Finally, a Plan!

The moving company called us back this morning and is planning to come on Thursday and pack, and then move on Friday.

We were really hoping to have them here tomorrow or Wednesday, but that is clearly not going to happen, so I guess we'll suck it up.

Also they told Scott to tell me to stop packing - for liability purposes they have to pack everything. So now I'm just trying to organize and clean. That sucks.

I dismantled and hosed out the hamster cage today, Tempura is going to live with my friend Kelle who LOVES animals and has been wanting a hamster every time one comes into the pet store, so I know she will spoil her and take very good care of her.

I just don't like feeling like I'm not doing anything to get our life progressing.

Amazing.

I happened to read about this while looking up Darlene Zschech on Wikipedia (long story as to how I got to her on Wikipedia but anyway...)...

I've always been impressed when American Idol contestants sing a Christian pop or worship song on the show. They are often judged pretty harshly for it, but I give them kudos for doing it at all.

I wondered how it was that I missed this episode and then I realized that it aired two days before our wedding and watching TV was the last thing on my mind right about then...

In any case, I am pleased that it was on the show.

Last Day

It's beginning to get light out on my last day of work in Key West. I'll likely go in on Sunday or Monday and do some computer stuff, but today is my last shift on the floor.

Stinkerbell is sleeping on my lap... when I got out of bed about an hour ago she got up and followed me to the living room.

All the animals are being extra-needy right now - Stinkerbell has never moved so she can't really understand the boxes, but Buster and the cats have experienced boxes before and are getting worried.

Buster tries to come with us anytime we leave the house now, he's afraid of being left behind!

We signed a lease today and faxed it back to the realtor, I'll post pics as soon as there's no way it can fall through. If I've learned nothing else in this recent chapter of life it's that I HAVE to take each day one at a time or I'll lose my freaking mind!

I did find an insurance agent in the area and have transferred our car and renters insurance, once the lease is confirmed I'll go online and transfer Comcast and do our address change.

I've packed a bunch of stuff - mostly clothes and bedding as it's clean. We're probably going to get rid of some stuff before we leave: two tv's we never use, our bed frame (since it's TOTALLY busted now) and all the crappy pots and pans since we've been collecting new ones from Crate & Barrell thanks to wedding gift cards.

I'm REALLY excited about the kitchen in the new house... once you see it you'll understand why!

Stay Calm

more animals

I'm sure that I will jinx the whole thing by talking about it - but I believe we're moving to Georgia. We picked a house tonight (I'll post pics as soon as the lease is signed) and are going to call tomorrow to schedule the movers.

I'm excited - I would love to go home to the northwest, but going anywhere new is cool, too. I'm hoping that we will be more free to travel "home" from Augusta than from Key West, I'd really like to be at my Family Reunion and Family Camping Trip next summer.

Of course, I'm having a hard time sleeping because my brain keeps making lists of things that need to be done before we move or in order to move.

And, there's a bit of added stress because someone is apparently illegal in Georgia.

Taking Action

This morning before I left for work Scott and I decided that if the company in WA doesn't call by the end of the day today, we're going to go ahead and go to GA.

He's picking a house now and getting his paperwork ready.

In the Meantime...

Since there's few things in my life at the moment I CAN control, I got bored and decided to cut and color my hair.

Granted, the light and color effects on these pictures make it look like I'm pasty white in the "after" pic, but I'm not...


I've really missed having dark red hair, so I decided to go back to it for awhile. Now if only I could force a decision in where we're moving to!

Packing and Waiting

Right now we don't know where we're going.

The company in Washington had a phone interview with Scott yesterday and the next step is for them to call him back and ask him to fly out for an interview in person.

We will continue with plans to move to Augusta until the company in Washington makes it clear whether they want to bring him on or not.

I'm just sorting and packing and organizing.

I'm Going to Lose My Mind

Today is Scott's last day of work here in Key West. We are narrowing down places to live in Georgia and have only 13 days before we are planning to leave.

Today the company in Bingen, WA emailed Scott and asked him to call for an interview.

I feel like my emotions have been run through a cement mixer and splatted out onto the road.

If that wasn't enough to make me just sit down and cry, last night my bosses told me they are pregnant. She is 36 and has been off birth control for about six months.

I'm 32 and have been off birth control for TWO YEARS.

I can honestly say this is the first time since we've been "trying" that having a friend tell me they are pregnant has bothered me at all.

I'm sure it's because I have so many other things to deal with right now, but I'm really having a hard time not being actively jealous.

Too Much Head Noise

It's 3:07am.

I tried to go to bed twice so far - starting around 10:30pm... I only have two more work days until I have four days off, then another 6 days on and that's it - we're gone!

Thanks to my fabulous in-laws, I'll be joining Scott on a trip to Seattle in November to (hopefully) meet our new nephew (if he cooperates with our schedule of course).

My mind keeps making lists of things to do and organize and pack... overwhelming.

Our immediate goal is to secure somewhere to live in the new town, there's a few possibilities lined up. Our favorite so far isn't available until the 21st of October and we'd like to be moved in before that, so we may have to go with something else.

My next goal once we have a new address is to work on new employment! I know it will be much easier once I'm actually in town and can walk in somewhere and convince them to hire me based solely on my brilliance.

Ha.

Packing Up

Things are far enough underway that I feel it is safe to announce our decision...

We ARE moving to Augusta, Georgia (unless we don't for some reason).

Right now we're planning to move around October 15th, we began showing our house here today and a rep from a moving company came to check out the house to see how much to charge Scott's company to move us.

We're trying to find someone to move in here as soon as possible so we don't lose our last month's rent.

Scott has been working very hard the last two days on cleaning the house while I have been working at the pet store. His last official day at work here in Key West will be this Tuesday.

My last day at the pet store will probably be the 12th or 13th and then we are anticipating having the movers take everything on the 15th.

Scott will take Buster, Tempura, Won-Ton and Zim in the BMW and I will take the three cats and Stinkerbell in the Honda. Should be an interesting 13 hour drive... Scott suggested that he and I and Buster go ahead and have Maui drive the other cats and the skunk.

I Give Up

I'm not blogging until our decision is final. Georgia is back in the running.

Gah.

No Georgia.

As soon as we thought we were sure about something, it changed.

Originally we were told that if we took the position in Georgia, we'd make at least what we are making now and have a lower cost of living - giving us the ability to save up a significant amount of money.

The official offer came in today at quite a bit less than what we are making in Key West to account for the lower cost of living in Georgia. Basically we wouldn't get anywhere financially and would have about the same amount of money.

In my opinion that's just not worth it. We've decided that the only reason to move from Key West is either to get ahead financially (and by a lot, not just a little) or to move HOME.

So, we're going to take the offer from the new company in Key West and work on the Washington/Oregon opportunities, and take them as soon as they are something that is worth our packing up and moving.

If you are in the Portland/Vancouver or Columbia Gorge area and think you know of a good job for me, let me know!

What Comes Next

I am watching Unwrapped on Food Network.

I'm not really paying attention though, I'm more mentally wrapped up in not knowing where I'm going to live a month from now.

Recently another option besides Augusta came up, and then today "Company C" gave Scott an offer to stay that is pretty good.

But now we've gotten our hearts ready to leave Key West.

The "mystery" option could put us close to home on the west coast, but likely wouldn't pay anything near Augusta or Key West. But it would be close to home.

Close enough to go to church every week at the place we love. Close enough to visit our ailing grandparents on a regular basis. Close enough to see our nephew (due in November) and all our friends' kids grow up.

This is a very hard place to be, emotionally.

I'm good at just picking up and leaving, I made the decision to move to Key West from Vancouver, WA in about a week.

I'm not good at not knowing what the plan is.

Home Cookin'

I made a very tasty meal a couple of nights ago without any recipes...

Reese's Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers

2 parts water to 1 part rice (I made two cups of rice tonight and it was about four times what I needed for two peppers): Put the water in the pan, add a package of taco seasoning and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, turn burner off and let cook for a half hour.


Meanwhile...back at the ranch...

preheat oven to 350

Cut the tops off the bell peppers - about an inch from the top. Discard the stem and dice the rest of the tops.

Saute the diced tops in a pan with half a white onion, also diced and some olive oil. Add in about four cloves of garlic, diced. Once the onions and peppers start to soften, add in a package of Boca burger crumbles and stir occasionally for about another five minutes, then turn the burner to low.

Clean out the bottoms of the bell peppers. Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of the peppers and in the bottom of a covered baking dish. Place the bell peppers open side up (covered) into the preheated oven for about fifteen minutes. Take them out of the oven and turn them right side down in the dish, cover again and cook for another fifteen minutes.


After the second fifteen minutes, sprinkle the inside of the peppers with a pinch of kosher salt. Layer spoonfuls of the rice with layers of the burger/peppers mixture. Put back in the oven for about five to ten minutes.

Sprinkle a tiny bit of shredded cheddar on top.

_____________________________________________

Black Bean Quesadillas...

I mixed a can of diced green chilies (drained) in a bowl with about an equal amount of drained canned black beans.

Cover a cookie sheet with tin foil, put a flour tortilla on the pan, sprinkle a thin layer of shredded jack cheese and place in the oven on the bottom rack (still at 350) for about five or ten minutes - until the tortillas start to get crispy and the cheese is melted. Take out of the oven and move from the pan. Lay down new tortillas, another thin layer of cheese then spoon a bit of bean/chili mix on each tortilla and place the first round of tortillas w/ cheese on top. Back in the oven for about five to ten minutes - until the cheese is all melty.

Serve with guac and sour cream.

The Midnight Train

In the last two days a lot has been going on at our house.

We've pretty much decided to move to Augusta, Georgia.

The WHY:
Scott is currently employed by a company whose contract for his job is up October 1st. Instead of going with the new company to keep his job and get less pay, less vacation, no hurricane pay and a host of other non-benefits, he has the opportunity to take a position WITH his current company but in Augusta at at least the same pay rate and benefits.

The WHEN:
Scott will likely go in about two to three weeks, I will probably follow within about three weeks to a month.

The CONS:
I'll be giving up my job at the pet store, which is the job I've enjoyed most anywhere.
We'll miss our friends here in Key West - my coworkers and especially Jenny.
Augusta is not a tropical island.

The PROS:
I've already applied for a real-estate closing assistant job in Augusta, which is basically the same type of thing I was doing in Washington before moving to Key West. If that doesn't come through, there is a general manager position available at a PetCo in Augusta and a few other things that look interesting.
Housing in the area is significantly less expensive than in Key West. We've already been scouting out possibilities and I've found beautiful five-bedroom homes on huge lots for a hundred dollars less per month than we are paying for our two-bedroom here in Key West.
We'd be about a two-hour drive from Atlanta, which is a hub for several airlines thus making it much cheaper to fly anywhere anytime, but more importantly to Portland.
Then there's the conveniences... Target, Red Robin, Trader Joes, Old Navy, and my favorite - Old Spaghetti Factory all within driving distance.

We're hoping to make strong headway on saving up a bunch of money so that when we DO have the opportunity to move to Portland/Vancouver, we have more freedom with what to do once we get there.

The ONLY Reason I Would Like To Have Attended a Public High-School...

This is possibly the coolest thing I've ever seen.

These kids are seriously creative. Some of the detail on the outfits is just incredible.

THESE people should be on Project Runway!

Hurrication

Kelsie asked about the colored lines on the NOAA maps... if you look at the key in the upper right hand corner it shows that the colors correlate to different levels of storm watch/warnings.

Blue is Tropical Storm Warning - which is what we've been experiencing today.

The delivery truck for the pet store came around noon and between my bosses, two boarding staff, Scott and I and another employee an her husband, we got everything unloaded, unboxed and put away within about 2 hours.

Then the bosses took us to lunch at Jack Flats downtown where we enjoyed some good food and drink and trivia games until the power went out... That only lasted for about a half hour and then it came back on.

We experienced a second power outtage for about 20 minutes about an hour ago, but nothing that has caused us discomfort or danger.

The pet store will re-open tomorrow at 10am and Jen told me I can come in at 2pm instead of noon.

HW to TS

We're all the way down to Tropical Storm Warning...

The pet store is getting a scheduled delivery tomorrow so I'll be working and probably drag Scott in to help since most of the kids evacuated.

Staying Put

As you can see... we are now outside the cone and are quickly downgrading from "hurricane watch" to "tropical storm warning".

We're ready to get out if we need to, but right now it doesn't look like we're going to need to.

Family Together

Scott arrived home safe, but almost didn't make it on the plane in Ft. Meyers. We've never changed our drivers licenses and he couldn't prove he is a Key West resident, so they nearly wouldn't issue him a ticket.

The animals are all very happy to see him, Stinkerbell is back snuggling his leg in her old familiar spot and Buster has been overly attentive as well.

This is the latest 5 day forecast of IKE, which puts us under "hurricane watch" but not "hurricane warning".

Click on the picture to see the whole thing...

We will pack and be ready to go if deemed necessary tomorrow afternoon.