About that relaxing weekend...

So far, so busy. After putzing around this morning, I went to renegotiate my lease. And once again, no go. The manager wasn't in, so I still don't have an answer on whether I'm coming or going. After that disappointment, I walked down to Walgreen's, looking for hair dye, hair ties and toothpaste. By the time I hoofed it back, I was absolutely dying from the heat and I had a nice shiny perspiration glow to me.

I relaxed a little bit after coming back, watched the rest of "3" (X-Files, season 2) that I had started yesterday and had a couple of hard-boiled eggs for lunch. Then it was off to look at apartments. I looked at a total of four complexes this afternoon and in between, stopped randomly to get my hair cut.

The apartments I looked at were mostly super nice; I say 'mostly' because one was on the older side with a microwave oven from the 80s and the landscaping was dodgy, compared to other places I've been. What I have learned is that apartments comparable to mine are way more expensive than what they're offering to renew me at. The truth is, I have to make a choice here. I can pay less and get a smaller place and potentially have to pay extra for the washer/dryer, or I can suck it up and pay the extra $70/month.

For the most part, I'm very pleased with my apartment, with the floorplan, etc. Some of the apartments I looked at today have a laundry room that opens on the bathroom, which I would much prefer compared to mine -- which opens on the kitchen. All of the apartments I looked at today had kitchens the same size as mine, whereas the ones earlier in the week were smaller. None of them had a gym quite as nice as the one here, and one was downright tiny, as if it were an afterthought.

So, the jury is still out. I'm supposed to talk to the manager on Tuesday -- I think it comes down to who blinks first. Now that I've seen a total of seven complexes, I realize that I got very lucky here and that even the increased rent is less than what other places are asking for.

And oh yes, I came home and baked a blueberry coffee cake and watched some of "One Breath" (X-Files, season 2). Now, I'm going to get ready to go out for an overnight, with a stop at IKEA on my way. Will be back sometime tomorrow afternoon. See you all then.