Murals and musings

Our mural is complete - the artist worked on it over the weekend and then a couple of days this week, weather permitting. I think it lends a nice air of whimsy to this place, now that we’ve transitioned from trying to hide (which doesn’t work, anyway - everyone knows we’re there). Once again I found myself crunching numbers to see how much it would cost to live out there, just for my own entertainment. Almost nothing, as it turns out - if I didn’t have this house to maintain, my basic expenses would run about $1000, just for me. It’s very tempting to sell this place and just exile myself out there and live off the proceeds and never do a day of work again. But, I have two kids that need to go to school, and I’m not really up for an exile in the desert, not yet. But I have to admit it’s nice to know that’s an option. 

Bobby announced he’s going to his school’s homecoming with his girlfriend and needed an outfit, so I tortured myself with a visit to the brand new chaotic Ross in our neighborhood. I got him some cheap clothes, including black pants, a black button up shirt, and dress shoes. When we got home we did a cull of his current clothes, and unfortunately all the men’s small band shirts I bought him no longer fit. But the good news is I can wear them, and also this gives lots of Christmas present ideas. At least he still wants to wear band shirts.

It’s funny to think that you need to be taught how to shop - he has no concept of how to find his way around a store, how to find his size, how to pick things he likes, how to try something on and determine if it works or not. He just sort of looks at me helplessly. And I’m no help because I positively loathe shopping, especially of not vintage things, and especially in places like that. With that said, I plan on hitting up Jet Rag, my favorite vintage clothing store, tomorrow to look for items for my fall Dark Academia look. I’m mostly looking for 70s velvet blazers, metallic belts, and maybe a mesh necktie necklace. I’m trying to evolve my look from cottagecore to soft goth, and trying to do it cheaply. We’ll see how it goes. 

I asked Bobby if he wants to join the protest Saturday, something I’ve never done before. He said he would. My only concern is leaving Theo alone, especially if something were to “happen”. So I’m not 100% sure I want Bobby going only because we need a free babysitter. But I also want him to start getting involved with this stuff - he’s old enough, and I give the boys daily updates on the political goings-on when we drive to and from school, so they’re both very aware of the fuckery going on.

Halloween has so far been very low key this year. Neither kid has any idea what they want to be, and they don’t seem to really care. The H will take them shopping maybe this weekend - my request, since he likes doing it, and, as previously stated, I hate shopping - hopefully they’ll come up with something they like. For me, I was burned out on Halloween by 11 or 12, so I can see how these kids just don’t have the enthusiasm they used to. They still seem to want to go trick or treating, though - although it’s funny to think that our years of doing that with the kids are numbered, too - two, maybe three years from now, they’ll be over it. Time is moving so fast these days. I often think of how huge Kid’s Klub, their babysitter and preschool, was in our lives for several years - and then, one day, poof! We just never went there again, and never will. Next Friday is the Halloween carnival at Theo’s school, and that, too, will probably be the last one we’ll ever go to, since the jr/sr high doesn’t have stuff like that. In June Theo graduates, and the days of driving up Eagle Rock Blvd to and from school every day are gone forever. I’m going to have to figure out a whole new drop off/pick up routine, and it probably won’t involve the library anymore unless I’m out of town. And that’ll be our routine for six more years. And then - all of this is over. It’s mind boggling, really, how fast it all goes.