My hard work is paying off. I finally got the promotion to line cook! It came with a great raise and a bonus. I'm glad I've been practicing my cooking skills when I had a few spare moments at work because I'm going to need all of them now. The boss sent me home with some leftover Stu surprise so I thought I'd invite Ian over to celebrate. On the way home I stopped to purchase a double bed. I'm adult now, time for an adult bed, right? I also found a shower that I could afford. No more quick trips to the gym before work!

Ian and I ate dinner and talked, and I asked him to stay over. He agreed, and we talked and ...did other things through the night. Not that, you pervs! Well I probably would have, but he wanted to take things slow, so we just made out and stuff. He left when the sun was coming up, and said he forgot about something he needed to do at home. It was a little awkward, but I was too tired to worry about it overmuch.

The next day I worked in the garden before enjoying my first

shower at home. It was marvelous! So much so that I was late for work, again. I guess punctuality is not my forte. I got accidently stuck in the freezer at work for 2 hours! Jared was real appologetic about it though. I told him not to worry, it just made me a bit cold. And tired. I couldn't wait to get home and go to bed. The only thing I did before falling asleep was to call and talk to Ian for a few minutes.

I had saved up enough money for carpets and paint, and spent part of the next morning on the phone with the contractor telling him what I wanted. I was able to afford a couple of windows for the front of the house too. It's really starting to come together. Now if things would only go so easy for Ian and I. I'm not getting any younger ya know.

My garden is starting to die off. It'll be time to plant a new one soon. I wish I had more time to do all the things I want to do. I'm thinking about quitting my job, as much as I love it, and focusing more on my garden, and starting a family. There's a couple more things I feel I need first, like finishing painting the bathroom, first though.

Jared, my boss, said that buisness is down and he blames it on the Bistro across town. He asked me if I would go eat there and see what they have that we don't. I told him sure. It'd be a great place to ask Ian to move in with me after all. And with my latest raise I can even afford to go there.

We had a great dinner. The food was fabulous. I got so many ideas for similiar things we could do at the diner, for half the price. Ian seemed distracted through dinner. Later he told me he was just tired, and begged off coming over to my house for dessert. I was disappointed, but tried not to let it show. One more day of work before my days off. Then I planned to really make an effort in this relationship with Ian.