i haven't even posted christmas eve/christmas yet, so i shouldn't jump ahead to new years already.  but that's what i get for procrastinating.  super low key new years eve.  the kind i like.  house party in southie with my dear cousin nikki and her friends liz and meghan.  enjoy the show.  KMD




2009 the bad: cancer, heartbreak, flu/pneumonia
2009 the good: obama, training camp, brady to moss, models, puerto rico, newton highlands, guru award

please note that the good outweigh the bad. bring it on, 2010. i'm ready.

oh hi, blog!  it's me!  your long lost owner.  i was sick for over a month.  then i went on vacation.  then the holidays came.  basically, i've been a bad, bad, blogger.  i'll catch up.  i did put in some work on my website the weekend before leaving for puerto rico.  i love the song i chose.  check it out:  THIS WEBSITE ROCKS

my mother asked me christmas morning to whip up a page for the myrtle baptist church 135 anniversary book.  my response was..."right now?!"  her response...."it's due on sunday!"  i can never say no, especially to my mother.  her idea was to make a family tree with my grandparents as a starting point and a message at the top wishing the church congrats. 

there may be a few divorces and re-marriges and all that jazz involved.  but i just glossed over that fact and simplified it to serve it's general purpose.

this is what i put together in microsoft word.....
the tree image is courtesy of "the charles" on deviantart.  i think it's a beautiful tree.  i hope it was OK to use it.

i sat with my grandmother on sunday night, during the patriots game (choke), and we dug thru some old photos that she had in boxes and albums.  some were hers.  others were her mothers.  my great grandmother, hollie.  cool, right?  i scanned a bunch and put them on facebook for the family to see.  i suggest that everyone dig thru their family history and take some time to find out more about your family tree.  the stories my grandmother shared with me were hilarious.  KMD.

so, i moved back to newton in june to be closer to my family, after my father was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer.  i hated the commute from braintree on 93 to ANYWHERE and sitting in traffic for an hour in the morning and longer in the evening was painful.  to me, living by myself was the only option, but a girl from my photography classes had a room in her place.  i gave it a shot and it worked out fine.  unfortunately, my roommate recently moved out, leaving me with a vacant room.  i've spread the word through friends and family, but no one has taken me up on the offer.  i recently posted on craigslist and have received 7 responses from 40-year-old men.  really?  :)   i just don't see that working out.  :)

here's the ad:  http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/roo/1468524489.html

(and because that is only good for 7 days, i'll post it again below.)

$495 Room in Newton - EVERYTHING INCLUDED!

I am a 29-year-old, single, professional, female seeking someone who is reasonably clean, has a healthy lifestyle and is respectful to our apartment. I am looking for someone along the same lines. :)

HERE ARE 2 OPTIONS FOR RENTING THIS SPACE:
1. $495/month - INCLUDES EVERYTHING. With this option, you would be renting a single bedroom and we'd share only the bathroom and kitchen. I would cover the utilities and a larger chunk of the rent.
2. $575/month - DOES NOT INCLUDE UTILITIES. With this option, you'd be invited to share and use the living room area in addition to your bedroom, the bathroom and kitchen. We'd spilt everything down the middle.
**(The owner [nice guy] is asking for first and last upon move-in. There is no lease. This is a month-to-month rental. But, a year or so commitment would be preferred only so I don't have to look for a roommate again.)

MOVE IN:
as early as December 1, 2009

UTILITIES:
Keyspan, NStar and Comcast - $75-$120 per person per month depending on season/usage. We have wireless internet set up and regular cable TV - might get HD set up soon.

LOCATION:
Close to MBTA green line, bus lines, route 9 and interstate 95 (a.k.a. route 128). Short ride to Needham, Brookline, Boston, Cambridge, Waltham, Watertown. Near brand new TJMaxx! CVS, Marshalls, Fresh City, Tedeschi's (2), O'Hara's, 2 liquor stores.... Newton Center has banks, restaurants, shops and another T station. Just a little trip down route 9 brings you to the Atrium Mall and the Chestnut Hill Malls - Cheesecake Factory, AMC Movie Theatre, Bloomingdales, Macys, Apple Store. Close to BC. Can you tell I like to shop? :)

HOUSE:
1st floor in a older two-family home. Bedroom for rent is closest to kitchen and bathroom. Large closet for storage. Working fireplace in living room. Cool custom built-in shelves. Additional storage and free laundry in the basement. Small front porch and small backyard. Did I mention that laundry is free? I've tried to keep decorating to a minimum, so you can incorporate some of your style into the place. I've put aside storage space in the bathroom and kitchen for your things as well.

MORE ABOUT ME:
I am a photographer. :) I am very laid back and care about the places I rent as if I owned them. :)
I leave little to no trace in common spaces and I wish to maintain the serenity of our home.
There is room for an additional couch and/or other furniture in the living room if you pick option 2 for rent.
Our neighbors upstairs are very quiet - a mother/daughter.

DEAL BREAKERS:
pets
smokers
drugs
heavy drinking
untidy
tons of visitors

Emailing is the most effective way to communicate with me. When emailing, please let me know which rent option you are interested in. THANK YOU!

Centre Street at Walnut Street (google map) (yahoo map)

route 128 headed south. going 65 mph. fall foliage in massachusetts.  KMD