Today is two weeks since wmtc-day. (Thanks to David Parsons for that name!) We've made tremendous progress.
After our day off on Saturday, we had a mammoth Ikea morning on Sunday before game time. (They serve breakfast! For a dollar!) Much to my surprise, we knocked off every major item on my list. The only things left are either little things that we'll pick up here and there - on the order of a paper-towel holder - or large decisions that I'm not tackling yet, like what to do about the living room windows. Now the house is filled with Ikea boxes, which will magically turn into furniture.
Yesterday we got our auto insurance, which was more expensive than we planned because one of us still has a speeding ticket on record. I'll let you guess who. But the ticket will be gone in six months, so our rates will go down. Today we pick up our new car (!!), and tomorrow we return the rental to the Buffalo airport once and for all. That's a huge item crossed off The List.
We may have finally found dog food that Buster can tolerate, and it's available at a vet's office a short drive away. This is good news for B's health, and for our lives. The white rice and boiled chicken diet isn't very nutritious, but it is more labor intensive than dog food. I look forward to having one less thing to plan.
In general, the to-do list that felt so overwhelming two weeks ago is on the verge of completion, and none of it was very difficult or odious to take care of.
My next book assignment is on the near horizon, but hasn't materialized yet. This might mean an even tighter deadline down the road, but for now, it's so much fun. The gorgeous weather has lulled us into a false sense of Endless Summer. Every morning I walk the dogs along the lakefront, and in the afternoon we have our tea in the backyard. We're in heaven.
Everyone - the bank teller, the insurance agent, the car salesman, the neighbors - wants to know why we are here. I could tell what the bank teller was asking, so I said, "It's for the reason you're thinking of." He said, "Good for you. I don't blame you." The manager he needed to co-sign something wished us congratulations and good luck. Everyone does.
Tonight we're going to the Red Sox-Blue Jays game, taking the GO train for the first time.
17 comments:
The only things left are either little things that we'll pick up here and there
It may be a little too far away, but you might want to hold off some of the small things until the One of a Kind arts & crafts show at the end of November. It's a massive show of the work of all sorts of artisans -- clothing, art, cabinetry, furniture, etc -- at the Trade Centre in Exhibition Place. Our own toilet-paper holders come from there: they're plaster casts of hands holding a metal rod you slip the paper over.
OMG, I love stuff like that. Sounds like an excellent way to part with my money. Thanks for the tip!
Heard the Sox
Cleaned our clox.
Allan's happy;
Jay are crappy. :)
Wmtc has such a talented readership!
I favour the Signatures Craft Show (Nov. 25-30), myself. The Convention Centre is handy to get to and the prices aren't as outrageous as at One of a Kind.
I LOVE the GO train. It's one of those things that I try to work into every trip home and I did manage to do just that on my last visit. One of my favourite childhood memories was being on the GO train coming back from a trip to the ROM with my mother and brother and the train operator let us call out the stations. 'Port Credit next station stop', 'Stand clear the doors please.'
Thanks Marnie!
Imcatl, what a cool memory. One of the reasons we wanted to live in Port Credit was to be on the Lakeshore Line. We were amazed that it is the only GO line with trains running all day and on weekends. As it happens, our house is in walking distance to the GO station.
That is the biggest advantage to the GTA. I have to admit that while I love Ottawa, our transit system is awful. We're bringing in something similar to the Go train in the next few years. With any luck we'll be able to ditch our second car once it's up and running.
Wow. You have to be the most organized person on the planet.
ZF: Thank you! I am very organized.
Liam: It's funny, Mississauga transportation looks terrible to me. Most GO trains only run during peak commuter hours, and only in one direction. That seems nuts to me, really discouraging use of public transit.
If we didn't live on the Lakeshore Line, we might have needed two cars, which we couldn't afford and really wanted to avoid.
Actually, the "O Train" is going to be regular transit and running at all hours. It's suppose to come right into our neighbourhood. I'm extremely exited about it.
Excellent! Is that in Ottawa?
Two weeks already L?
Holy cow!
Glad you're here. Love your blog. :-)
Laura
"Excellent! Is that in Ottawa?"
Yup, one of the most beautiful cities around. Just sadly lacking in decent transit services outside of the core. I tried to do the bus thing, but gave up in frustration. Hopefully the O Train will do better.
Glad you're here. Love your blog. :-)
Thank you Laura!
Yup, one of the most beautiful cities around.
I've heard that. I will definitely visit.
I tried to do the bus thing, but gave up in frustration. Hopefully the O Train will do better.
Buses suck. Trains rock.
In my year in Toronto, it was amazing how consistent the amazement was; people would constantly act as though they were stunned an American would move there, and in my case were doubly stunned that I'd choose a Canadian university over an American one. There's a definite though subtle sense of insecurity that's completely unwarranted, as Toronto is a truly gorgeous place to live.
Glad the move went well for you guys. You moved up there the same weekend I moved from there to Boston, I believe.
Thanks, Andrew! In our case, there's also a certain amazement at meeting a real live political refugee, someone who really did pick up and leave the US for Canada, not because of a transfer of employment, but by flat-out choice.
Thanks for stopping by. See you around JoS.
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