I did laundry yesterday and have NOTHING planned for today. Woo hoo! DH and I might go look at houses in our (possible-future-once-we-save-up-a-down-payment) price range. This is usually very depressing, as the choices appear to be limited to tiny two-bedroom/one bath decrepit fixer-uppers in nondescript neighborhoods or three bedroom/two bath fixer-uppers in scary sad neighborhoods. DH does not want to live in a townhouse, but we may end up in one, as they seem to be the only thing we can afford.

My plan for today is to fold the laundry I washed yesterday and to go out to Clarendon to go to the Container Store and Williams Sonoma and a few other places. It's my annual bout of Spring Cleaning weekend.

We're running into the same thing real estate-wise. Townhouses have their advantages. We may end up living even further out in the boonies to be able to afford a house. I don't understand the economic forces that make a mortgage payment significantly higher than rent on a similar property, but it seems to be happening around here. I'm dipping a toe into looking at foreclosures, too, I'm told you can find serious bargains.

I'm dipping a toe into looking at foreclosures, too, I'm told you can find serious bargains.

Checking out the HUD list is also useful, sometimes. [link]

8 loads of laundry done, with the washing and the drying and schlepping up and down the hill. Now my back hurts. I took a painkiller which seems to have also killed my motivation for accomplishing anything else. I must clean though; the City is doing individual apartment inspections next week (?!), and I don't want to be kicked out for excessive slobbiness.

Next time I move, I'm getting a place with a washer/dryer in. I have no hope of ever being able to afford to buy a decent place within an hour's drive of my work, though. Alas.

I just did some dishes.

I have a depressing number of dishes left to do but they must wait 'til these dishes are dry.

Just got home from Prom. Whee! Must dig out "The Prom" and watch as I grade tests tonight. It was our nicest prom ever, and I was absolutely thrilled to see my students all dressed up and looking so adorable. Ded of the teenage cutiheadedness.

Out DJ didn't show up! DRAMA! ANGST! OH, THE HORROR! (It was of the suck. What a fuckhead.) But one of our regular subs is a DJ and we called him at 8 pm and he showed up and set up at 9 and saved the day!

Then all the teachers went across the street where we scored an entire little Englishy smoking room with leather armchairs and open windows to ourselves, where we all did a celebratory shot of tequila and proceeded to close the bar down. I crashed at a co-workers loft and we went to the store on the way home this morning (I am -- still, and possibly forever -- carless) and I ran into another friend in the dairy aisle. Now I am home and drinking iced tea.

Good weekend.

I have no hope of ever being able to afford to buy a decent place within an hour's drive of my work, though. Alas.

Zenkitty is me.

I am very jealous of Erin's post-Prom party! I am clearly hanging out with the wrong teachers.

It was fun! I highly recommend working in a mostly Latino school. The food for class parties is copious and delicious, everyone dances at parties, and tequila cures depression, ennui and the common cold!

Laundry is done. I *LOVE* American washing machines. I cannot get used to how fast they do laundry. It's like 20 minutes or something, when I'm mentally prepped for an hour and a half.

Another thing I love about America? Elevator doors that open automatically, so you don't have to try to hold the door open while getting a stroller in.