Totally non-moving related

First, we want to apologize. We sent out the notice about our updated blog to all family and friends, many of whom have no idea that we are thinking of moving. Not the most personal way to let you all know of our latest plans, but as you will see from this post, I am just SO busy these days.

Second, another apology: Yesterday after posting, I browsed around the Blogger site and discovered that "proper" blog etiquette is to keep your posts short and succinct, and yet still entertaining and enticing. Yeah, whatever. If you prefer that style of blog, you can skip every other paragraph. You really won't miss out on anything.

So, yesterday we finished up the basement (except for painting the steps and fixing up the home run ... Mark's jobs ... and cleaning the floor ... my job). Then we took Kai for a much-needed, longer-than-half-hour walk with brother-in-law Ben, who is visiting from Australia by way of New York, Boston, Tampa, Columbus, Toronto, Dallas, and San Francisco (whew, and he's here for fewer than two weeks). Then off to meet the Asakawas at La Tapatio (which our friend Mickie said she pronounced "la ta patio," which always makes me laugh) for some very unhealthy, but very tasty, Mexican food and margaritas. Mmmmmm. We will certainly miss cheese-covered enchiladas and margaritas the size of your head when we move to France! This morning has been filled with catching up on my friends' blogs, which led me to another blog that has taken up my entire morning: The Typo Eradication Leaque. Nanci, thanks so much for the link! Too dang funny. Check it out, but be warned: If you are a grammar freak like me, you may get sucked in and never leave.

So, obviously, I'm just too busy to write all of you personal notes.

Time for some more coffee (Val and Jon, not the instant kind. Mark refreshed our stash with some Dazbog yesterday. Hallelujah.) and then, perhaps, I'll get started on some work.

New Adventures in Moving

So, we are obviously no longer in Aus or France. Just sitting here in Denver. Well, that's not entirely true. We haven't "just sat" in Denver for the past three or four weeks. Our time has been filled with tearing out old windows (only took us 1 week--thanks, James and Scotty!), installing new windows (only took us 2 weeks--thanks, James, Scotty, Max, Paul and the moral support of Beth, Suzy, and Susan), and finally breaking down and hiring wonderful Ramon Estrada to finish up the drywalling, mudding, taping, texturing, corner beads, trim, etc., etc., etc. For the past week it seems all we've been doing is painting--the bathroom, all the window frames, Mark's office, the kitchen; entire walls, touch-up jobs, doors, mirror frames, you name it. We haven't done this much work on the house since we moved in.

And why the frenzy of frenetic activity? Well, we are seriously considering and nearly absolutely sure that we are moving to Samoens, France. So, no, we did not just go there for a vacation. We went to scope out the possibility of becoming Frogs (well, at least residents of Frog-Land). (Do frogs live in the Alps?) And if not France, then perhaps Dallas. You know, 6 of one, half dozen of the other, right?

So, lots to do. This week we are taking all this painting fun and moving it outdoors, with the help of our neighboor Bill. If all goes well, our home for the past 6 years will be on the market by a week from Monday. Ack!

We plan to have photos taken by the pros at obeo.com. When that is done, we'll post a link for everyone to see panoramas of all the work we've done. (Oh, did I mention we also installed a "new" gas stove? Thanks, Danimal!!)

Whew! Anyway, a couple people asked whether we were keeping track of all our adventures in planning to move. So I thought, what the heck. Makes for just fascinating reading, I am sure.

Pictures of all the good times to follow.