Getting out of the house

On a whim today I took my laptop to a local Cuban coffee shop for lunch. Our wireless is broken, and since I have my email on the mac laptop, I check it daily but only sift through and delete once a week.

I came upon an email from the SF doula group. A mama with a 4 week old colicky baby needed help. I sent her a short email, explaining that I was new to PP doula-ing, but interested, and willing to charge a reduced rate. She called me a few hours later, I sent her my list of services, job history, and references, and she hired me on the spot.

T wants me in the office 8-5 everyday, but I need to do my own thing to be healthy and happy. It's not about the $$, I am charging less for doula care than I do for babysitting. It is about doing what I love and feeling fulfilled. I sent the original email w/o discussing it with T. He was so accommodating, said, yes, whatever you need to do to further your career. So, I go to work on Monday, three days a week for three hours. I am an excited, nervous, etc. This woman put her confidence in me over 5 other candidates, several of whom have full blown websites, etc.

She hired me this evening, after two emails, references, and a phone call. The first question she asked, learning I was from Iowa, was about the caucus. Had I ever participated? No. I turned 18 in Sep 'oo and voted in NOv '00, I wasn't eligible for the caucus that year.

Then I left Iowa. My dad is a forum leader for his area caucus, and she was quite interested in that. She even went so far as to ask, "what party"? I was raised to not discuss politics, being raised in a very liberal family.
I answered sheepishly, democrat. OH GOOD!! she said. My dad's involvement both as an activist and videographer makes our family quite visible political wise. This is something I don't feel comfortable with. He spent last week fiming for Al-(not gezera), but another middle eastern network. I am probably the most conservative democrat in my family.
My mom voted for Nader for 4 electicions, Dad voted for Richardson in the caucus, but is now behind Edwards, as am I.
I hate the Iowa caucus. I am known for pulling up illegal yard signs, and kicked down quite a few, including one in the property T and I own in Iowa. Sorry, if you rent, your landlord is allowed to pull up your Huckabee sign.

Spring cleaning

I am on a strict schedule to be "on duty" from 10-5 each day. This involves handling all office work, filing, answering the phone, and donig household duties when the office proves too claustrophobic.

Today, I went crazy on my kitchen, spurred by a donation card in the mail to put stuff on the curb for the Cerebral Palsy Coalition, and the SF Food Banks need for post holiday donations. Three garbage bags of trash (hello, canned peaches that expired in '04!!), two paper sacks of food donations, and one box of household items (old crockpot, old stockpot, travel mugs, etc) later, my kitchen is sparking, spotless, organized.

Now if only I could say the same for the rest of the house. We have been preparing for a move for what seems like years. Now that it becomes imminent, I am trying to purge purge purge before packing day comes.

I kept my holiday decor up for Sunday, when we had Cam's family over for a belated Xmas. I am waiting for trash/compost/recycling day tomorrow to get rid of all the food, wrapping paper, and just plain old junk, so I can fill the bins again.

The CP people come Jan 14th. I cleaned out my dresser and closet a few months ago, giving everything to Miss Jayne or our housekeeper. Now it is Cam's turn. He is a bigger packrat than I, keeping paint stained, too small, ripped shirts like they are Versace. One of the big things I believe in is not getting rid of other people's stuff, so this will require an afternoon of he and I going through things together.

Once again I wonder how I left Iowa with a suitcase, and now have a 1600 sq ft flat packed to the gills with stuff.

Pics of my AWESOME kitchen cupboards to come tomorrow. I wish I had thought to take before pics. I wipes out every cabinet, climbed up on the counter and wiped the TOPS of the cabinets (YUCK), etc. Hopefully the kitchen is far more functional now.

I am tired, but content.

Good night moon. Good night stars.

Good night interwebs everywhere.

The fever hit me tonight. The first Friday home in 2+ weeks, man asleep on the sofa, already watched a movie, House, AND 20/20 fever.

So I read some more blogs. Which I will someday link. And looked at more GREAT pics of baby Z. And now, I guess, it is time for me to go to bed. At 11:30. Did I mention I quit smoking Dec 30th?

This post brought to you by the letter Z! Here she is with her mama in a BIG jumper we bought her. I asked my bro for a pic of her in one of the outfits we bought, this is her mama's fave. Tomorrow I will post a pic of her sleeping, fully clothed, in her baby tub. Like father like daughter :)

I have a blog.

I forgot. I made a New Year's resolution to avoid certain time sucking parts of the internet. And avoid them like the plague I have. Not even glance since before New Year's Eve!

Then today, on our second straight day of sideways, tree breaking wind and rain I found myself bored. I lit a fire, put last night's stew on to simmer, and figured I would take a *peek* at my one of my fave bloggers take on last night's Iowa Caucus.

Then I remembered Litshist. So, my NEW New Year's resolution is to post here.

And why don't I start by welcoming the newest addition to our family, my brave brother's darling daughter, above.

She's good people! Welcome to the world, Z!