The Flat Hunt Begins

So Blue Eyes and Green Eyes are finally starting to become grownups. And by grownups I mean we are foolishly leaving the rent-free, heating-provided, free-meals-and-satellite-TV arrangement of our parents homes to live on our own.

But when you live in the unfashionable parts of town and all you want to do is live in the CBD what's a skinny bitch to do. Let's not forget about the other fun things too...no more mothers complaining at you because you wanted to stay in your pajamas all day, no more making the bed, no more fake-smiling at annoying relatives and more importantly no more dubious and disapproving glances when you stagger in at 7 in the morning with your makeup all smudged and your top the wrong way around. Also we can eat what we like, listen to 80s music all night, dance in our knickers, drink and cry when watching The Notebook (my dad complains when I scream at the TV) and have boys stay over. We could probably do the the latter in our current situation but this time they wouldn't have to sign a no-touching contract for our dads and we would be in the same room.

And so begins our flat hunt.

We are planning to move out in August into the cheapest 2 bedroom place we can find. (Skinny Bitches note: If you hear of anything please let us know!) There are many things we're willing to forgo in order to have our own homely bliss. We don't mind sharing a bathroom, we don't mind parking in the street and we don't mind ugly wall paint. We do however require decent size rooms to fit a double bed and side tables, some built-in-cupboards, and preferably an oven. Otherwise we'll be confined to cooking in a microwave. A view of our fabulous city wouldn't hurt either.

Last night we began the flat hunt with a viewing at a place in Tamboerskloof. It's up a scary high road and my poor little car was struggling. If we do move there, I'll have to drive with my choke permanently on.
The place from the outside was not looking too pretty. But at least it has this view:
(Excuse the bad quality of the pictures, I was trying to remain inconspicuous whilst actual residents were entering and leaving the premises).

And that view is only from the outside. Inside it's much better and both bedrooms have huge windows. So that's a definite plus. The entire flat is 84 metres squared. And there's ample space in both bedrooms. Below are some pictures of the bedrooms. This is so clearly a boy's apartment.


Next onto the lounge and sitting area This is also quite big and there is a balcony. So more chances to enjoy that view. The tenant forgo painting the place so the decoration is hardly Queer Eye style. But there's a lot of potential. we're thinking the right colour and accessories and tada! A palace fit for two skinny bitches.



The next picture is of the kitchen. It runs along the passageway of the building. So other residents will breathe in the aromas of your cooking. It's a good thing Blue Eyes can cook otherwise the only thing they'll be smelling is my world-famous-burnt-chicken. It could also use some fixing-up but otherwise it looks good and it's big. I couldn't get a full length picture. The tenant was following me everywhere and I felt more like a stalker rather than a future occupant.
Last and by all means least is the bathroom. It's not even nice. firstly it's got pink tiles. And it has a shower over the bath and even worse, it's got a shower curtain. I don't like to gossip, but mildew anyone?! This is definitely the place where good taste came to die. Also there was a leak in the ceiling which still needed to be seen to. We'll need it fixed and it has become a serious black mark against this place.

So there you go, there is option number 1. and apart from some decor problems it's really good for a first viewing.

Good Points:
- The size
- The view
- One bathroom and seperate toilet
- Secure complex
- Balcony
- Entrance hall

Bad Points
- Only one parking space
- Leak in bathroom ceiling
- No oven/hob included
- Shower over bath
- Needs sprucing up

Keep reading for more flat visits.

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Monday's Mantra

This week we view our first potential property!
I believe we will find an amazing flat.
I'm addicted to the series Dirt.
I wish it was August.
I'm jealous of Courtney Cox's attitude in Dirt.
Soundtrack for the week I got my mind set on you!

We Have Faith...The Skinny Bitches Progress Report

This weekend, I was rushing to get to my hair appointment on time when I realised that I didn't have a CD to listen to.


I grabbed one of my old compilations I made years ago. And it taught me a few things:
1) no matter how much I profess about my excellent music taste, I'm actually wrong;
2) when making compilations I should try and keep genres together (Basement Jaxx and Papa Roach, good lord); and
3)a good song, no matter what it is can remind you how awesome life is.

My song was Dream by The Everley Brothers. Before you judge me for this song or even query it's existence on my CD, see above.
I remember hearing this song in an old made-for-tv 50s movie. My mother also used to sing the first line (dream, dream, dream) to me. Not to encourage me but to discourage me from wanting things I didn't need.

As I thought about the song, and my deprived childhood, I realised, we, Skinny Bitches are getting closer to our dream. Or should I say dreams. But one at a time. Although they're little steps, we're making a glittering trail towards our first apartment, our dream jobs and boyfriends.
Firstly, it's June so we can officially start looking for a flat for August. We're getting all our donated furniture together and we're so happy. Mostly because we have all the expensive items and also because we can spend the rest of our savings on booze and fancy light fixtures. We're finally growing up.



On the job front, Blue Eyes is doing fabulously as an account executive while I'm testing the waters of magazine journalism. There's not much out there but everyone in publishing now has my contact details and I'm hoping it's just a matter of time before they start knocking.

On the boys front, no cute boys to kiss corners yet. But we're both making efforts so that when they fall head over heels in love with us, they won't be disappointed. I am going to gym four times a week. If I build the perfect body, he will come! And Blue Eyes, she got herself a new bed, so she's hoping he'll also come!

In all, we're edging our way there. It may be slow but we always have faith that it will happen.

After all you need is faith, trust and pixie dust.



Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Monday's Mantra

This week is all about moving out
I believe good things are coming our way
I'm addicted to rental agencies and their property search engines
I wish I could pull off ankle booties
I'm jealous of people who don't have to sit in traffic everyday
Soundtrack for the week wouldn't it be nice if we were older

The 'Terrorist' versus the Six Wives of Henry VIII

I thought I would let you in on a little conversation that Green Eyes and I had one night while drinking coffee at our favourite place Seattle whilst discussing the ins and outs of moving in together. It went something like this:

Blue Eyes: When we move out I want to take the 'Terrorist' (my cat) with me?

Green Eyes: But why?

Blue Eyes: Because I love him and he's really cute

Green Eyes: But I don't really like cats

Blue Eyes: huh! you like the 'Terrorist', how can you not...he likes you.

Green Eyes: well, if you're bringing your cat then I want fish.

Blue Eyes: WTF?

Green Eyes: yes! and I want 7

Blue Eyes: 7 fish? why on earth do you want 7 fish?

Green Eyes: I just do! And there names will be Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour...

Blue Eyes: hang on a sec, so you're telling me that you are going to name your fish after the wives of Henry the VIII?

Green Eyes: yes, why not?

Blue Eyes: and Im guessing the 7th fish is Henry VIII?

Green Eyes: yes

Blue Eyes: so are you planning to kill them off one at a time?

Green Eyes: you got it!

Blue Eyes: you're such a freak...well, I suppose in that case the 'Terrorist' can help you out there.

Green Eyes: see, I told you moving in together would work out.

So this is just one of many weird converstaions that we have had-a little preview in to how our minds work. I hope you atleast laughed at some point of reading that conversation. I know I did.

B.E.

Skinny Bitches Progress Report

I have to completely agree with Green Eyes, although we're on a journey, it has to be one of the most fanatstic rides of all. We're considerably lucky to live the lives we do, and yes, we are fabulous, always have been and always will be. there's no argument there. But every journey has a destination, so I'd like to update you on how our ride is going.

First of all, because Im always so proud of Green Eyes (she doesn't realise how much), but damm if that girl wants something, she'll go out and get it. So Id like to announce that she has lost a total of 4000 grams (that's 4kg for u miserable kg fitness counter freaks). 4000 grams!!! that's sooo much. How I see it, is if you convert that to rands, that equals R4000 and do you know what you can get for R4000?.. tons of cool shit, so well done Green Eyes...plus your Anne Boleyn thin waist looks FAB! How am I doing on the skinny front? well I keep running up-and-down stairs all day at work, so it better be paying off otherwise I'll insist they put a lift in.

Okay, so on the male/boyfrined front. Well Green Eyes had The Gay Best Friend down for a week or two and I think she's all 'maled' out for now. Me, Im actually debating whether to answer a booty call...I mean a cup of coffee call..(Freudian Slip), so some advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't know why I have to think about this so hard...but it'll get to the point when the phone goes dead, if you know what I mean, so I have to make a decision soon.

Another Skinny Bitch in the Making dream is to move out of the nest and directly into the heart of the CBD. If you haven't noticed, we have a countdown clock on the right-hand side which calculates our moving out deadline to be 1 August 2009. This should happen, just as long as 1. I get a raise, 2. Green Eyes doesn't find a job in the magazine world which pays less and 3. we're both debt free. Does anyone see a problem? I certainly don't.


And last, but not least, our careers. Green Eyes and myself were chatting the other day in her car (aptly named Lady M) and decided that she has a job and that I have a career. Purely for the fact that I love mine and she doesn't. But before you think she's an ungreatful skinny bitch, please remember where her heart lies...in magazine journalism. And yes, she has been making an effort, she's enrolled herself for two courses which will help her reach her career goals in more ways than one, and we're constantly on the look out for career opportunities for her. Just hoping if a career opportunity arises that it pays well, but career first, moving-out second, that's our deal. Im loving work for the most part. I didn't realise what a big learning curve it would actually be, how naive am I. But I work with a great team who offer all the support I need (chocolate, coffee, hugs, gossiping). I just need to grow a pair if balls. I didn't realise that in order to be a Skinny Bitch you had to have a pair, I was just concentraing on the being skinny part. I'll have to work much harder on the bitch part.

Checklist:

• Skinny Bitches - CHECK
• Boyfriends - who needs them right now when we're having too much fun
• Moving Out - CHECK deadline looming
• Career - half a CHECK

So all-in-all I think progress is being made. Maybe not in a direct way, but definately for the better and we are closer to our Skinny Bitch dreams.

Skinny Bitch out

B.E.