The journal has been packed for the last few days. On Saturday we woke at 6 a.m. to try and finish packing, but when Jon and Erin arrived we still had the kitchen and bathroom to do. The kitties were locked in the bedroom, and all the boxes and furniture were piled in the family room.

It took about three hours to do the first load. We stopped and had take-out Rockies for lunch at the condo, and while we were eating a woman from upstairs came down and volunteered her niece and two nephews to help us move. They didn’t seem to pleased, especially as it was raining pretty heavily.

After the second load was done, we picked up some litter from MadCat and then came back to collapse. Pookie took a lot of time getting used to things – I sat with him in the closet for an hour while Bailey explored. After awhile he ventured out. We were able to get the bedroom together and then fell straight asleep.

On Sunday my dad picked us up at 7 a.m. to move the couch, a chair, and some other bits from their house. The uHaul was frozen shut and we had to poor hot water on the door to open it. After we had gotten everything back to the condo, we unpacked for awhile and then headed out around 11 a.m. to catch the bus to the fabric store. The walk to the bus took us through our little park and by the zoo – I love our neighborhood!

At Westgate we bought some bedroom lamp and a different shower curtain at TJMaxx, then spent $100 on fabric for curtains. My parents picked us up and we went for a nice lunch at the Tutto Pasta in Middleton, then to Whole Foods for some especial, and back to the condo to do more unpacking.

First floor window = kitty TV

We tried out the bread maker and had some… interesting first results. Apparently “vital wheat gluten” is indeed vital when using whole wheat flour, or you end up with a lumpy, rock-hard poo.

I also managed to make curtains for the bedroom and living room before we went to bed. Oh, and our shower rocks!

Today it was back to work as usual. Garry came with me and then headed to the apartment to clean, clean, clean. The #4 bus isn’t exactly high-class since it comes from the South transfer point, but the stop is less than a block away.

I went out to eat with Jon and Holly, and I paid for Jon as a thank you for helping us move in the cold and the rain (I’ve promised Erin I’ll help her paint her new house).

After work I went to Cap Foods and picked up some vital wheat gluten and some bread flour, then I met Garry coming back from the apartment and we went home together.

This evening we did yet more unpacking – I put away about half the clothes and Garry put the den/computer room together. Man, do we ever have a lot of crap! I managed to make a real loaf of bread (sooo yummy) and I used our stove for the first time to make dinner.

A Work of Art

So here we are in out beautiful new bedroom with stripy new curtains, listening to the dishwasher running (a dishwasher!), and getting ready for our third night in our new condo. Yay!

What an insanely exhausting day. We had breakfast at Sentry and shopped to scant “After Christmas” sale at Macy’s for some new towels and slippers for Garry. Then we got some curtain rods and painter’s tape at Ace, where my mom picked us up and drove us to the condo for some super-crazy painting time. Man, is painting ever a workout. We barely stopped except to eat the lunch my mom had packed for us (yumyum). And seven hours later my dad drove us to their house for take-out fish, then back to the apartment to collapse. Last night here – yikes!

Probably one of the stranger Christmas days I’ve had. I woke up to see pillow cases bulging with presents – since we didn’t have a tree Santa apparently did what he used to do for young little husband.

I had only had time to get Garry the watch and PC game he’s asked for, and I felt suitably guilty (and happy!) with six gifts! Two board games, candy, a book on Maine Coons, and this cool plastic buildy kit.

Getting Ready to Paint

We quickly wrapped up my parents’ presents – a scarf and “comfort snake” for my mom and an aerial to receive digital TV for my dad – and headed over for breakfast and a few more gifts (a target gift certificate, a calendar, and a book). Garry hooked up the aerial (it was out “gently used” one, but we thing they understood our frugality!). Afterward we headed over to the condo with painting supplies and were greeted by the canine welcoming force (four doggies including a very cuddly toy poodle named Terra). Their babysitter Karen is the woman that will be watching our kitties while we’re in Florida.

Santa Terra stops by.

We set about painting and got the first coat done in the den and kitchen, then went back to my parents’ house for a Christmas roast beast, and then back home for some packing and bed. Two nights ‘til the big move!

Four days of freedom! Today was such a long day, even though I only worked a half-day. I was so tired I actually took a nap with Garry this afternoon – we fell asleep in a crazyknot on the couch, which probably wasn’t the best for my neck.

My mom went with my Grandma, Lynn and Mike to checkout the condo and the picked us up at 5:30 for a Mexican Navidad feast at my parents’ house. Sort of a weird meal – I was a bit too tired to deal with chocolate sauce on chicken, so I opted for the gravy.

A pyramid of paint

As for our Christmas haul – my parents had constructed a Christmas tree paint can pyramid with a big red bow on it. Yay, paint! Plus they bought us a bread maker and the first season of Dharma and Greg. Parents! We’ll be going over tomorrow morning to give them the presents that are still layout unwrapped on our living room floor. Grandma gave us some chocolate cut mix and $200, and Lynn and Mike gave us a dusty old plastic drop cloth we think they found in their basement. Hmm…

Bread-maker-mouse. (photo taken Jan. 17)

Tomorrow morning it’s presents and painting; yay!

Two days until Christmas! It barely seems like it; we didn’t even get a tree this year with everything going on, and we couldn’t afford many presents (well, except for a condo!). I had to work 10 hours today to make up for closing yesterday. We visited the condo after work with my mom, but it still hasn’t sunk in at all yet. I can’t wait to be all moved in and get to explore and decorate.

Art show with father.

I gave Erin and Jon their hats today. Jon seemed really happy with the Batman lining. I also ordered some dark grey wool yarn for my next sweater; it’s a pattern from the last Knitting update. I justified it because Lynn and Mike (my parents’ friends) will be paying for the print they bought at my art show.

Tomorrow is only a half day and then it’s moving and decorating time! I have to remember to tell Jon and Erin to come help move on Saturday (I’m sure they’ll be thrilled). There is still so much packing to do!

Our new living room

Today we closed on our condo. Only three weeks after our first tour of Arbco (and only two days before that we had never even heard of cohousing). There were a lot of papers to sign. The government representative warned us about the high property taxes and about the “Sanibel Stoop” disease. She had cool short hair like the wizard guy in the Nutcracker.

My neck has been aching lately. I had to go back to work while Garry and my mom went to check out the paint samples in the condo daylight.

A plethora of hats (and a cat)

I’ve wrapped my coworkers’ gifts to give to them tomorrow. I had to make hats out of old yarn as we have no money, though I did line Jon’s in Batman fleece. I hope they like them and they’re not too big.

Work is dragging – thank god it’s a half-week. I just want to move in – it’s all not even started to sink in yet. Yesterday they had a “solstice party” with crafts and I cursed the stupid weekend buses – I can’t wait until it’s all just down the hall from us. It’s funny – I’m actually looking forward to the community aspects the most.