Won't believe what I saw/heard on the bus! Well, maybe you will

Paul always told me that riding the bus in San Francisco is a social and cultural experience. I had a couple of experiences today- one fun and one kind of shocking, at least for me the newcomer. The first experience was me making a neighborhood friend, a young girl that is also getting married soon named Betsy. We had a great time chatting it up on the bus on the way to downtown, where I was to meet Paul for lunch. However, on the way back on the bus, I heard this peculiar squawking sound. Everyone else on the bus was confused too, and it took me a while to figure it out. Well, I finally found the source of the noise. An Asian woman a few rows back had just made a trip to one of the farmers' markets, and, evidently, they sell live chickens at the market and she was taking one home in a reusable grocery bag. Perhaps that is not that unusual, but I spent several minutes contemplating it. I'm really glad I don't have to kill my own dinner!

Neighborhood Wanderings

So, Paul and I live in the Alamo Square neighborhood, which is famous for being home to the "Painted Lady" houses from the TV show Full House. There are also several parks near to us, including Buena Vista Park. After getting up super early to wait in line at the DMV (passed the written test and got my CA license!), I decided to check out the park, not knowing that I was in for several large hills before reaching it. You know a sidewalk is steep when they built shallow steps to help you make it up the hill. . . I finally made it up to the top of the park, and the views were incredible!!

I also decided to walk all the way from our place to downtown to meet Paul for lunch. It takes about 40 minutes or so to do so, but not too many hills thank goodness. City Hall is one of the sites along the way (picture above).

We purchased a great dresser tonight from Craigslist, which I am very excited about since Paul has taken over our one small bedroom closet :) Well, the deal was supposed to be that the girl selling it and her guy friend were to come by our place and help me get it up the stairs to the foyer of our house since Paul had a Toastmasters meeting. A little before 7pm I got a phone call from the guy. He was very surprised to learn that it was just me at the house (obviously had not been told that by his friend), and on top of that, the seller was not with him and he complained of having a bad back. Seeing as how I don't know our neighbors very well enough yet to ask for help, I popped some spinach and some Wheaties and prepared to muster all of my strength. The dresser arrives in the back of truck, it is huge, and the guy is not very big. . . Somehow or another, after taking out all of the drawers, I went first on the stairs and we managed to have the dresser up about 15 steps to the foyer. It will have to sit there until Paul and I have help this Friday night because our place is another 30 or so steps up with several corners!!

Off I go!

Well, off I go!! I am leaving for the airport in about 30 minutes. I can’t believe the time has come for me to move to San Francisco and I am so excited!!

My last day of work at SunTrust (which was a super sad event!) was Thursday, March 18^th and then it was off to New Orleans for Abbegayle and Mike’s wedding with my parents. I am so glad I had a free week between leaving SunTrust and moving to San Francisco, I crammed a lot in! I had four wedding appointments, 2 phone interviews, 3 late nights at Caribou coffee, worked on tons of wedding items, packed a shipping container full of my belongings, etc. I also got to do lots of fun things like lunch with my mom at Mary Mac’s for old times’ sake, margaritas with my dad at Willy’s, walks in Piedmont Park and around Atlantic Station, a run on GT campus, night at home in Dville by the fire with my parents, night out dancing in midtown with Cristina and Amy that ended with a meal from Krystals, lunch with Hosea, and a celebratory dinner with my parents at Five Seasons Brewery last night. It was so much fun to hear my parents reminisce about when they moved into their first place- their handy-down furniture, shaggy carpet, etc., and how happy my dad was to have more than a mattress and fridge (his life prior to my mom’s homemaking J).

San Francisco and Paul, here I come! After 27 years in a 30-mile radius, my life is about to change in many big and exciting ways. Paul and I have been dating for 6.5 years but have been apart for the past 3.5 years, so, needless to say, I am quite thrilled about being with him in the same city again, particularly these last few weeks before our wedding!! We already have several fun things planned and are having a good time setting up our apartment. We are both definitely ready to nest and may be getting a dresser today from Craig’s List. Paul has been there alone for a month, so I am curious to see what he has done with the place. . .

Hooray!! Off to the airport to hop on a United flight with a connection in Chicago. I hope my four bags make it safely. . . J