The studio is definitely on the small side, since it doesn't have a separate bedroom area like a 1-bedroom apartment would. But I don't mind because I'm just happy to have my own space! The lease is for 9 months and I have the option of moving to another perhaps bigger apartment in the building if one opens up.
In my studio, there is a good-sized bathroom with a clawfoot tub and shower. The kitchen has a big window, built-in shelving, and a gas stove, which is something I miss from Chicago. There are three big windows that face north and a large closet. It is full of character, with hardwood floors and molding.
I'm going back over to sign the lease this week, which I imagine will start Nov. 1--a great day for it since that's my birthday! I don't know exactly when I'll be moving in, but I'll keep you posted and hopefully get some pictures of it up too.
Last weekend, I made a trip to Goodwill to look for my Halloween costume (which I did find...we get to dress up at school, and the kids have a theme this year of "who's your hero," so I picked Jane Goodall. I settled on a pair of linen pants and a linen button-up shirt, both khaki colored, for a kind of jungle theme, along with a monkey stuffed animal or two from our collection. I'd still like to find a safari-type hat to complete the outfit.)
But back to my Goodwill trip, which was wildly successful. Every time I shop at Goodwill, I think "I should do this more often!" I found a pair of pants for work, two blouses, a long coat, two nesting Pyrex casserole dishes, two other smaller dishes, a couple of glass bowls for the kittens' water dishes, a plastic Star Wars plate for Mike, and an old-fashioned school desk. Plus I had a 20% off coupon, so I really got a steal of a deal on all that!
The desk is what I am really excited about. It has metal legs, a pinewood top, and two cubbies underneath, like two students used to sit side-by-side. When I first saw it, I thought, "well it just needs a little sanding and a new coat of varnish." It has actually turned into a little bit more of a project than that! I power-sanded the top, then realized some of the boards were loose. So dad removed them (and in the process dismantled the rest of the desk) so that he could then use pegs and glue to put them back together more securely. Today I put three coats of sealer on the top and washed and sanded the metal legs. I still have to spray paint those, then my dad will put it all back together. The finished product will be just the right size for my studio, so the labor of love is worth it! This photo shows the table top getting clamped and the legs and cubby part over to the right.
In other news, the kittens continue to grow bigger. They occasionally scratch us and constantly entertain us. My dad built a "cat tree" from scrap wood and scrap carpet, complete with scratching areas and a rope dangling a toy. They absolutely love it. Both are lap cats (Silas is on mine right now) and like to curl up with us when we watch our shows or read or sit at the computer.
We have been having gorgeous fall weather, cool but clear and sunny. Yesterday I met up with a friend from PLU who still lives in Tacoma but who I don't get to see that often. We went shopping downtown, walked through Pike Place Market, and tried new flavors of piroshkies (delicious little Russian snacks, basically dough with different fillings--I had a potato, onion, and mushroom). Then I went with my friend Alana to her parents' house on Camano Island for dinner. Her parents just got back from a trip to Italy where her mom had taken a cooking class, so she homemade us the ravioli recipe she learned in Tuscany.
This upcoming week I am housesitting for a family from school who lives out in Duvall, which is a cute little town east of Redmond. They have a sweet golden retriever hunting dog who is super well-behaved. Then next weekend when Holly is home, I hope to do a little shopping for my new studio!
ps, my mom wants me to post a picture of Michael and his friend Jordan from their Homecoming dance last night. Mike rented his tux, they ate at The Rainforest Cafe, and it sounds like they had a great time with their group:
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