Getting To Know This Town

So, Steve, Linus, and I find ourselves living in the Walla Walla Valley. It's a pretty cool place...nice atmosphere, nice vistas, nice folks. I have visited many of places around town already and am starting to get a feel for the place. Linus and I have tried to visit a store or spot each day and it is kind of nice. Of course, we are starting to run out of places to visit, as this town isn't really all that large. We have also taken drives and seen the sights of the valley surrounding the town. Such a beautiful place. The green fields are so phenomenal. It kinda reminds me of the scene where they are driving through the green fields in the movie "TOYS". If you've seen it, you will know what I am talking about.

The downtown city center is super cute and quaint. They have some awesome little shops down there. A particular favorite already is the "Book & Game Company". Linus seemed to love this store as well. They also have what look like very good restaurants in the city center. Whenever I get the chance to try them out, I will of course tell you all about their magnificence. One place we did try already was "Clarette's". Delicious!!! It is a nice little greasy spoon with affordable eats. We are pretty sure it will become a staple in our diet each month (or more than that...:)...)

Here is a picture of one of the buses that runs through town. Aren't they just darn cute. Right out of the early 1900s or something. You can ride these on into Oregon if you want. Of course, we are only a few miles from the Oregon border, which means every time you go to a store they have to ask whether you are a Washington or Oregon resident ('cause those Oregonians don't pay a sales tax).

This here is City Hall, right across from the St. Vincent de Paul store. Definitely old school Americana.

This is Steve's workplace. It's right in the city center and just 1.4 miles from our new home. This means, if we ever get the gumption to be more athletic, he could just ride his bike into town. Awesome Sauce!!!

Well, I leave you now with a view down a street in town showing the mountains in the distance. Have a fantastic day oh those of the internet world and see you soon.

WE ARE FINALLY HERE!!! We made it!!!

I am much disbelief about how fairly easy it was to make the trek here. It took us five long days of traveling, but we made it to Walla Walla on Thursday, March 18th (Oswald and Hennessey's 7th birthday) and couldn't be happier to be on "solid ground". I am pretty certain Linus is glad to not be trapped in his car seat everyday and the pets are glad to at least be staying in one spot for a while. Oswald is much appreciative of being able to take walks again and have the comfort of a couch to snooze on.

It is weird being here...being so far away. Not too much different, really most places end up being near the same as where you came from, but those little differences catch us each time. It is a small town, so we are getting used to being in a place that isn't all hustle & bustle at all hours. The veterinary clinic has no weekend hours and neither does the daycare down the street, something I haven't seen in a long time. Overall, we feel pretty happy here so far and can really see ourselves settling in quite well. No matter where we went, it was going to be tough to be away from friends and family.

The biggest problem facing us currently is finding a home to rent that will allow our pets. Most places, we are finding, are quite anti-pet...Dangit!!! Why do so many bad pet-owners have to ruin it for the rest of us who truly take care of and clean-up after their pets. Oh well. We are going to look at a place on Monday evening...right now it is the only possible place. Wish us luck, oh peeps of the internet, that things work out in the near, near future.

The Lights Over Strip-Club Central

Last night, after getting home from having dinner with some family members, I noticed the strip club search lights blaring in the sky. Pretty sure those are sending the light high over the Coliseum Club. Doesn't matter anyway, as there are about two or three other strip clubs right there. Not sure why I am blogging about it...seems a bit odd of a post after so long not leaving one. I just noticed them and the weirdest thing entered my mind,...I am going to miss them. Yeah, those search lights indicate bad crap...rough clientele, hookers, drugs, etc....but it is the crap that I am used to having nearby...the crap I have seen right in my neighborhood for years now.

I am getting ready to move to a place that is nice and charming and not much crime happens. There was like one murder in Walla Walla last year. People that live there, stay there. There isn't a push to get out so you can get away from the crime. And while I look forward to living in such a serene atmosphere and having Linus grow up with such seemingly good people, I wonder how I will actually take to it. I am so used to being on guard and keeping a shield up in case this person isn't good. Am I going to be standoffish to these people. I really don't think so, seeing as I will talk to anyone, but I just don't know. On the other hand, are they going to look at us with weird wondering eyes as "those people from Detroit". Yeah, we haven't lived in the very worst neighborhood, but 8 Mile and Gratiot certainly isn't fancy-free. Are they going to think odd of us, as I have heard has happened to some folks that move away. I don't think so again, but you just never know.

All just wonderings from an overactive mind...all just musings.

But I really am going to miss the search lights and the strip clubs.

It Is All Going To Be Fabulous...

So, Walla Walla is constantly on my mind these days. Whether it is how I am going to pack for the trip or where we are going to live or what it will be like to be there finally...All of it tends to go right back to Walla Walla...And strangely, I am already feeling a sense of home for the place (strange because I have never been there). I am getting super-duper excited about the trip out there and about starting our life out there. Adventure yes, but I also think a great turning point. It seems like such a wonderful place to be and, for someone living in metro Detroit which is as close to the pit of despair as you can get, wonderful sounds, well, wonderful. I have already made contact with one of the natives...or rather a person who lives there, as she is a transplant herself. She seems happy as peach pie, which helps me to think I will be, too.

I actually got a box packaged up yesterday and it made me feel all top-notch, like I had accomplished something. Yeah, I am quite aware it was only one box, but it proved I could get a start going. And today I have been going through crud on our desk and getting rid of bunches and organizing the rest. Things are looking good. And though the renting of our current home may cause me to have massive migraines, I think in the end it is going to be all fabulous.
Just as my adventure in moving to Michigan was fabulous...

Procrastination and The Stuff I Am Sad To Leave Behind

Yeah, I am realizing all the time that, though I was never a procrastinator in my younger days, I am a damn good procrastinator now. So much to be done and so little being done. Sometimes the thought of it all is just too overwhelming and so I just don't even start. But today I finally went into a store and got their old boxes and so that made me feel better. I am getting the things we need to move forward. And I went through some clothes and found some I can pitch to Salvation Army. So, I am getting stuff done, just slowly. Gotta pick up the pace.

I think I have been slowed down this past week a little more, because ever since the baptism I am realizing more everyday how much I am going to miss everyone and everything. It is all the little stuff that you take for granted that will be what I miss the most. Sounds cheesy I know, but it is true. I mean, there is no Kroger out there...I will be shopping at grocery stores I have never even heard of before. Are there Chevrons out there? Had to get used to life without them in Michigan. Plus, I won't be driving down the street to get to the mall anymore...Instead of a five to ten minute drive, it will be an hour drive. I won't be hitting Target 1-3 times a week for necessities. I won't be swinging by Babies-r-us just because...actually, I need to check if there is a Babies-r-us there. So silly, but I am just going to miss those day to day things. No St. Veronica Church just outside the door. No saying HELLO to Kelvin and Kemani. No poor dog in the connecting backyard playing with Oswald. But, on the flipside of that, there are going to be a whole new bunch of day-to-day normal things that I am going to get used to out there. And if and when the day comes when we move from Walla Walla, I will miss them terribly, too. Ahhh...how life is so sweet, but how it keeps moving and we always are having to leave stuff behind...hmmm

Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are Little Homes

So, right now we are trying our darndest to find a new home to rent out there in Walla Walla. A rather frustrating part of this search is that apparently none of the apartment complexes out there have web pages and any time you look up houses to rent you get a page with vacation houses to rent. Maybe we should just think about our time in Walla Walla as a vacation, huh. I finally found a few houses on one website. They actually looked pretty good, but we will see when we get there. Most likely they are probably too good to be true or they are already rented. I am just saying, this is my luck. The stress of looking for a new home is also compounded by the stress of trying to figure out what to do with our current home. I swear, after dealing with all of this I am not sure I will ever buy a home again...it is a true pain in my ass.

While doing all of this, I am trying to go through things in the house and decide what to get rid of and what to keep. I think it is a law that when you move you have to have a massive purge and get rid of all of your crap. The good thing is, I actually have someone that wants to buy all of Li's baby stuff. Heck Yeah!!! If I can even get $20 for it that would be something. But, oh man, forcing myself to get rid of his stuff is so damn tough...I want to keep it all. I want to hold every piece of his clothing and remember all of those moments. Just gotta remind myself that so many more moments are on their way. Actually, I need to get back to sorting through his such-and-such, so see you (that ever elusive 'you') on the flipside.

The Baptism and The Car

Today we had the baptism of our son. It was such a beautiful experience!!! Many family members and a couple friends were on hand to enjoy it. It was great to see my brother and his wife enjoy the process of becoming his godparents. They were happy to be there with us and their nephew, as we were to have them. And though my Dad couldn't be there this weekend, we thought of him and he was there in spirit. (Plus, I spoke to him on the phone in depth regarding...good lord, what was it regarding anyway...oh yeah, was I spending enough "quality" time with my mom and brother.) Though the baptism was beautiful and wonderful, it was also a bittersweet moment, one of the last I will get to spend with family and friends for a long time. It made me happy to be with them, but sad to know how much I will miss them. (Hellfire, I am even tearing up writing this...Shit!!!)

Okay...On a much less sad and retrospective note, we are now looking into seeing if we can just get one of our cars shipped to Walla Walla. That way we can all just drive together, the three of us and the pets. Who wants to drive separately for 36 hours...Not me, that's who. But, holy good gravy, do you know how much it costs to ship a car that far...a cool grand. I know to some of you all out there (I don't know why I am writing this to a collective "you", it is really just for me I think...or maybe the poor person that runs across this blog and decides to read it...Bored yet?)...Anyway, I know some people won't think a $1000 is all that bad, but we just look at that number and shriek in horror right now. We just spent close to $400 on a baptism today. But, I keep thinking, is $1000 really that much for the peace of mind in knowing we can travel together and enjoy the ride together. Maybe it isn't. It is certainly something to think about for sure. There are really just too many things to think about when you are preparing for such a move. But, positive I will stay...Walla Walla watch out, here I come!!!