Time Flies

Wow! I can hardly believe it has been almost 6 months since we left SoCal (and six months since my last entry?!?!?) I really do apologize, I had the best intentions to keep this up but was foiled, in part, by a super-slow internet connection. I just couldn't see posting updates without the photos to go along with the stories. After all, the words expressed by the photos would make up for my less-than-Pulitzer writing skills.

There have been some adventures along the way and during our first half-year and, with the new school year here, I'm tasking myself with getting current.

Catching Up - Almost Outta Here!

OK, the big moving day came and went and we are settled in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Things were a little crazy at first with the arrival at our new home and then the arrival of the movers and then the arrival of a spring ice storm! It took some time to figure out how to get phone service and internet access and load photos. It'll take me awhile to catch up but I know I can do it!



March 8th arrived and we spent the entire day loading plants from the house, garage, and backyard into a 16-foot rental van. Here were are with the van half full.

It was a hot and crazy job. I'm so proud of Jean for managing to fit about 95% of our plants into that small space. He had them going every which way and it was an engineering marvel. The smaller specimens were boxed and these boxes were piled floor to ceiling. Maybe it's a bit much to devote a whole entry to the 'loading of the plants' but I don't know how I would have fared if I had to leave all our plants behind as they are such a part of our lives. Yep, sounds corny, I know, but they bring us much joy. Much of our courtship involves visits to orchid shows and sales and it's just something that we really enjoying doing together. As it was we had to leave behind a number of our plants, mostly duplicates. I believe they went to good homes as Karin and Garrett were going to be my plant rescuers.

After loading all the plants the day was done. We decided rather than leave late in the evening of March 8th, we'd be up and gone by 6 am on March 9th.

Saying Goodbye, Part II

Escrow closed today. I no longer own property in California. I am "renting" what used to be my own house. For the next two weeks my brain will endure a whirlwind of activities (packing, sending out change of address forms, packing, coordinating utilities being turned off, packing, playing host to family members who are coming to visit, saying goodbye to friends, packing, ... ) that it has not experienced to this degree.

My brother comes to visit tomorrow, a last trip to what he called his 'California vacation home'. He still lives in New Jersey and I wonder if he is thinking to himself - "What is she thinking, moving back to Jersey!?" It usually rains when he visits so I hope his luck is better this time. We will try to find a few chores for him to work on to help us with our move. We are visiting my husband's aunt and uncle on Saturday, as they live local and have some relatives in town, and a good friend has planned a small get-together with our local buddies on Sunday. These parties would be thoroughly enjoyable if there was not so much PACKING to do. With my brother in town we will ride some of our favourite mountain-bike trails, another thing to say goodbye to. This photo is my husband posing on the slickrock trails of Gooseberry Mesa, Utah.

I am not sure if the dogs are ready for what awaits them. Aten and Karnak, our 5-year old red and white basenjis, must know something is going on. There are boxes everywhere and their crates have been moved around the garage at least 3 times in the past 3 months as we have moved things around in there for various reasons. They boys, as I like to call them, also got a DHP + Parvo shot last Sunday and we bought them some larger crates for travelling in the car on our cross-country drive.

The next two weeks should prove very interesting!

Saying Goodbye, Part I

Ok, so maybe I will miss California a little bit. This is the view from our backyard, which measures about 10 feet square (just kidding, but it's close!) We mountain bike up Saddleback Mountain and Santiago Peak, which is what you see in this photo. You sure cannot beat the mountain biking around Orange County. We've met a lot of good people who ride, and we will miss them for sure.

Return to Jersey - the Prequel

OK, it's been 15 years since I have called the Garden State my home, but I am about to do what some say is the unthinkable -- move back to New Jersey! After living in sunny Southern California for a loooooong time, it's time to go back where the air is clean (no kidding!) and the trees are green and don't need to be irrigated. Even my parents, who are pretty much life-long residents of Central New Jersey, say "Maybe it's a mistake!" My dear husband has decided to give the adventure a whirl. He is Canadian and there is no way anything in the Lower 48 can compare to the horror that he has experienced as Winter.

A few items still stand in the way of my return, namely the close of an escrow (which will forever remove me from our little house in a nameless and faceless California housing development) and a drive across the country. Things should come to a head on March 8th so we shall see.....