Moving House and Turning 27

Back to work today after having been off since 1 pm last Thursday. I made my great escape from this place and went to the bank to take out money for the movers, then did more packing. Nick came down that night and we ended up in Club Charles, after sitting around in Tyler's newly cleaned apartment for quite some time, trying to mobilise the troops as it were. Finally I was like, Look, I got a busy day tomorrow, I don't want to waste an entire night, and besides, I really need a drink. That was true, too. I had had a panic attack earlier. I knew the moving panic was in the post and the anxiety was due at any moment, and then on Thursday night, it set in. For two hours straight, I didn't take a breath, just in full manic mode, running around. Finally, Carmin was like, "Dude, sit down a minute." Friday I knew Carmin and I were going to be busy. We got up and went to the bank, then Walmart to get the money order, then to meet Jeff and get the keys. I had actually forgotten a lot about the layout of the house, so when we saw it again, it was quite a surprise as to just how huge it is. Following that, we went to Hampden to look for a sofa, to no avail, but we went to Common Ground for delicious bagels, I got tuna, which had red onion in it, Carm had hummus (which also would have been good). Iced Mochas, muy delicioso! Then to Goodwill and Salvation Army, striking out at both. Things were looking grim on the couch front, then we stopped at a used furniture place on the way to another Goodwill, a lo and behold, we found a winner! Regularly a thousand dollar couch for $195 and I was able to jew the guy down to $175. It's cream coloured, so we plan on getting a slip-cover for it. So that was taken care of. More packing, more panicing, then to Ottobar where Nick and I had some drinks (very strong, mine atleast.) and later to Paper Moon. Came home, had a lovely time there before retiring for the evening, with the big move looming on the horizon. Had a hell of a time getting Nick up, but once I did, he and Carmin and I went to pick up the van (booked at the wrong Uhaul location, had to run all over town), and then got the couch. Of course it started raining so everything we did was in the interims between downpours. Nick and I had Checkers as the movers carried all of our stuff. Once at the house, Carmin and Allen stayed downstairs directing the guys where to put furniture and Nick and I directed for upstairs. My room is fucking huge!! I need to pack a lunch to trek across it. Just kept making trips running stuff back and forth from the apartment to the house for the rest of the day (cleared up for the most part), then Nick left to go to the movies that night with his brother and I started piddling around with unpacking and arranging things before crashing. Carmin and I initially slept downstaris because of the airconditioning, but around three we went up to our rooms. Ran around again on Sunday, me driving the van this time (Nick drove it on Saturday) before taking it back to Uhaul. Went to dinner with Nick at Bicycle. Incredibly fancy and a little intimidating, but ended up getting a steak with fingerling potatoes and vegetables, a good baby greens salad, and then dessert. Oh, the dessert!! This expresso flourless chocolate cake with hazelnut toffee and a class of malted milk for me (with a candle of course haha) and the peanut butter cup for Nick, which was just all this peanut butter encased in chocolate with toasted merange on top. Both were utterly delicious. So, I definately ended up enjoying myself there---oh, and there was champagne, too. $14 a glass champagne, and then the waiter gave us a second two glasses with dessert for free for my B-day. In total, not including the second round of champagne, the bill came to $134.00. God, chanpagne drunk is a special kind of drunk. It's a particularly warm, wonderful breed of intoxication. Nick commented on how champagne drunk is all of its own, as well. On account of enjoying said species, we stopped by Club Charles for some take-away on the way to The Copycat for a show Chrissy was playing. Got two small bottles and went over to this building, which is an old warehouse converted into recording and living space. After the show ended we went back to Club Charles with Chrissy and Rob Soma (whose surname is not actually Soma, it's Reichenhold, the Soma comes from his old band, Soma Solution, as opposed to the other way around, which is what I had thought.). Nicely buzzed, we went back to "break in the house", not in the burgling sense, mind. He asked several times throughout the night and then as he was leaving, if I had had a good birthday, to which I said yes, terribly good.

So glad I was off yesterday, too. Got more stuff from the apartment over, went through old greeting cards from years ago, found $160 in cash and a $100 savings bond, as well as wonderful cards from Buba and Pop and Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop over the years. It was so good to see the ones from Buba and Pop, written in her handwriting, and some of them that had messages, about them being proud of me and to be strong and keep going. I sat there crying, and amazed at how they continue to take care of me. I know its no coinseidence that I find this money (including the hundred dollar bill they gave me for graduation, which came FLYING out of the card) when I had to put out so much and will now be under some strain with more expenses. I know that they are still taking care of me and it makes me miss them so much, but so happy and so thankful. Victor came by last night to see the house after I'd come back from dinner with Mom and Tony (Macaroni Grill---SO good, but my God, did I overeat!! Starting today I need to REALLY lose this fucking weight. It would be so easy were I not here at work. For whatever reason, I can't abstain all day when I'm here, but working around and being off yesterday, I held out, with no difficulty, all day till aound 7 when we went to dinner.) They gave me $50 bucks towards a new tattoo and a couple of other things. Had a good time. They couldn't get over how big the house is, neither could Victor. Nick came over and we went to Club Charles, met Rob Soma a little later. I was so sleepy, combination of food coma and general tiredness from the move catching up with me. Nick said again last night how we really are quite bad at saying goodbye, after we stood kissing on the front porch for a good ten minutes gain. He said I won't be able to get rid of him for the weekend, which is fine by me.

Two For Tuesdays tonight. Nick is supposed to be bringing his brother and Victor's hopefully coming out, as well. So glad he's back and will be moving back permanently soon.