adollindallas: Getting Settled

I am obsessed with the Texan sky! It is forever changing and it fascinates me to no end.

I got a job!

I was driving down one of the main streets here and I saw a sign for a music school. So, I naturally committed a couple of traffic crimes (dear law enforcement officer - just kidding, I never commit triffic crimes, I swear), pulled into the parking lot and ran in. Then I realized that I was inappropriately dressed in a rumpled mini skirt and t-shirt that had its better days behind it. Way behind. But it was too late to back out, so I just decided to go for it and let the cookie crumble as it may. Long story short, I sent in my resume, had a meeting/interview and was hired. Yayy! I've also applied for a couple of other things, and I'll keep you posted on those as developments arise.

We took a walk in the park and found this serene lake. The mosquitos that feasted on our flesh? Not so serene.

My mom found the perfect house!

It's within walking distance from her friend Don. (Those of you who know who he is know that they are inseparable. If you don't know Don, don't worry about it.) We are in fervent negotiations with the current owner, who is trying to renege on a repair that was promised upon the offering of the house. Fortunately, we have the best real estate agents ever to walk the earth (seriously, these two precious people have repeatedly gone above and beyond the call of duty), so I'm sure it will all work out. Once we have the keys, I'll post pictures. Keep your fingers crossed for a speedy and positive outcome!

Here's another view of the park, just in case you are like me and love to see water and trees.

I found an apartment!

I talked to many people about all the different areas of Dallas (this city is HUGE!) that might hold possibilities for me, did some googling, a lot of driving, and I found an apartment complex in a lovely area that was reasonably priced (for what it offered - definitely not cheap, though by LA standards, it's a steal). I've passed all the checks and balances that the paper pushers need to complete and am told that I have the apartment. There's just one technicality. They need some written confirmation from my previous home manager that I really am as perfect as I seem. The problem? He is practically impossible to understand, especially over the phone. You see, he moved to the States from Scotland sometime around 1857, give or take a year, but still manages to sound like a drunk William Wallace. (If you're seeing a big question mark here, William Wallace = Mel Gibson as Braveheart.) Anyway, he's got a very thick accent. So, when the Dallas leasing ladies call him, they can't understand a word he's saying and, apparently, have been getting his email address wrong. He, in turn, thinks that he has done everything he can to be cooperative and that the ladies are simply not doing their job. ANYWAAAAYYYY - I stepped in to play the role of the goodwill ambassador between the two worlds and in the next couple of days, all the kinks should be worked out. I will be moving in mid-August and will then post pictures and tell you more about the neighborhood.

We found this restaurant while walking around Frisco. It smelled good! But, we didn't go in. I don't know why, don't ask me. That chicken on top goes around and around.

Yes, it is hot here!

Ok, there's no way around it. It's hot. And humid. But, you know what? We are definitely loving the humidity. Who would have thought? It's a lot easier for me to breathe this air than the dry air in LA and it just feels softer on the skin. Everywhere we go, there's air conditioning, so it's really not uncomfortable at all. And, when I walk the dogs at 10 pm and my iPhone tells me that it's ninety-something degrees, I love it. It feels like I'm vacationing in the tropics. To each her own.

The heat makes it possible for us to swim late into the night. It's heavenly.

We are still living out of boxes.

Because we haven't yet moved into our own homes, we can't unpack. This makes it really hard to function and do work (I'm still teaching via Skype and doing some other stuff) and have a life (not to mention, keep the house neat, which I've just given up on at this point) when the things you need are not only unavailable, but completely hidden away in boxes that all look alike. So, I've decided that what I need to do is unpack everything, organize and re-pack. Definitely not looking forward to that, but the alternative is even less appealing.

This is our street, for now.

People are very pleasant here.

I know, I know, I've written about that before, but it bears repeating. I'm just floored by how people go out of their way to be kind. I had a phone conversation with an insurance agent in Simi Valley yesterday, and the difference in manner and attitude was jarring. I guess it didn't take long for me to get acclimated to people being gracious, and that phone call was an unpleasant reminder of a different kind of life.

Remember when I said that I was obsessed with the sky?

Rabbits!

The bunnies roam my neighborhood like they own the streets. I think they're adorable! My neighbor does not think they are adorable. He is angry at them because they tear up his yard. A baby bunny ran into our garage the other night and I fell in love with him (her? how can you tell?). I wanted to pick it up so badly! It would have definitely fit into the palm of my hand, it was that tiny. But, I didn't know off the top of my head whether or not rabbits carry disease, so I decided to be content with just snapping a few pics. Then, I kind of shoo'd it so it would run back out into the night, because it gets stifling hot in the garage and I didn't want it to die.

Tiny bunny!

Well, that's it for now. I'm looking forward to exploring all the cool things Dallas has going on, and I will definitely share them with you in videos, pictures and words. Let me know if there's anything in particular you want to know about or see.

And now, for the gratuitous chihuahua pics: (you knew these were coming, right?)