It took only two rounds to get my stuff in. I did leave some scrap behind which I will have to carry over by bus but the most important things are here.

Here’s my fancy desk:

After taking the picture I hooked up speakers and brought a box to raise the mouse pad to a better level (ergonomics are important on the floor, too). As you can see, I still have a desk to buy.

Here’s the first thing I did last night:

I had to record Californication on the hard drive (of the digital receiver) because I was missing one cable to hook up the digital receiver to the DVD/VHS recorder. (The recorder is for analog broadcasts only and we only get digital now.)

Here’s the dinner table:

It’s a bit messy so I’ll get a better photo when the dust settles (hopefully only figuratively speaking).

I don’t have many lights so I got tired quite early last night (around 11pm). Good thing I did, because the sun woke me up before 6 am. The temporary bedroom curtains are a bit translucent… (and I’m getting blinds, too)

So, here I am. Settled in, living on the floor in the middle of boxes.

You know Stephen King has written a lot, don’t you? Well, he’s written a whole lot…

That box is full of Stephen King books and nothing else. One, a pop-up book, was even left over. The bottom is covered in paperbacks and on top are the hardbacks, audio books, and a few more paperbacks.

Today Dad and I went to the apartment and assembled the dining table set. Boy does it look nice. While we were there, he took a look at the leaking sink and seemed to have fixed it. We left some water in the sink (with towels and rags underneath) to check that it holds water.

Now I should just pack, pack and pack, to my heart’s content. Two more days to go!

When a lot of things happen, a lot can go wrong.

Today I went to my new apartment to clean up and receive deliveries. Eventually I noticed that the kitchen sink leaked. Remember my earlier mishaps with the kitchen sink? That’s right: they fixed the trash bins but broke the pipes. So, now I have a leaking sink and when I called the manager (or whatever), they had closed for the day. I didn’t call any on-call number because this isn’t an emergency just yet. Luckily, I have no hurry (except an emotional one) to move.

And as if I hadn’t had enough problems with the furniture company/sales person, the delivery was missing a chair and the mattress wasn’t the sort of mattress it was supposed to be. When I tried to call them, none of the numbers answered. (It’s this time of the year — yesterday was a holiday and Fridays are probably always bad to do business…)

Sigh.

Oh well, at least I got my telly (didn’t test drive it yet, hopefully it’s not broken) and other gadgets. Table and chairs need assembling but at least I have them; most of them.

Today I got bought a bed, a dinner table and chairs, a tv table and a bookcase. I’ll have to wait a couple of weeks for the bookcase, the tv table, and the bed frame but luckily the dinner table, the chairs and the mattress were in storage. Those are the most important: somewhere to sit and sleep. I’m having them delivered next week so they’re ready before the move (and I could stay over-night right away if I feel like it).

I still have a sofa to buy and a computer desk. I’ll have to do some measuring for the living-room to find out whether the sofa I’ve planned is the right size. Don’t get me started on carpets, curtains, and lights… I think there’s something curtain-y here (and my aunt said I could have some curtains she bought but didn’t end up using) so I don’t have to hurry with that.

I must say I loooooove the dinner table and chairs. That’s probably going to be my favourite place in the whole apartment. I’ll have to snap a photo as soon as I get them. I have an idea for the lamp but I have to see one “in person” to decide whether it’ll look eccentric or excellent.

It’s really coming together, step by step.

[Edit @ 5:19] Got too excited too early. The sales person had completely botched the bookcase order. The pieces she ordered didn’t make any sense. I was told to call her cellphone and I’ll try and sort it out. Hopefully I can go to another store of the same chain where I can go without someone driving me.
[Edit @ 6:22] I called the sales person and she’s going to call me tomorrow from work so we can re-do the order.

Guess what Dad says about this bookcase debacle? “That’s what happens when I’m not there.” Argh. I don’t think I did anything wrong. It was too botched up to be only an issue of misunderstanding. But in hindsight, I should’ve double-checked the order with the catalogue in hand.

Oh goody goody goody. Now I’ve acquired all the necessary electricity-slurping gadgets for my new home: I bought a TV (32″ LCD), a digital receiver (I need it for my DVD/VCR and just for the ease of recording), a washing machine, and a vacuum cleaner. I didn’t yet get a microwave oven, a printer-scanner, or an iron because those can wait; and I can carry them home by myself, now I got a delivery for the stuff I bought today. I’m getting them delivered on May 2nd so they’re hopefully ready by my move-in day. (I wanted to have a little leeway in case the delivery is delayed.)

I also found a dinner table + chairs that I really want. I had found a similar set before but I was worried about its quality. The ones I saw today are much better quality and the size is more fitting too, I think. So, the problems now are: sofa, bed, and storage (books, DVDs, CDs). I’ve booked a meeting with an interior decorator (please don’t laugh, I just want some ideas on how I should arrange my living-room. It’s so difficult!) which is hopefully next week (I haven’t heard back from them yet).

Hmm, I suppose I should get the electricity, too…

I’ve set the date: May 5th. I’ll gather my things and get out of here!

I should seriously start packing but I haven’t got around to it. I have so much on my mind, so much I should be doing that I can’t manage to start anything. Agh.

Here are some photos Dad took while we were doing a preliminary check. I kept admiring the place and only noticed a few things in the walls but Dad pointed out e.g. the cupboard you see in this picture:

Believe it or not, the trash bins which are on a trolley don’t fit inside the cupboard now that there’s some piping in there, too. I don’t know how on earth they’ll be fixing that but I’ll see on Wednesday…

Here’s a better picture of the balcony:

It’s huge, I tell you.

Dad took pictures of the little flaws so there aren’t other pictures to show off really. But, after May 5th there’ll be some more, I’m sure.

I borrowed loaned a game to someone and they lost it. I asked after it over and over so they eventually bought me a new copy because they thought they wouldn’t find my copy anytime soon. Everything could be sorted except my copy was in a special packaging which is why it’s important to me to get it back. I’ve tried reminding about maybe looking for it every once in a while but I don’t know if they’re really forgetful or if they just don’t give a damn. The whole situation has become so frustrating and mind-boggling to me that every time I think about it I get angry and upset.

I hate how some people can handle other people’s property so carelessly! I don’t know what more I can do about this and it makes me sad because it seems so hopeless. I know it’s only a game, but it’s mine. I want to be the one to lose it if someone has to.

This post is dedicated to Jafer. Computers are really something, aren’t they.

I got this at work. And I laughed aloud.

Sauna is an amazing thing: you may go in there worked up about something or worried, and come out calm and — more importantly — in your right mind again.

For instance, yesterday I was feeling furious at my bank because they paid an instalment of my apartment two months early. I thought, of course, that I’m losing money in interests because I’m starting to pay them now instead of two months later.

Then I went to the sauna (today).

Now I’m thinking, what difference does it actually make if I’m paying for this particular instalment + its interest for x number of months starting now instead of x number of months starting a bit later. I’m still feeling a hint of uncertainty, but logically thinking it doesn’t make much of a difference (the interest rate does change annually but it affects the situation only marginally).

This “enlightenment” has happened so many times that I sometimes feel stupid when I realise I’ve been worrying about something for no reason.

Here’s the foyer looking out the door:

There’s a closet for cleaning stuff on the right and mirror doors in the middle hiding the coat rack. Kitchen (oven, more specifically) peeks on the right hand side of the photo.

Here’s the kitchen:

There’s a slot for the microwave oven. Spices go in the cupboard above the stove (it’s a very shallow cupboard). The dishwasher is to the right of the oven.

I love the faucet!

You can see a bit of the fridge-freezer on the right. The drawers hold slots for utensils and also a cutting board.

Here’s the living-room:

The door to the balcony is on the left.

And there’s lots and lots of wall for a biiig bookcase for instance. We’ll see.

The wall stretches uninterruptedly to the foyer.

Now, here’s the shower and sauna door (missing the doorknob):

There’s a glass wall to separate the shower from the toilet/sink side of the bathroom. It didn’t fit in the photo there. The bathroom is surprisingly roomy. I love the grey tiling! It’s in the shower corner and on the floor (both sauna and bathroom).

Pretty lights in the sauna:

And here are the sink and cupboards:

There’s space for the washing machine to the right of the sink. (Toilet is to the left.) There’s also a closet with two laundry baskets and some shelf space.

And here’s the bedroom:

It’s quite small but it’ll be a nice den for reading and computer-ing. Oh, and sleeping.

Here’s a taste of the closet space:

The closet on the right (door closed) is similar to the one you see. There’s also a double-door closet to the right of these doors with a bar for hanging clothes (and a top shelf). I’ll have to put some drawers or storage baskets under the bar because I don’t have anything awfully long to hang in there.

The balcony floor is lovely! It’s not ugly grey concrete like I was afraid of but some sort of “fake gravel”.

I forgot to take another picture of the balcony…

I went to the construction site at 9 am and stayed for about 45 minutes. I probably could’ve stood there for a long time just looking around and enjoying the space, but I had to drag myself to work.

It’s perfect. Absolutely perfect.