TBD

Domestic Bliss (Sort Of)

or

How I Survived My First Week in Boston

As many of you know I recently made the move to the Boston, MA area to be with my beloved and to attend graduate school. The former is Tammer, the latter is Tufts’ chemistry Ph.D. program.

I arrived last Tuesday (April 3^rd) in the evening. Tammer met me at the airport and we then took a cab to our new home and then out to eat.

The house:

We live in a cute little green house in Somerville, just over the Cambridge line. We have the entire first floor to ourselves, and the landlord lives upstairs. We also have lots of space in the basement, a back porch, and our own (coin-free) washer and dryer. I’m pleased. We’re a 10 minute walk from Harvard square, a 5 minute walk from Inman square and within a ½ mile from many markets and restaurants. There’s a great Indian place right across the street (that’s where we went the first night) and a pizza place with a $5 pick up special about ½ a block away. Good thing I have to walk everywhere.

My stuff:

The moving company is taking its sweet time getting my belongings to me. Phone calls made a week apart informed me that by stuff would get here "mid-to-late next week". We don't have a couch or a TV, so time at home is spent in the (thankfully large/furnished) bedroom. Last night we got a kitchen table, so that opens up more options. Tammer and I are going a little nuts. I guess we need to think of it as a high intensity adjustment to co-habitation.

The kitchen floor:

It’s nasty. It’s supposed to be white; there are these white tiles (probably vinyl) with flecks of blue, purple and black (think elementary school cafeteria). I would like the floor if that was actually how it looked. I don’t think the people who lived here before ever cleaned the floor; they left a mop, but it was disgusting, I think they cleaned muddy dogs with it or something. The tiles are brown in high traffic areas. Meaning, most of the floor, you can actually see the paths you have to take to get to the door, the pantry, the bathroom and the hall. It’s gross. We have tried bleach, ammonia, pine sol, hands and knees scrubbing! Nothing will make the floor white again. What do we do?

The weather:

My first day of residency I immediately realized that I had made the biggest mistake of my life. Why, you may ask. On the afternoon of April 4^th, 2007 it snowed in Boston; not just a wimpy little flurry, but big, fat, stick to your coat snow bombs. Imagine my horror, two days earlier I was in sunny California, home of the mildest winters in the country, it snows there and people die. Don’t get me wrong, Boston is notoriously cold, and I was fully aware of the weather I would be facing, but in April…come on, this is ridiculous! I timed my arrival to be after the thaw!

Despite the weather I have to go outside, so the first few days I bundled up for small errands. When people asked me at Christmastime if I had a winter coat I was like, “Sure, I lived in DC for a while, I have coats.” I was naïve to think that these “coats” would be any match for the Boston springtime weather. The wind cuts through these garments as if they’re made of tissue paper. Luckily, my man takes care of me; on Saturday he bought me a fancy coat with a liner and everything. This one should be good for three of Boston’s seasons, even rain. I will worry about getting a “winter” coat in 8 months. For now, I am pleased as punch (and warm).

My health:

I got sick on Thursday or Friday, a cold. I am always amazed at the body’s ability to produce mucus. I was cold, grumpy, lazy and snotty, and Tammer handled all of this surprisingly well. You would think that after waiting for me to arrive and to show me this city he loves for 6 months he would be a little put out. Nope, he went out to buy me medicine and tissues. When the two of us went out for dinner or something he was always ready to return home as soon as my sickly bad mood demanded.

My days:

Mostly I explore. I wake up between 8 and 11, but I can’t seem to get motivated to even get out of bed before 11. I decide what I want for lunch at about 2, look on-line to see where I can find it and then I walk there. It’s been a good way explore the ½ mile radius around my apartment. I stroll, have lunch, go to a market to pick up something for dinner (sometimes I leave this to Tammer). So far this has been enough to keep me from getting bored.

I have also decided to switch the way I get my email and internet news and manage my calendar/address book. I have been downloading all sorts of software (“clients”) to help with this, and getting everything set up just right took a few of days. Now I’ve switched to a new blog service, too. Since I have so much free time LOOK OUT! You’re gonna be bombarded with useless information about my boring daily life and my thoughts on the mundane.

Tammer:

As before he left for Boston six months ago, Tammer never fails to surprise me with how easy he is to spend time with. I am always at ease. In past relationships I was never sure of myself or of my partners feelings, this is nothing like that. We are open and honest with one another on every front. It's far from perfect, but we work on it every day.