Wednesday

I tutored this morning from 10-12, had Papa's Pantry from 1-3, worked out from 4:30-5:30, and then tutored a new student from 6:30-8:00.

During Papa's Pantry today, one of the clients asked me if I was a volunteer there.  We got to talking about how I moved down here about 2 months ago and don't have a job yet so I spend my time volunteering (or that's what I told him anyway).  He explained to me that he just inherited a house here in Towne Lake.  Towne Lake is a part of Woodstock, kind of similar to Long Beach being a part of Michigan City.  He said it's completely furnished with old antiques and things, and worth about $500,000 but that he doesn't have $10 to his name.  He is from CT and we laughed about the crazy things these southerners eat, like collard greens.  So, you know me and my history with older men from CT; we became fast friends in the pantry.  Then he asked me to move in with him...  He said he is looking for a female that will live in the house, clean it, and get it ready to be put on the market, in exchange for free rent. And that's all I have to say about that!

Tonight I got my second tutoring client from the website I've been utilizing.  She wants me twice a week for an hour each.   She is taking her second PRE college level math class at Kennesaw State University.  She is a mom and a wife and works somewhere in the medical field becuase she was wearing scrubs.  She is going to school for nursing.  She appears to be around my age, and she is from Chicago.  We hit it off - her attitude, gestures, language and body language reminded me of home. And again, I was reminded how refreshing it is to work with students who want to learn!  I think I'm just going to be a professional tutor from now on. 

Speaking of home, I'M COMING HOME SUNDAY!  I plan on spending the first half of the week in Mishawaka, and the second half of the week in Michigan City. Speaking of which... who wants to come pick me up from Mishawaka and take me to MC Wednesday afternoon?  Anyone?  Volunteers?  I planned my trip for this coming week because I knew my tutoring of the little girl would be done as of this Friday.  I didn't know I would get another client so soon!  I know Ryan might be sad that I'm gone, but all the old ladies at Square Dancing Thursday will be happy that he'll need a new partner!  Yee-haw!

Last words about CT

On Saturday I left CT.  Reasons why I left CT:

1. Bridgeport, CT is a very poor area that includes numerous tenements, housing projects, rundown buildings and businesses, and people out on the streets at all hours of the night. I did not feel safe driving after dark, or walking during the daylight.

2. The house was sweltering hot all at times.

3. The two bathrooms are connected to Sam and John’s bedrooms, respectively, and for that reason I felt like I had no privacy. Especially when coming home after everyone else is in bed….did I want to pee 3 feet from John’s head? Or 6 feet from Sam’s? Michael says he wouldn’t be surprised if John had cameras in his. Sam’s bathroom is under construction – no ceiling, no floor, no sinks, no lights, no tub.

4. Creepo John would hover at all times. I was finding myself getting out of the house before John came home from work and coming in late enough so that he’d already be in bed.

5. I’m used to living by myself, and having to talk and be around people at various times is not ideal.

6. I broke some rules…I was supposed to lock the house doors at all times, even when I was in it! Nothing could be left on the counter tops so each day I carried my coffee maker down 3 flights of stairs and back up the three flights of stairs.

7. I got accused (by both Judy and Sam on separate occasions) of giving the dog beans that he threw up.

8. I was on a totally different schedule than everyone else living in the house. They were all in bed by 10:00pm or so and I was coming home or in and out of the house way after that. I felt like I was waking everyone up and constantly walking on eggs shells.

9. When I was home, I felt like I had to be confined to the attic and we all know the luxurious conditions of that.

10. I was constantly juggling multiple balls at once and could not do it anymore. It did not feel like home, it was uncomfortable at all times, and I was uncomfortable at all times.

Before I left I got a picture with Sam, Judy, and Shawny so y'all could see what they look like.  They're quite eccentric!

Another fun thing I'd like to show you is the difference in stair cases between the main house and the maid/slave staircase.  Can you tell which is which?  The width of the maroon painted staircase is about 6 inches wider than my hips (3 inches on each side).

Michael and Me:  Farewell Photo

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The night before I left CT (Friday night) I had another date with a different guy from eH.  This guy is "so concrete sequential" that when he makes a to-do list, the first thing he puts on it is "make list".  Anyway, we went to this restaurant called V in Westport, CT and they had the cutest, fattest, shortest, bottle of ketchup I've ever seen!  The pitcher of water probably distorts how small this bottle of ketchup is, but look at it compared to the crayon!

When I tell my date how fascinated I am by the bottle (and then promptly whip out my camera...) he tells me to steal it.  I am appalled at this and tell him NO WAY!  Then he suggests that I ask the waitress if I can have it.  I tell him he is crazy if he thinks the waitress is going to give me permission to steal the bottle of ketchup.  Next thing I know, the waitress sees me taking the ketchup bottle's picture, comes over and asks me what I'm doing.  When I tell her they don't have ketchup bottles like that in Indiana, she asks me if I want it.  WHAT?!  Is this really happening?  #1 I hate being wrong, and #2 I am elated at the possibility of getting this ketchup bottle.  Then she says, "Better yet, I'll go get you a brand new bottle from the back".  The entire time now she's joking on me and asking if I've ever seen a bottle of Grey Poupon, if I want a couple bottles to give away for souvenirs, etc.  It was, by far, the highlight of my date =)

Day 4

When I woke up today, John happened to be home for lunch.  Well he didn't actually eat lunch, he came home to clarify things with me since he didn't get a chance to see me last night.  He reassured me that he is well aware we are not dating.  And that he understands why I didn't want to give him my facebook info.  And he wants to know if I want to do something, tomorrow, on his day off.

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After John leaves I start looking around the house and see dog puke everywhere!  Did I mention Sam has a dog?  Yeah, Micheal didn't mention that to me prior to coming.  The dog's name is Shawny, and it's a boy, and it's a big poodle or something.  Sam suggests I walk the dog when no one else is home, but I don't do dogs and anyone who knows me knows that!

  

Liquid Puke (looks remarkably like Shawny)

The Culprit, Shawny

 Solid Puke

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Later in the day, David, my date from eHarmony Tuesday night texted me and asked me to go out Saturday.  (WARNING - I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried)  Here's how that conversation went:

C:  Thanks but I'm not interested in going out again.

D:  I'm sorry to hear that.

D:  Was it something I did or said?

C:  I'm not comfortable dating someone who still lives with their ex-wife

D:  Is this something that we can discuss - this is a temporary situation - I am staying in another room and plan to be out by the end of August.

D:  My suggestion - put a timetable on me - if I don't live up to my end of the bargain - send me packing - thoughts?

D:  Courtney I told you about the credit cards with Janet and Tara's gambling habits - this wiped me out - and I am helping keeping the house in show condition.

D:  I don't want to discount your feelings but I feel like this is something that should be considered.  I don't know.  I felt a connection.  Sorry.

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 Later in the day, after getting out of the shower (yes, I actually showered today!) I realized I didn't bring my towels with me.  I have dirty clothes on the floor (I'm talking stinky - I exercised in them, and remember the house has no air conditioning).  I have clean clothes in my bag that I want to wear for the day which would be soaking wet if I put those on.  Seeing no other option, I sprinted out of the bathroom butt-ass-naked and sopping-wet into the attic as quickly as I could, praying that neither John, Judy, Sam, nor Michael would happen to be home and catch me.  I knew no one was home when I got IN the shower...  No one caught me, and I guarantee I'll remember my towels from now on!!! 

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Fun CT fact:  You cannot purchase alcohol in a store after 9:00 pm

Days 2 and 3 in CT

Tuesday was my first full day in CT.  I actually had a date set up for that night with some guy I met on eHarmony.  Being the planner-aheader that I am, I've been communicating with people in CT for about 2 months now knowing I was coming. 

Did you know you can rent books on CD from any Cracker Barrel and return them to any other Cracker Barrel in the country?  A friend of mine told me about this so while I was in Ohio I got off on an exit that advertised for a CB and rented "Toxic Bachelors" by Danielle Steele.  It definitely made the next 4-5 hours of my trip enjoyable!  You have to return these CDs within one week and I found out the nearest CB to where I am, which is Bridgeport, CT, is in Milford, CT.

So, my date was going to meet me at the Cracker Barrel in Milford, CT.  While I was inside returning the CDs he texted me to let me know that he was outside by the rocking chairs.   I responded "You're not that really ugly guy with the missing teeth are you?"  And it all went down hill from there...  He talked about his ex-wife, whom he still lives with, the entire evening!  And when he wasn't talking about his ex-wife, he was telling me about his most recent ex-girlfriend.  And about how his bio-mom is a crack whore, bio-dad is a rapist, bio-sis has a drug problem, another bio-sis is a stripper, adopted sis has a learning disability, and on and on and on.  BAGGAGE?  He texted me later that night and said he had a great time;  I should've told him to send me a $90 check for the free therapy he got, but instead, I simply ignored him.  My food was AMAZING though.  We went to this place called Rainbow Gardens and I had a turkey/brie/fruit preserves sandwich.  It tasted like a freaking donut - I loved it ;)

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Needless to say I wrapped that date up early and was home by 9:30pm when good old John spots me and wants to take me out for the ice cream we never got the night before:

Me at Sunny Daes Ice Cream Parlor

Ice cream turns two hours later into a long walk on the beach.  John is talking about how God must've put me in his kitchen yesterday and he has friends texting him asking him how "things are going with Courtney?"  I AM CLEARLY IN WAY OVER MY HEAD.  After freaking out about this problem John texts me today and wants my facebook contact info.  I tell him I don't feel comfortable giving him that info.  He apologizes and says he didn't mean to make things awkward.  I say "I think you have the wrong impression about us...we are not dating!" and he says "I'm very clear on that" and when I say "good" he follows up with "So you wanna grab a bite to eat together at 6:00 when I get off?"  U-G-H

My lesson to be learned here is:  Always get out of the house before John gets home from work, and get back late enough so that he's already in bed =)  No, I'm sure there's a much deeper lesson here that I will ponder some other time.  Or perhaps you, the reader, have some thoughts?

Tonight I went out with Michael and his girl Kelly.  We went to the Colony Grill in Fairfield, CT where they have really good pizza!  She's super friendly and we had a fun time ;)

PA -> NJ -> NY -> CT!

I left PA at 10:30am, stopped once, and arrived in CT around 3:30pm.  The house my brother Michael lives in is super cute from the outside.  Michael lives in this guy Sam's attic.  In the attic there is a main area, a room on the left and a room on the right.  Michael is in the room on the left, and I am in the room on the right.  There is no air conditioning in this house and it was 95 degrees outside!  Hot hot hot.  I'm convinced this attic is where the maids/servants lived in it's original day.  There is a sink in each room, wallpaper is falling off, the floor boards are loose and loud, paint is peeling, and it's dirty.  Home sweet home!  I can totally see why Michael lives here, as he is one of the most frugal people I know.  You can't beat the price. 

Upon arriving Michael informs me that he hasn't quite mentioned to Sam that I plan on staying for 3 months.  He told Sam I was simply coming for a 1-2 week visit.  He also tells me that I should unload very few things out of my car and hide anything I don't need in the trunk.  So I'm nervous... My task is to make a good impression on Sam and naturally he will be fine with 2 weeks turning into 3 months.  Ha!

After unloading my bare essentials Michael and I went ot the grocery store.  We got food to grill out that night and some cleaning supplies.  When we came home Sam and his girlfriend Judy were home.  I introduced myself and we invited them to share dinner with us.  Then we had to go back to the grocery store because we forgot some stuff.  When we returned home, John, another person who lives in the house was home.  We invited him to grill out with us also.  Sam, Judy, and John are all around my parents' age.  John has an actual room complete with carpet, his own bathroom, and furniture.  JEALOUS!  ;)

Michael did all the cooking and cleaning and I was left alone the whole time to make friends of my new roommates.  At one point Sam and John wanted to go get ice cream.  I went up to the attic where Michael had disappeared to and John came up shortly behind me.  He offered to install a window airconditioning unit that Michael had bought for me.  Heck yes - Michael hasn't done it yet!  So when John is done with that, he still wants to go for ice cream.  We invited Michael, but he declines due to work the following day.  By now Judy and Sam are in bed, so it is just John and I who go out for ice cream.  It's 10:00 at night on a Monday so all the ice cream stores are closed.  John suggests we go to West Port (?), a neighboring city, for ice cream.  When we get there, surprise, surprise, those are all closed too so he takes me to the Black Duck Cafe for a drink. 

The Black Duck Cafe is is a barge on top of a sunken barge.  It is small, fun, filled with patrons my age or younger, and it is karaoke night!  Everyone is singing, having a blast, and being silly.  John suggests we sing the Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow duet about a picture (I forget the name of it).  I told him I'd need a few more drinks for that so we have plans next Monday night to go back and get an earlier start. 

On the ride there and back, and in the bar, we talk alot.  Meaningful conversation, no shooting the shit fluff, and no topic seems to be off limits.  He only creeps me out a few times when he says something like "You have to invite me in, we  live together!"  He is 61 I find out at the end of the night!  hahah  But he is my first friend in CT and he has gone out of his way to help me.  He gave me a spare set of keys he had made.  He told me not to tell Sam.  He installed my AC, took me out for the night, offered to let me watch his TV and use his computer (which I'm on right now) while he is at work, and the BEST thing he has done for me is offered to let me use his bathroom ("as long as I don't leave razor blades in it")!  The only other bathroom in the house is under construction.  It's awful! 

So my first day in CT was quite eventful and jam packed.  It's hard to answer questions though when poeple talk to me...  I have to watch what I say since I'm only "staying 2 weeks".  Really, I want to be job searching, finding places to volunteer at, etc.  But if you say that to people who think you're only on vacation, they look at you like you're a little crazy!  Which I am, of course...  =)