Back home!

Well, after dribbling a few things at a time for the last couple of weeks, from the apartment to the house, Saturday was the BIG MOVE. And I mean big. About 13 friends and family showed up at the apartment and took over. If I wasn't around to give some direction, they did whatever needed doing. I wasn't planning to be completely moved that day but that's how it turned out. Wow. Thank you again everyone!

Afterwards, 10 of us went out to eat and chose a new spot that Bernie introduced me to: Ramirez Store and Tortilla Factory. (That's Monica in the first picture digging in.) The store part is 3 years old and the cafe part is 1 year old. The food is absolutely authentic and delicious. You get lots of whatever you order and it's not expensive at all. $65 for 10 of us??? Wow! We had so much fun, too; I laughed so much that by the end of the day I had laryngitis.

The house is quite full now and I've discovered I love unpacking. I was a little worried that maybe I'd be overwhelmed (there's too much to fit into the house!) but it's just not so. I walk into the bathroom which is FULL of stuff in bags; the counter is covered with lotions, soaps, etc., but I just smile when I walk in. I have the living room almost completely beautiful and serene. Same with my bedroom. I try to peck away at the bathroom but will probably just pick a day to swoop down on it and get it all done at once.

To "console" myself and to make sure I don't get bummed out by the mountains of stuff, I am treating myself to eating out more than usual. Actually, the kitchen was too full so I couldn't cook easily. Today will be the first day I make my own dinner: oysters!

Speaking of eating, I want to give a big shout out to Lara who, with Per Olav, was here to help with the move. Well, guess what she brought with her? Yep: the makings for chicken noodle soup. And so after a long day, she chopped and stirred for a few hours, making a gigantic pot of delicious soup. I think it even helped Dan quickly banish a budding cold. She said she wanted to make sure I would have something healthy to eat without having to cook. That is such a nice idea for people who are moving; I'm going to file it away in my Thoughtful Things to do for Friends section of my brain.