Well, we're nearing a week here in Oregon, and things are going really well (all things considered). Vern and the older munchkins are off partying under the stars at a Star Party, and the babies and I have had a couple of very quiet days. It's terribly late, so this is going to be short and sweet.
I've successfully located Target, Wal-Mart, a Big K, Albertsons, a Haggen, Bi-Mart, Win-Co, REI, Old Navy, Kohl's, Joann's and Michael's. Didn't even get lost. (I *heart* Google.) I've driven around the main roads through two neighboring cities, and have a good basic outline in my head of what road goes where, and how things are related. With that under my belt, and the list of stores and their locations plugged thereinto, I'm ready to take directions from anybody to anywhere around here. ;o)
We've eaten decent food on a regular basis for several days now. It's astounding. And tasty. (I wish you could have had some of my salad tonight. Butter lettuce, lemon & garlic feta, hand-chipped pecans, dried cranberries and Lighthouse Honey Mustard dressing. It was divine. Hmmmm . . . on second thought, I'm glad you weren't here to have some, because I ate it all. You can always make your own, though. It was really that good.
I absolutely love my new little house. It's in a neighborhood, which is a totally new experience for me, but we have simply great neighbors, and it's a very quiet street. I'm comfortable letting the two oldest kids ride their bikes within a prescribed and mutually-acceptable area, and we even have access to a little park through a gate in the backyard, which the munchkins dearly adore. Vern loves it, too . . . lots and lots of room for the kids to run, and he doesn't have to mow it! And the air conditioning is an exceptionally nice touch.
There are some adjustments to be made: today Lil'MissL told me that she didn't want to have any fence, so our yard could be bigger. In Idaho, our last home was on an acre, and had no fences, so you could see for a good long ways in all directions. Here, it's about twenty feet (if that) from the back door to the back fence, with nothing but grass and a little patio for interest. The backyard is a serious project, but I'm going to do what I can with free plants from friends and family . . . I'm even going to try to scrounge up a small tree for shade. (The backyard gets H-O-T!)
My furniture looks positively lovely in the family room. I know I promised you a photo, but Vern took the camera, and my oldest has hidden the battery charger, so I can't charge the batteries for my trusty old Oly. Please do be patient, they really will come.
And now, I'm off to bed. Finally. There are some things to do (minor kitchen tidying, and of course all of the unpacking), but they'll wait until tomorrow. Lil'MissL doesn't sleep that late, and the baby gets up to eat in the night, so I want as many hours in as possible before those things happen.
