Today was my last day off from work before I officially don't work at the book store anymore. I work for two more days and that is it. I am leaving for Maine one week from today and that is CRAZY with a capital INSANE.
My work friend Jared came over to my apartment for lunch today, bearing food from the Greek cafe he's been telling me about forever now. He brought me Greek lasagna and a Greek salad and left me the leftover pita bread and hummus. Nora loves some hummus. And some time with Jared because he just started working at the store again part time and now I am leaving.
Gabe and I are having a hard time finding a place in Portland that will work for us in all of the following areas: cost (rent, utilities, deposit), location (safety, walking, parking), size (must be bigger than where we are now) and convenience (shopping, recreation, jobs). The better places we've looked into do not fit all of those categories for us, except for one. My good friend AJ looked at an apartment for us just a handful of blocks from where she lives on the East End. And I wanted the apartment. I wanted it so bad. It was bigger than what we have now but would have been more affordable because of the utilities included. I wanted it. I applied for it promptly, spoke to the owner on the phone and in e-mails, and basically just had to sit back and wait for her decision. She chose another tenant for the apartment. I cried. I cried so hard, I will not lie. Even when someone tells me something better will come along, I can't believe it.
We are starting to more seriously consider moving to an area closer to my parents and farther from the Atlantic. Lewiston-Auburn, the Twin Cities of Maine. It is more affordable to rent there. Two bedrooms in nice areas can be in the $500s. We would be just fifteen to twenty minutes from my parents, five to ten from my sister and her husband, and close to my brothers, wherever they will be. They are nomads. I have several aunts, uncles, cousins and my only living grandparent in the L-A area. (No, seriously, it's called L-A.) My family will get to catch up on a LOT of missed time with Liam and it would be a more viable option for me to be a work at home mom since my own mum can come and watch Liam while I get artsy and crafty and sell things online. There are definite pros to living in the L-A area.
The cons: It's. Not. Portland. The city I love and dream of.
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4 comments:
Oh Nora I know what you are feeling. When we moved here from the town I went to college in, I was so sad to leave it, BUT my family and my husbands family are all within 30 mins away and it really has been a blessing to have them all so close. So I guess if that is what you have to do, it may only be for a short peroid of time, or you might end up loving it that way and stay. Good luck on your search, and just remember at least your going "home" right? Gentri(BBC mom)
Nora, I know how you feel!! I so hope that it will all will work out!! I miss ME too and I know how much you want to be back.
BTW Allison pretty much jumped at the comp to see Liam! I guess he's got an admirer! I Hope Cooper (Gentri's lo) doesn't get too jealous.
Awww, sorry you didn't get the apartment you wanted. This whole thing must be so rough.
btw, I tried to add you to my feed reader a couple of times and it won't let me :(
Nora, I didn't realize that you're moving! I haven't been getting around to my blogs lately, so I am behind the times. I'm so happy for you!
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