Time Out

I'M AT A YANKEES GAME!

If you all were wondering why there wasn't an email update for the week it's because I have spent the last three days in NYC taking in the sights and heat. I thought it was time to take a little break for some R&R and get refocused for the V NYC twice VERY busy couple of weeks that are on the horizon. Both at work and at the house, it is going to be crunch time getting things done before fall deadlines hit. (The main deadline for the house is that I just want to be living in my house as soon as possible.) So what have I been up to you ask, walking - A LOT of walking.

I had been to NYC twice before in the early part of last year, so I had an idea of what I was getting into before I arrived. I was meeting a good friend of mine from college that I hadn't seen for about 4 1/2 years, but as the weekend continued to approach, it looked as the the scheduling wasn't going to allow for us to hang out as much together as we had originally planned. Not a big problem, just kind of a bummer. I left Des Moines at 6 a.m. on Saturday and flew in to NJ. After waiting an hour for the shuttle service to pick me up, I finally made the 45 minute trek into the city. It still put me into awe to see the age and architecture of this town. I mean everything is so old and built in a period that had such different values in quality, craftsmanship and materials that it really gives me an appreciation for the conveniences we have today, but also a bit sad at the lack of materials and true craftsmanship that we use to build with. So much of today is about making everything the cheapest way possible that we sometimes miss out on true creativity and beauty in architecture. Sorry, I sometimes get into a nostalgic and idealistic funk when it comes to today's construction habits.

Madison Ave - looking at and then away from the MetLife Building


Anyway, seeing the beautiful buildings didn't block the great number of people that live and work here. Crazy I tell you. Have you ever been in a large city or town or at a huge event where you have a high vantage point of things going on and there are so many people inconstant motion that you can't differentiate them enough to be able to count them? It's just like that here - all the time. I don't mind that, it actually is nice to get lost in it sometimes.

I spent the rest of Sat. getting situated and chilling out. Sunday was the big day - the Yankees game! I had never been to Yankee stadium, mainly because it's too far and secondly because I'm not a big Yanks fan. I'm a Cubs fan and that's really all I need of baseball (please keep your Cubs comments and jokes to yourself for now). So I had bought tickets online and picked them up at the 'disclosed' location. The seats were AWESOME! I recommend that if you're going to go to a ballpark only one time to 'check it off your list', pay as much as your budget will allow for those tickets because the beer and the dogs taste the same at all parks, but the view is what you will always remember. (Plus if you eat just before going to the park you will buy fewer dogs and beers - saving you money!-) I finally met up with my friend who had worked all of Saturday at the park (which would end being the only time we'd get together due to work - oh well, the time alone has actually been good). It was a good game for the Yanks - winning 12-0 of over the Angels putting them within 1 game of .500 (and to think that the lowly Cubs are actually over .500 right now...hmmm).

Watching All-Stars warm up/The first pitch!

Tickets are the sign of the fortunate

Then I went to change shoes that wouldn't blister my feet. I took the photos you see to get developed. Walked around Central Park, which I hadn't done the first time because of time. It's a completely different experience than during the day. It's so much more quiet and there's not the Indy 500 of joggers, bikers and dog walkers like there is when the sun is up.

Monday has been a really chilled type of day (although the temps were near 100). I just walked some great interior design stores and got some great inspiration for the house. I went to two stores in particular, one by recommendation from a friend, ABC Home Designs (?). Man this place was ginormous and had tons o' stuff. I was overwhelmed by the options and vast quantity of crap you can put into a house. Now more than ever I am absolutely confidant that I NEED someone to help me with the interior decorating and design of my house. I thought that maybe Leslie taught me enough to be able to tackle that myself, but what I now know is that she taught me enough to know that I don't know what I'm doing and that I should ask for help. Enter some folks from Meredith and my mother-in-law Caryn to save the day. I am getting some help from Meredith like most things in this project in regards to the design and such and I will speak to more of that as it becomes more concrete. What that allows me to do is work with Caryn on a more focused list of rooms and can better manage timelines and expectations. I also went to another store that had great 'furniture' pieces in it. Not chairs and such, but the large pieces of 'home stuff' that fill out the rooms and create the comfortable environment that goes unnoticed until it's not there. IT was great - and I never thought I'd ever say that shopping for house decorations would be great - but there it is in black and white.

All in all this trip has been great for my mental health, my physical health (no more broken bones) and for me to check off another one of life's 'things to do'. I'm quickly becoming anxious thinking about all that I need to do in the next steps and what I have put off in order to make this trip happen. So I'm looking forward to getting back in the saddle on Wednesday and getting some things accomplished so we can get to inspections and hanging sheet rock in the next couple of weeks. I hope to see you all in the next few weeks. I could really use the help tieing up loose ends before the inspections. Until then, enjoy the summer and make sure to wear sunscreen!

P.S.
For those who haven't seen my little Sunshine, here she is about a month ago at the last babysitter's house. Looks like it was either baking or painting day - either of which Ellie LOVES to do.