/piece but the buttercream filling is delicious!).

Can you say HEAVEN?

The Amazon Conduit is Fixed

Team Vox
Nov 2, 2009
17 comments

Go forth and fill your libraries with media.

Seriously, thanks to everyone for being so amazing and patient. You are the reason I love Vox.

~daisy

Amazon Conduit Update

Team Vox
Oct 29, 2009
18 comments

I was just told that the Amazon Conduit will be fixed by tomorrow. I will post here as soon as I get word that it's back up and running.

I know this has been frustrating and I am sorry there wasn't more I could do to make it less so. I really appreciate your patience though.

Cheers,

daisy

Amazon Conduit: Update

Team Vox
Oct 20, 2009
22 comments

Bad news. As many of you have probably noticed, the Amazon Conduit was not fixed in the last week's release. Unfortunately, there was an undetected bug that is preventing the conduit from working.

We are working on this bug fix and hope to have the Conduit back up and running this week.

I will keep you posted.

Thank you for being so patient.

~daisy

Today is Blog Action Day! Blog for Climate Change.

Team Vox
Oct 15, 2009
53 comments

Blog Action Day

6 comments

Blog Action Day is every October 15th, when blogger are asked to post something about a single issue to show our strength and conviction as an online community. It's a great way to feel connected to the greater good, and the participation of so many bloggers to support the world's leading non-profit organizations is something you can do to help, right now. By blogging today, you're supporting some of the world's leading non-profits and sharing your voice for change.

This year's topic is climate change, and we'd love to read your thoughts on the topic. If you participate, leave us a link to your post in the comments, so we know to check out your post!

Go to www.blogactionday.org to learn more, get a badge for your blog showing your participation, and see some ideas for your post on climate change.

Can't wait to read your posts!

~ daisy

I'm that robot

Jazz
Oct 13, 2009
2 comments

How to Buy a Bank-Owned Home

Posting

lightandstorm
Oct 7, 2009
1 comment

Wow, I can post here again. The long drought has been because my company's proxy server wasn't letting me type in these text boxes for some reason. Apparently it's fixed.

In the meantime, I've been posting over at wordpress.

I think I'll continue to post there, and perhaps crosspost here.

Decompression time

Jazz
Oct 6, 2009
12 comments

It's been a strange two weeks. I might've posted sooner (or maybe not) but my Mom was here. For some reason I was exhausted every night and pretty busy all day--- and could be busy still, but the cold mornings and dry air (yep, it's fall) make me want to wear fleece and drink tea. If I can hold my head up for a few minutes I might be able to post something.

It's been a week and a day since I backed out of contract for a house in Pinole. Yes, it's amazing, we finally got an offer accepted, and no wonder. I lost my mind for a moment and offered way too much (freakin' bidding wars) --- it seemed ok at first, but upon further ($600!) inspection...the beauty turned out to be a beast. IF the Hubster had been along, he might've identified it as such, but he's been on the road for 3 weeks so of course the little defects I noticed were actually Large Defects. On the telephone he kept saying, "All I'm worried about are the roof and the foundation. We can take care of everything else." Well yeah, sort of.

Ghosting - sooty deposit or...?

I'd rather cough up 15k for a roof than 15k for a new furnace/AC unit plus have an asbestos abatement company remove the 1968 ductwork, plus have new ductwork done. The owner ran the original 1968 furnace, which deposited sooty shadows on the walls of the cathedral ceilings. Since the ducts looked jacked, who knows what other health hazardous material was blowing around that needs to be cleaned up (lead paint, asbestos). The electrical was substandard...and let's not talk about the bathrooms. They looked ok, but hidden behind the walls was a gut job. And on and on, all the way to the failing retaining wall in the backyard, which eventually would be a pain in the ass. Still, if someone had the time and about 90k, it could be a good value. As long as we don't have a magnitude 7 earthquake, it'll remain standing for years to come.

Those 60's-70's ranchers apparently don't have wall bracing. They were constructed using this stuff called Linewire, paper with wire running through it, and stucco over that, and sometimes siding. That's right, it's the Three Little Pigs' house. Developers thought they'd do better in earthquakes. Not. So none of those walls have bracing, nor are they bolted to the foundation by today's standards. And there's more, but my mind reels with the sound of cash registers and construction.

I don't think our realtor is speaking to us any longer. I haven't heard from her or seen the voided deposit check, though I sent the cancellation form a week ago. This is the second house we were under contract in for just one day. On the day we cancelled, we decided to take a break from 8 months of house hunting. I'm hoping the tax credit is extended, although list prices seemed inflated because of it. Anyway, time to refocus and restrategize...

It's tempting to spend money now during this little break, but I think what's in order is to make this hole we've lived in for 2 years more comfortable. I'm tired of living out of the coat closet. Time for storage solutions, a new bed, and some heavy curtains to keep the chill out (damn old windows and doors!). Time to read, relax, cook more lemony things, drink tea and eat pistachio macarons...