I’m taking a short break from packing. I’m so excited about the apartment, but of course I don’t want to spend time packing up and moving my stuff around. I went by today and met with my landlady to sign a one-year lease and get the key, though the locks are being changed today so I’ll have a new key when I actually move in. That woman has been driving me nuts: she’s a sweet old lady, but she’s scatterbrained. She calls me the other day, sounding all sad, and informs me that another Sarah had gotten to her first and that she would be getting the apartment I wanted. I was flabbergasted, because not only had I been told I was the first person to express an interest in that apartment, but I had already paid $100 of my deposit and contacted both the gas and the electric companies about starting service in my name May 1. Well, turns out she got me and the other Sarah confused, so she apologized and called the other Sarah to inform her that she would have to take the other free apartment. Feeling annoyed but relieved that it was worked out, I went about my business. Later that night, she called again, once again telling me that I would have to take the other apartment instead of the one I had planned on, and once again I had to go through with her and convince her that, no, I was the one getting the upper apartment, that I had already partially paid for it, etc. So that’s worked out again, and for good this time. Sheesh.

I spent last night at Ashlee’s place with her, Jess, and Chris. We just hung out and watched Red Dragon, which I don’t particularly like but of which Chris is apparently a fan. I had a scare on the way over because I got pulled over by a cop. Turns out I just had a tail light out, and he didn’t give me a citation or anything. I tried going to a repair shop today but they told me new bulbs didn’t fix it, that it must be a circuitry problem that I’ll have to take to a Volvo repair shop. That sucks, since the only one I’m aware of in town is only open on weekdays.

Jessica, Ashlee, and I had dinner at Macaroni Grill last night for Jessica’s birthday; she’s now 20. Before Jess arrived, Ashlee informed our waiter that it was Jessica’s birthday so that we could get free cake. Well, darn it if he didn’t go and ask us outright, after we’d finished our meal, if we wanted the cake to go, thus spoiling the surprise. However, we did all get to partake in the cake, so it was fine. Afterward, we went to a tattoo parlor because Jessica is crazy like Ashlee and likes tattoos; she got one (her first) on her shoulderblade: a blue moon and star.

Today I’ll be packing more and then eating with Jessica’s family at 4:30. Todd is helping his sister move into her new apartment and won’t be back until late tonight, but hopefully we’ll be able to see each other then. He’s giving his cat, Haus, away to Jessica because he’s sick of the cat always getting into things at the apartment and generally being a nuisance. Jess will be getting him tonight sometime.

So that Jess will forevermore hate me: