it's about time

I've been neglecting my blog for quite a few months now. Here's why:

1) I decided to buy a condo. I started the search back in July and put down an offer in September for a condo that is located about 10-15 minutes from where I work. It's got two bedrooms and two bathrooms and has a bit of a view of some mountains far in the distance. The kitchen is a little on the small side but it's not a gallery kitchen which I detest so I think I can deal for now. A couple of things I'm looking to do is replace the vinyl flooring in the bathrooms and the kitchen and then possibly investigate how I can get rid of the recessed ceiling in the kitchen. Hopefully that'll give it more of an open feel and perhaps make it feel a bit bigger. RIght now the ceiling could probably touch the heads of tall people - so i guess good thing i am short. :P In all, I'm super excited about this and looking forward to doing some renovations and also doing some decorating. I'll post some before and after photos in another blog entry in the hopefully near future.

2) I went to Europe for two weeks. I've been back for about a week but I'm still in recovery. While i would recommend travels to Europe to anyone who wants to be amazed and awed by historic relics, pieces of famous artwork that we usually only see in pictures and architecture that is thousands of years old or to learn about the different cultures of the world, I would NOT recommend doing this with family members. I still hear and see it in my head ...

At the train station in Treviso (a city outside Venice) :
"Hello - how much is train to Venus?"
"Sir, this train does not go to Venus"
"WHAT?? How to get to Venus?"
"There is a train to go to Venice"
"Yes - how much?"

At the St. Peter's bascilica :
"Where is Michelangelo?"
(guard confused)
"Michelangelo! Michelangelo!"
(guard points to the area where the dome can be seen)
(arrival at this point)
"Where is Michelangelo's burial?"
"He's not buried here"
"The guard just said so"
"No he didn't. You just yelled his name out a couple times. Michelangelo designed the dome of this bascilica"
"oh"



3) I applied for my green card. Now I'm waiting for papers from the US government that will allow me to travel outside the USA. I'm extremely frustrated as this means I may have to miss HMP and ID's wedding and that (even if I wanted to or could) I can't go back to Toronto for Christmas this year. This system is so messed up. I have friends here who haven't been able to return to Canada for over a year now.

4) I moved out! Related to 1), my lease expired and I had to move out of my apartment. I'm now living termporarily with a friend of mine and hoping to have my own condo ready for move-in around Dec 1. If you're sending mail (which I don't think anyone is...no hints intended there :P), then hold off for a couple months. Although if you send it to my old address, i do have it forwarded now to my current address. I just dont' want anything to be lost in mail.

Ok that's a quick update on my life. I hope all is well with everyone (and anyone) who is reading :D