Chillin', caffeine, and self-congratulatin'

Every time I come to the Bay Area in the summer, I inevitably think of the "coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco" quote, which I learned just now did NOT fall from the lips of Samuel Clemens. Doesn't stop it from being true, though. Last night I sat indoors wearing jeans, tank top, hoodie, fleece jacket, and a blanket, and it was still kinda cold.

Today was a bit better than the weekend was, and I think I have to thank caffeine for that. After getting annoying and tired at Target yet again, I suggested we all get some coffee at the Starbucks conveniently located in the Target store. And you know, even though my dad forgot the key to the dorm house back at home, requiring us to go back home after we schlepped up the mountain to the dorm, we found a whole load of crap for really cheap at Goodwill (including cups, mugs, plates, dishes, utensils, paper shredder, 4 lamps, power strip, globe, and bizarrely, Czech crystalware), where they thanked us with a smile for buying so much; the beds from IKEA fit perfectly in the Caravan (albeit only 3); I was able to figure out the vacuum cleaner and get all the rooms vacuumed, including the fly corpse-ridden window sills; and the freakin' sun even came out in the afternoon.

The place is looking more and more livable, which is a blessing, since we need to move there pretty soon and get out of Housesitter's hair. I worry that it's a bit dank and possibly toxic-ly moldy, but well, people lived there before us, so I guess we'll survive. I hope. Mostly I worry about my grandmother, since she'll be there for several months. Sigh. I don't know.

My dad asked, "Wouldn't you like to stay here for 2 months?" And manage the place and teach the kids, I suppose. My answer to that: "No! I want to have some fun. I haven't had fun for 3 years."

To everyone who's been thinking that my dad has been taking advantage of his mother and daughter -- uh, doy. Ya think? My grandmother is pretty tired by all this shopping and deciding and going here and there, but you know what she said the other day? "I went to sleep early as a precaution, so as not to get ill. If I got sick, what would your father do?" But at least I know where I personally have to draw the line.

Actually, I don't know that he actually meant to exploit me, at least. I could very easily see him thinking, "Eh, setting up house will be fine, just a couple days, and grandma will entertain herself for a week or so just fine."

It's strange, you know. My dad is an expert at capitalizing on the situation. He's an entrepreneur, a businessman. If you're feeling unkind, you might call him a schemer. Such a life of constantly gauging people and circumstances for opportunities would stress me out beyond belief. I hate it when my dad suggests a way for me to help him because I never want to do what he suggests, but feel bad about saying no. He never pushes the point, but I do wish he'd stop asking.

My dad is also like me. Er, no, I guess I'm like him. In that we aren't very good at deciding things. Take, for example, picking out beds at IKEA over the weekend: Foam mattress, or springs? Springs will last longer, I guess. This one? Sure, that's okay. What about this one over here, though? Oh, I guess that's better. Hm, is it really better than the foam, though? Foam seems more comfortable. I don't know... Yeah, me neither. [Lie on foam mattress. Lie on springs.] Foam is more comfortable. But it probably will get flat pretty soon. Yeah, springs are probably better. Okay, let's get spring mattresses. Right, right, okay. Which one?...

This is why shopping is so exhausting. We just can't make up our minds, in part because we see the pros and cons of each side and can't determine which is more important to us. It's also why I hate making decisions in general.

Anyhoo. I have taken over some of decisionmaking in this venture of setting up house, and it's been all right. It was pretty satisfying today, for example, to assemble the vacuum, clean up the dead flies, screw in the curtain rods, and hang some curtains. It was also satisfying to have many of my ideas work out: finding the discount IKEA furniture on Craig's list, finding a decent guy to help us move desks on Saturday through Craig's list, finding a boatload of stuff at Goodwill, etc. I'd much rather do this than deal with hiring people to cook or finding distance learning tutors to lecture online.

As for the car and the trip, I think it'll be best to go on a 2- or 3-day trip with my dad and grandmother somewhere nearby, have Joiner come to Berkeley on the 15th, rent a car (or, depending on what the mechanic tomorrow says -- a second opinion, from someone with glowing recommendations on Yelp.com -- maybe even take the Jetta), and go.

Yes. A rather satisfying day. Tomorrow: taking Elizabeth II to Karma Kanix (a little precious, but eh, it's Berkeley), cleaning the house (ooh, first time using Swiffer Jet!), assembling the beds, and -- oh yes, drinking lots more coffee. I swear, that's the difference.