Keys to the New House!

I'm sitting on the floor of the new family room. The Cable Guy has climbed up the telephone pole and is doing his thing. We're getting our TV line in just to the left of the fireplace. That way, when we get the flat screen, it can go above the mantel. Until then, it has a short stretch to the wall opposite the front windows where the current TV will go.

I'm so excited about the new house I can hardly believe it's happening. Last night when I got back from SF I went straight to pick up the keys. I've been taking trips back and forth this morning, and I think I'm up to my third, but I can't be sure if it's not the fourth. I love doing the move myself. Since I'm going at my own leisurely pace, there's no stress at all. I don’t even mind carrying the boxes! Can you believe I said that? ME—doing manual labor—and liking it—HA! Absolutely unheard of.

The bathroom is unpacked (but we need new towels and accessories)
The kitchen is 3.75 done. Dishes are in the dishwasher as I type.
Nearly all of John's packed boxes and bags are in either of his two closets. And nearly the whole palette of my stuff is in my closet.

The movers come tomorrow at 10am for the big stuff. Big Man with a Big Van. I can't wait. We're going to have one little side trip…

As if things couldn't get any better, I found a WiFi coffee house owned by two sisters less than a mile from our new place. Millie and Liz. AND their shop just also happens to double as a consignment/used furniture store. So, I bought John a surprise present. I did ask if I could buy him something large, and I offered to tell him what it was while I had it on hold, but he was brave. Obviously I can't mention what it is here, but it is pretty big. And it will go in the Great Room. That's what I've named the second room that we're going to use as a dining room/poker room/library. It has six windows in it, four of with line the long side of the wall and look out to our side yard and a pine tree.

Last night I discovered the best thing ever. The windows open up inward like glass shutters. There are screens, so you can have the windows open looking out at the pine tree and yard. It is my favorite thing about the whole house. It's like an indoor verandah and it'll be amazing once the weather warms up. I might even put a bird dish out there. Go figure. I've never thought much about a bird anything before, but it would really be something to have some birds playing in water or eating just outside the windows.

OK, cable guy is done and we have internet. That's all that matters. I'm going to sign off and go bring another load in. I just found out today that David Farley is in town for a reading tonight at Distant Lands. Travelers' Tales Prague. I'm going to go over there and meet Jeff Booth, editor of Student Traveler. He was kind enough to ask me to write a travel podcast article for their next issue. I finished it last night. It'll be great to meet up with some travel folk. And I'm only 2.5 miles from the store!

This is the best.

Current: PASADENA, CA!!!
Next: Las Vegas (April 16-19)
John: Vilnius...but there's whisper of him coming home early.