Nesting

I asked. His name is Matthew.
Thanks, Matthew.
Have I mentioned that our apartment is really starting to come together? Now is the first time that I feel like I have my own home. And it's really comfy and filled with silly things and silly people. And love. Lots and lots of love. 'Aint life grand?

Goodwill? No, Greatwill!

I love the Goodwill! It may be the thing I miss most about Portland. We have one within walking distance and it's become like a second home.
REASONS WHY I LOVE GOODWILL:

1. Cheap and Used. It's how I like my furniture and my men.

2. Retards. Goodwill employs people with disabilites. But here's the trick. A lot of these people look fairly normal but when you approach them to ask for help it quickly becomes clear that this picnic is a few sandwiches short. I don't know the name of my favorite guy, but he's usually sweeping the floor and saying 'Hello' to everyone in this deep, robotic voice that makes me think he was probably in an accident at one time and had to re-learn how to do everything. His words are free of emotion, yet he holds an honest interest in the conversation. Tomorrow I'll ask his name.

3. Neat stuff. You would think in a town like Portland, with so many trendy folks shopping at thrift stores, that the selection of items would suffer. Not true, my friend. Not at MY Goodwill! Their inventory is constantly changing and I love browsing through their paperback books! I found a vintage copy of The Great Gatsby and an old Encyclopedia Brown.
4. Crazy People. Thanks to the black lady I ran into yesterday, standing in the Bible section singing 'Psychiatry, it is a joke'. I especially liked it when you yelled at that guy who walked in front of you. He should have known you were 'rogue law enforcement' and I silently agreed when you called him a 'tool'. I applaud your honesty, Crazy Black Lady who I overheard say you've been 'checking out the same 3 books from the library for over a year so you thought you should come on down here and finally buy them'. Gee, thanks.

Dillon's home now, so we're off the pick up the small dresser and table I bought a Goodwill earlier today. I got both for under 10 bones. How is it that I'm this thrifty and not Jewish?

Balls

Staying true to my faux jewness, I made matzo ball soup for the first time today. I made the balls too big, having no idea how much they'd expand when boiled. So, I've got big balls. But, damn, they taste great.
Also, being someone who has lived without a garbage disposal for most of my adult life, I managed to clog our kitchen sink by feeding it chopped off ends of the celery and carrots I used in the soup. I was able to get the water to go down a bit, but our maintenance guy is sick today so who knows when it'll get fixed. Looks like it'll be dishes in the bathroom for a couple of days. Gross.
I have to go shower now.... perhaps I'll pull a Kramer and prepare my next meal while I'm in there.

over

I'm so over hearing my downstairs neighbors have sex. Seriously. DOWNSTAIRS. I could understand if they were above me, but no. I'm depressed to consider the shoddy construction of my building, the paper thin walls and meager hot water heater. All of this can be yours for the very low price of TOO FUCKING MUCH a month!
It was beer friday, so Dillon and I brought home another three cases. I like to line it up against the wall and stare at it. I can't imagine we'll be putting a dent in it anytime soon, so feel free to come out here and take a crack at it.
I joined a book club with some girls from work and our first novel is Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. I'm really excited about the book, discussion and future nights of boxed wine and drunken laughter. These ladies are a beautiful, shining rainbow protruding from a very dark sky that is my everyday hell at the Widmer. Thanks Gals!
Have a I mentioned lately how much I love Dillon? No? Cause I do. So much more than I ever knew possible. He feeds my heart and soul through laughter, honesty and love. Every day. He's also totally obsessed with the cat and treats it like a baby. When I question this behavior he simply tells me, "She likes it!". And I like it, too.