I really wanted to write some long, drawn-out, Diarist Award-winning entry about yesterday and what it means to my future and the future of my marriage... But as you can tell by viewing my archives, I'm just don't have many those left in me.

Yesterday's big event? A month and a half after getting married, Jessie finally moved in for good. After making two 180-mile round trips in as many days, we packed up the last of her stuff, turned in her keys and made the trip home.

She'd lived in her old apartment more than six years -- almost as long as I've been writing online. It's been her base of operations and my place of refuge through a lot of eras in our lives individually and collectively. I have a feeling that this is where this whole marriage thing will get interesting.

I tended to walk on my toes late at night in my second-floor apartment so that I didn't disturb my neighbors below. Now that I have a house, I tend to walk on my toes late at night so the creaking hardwoods don't disturb me. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

On an unrelated note, we're now T minus less than four weeks until nuptials. Wow.

If so... I've got a question for you!

I have a motion light over my garage door. It is not (supposed to be) controlled by a switch. However, whenever I turn off my dining room light the motion light comes on. The motion light also comes on when I turn on one of my back yard lights. All three lights are on the same circuit... but what in the world is causing the motion light to be affected by other switches?

There's a prize for whoever can give me the best answer and solution to this one. I can't say that the prize will be much... but it'll be something.

As I prepare to turn over the keys to my apartment, I thought I'd poll the masses to discover your normal modus operandi for what to clean when moving out. (Yes, I know I've been living in the house since July 8th... But my apartment lease isn't up until Thursday -- the end of this month.) So, how does it work in your world?

Poll #807672 Cleaning Up & Moving Out
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

When moving out of a place, what cleaning do you do?

Here's one for the OOF...

When I came home last night after a few days at Jessie's house, I tried to turn on the front hall lights. Nothing. I flipped the switch for the porch lights outside. Nothing. I took a glance at a clock on the same circuit. Black. Sometime in my four day absence -- with all appliances turned off -- one of my breakers tripped. What the hell? This goes along with the fact that my outside motion light comes on whenever I turn off a seperate switch in the kitchen.

It's a little early in home ownership to drop a lot of money... but a rewire is starting to seem like a good idea.

You're probably growing tired of the house posts... but it's obviously the biggest thing going on in my life at the moment. So please forgive.

The apartment is nearly empty -- except for the computer because the new DSL won't be hooked up until next week. The new house looks almost like home. Not only have we moved 97% of the stuff there, we've even unpacked most of the boxes and put furniture where we want it. I've sweated so much that I've started to smell myself. Blech. Papa Johns is on the way and my fiancee and her cat await my return, so I should probably go. Pictures of the furnished home are sure to follow soon enough.

I only fully appreciate the insanity of home ownership -- with a fiancee, no less -- when I pause to think about it. I try not to pause too much. Heh.

- The rain went away. The show went on.
- Our fireworks were pretty good.
- My ankle still hurts. We're still not sure why.
- I stopped taking the dizzy drugs. That shit was evil.
- It looks like moving day is set for Saturday.
- I'll never see my apartment clean again.
- There was a time I wanted nothing more than to live here.
- I'll be living somewhere else in three days. Crazy.

Sorry for the lack of updates... And I'm sorry that this won't be much of one, either. Between the two jobs and the house -- wow. It's been a long time since I've known this level of busy. Anyhow, we're cleaning up the pad and preparing it for move-in (which might happen Saturday). It's coming right along and I'm ready to move. I'm growing tired of having to leave my house to go home, if you get what I mean.

We've updated the web page with some pictures of the interior and a few from our changes. More will follow soon enough. (Although I can't really promise that. When I downloaded these pictures Saturday night, I still had photos from June 10 on my camera. Photos never live on my camera that long.)

http://fletch.johndoe.org/house

"Such a cozy room
The windows are illuminated
By the sunshine through them
Fiery gems for you
Only for you"
-Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

---

House buying mode is officially over. House owning mode has officially begun. As of about five o'clock this afternoon, Jessie & I are homeowners. Of course, she has no job in Franklin yet. I have an apartment lease that goes through the end of August. So, we now have three residences between us. The current former owners of the house will be gone by Saturday morning. Although I'm working all day at the AA, Jessie & family will launch the first siege upon the house to determine what must be cleaned, replaced, repaired or otherwise modified to suit our lofty demands.

Friends of Fletch, meet the new domicile... (Click the picture for an exterior gallery)

By the way... Want to help us move? Heh.

Where is the best resource for home-buying information. Jessie & I are sort of looking at things and it's all so overwhelming. I know it's supposed to be overwhelming, but there's gotta be a place out there that makes everything makes some sort of sense. Please tell me I'm right. Show me the light.

One of the reasons I'd really like to move out of my apartment is what I've just deemed The Smell Factor. I don't usually smell things from next door... but one particular Mexican dish they cook must seep through every microscopic crack in the wall. When they cook it, the smell is so thick that it has texture. You can almost feel it in the air. I'm not sure why it's only one dish... Perhaps that's the only time they cook.

Earlier today, I kept smelling something burning. I wasn't alarmed because it was more of a "I just blew out a match" smell than it was "My God, the kitchen is on fire" smell. Twelve hours later, my building is still standing, so I'm guessing my calm was warrented.

However, the smell of the moment may top them all. The smell in the air right now is reason enough for me to want to move... even if I never smell it again. People, there is poo in the air. Nasty, nasty.

Edited for clarification: None of these odors are coming from within my apartment. These are all external. Just so you know.

After more than a month of doing the rabbit ears thing, I now have more than a handful of television options... I've got digital cable! The guy came this morning to set me up with my cable box and access to the 195 channels offered in the cheap digital plan.

He also left me with a channel guide and documentation that is anything but clear and specific. What is it with cable companies and confusing documentation? Everywhere I've been, cable company documents have always been confusing. Obviously, this is a vast left-wing conspiracy by the man to hold us down.

Of course, I only signed up for the digital cable because they're offering a special. After a few months (when the intro price disappears), I may be forced to give up the box and settle for the mere 70 basic cable channels. Of course... I've been living with a clear signal from the ABC & CBS affiliates, a double-image on the NBC channel, a fuzzy FOX, and variable signals from PAX, PBS and the local religious channels. So, really, I guess it's all uphill from that, eh?

Recently received from apartment management:

Dear Residents:

As some of you are aware, there has recently been criminal activity in our community and neighborhood. We are working with the local police as much as possible. It appears the activity is no confined to our community but has lately been a common occurrence in our area.

Please use extra caution when making use of the common areas of this community either at night or by yourself. Be sure also to close and secure doors behind you when you enter the property or the controlled entry areas such as the weight room. And take the usual common sense precautions of always locking the doors and windows of your apartment.

Your comfort and well-being is always our top priority. If you spot any suspicious activity, please call 911 immediately.

If anyone has any question or concerns, please feel free to stop by the management office. Everyone at The Reserve at Greenwood appreciates your support and your efforts to keep our community safe.

Sincerely,

The Management

1. Wash clothes.
2. Buy stamps.
3. Open new checking account.
4. Renter's Insurance.
5. Write some tardy thank-you notes for graduation.
6. Reach out and touch Alex. It's been a while.
7. Drag some Oakdale friends up to see the phat pad.
8. Drag myself back down to Oakdale. It's been a while.
9. Buy more wall art.