Happy New Year's Eve!

We got a lot done today in the unpacking arena.  A lot of stuff was put in the attic over the garage.  The contents of 'family room' boxes in the family room were distributed to various closets for later sorting and storing.  Lots of 'garage tools' boxes contents were put away.  I spent 9-1/2 hours cooking a new Hoppin' John recipe Mark found on washingtonpost.com.  It's heavy on pork products, but since that's quite Southern, it should be good.

My father died this evening 37 years ago.  I was getting ready to do my annual call to my mother when the phone rang and it was her.  She wanted to know if Mark and I were having a good Christmas.  I told her we were.  For the first time in all these years, it seemed she did not remember what tonight was.  Maybe that is a good thing.

I truly and totally expect 2012 to be a 'better' year than 2011.  It's not that 2011 was bad, it was just not what we had planned on.  Mark's ankle, my arm, our move -- just the sorts of things that kept us 'upheaved'.  However, we now are in our new home that is comfy, the dogs are happy, I'm happy, and Mark is settling into his new job.  I feel optimistic, which, according to Mark, is a word not in my vocabulary.

I feel good here.  I feel comfortable here. I am looking forward to getting out and discovering Olympia -- the natural and the commercial.

And for tonight -- Happy New Year!!!

A good day

Not much exciting went on today.  The usual errand running, grocery shopping, dinner cooking (Beef Stroganoff).  We got quite a few more boxes unpacked this evening.  Yea!  There was sun today, along with rain, and tonight there was something like sleet.

We're planning a quiet holiday weekend of unpacking.  We're beginning to feel the pressure of having to have the boxes emptied in the next twelve days so that the moving company will pick up them up.  Besides, it's easier to figure out where to put stuff when it's all laid out on floors and tables and any other clear, flat surface we can find (which are becoming fewer and farther between).  Unfortunately, this method creates a mass amount of chaos.  Oh well.  After all, this is just an extended Christmas, right?!  Lots and lots of packages to open and be surprised by the contents.

I got all the fixin's today to make Hoppin' John for our dinner on Sunday.  This year's preparation will be a departure from the way I've been making HJ for decades.  It's an adaptation of a recipe from The Tabard Inn in DC, which has a lot of pork in it, not just ham hocks.  I'm looking forward to giving it a try.

I'm enjoying our new home.  It fits me well.  I haven't done any 'real' cooking yet, but I really like the kitchen.  It's smaller and I feel comfy in it.  Once all the bedrooms are put together and stuff is put away in all the closets, it's going to be a good place to live.  The yard is going to need a bit of work; there are lots and lots of dandelions in it.  But, there also are many wonderful trees and bushes and flowering plants and grasses and all kinds of green things in it that I can't wait for spring/summer to see what's really out there.  I'm no gardener, but I think I will like this yard a lot.

And now it's time to go read for a while.

Rain, Rainy, Raining

Yes, it was rain, rainy, raining today.  I am now getting an idea of what people always told me about the "wet side."  My two water dogs do not like going out in the rain.  Oh well.  We need to work out how we're going to deal with wet dogs coming into the family room and shaking before I can get a towel around them.  Mark talked about building a cover over the patio so that I will have a place to dry them off before coming into the house, and I think that is going to be "Project #1" for spring/summer (whenever that may arrive).

I got a good space cleared out of my office today, so the puppies discovered the carpet and had a great time playing tug-o'-war.  They can't play very well in the family room since it has hard wood flooring.  It was fun to watch.  And Brenna was quite cute.  When she got tired of playing, she would just go get in Ty's 'bucket' (dog kennel).  Then he would go to the bucket and try to coax her out.  Silly dogs.

I did manage to get a few boxes unpacked this afternoon and at least now feel like I can take claim to my office.  I managed to get some bills paid, some e-mails answered, and some paperwork done.  There is still a long way to go.

Tomorrow I am going to make another foray to the grocery store.  This time it is to get all the ingredients necessary to make Hoppin' John for our New Year Day dinner.  Every year we eat it, and every year we don't win the Lottery.  One of these days, eating Hoppin' John will pay off (though it hasn't for all the decades I have been eating it...).

So, I am enjoying my new location.  I haven't had a lot of interaction with the 'fun' stuff that is here, but I am liking being in our house.  The weather, so far, is not really bothering me.  I keep the kitchen/family room well lit, and all seems to be well.  I feel up-beat and happy; glad to be here.

I am hoping to get to sending Christmas cards sometime next week.  However, if I can get them all done by the end of February, I will be happy.

I think it is really cool that Samoa decided to just get rid of Dec. 30 and go to a different time zone.  How fun to just time-warp.

A Lesson Learned Applied

It was really raining today, and I knew to take my rain jacket with a hood.  Yea, me.  It was a productive day, but nothing worth noting.  Basic grocery shopping to get things to make dips for munchies for a going away party at Mark's office tomorrow.  I cleaned up the kitchen island so that I could finally organize the papers enough to figure out what needs to be taken care of, which I will take care of tomorrow.  We went to Fish Tale Ales for beer/wine this evening with folks from Mark's office (my first foray out with some of the new staff).  There is still so much to be unpacked here, but I haven't really done much with it this week.  Oh well, as Scarlet said, "Tomorrow is another day."  And, so, I will do it tomorrow.

A Lesson Learned

Today was my first experience with the infamous Pacific Northwest wet, and I learned my lesson -- never go anywhere without a Gortex hooded jacket.  But, I did very well.  I just sucked it up and went about my business.  I ran errands and didn't bother myself with getting wet.  I shook it off, and thanks to a good haircut, just put my fingers through my hair and kept on my merry way.

I discovered a cool grocery store today -- Ralph's Thriftway.  Lots of fun stuff in it beside groceries.  I think I will have a good time shopping there sometimes.  I went there to transfer Mark's boat to his brother because they have a licensing center.  They also have a post office, a sushi bar, a compounding pharmacy, a real bakery, just all kinds of fun stuff.  And, it's locally owned, which is good.  Lots of cool organic and health food store stuff.

I also went to Bed Bath & Beyond for some bath and closet stuff we needed.  I stopped at the vet to get some TDs for the puppies.  Then I went to the bank to deposit some checks, and I stopped at Albertson's to transfer prescriptions.  Of course, I had to go to Costco to get a mocha freeze, as well as pick up some berries, chicken, raw hide chew bones, 7 cheese tortellinis, and champagne for the upcoming New Year's Eve evening at home.

When Mark got home from work we went to Nisqually to pick up E.T.  He continues to start, so there was no repair work done.  Then we ate at Norma's Burger.  I had a delicious tuna melt.  Yum.

I have a huge pile of paperwork on the kitchen island to deal with, which I am hoping to get to tomorrow.  I need to put my office put together enough to find my desk and get this stuff off the island and start working for real in there.  It would make things a little less confusing.

I also need to finish doing some laundry and put the dishes away, so I think I will do that now.

Merry Day After Christmas!

Wow.  An entire week has gone by, and it was a crazy one.  Nothing to really 'blog' about, though.  There was still a lot of box unpacking, but there also was errand running (learning to drive around my new city), taking Ty for a nail trim, buying Christmas cards (which are still in the box), grocery shopping, getting ready to go away for the holiday weekend, and on and on and on.

Then finally came the much-anticipated weekend --

We drove to Snohomish on Saturday to spend the weekend with friends.  We had a blast!  We took the dogs with us, to join the two dogs at Des & Judy's house, and Duncan & Chrissy's dog when he was at the house.  They all got along well, which was good.

Saturday evening we went to dinner at Clint and Shannon's house.  We ate ham, four-cheese Mac and Cheese with pearl onions and jalapeno-stuffed olives, and a delicious broccoli and cauliflower salad.  I also had my first Brandy Alexander after dinner.  It was quite yummy.  This was the first gathering of all the players for the weekend -- Des & Judy, Marilyn, Clint & Shannon, Duncan, Chrissie & Waylen, and us.  When we got home, we watched "A Wish for Wings that Work," our Christmas tradition.

Christmas Day began with present opening at Des and Judy's.  Santa was quite good to everyone.  After presents, Des and Judy cooked "Traitorous Eggs" (Eggs Benedict) with fresh fruit salad.  Then came more present opening when Duncan, Chrissy and Waylen showed up, and again when Clint and Shannon got there.  The most fun was had when Clint put together the gift his mother gave him -- an Air Swimmer.  This particular Air Swimmer was an amazingly fun infrared-controlled, helium-filled shark about 5 feet long.  Everyone wants one now.

Christmas dinner was the most incredible rib roast, cooked to perfection.  It was accompanied by brussel sprouts, mashed white potatoes, mashed butternut squash, and spinach salad, all accompanied by many bottles of delicious wines.  Dinner ended with Christmas Pudding and hard sauce.  Then more fun ensued and everyone just had a great time.

We came home late morning today, after a hot tub soak and Breakfast Pudding with Des & Judy and Marilyn.  On our way home, we stopped in Nisqually to see if the repair shop had had any luck fixing E.T.  They hadn't tried to start him yet today, but said they'd try this afternoon.  We didn't hear from them by dinner time, so we're not real sure what that means.

It was a very relaxing weekend, especially for Mark.  It was the first time since Oct. 30 that he did not have to look at houses, drive to Spokane and back, or unpack boxes.  It was good for him.

So, tomorrow the insanity begins again -- unpacking and trying to find places to put stuff while doing all the regular stuff associated with life.  It's discombobulated around here, but it's also very slowly coming together.  Eventually, routine will be routine, and that will be good.

Sunday

Today, Mark got up early and unpacked a whole bunch of boxes upstairs, mostly wardrobe boxes, so now I can have something 'new' to wear.  Yea!  I cooked a 'big' breakfast for us in our new kitchen.  Then Mark took off for Spokane to pick up his Jeep.  Our friend, Desmond, from Snohomish, came by on his way to Portland and took me out to dinner.  We went to Curry Corner, but I was rather disappointed in the meal we got this time -- and it was so really good last time.  Oh well.

I got quite a few boxes unpacked today, too, but there are still quite a few more to go.  Another 'Oh well.'  This is so much like having a long Christmas, and it is fun finding all the stuff in each box.  The hard part, though, is that everything is pretty much just getting unpacked and put on the floor or a table.  Next will come the fun of trying to sort through it and figure out where to put it.  The garage is going to be a real challenge, even though there are lots of shelves, which is great, but there are so many boxes out there...

Anyway, now it's time for a quiet evening curled up on the couch with the puppies and watching some seasonal TV.  This whole moving thing has totally obliterated for me that it really is Christmas, not just box unwrapping season.  Time to get in the mood!

I've changed the weather

Much as I did when I visited Alaska lo those many years ago, I have single-handedly changed the weather in Olympia from gray and gloomy to bright and sunny.  Today was another beautiful day.  It started out cold, but warmed up into a gorgeous day.  Many people in Mark's office have commented on how good the weather has been lately, and I am totally taking credit for it.  Let's hope it stays this way...

Today was shopping for groceries and household stuff day.  Mark got the dryer hooked up, so we can do laundry now.  Yea!  We got a few more boxes unpacked tonight, which means there is just that much more stuff on the floors.  The house is becoming quite the obstacle course.

The puppies are pooped tonight.  They went shopping with us today, which means they did not get their all-day-long naps.  Then, when we finished shopping, we took them to Mark's office for a good hard run in the field.  They really love that.

We just finished a dinner of lettuce and chicken with raspberry walnut vinaigrette dressing (Mark's new favorite dinner) and are settling in for the night.  Mark is going to Spokane tomorrow to pick up the Jeep.  After that trip, all our belongings will be here in Olympia.

Another good day in Olympia.

Back on line

I haven't had computer service since Monday, so my daily blogging had to be put on hold.  But, I'm back now.

What's been going on ... mostly unpacking.  The kitchen is almost put together; just a few more boxes to unpack.  Some stuff needs to be repacked and stored, since this kitchen is smaller.  However, the kitchen is the only room that is anywhere near livable.  The clock folks came Wednesday and uncrated the grandfather clock. The DirecTV guy was here the same day and got the TVs working.  Mark likes his man cave, but he also likes the set up in the family room, so we watch TV down here together, too.  I managed to get some paper work done today, so at least the bills are being paid.  The house may look like a tornado hit it, but we're keeping up with the important stuff (I hope).

Mark took me to the Olympia Weight Watchers center last night.  I met a really nice Leader named Pam who was excited about another Receptionist that will be available to work during the day.  I am looking forward to getting back into the "Meetings mode."  I miss the fun of meeting the folks who come to the meetings.

E.T. got delivered today.  Yea!  I was really happy to see him again, though he still won't start.  So, he's going to be towed to the repair shop on Monday and, hopefully, made well.

I met one of our new neighbors this afternoon.  Her name is Rumi..  Her husband's name is Brad.  They have two kids -- Julie (7) and Sean (4).  Sean is how I met Rumi -- he wanted me to see the snail he found.  The snail actually turned out to be an earth worm.  He's quite cute.  I think I will like having Rumi as a neighbor.  Brad is in the Air Force, but they have been given an extended assignment here until 2013.  They've been here a little over two years already, and since Rumi said they move every three years, she was excited about having an extended stay.  They are trying to get reassigned to Spokane, though.  How weird is that....

The puppies are enjoying a rawhide chew bone, so they are quiet at the moment.  Ty was totally full of himself earlier this evening.  He likes the new back yard because there is enough room for him to get up a full head of steam for running.  Fortunately, the weather has been nice enough since we moved here that he can go out and run and not come back in soaking wet.  Brenna is adapting to her new digs pretty well.  As long as she has food and a couch to sleep on, she's fine.  She doesn't play with Ty too much anymore, but I think that may be because she's older and he's bigger.  They still get along, thank goodness.  Ty worships her, but she's "above all that."

Well, my battery is getting ready to die, so I think I'll call it a night and go to bed.

A bright, sun-filled day!

Weather report -- it was a gorgeous, though cold, day.  The sun was very bright, very few clouds in the sky.  Great day for the movers to do their thing at the new house.  All went well, except for the last two boxes off the truck -- they fell off the dolly on the ramp.  One box was tools, so no big deal.  The other one had a bunch of odds and ends in it.  Fortunately, the only thing that we know broke was a glass champagne bucket.  And it really broke.  There were two stereo components and the computer printer in the same box, so we are hoping those will work and didn't get broken in the fall.  All in all, the furniture fits in the house.  It's rather eclectic looking in the new arrangements, so I have decided that mix and match is this year's fashion statement.  Now comes the fun of unpacking.  I am going to think of this next adventure as an extra early, extra long Christmas Day.

Mark is making one more run of stuff from the hotel to the house and then we are going to get some dinner and call it good for the day.

A House Fully Cleaned

Yea!  The new house is fully cleaned and ready for the movers tomorrow morning.  Well, okay, almost fully cleaned.  I still have to vacuum the kitchen/family room and the den.  That will take all of five minutes.  Mark went to get new locks for the doors tonight, but couldn't find the right kind.  So, after the movers get everything delivered tomorrow, he will probably go looking for locks.  We're staying in the hotel tonight so that Mark can watch football and I can watch The Good Wife.  The puppies are curled up on the bed with Mark right now.  Everyone looks very cozy.  Life is good.

A House Half Cleaned

I spent the day at our new house dusting and cleaning, while Mark moved stuff over from the storage unit.  The puppies ran and ran in their new yard; they really like it.  I got the main floor done.  The upstairs will be easy to finish up tomorrow since it's just dusting out a few closets for the most part.  Then all that's left is vacuuming, and the house will be ready for the movers to deliver the furniture on Monday -- that's when the insanity will really begin.  I don't have a clue how I'm going to arrange the furniture.  Oh well...

We had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.  Top Foods deli makes really awesome meatballs.  Have you noticed that we like food?  Actually, we love food.

I haven't had a chance to get out and experience Olympia yet, but I will.  It will be a lot easier when I am in our house so I can start getting my bearings, and getting my car will really help.  E.T. is still in Spokane and I miss him.  I am hoping he will get here sometime next week.

And that's it for today.

New homeowners

Today was a quiet day in the hotel room.  I pretty much was on the computer all day, doing change of address and other computer-able stuff.  I had to stay in today because we weren't sure when the house would actually 'record' and when we would get the key to the house.  The key was given to us about 4:30 this afternoon.  Yea!  Now we are looking forward to going to the house tomorrow to sort of figure out where furniture will go and clean things up before the movers arrive on Monday.  Another adventure begins.

We had delicious leftovers for dinner tonight, thanks to the various restaurants we ate at this week.  After dinner, we took the puppies for a ride in the truck, and then for a good hard run in the field by Mark's office.  They love going there.  They get to run just full out.  You would think it would tire them out, but not always.  Right now, Ty is dragging his dog bed around the hotel room.  Now he's doing his little grumble thing to let me know he wants to go out.

There is going to be a red moon tonight.  I think it is supposed to start about 3:34 a.m., but I doubt I will get up to see it, though it would be cool to see.  When we were driving from Spokane to Olympia last Sunday, we were driving through central Washington when it was dark.  I really enjoyed seeing stars again.

Signing papers and celebrating

We signed the papers for our new house today.  Yea!

We went to a really nice restaurant called Cicada this evening to celebrate.  We were pleased to see bugs were not on the menu...unless you consider crab a bug.

Dinner started with a dirty martini for Mark and champagne for me.  Then came bread with really tasty butter with fresh chives.  I had the Dungeness crab cake with roasted asparagus and roasted potatoes, along with a cup of gumbo.  Mark had duck breast, which came came with sweet potato au gratin and asparagus with cherries.  Everything was really delicious.  We will most definitely go back.

And now we are cozied-up in the hotel room and calling it a night -- we're watching TV and the puppies are enjoying their celebratory raw hide chew bones.  All is right with the world.

Wednesday's dinner

We went to the most awesome Indian restaurant for dinner tonight -- Curry Corner.  The aroma was intoxicating.  The food was amazing.  I could eat there every day.

I took each puppy for a walk today.  Both were a little weirded out by the traffic, so we will have to work on that a bit, now that we live in -- The City!

Guess what today's weather was -- cold and gray.  After only three days on the 'Wet Side,' I think it is time to retire the weather report.  I'll report when there is a sunny day.

All is ready for our house closing tomorrow.  Yea!  We're looking forward to getting into the new house and beginning our 'New Olympians' lives.  We have dinner reservations at Cicada restaurant Thursday night to celebrate.  Then, on Monday, the fun really begins -- the moving truck shows up with all our belongings that will need to be put away.

And that's about it for today.  I hope that once we get out of the studio motel room and into our house, our Olympia universe will expand.  There are things I want to experience.  I want to walk the puppies on the sidewalks of our neighborhood, take them to the park for a run, cook fun dinners in our new kitchen, entertain in the back yard.  Lots of fun stuff.  Whoo-hoo.

And that's it for tonight.

Day 2

I didn't do anything today.  I was pretty much confined to the hotel room because I don't have a vehicle.  I was hoping my 1987 Mazda 323, E.T., would be transported over here today from Spokane, but, unfortunately, he wouldn't start when the transport driver got to my sister-in-law's house to pick him up.  Oh well.  Now we're having him picked up by a truck with a winch, but, after 24 and 1/2 years, we may have to look for a new car.  Pooh.  E.T's been the best, most awesome car ever.  He's just the best.  Once again, oh well.

Weather report: gray and cold (duh).

We did a walk through at the new house this afternoon with our realtor.  Everything seems to be on target.  The sellers still have a lot of stuff to move out before 9:00 p.m. Friday night, but they seem to think it is under control.  I got the same feeling.  We have sort of inherited an outside cat with the house.  He's a very nice cat; orange and white, quite sweet.  He 'adopted' the folks who own the house now.  Their neighbor agreed to 'take' him, but he still shows up at our house looking for affection and food, which is just fine by me.  Mark likes the cat, too, and this will be a good cat 'situation' because the cat does not like to be inside.  He likes to sit on the front porch, and so do I.  Best of all, he has been neutered.  Yea!  So, now, after 25 years, I get to have another cat.  Whoo-hoo!

Tomorrow is going to be an easy-going day.  I will probably watch some movies and chill out in the hotel room with the puppies.  Brenna and Ty are really adapting well to living in one room.  And they are behaving themselves very well with regard to outside noises in the hallway, except for when the Beagle goes by making his Beagle noises.  Puppies are so funny.

And that's it for now.  Mark is snoring; Ty is whining for attention.  Brenna/Pumpkin is asleep on her bed.  I think I will call it a night.

My first day as an Olympian

Today is my first official day as a resident of Olympia, WA. Does living in Olympia make me a goddess?

I have chosen to "blog" in order to become aware of what is going on around me, learn about our new home, and then write about it.  We currently are staying in a studio room at an extended stay hotel with the two Labs, Brenna and Ty.  It's cozy.  We will be moving into our new home on Saturday.  It has a very dog friendly yard.

Today is cool and gray.  There was fog earlier this morning.  I have been told this could be the weather report for pretty much any day in this area.

Tonight's excitement will include going to the grocery store.  I need my yogurt.