Sweet and Sour

I'm laying on my back on our hand-me-down sofa staring at the spider webs and wasp on the ceiling, reflecting on the last few days. Oh what a few days it's been.

Thursday....

My buddy Shelli came to play with Ben so I could go study. I got two calls that morning before she came: one from the insurance company saying they needed me to take my car in to get pictures taken, and one from my school saying I needed to come in to sign up for insurance. So I'm thinking, that's okay, I'll do them as quick as I can then still be able to squeeze in some study time. Instead, I waited in long lines to sign up for my stupid insurance (oh sweet irony...isn't private insurance supposed to save me from long, life-threatening lines?), despite having made an appointment. I got to my car, starving for lunch, and desperately needing to study because I had less than an hour left of baby-free time. Wait, why is the car moving so weird? Oh, that's a flat tire. So I pulled back into the parking lot, went back into the district office, and politely asked the receptionist if there was anyone in the WHOLE DISTRICT OFFICE that could change a flat tire. No. Really? No one in this entire school district can change a flat tire? Well the maintenance guys are at lunch. And no one who doesn't work in maintenance knows how to change a tire? Um, I don't know. Do you know any guys that work here? I just got back from my lunch. Never mind. I'll call AAA.

So I called AAA and waited in the parking lot of a fully staffed office for 45 minutes. I sat on the curb and read my California History book while guy after guy walked passed me; looked at me, my book, and my flat tire; and kept walking.

Once AAA came and changed the tire, I topped off my study time at the tire store.

The sweeter side to Thursday: I took a practice CSET and got an 80%. This is glorious, particularly considering two weeks ago I scored a 40% on a practice test.

Friday...

I went back to work. I don't think really need to talk about why that wasn't the highlight of my week. When I came home, Ben woke up screaming after having slept for about 45 minutes (instead of the usual 2 hours). He was a treat for the rest of the evening.

The sweet side to Friday: hmmm.....

Yesterday...

We got a note from our apartment complex inviting us to sign a new lease for another six months for the same amount we've been paying. This is interesting, considering the fact that they're currently listing our apartment for $2o0 less. When I asked them about it, they said "there's nothing we can do." So they have to charge us $2o0 more than the market price for our apartment, while the people downstairs, who just moved in, get to pay the cheaper price.

"So if we stay we pay $1515?"

"well, yes."

"But if we moved out then moved back in, we could pay $1300?"

"um, yes."

"That doesn't make sense."

"There's nothing we can do."

In the afternoon we went to an open house for a place we saw on Craig's List. We were excited because it sounded right up our alley. Oh wait, it's actually located in an alley. And it's a dirty crappy mess. And it costs more than we pay here. So that's what we can get for our money if we try to live in a house instead of an apartment. Poop.

The sweet side to Saturday: we went to Adalee's first birthday party in the park. We love our new friends.

AND...

Ben started walking. For realsies.

Which leads us to Sunday...

This morning we went to go grocery shopping, only to discover that Matt's car was no longer in the complex. I went to the store while Matt investigated. It seems that someone called and had it towed. See, we had to buy a new car because our old one died. We were waiting to get the plates so we could register it in the office. Apparently one of our fellow tenants didn't want to wait, and wanted our parking spot, so they called the towing company and had the car towed. I hope they enjoy the parking spot.

So we went to get the car from the towing place and, oh, sorry, "I'm out towing another car. I'll be back in an hour." Sad--that's Ben's nap time. Oh well. I guess we'll go back in an hour.

an hour later...

"hey, we're here to get our car, but no one is here."

"oh, I was just on my lunch break. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

When we finally got home, Ben was screaming because it was way past his nap time. Someone's grandpa was downstairs having the loudest, longest conversation ever about everything in the world. And then there's the wasp.

We're breaking up with our complex.

The sweet side to today: Our new friends Brandi and Jesse informed us that there's a place for rent in their neighborhood. It's cheaper than what we're paying now, and it's way better. Please please please pray that this goes through. If we have to live here for much longer I might freak out and start killing people.

Also, I hate cars. A lot.