The sellers decided it was too much trouble to move it, so we inherited a pool table with the house. Finally, we know what we want to be when we grow up: pool sharks! We started practicing in the evenings but we have a long way to go.
A hustler in the making!
With a forecast of heavy rain, Hendrik’s parents advised that we should mow our lawn before the grass gets too soggy. Thus, our first attempt at yard care was instigated.
We decided that since we have a small lawn, an old-fashioned push-mower should suffice. It only took about half the lawn for Hendrik to get the hang of it.
Doin’ the yard work.
Meanwhile, I decided to put my newly-learned (YouTube-instructed) pruning skills to work. Hopefully I didn’t do irreparable damage to any of our plants. Hendrik has declared a moratorium on further pruning until after Thursday when the city collects our currently overstuffed green bin. I guess I got carried away with the clippers.
Well, well, little flower. We meet again.
Of course, we also put our house-warming presents from my parents to good use removing dandelions. Bonus points if you spotted the dandelion-digger and unfortunate dandelions in the first photo.
Last week my parents followed our tracks on the Oregon trail to come for a visit. I’m pleased to say they made it without any broken bones, rattle snake bites, or cholera and they didn’t even have to set a grueling pace. We immediately set them to work collapsing boxes, making minor repairs, and running errands. They were very helpful and we even let them do a few fun things while they were here including braving mountain lion attacks to tour a Frank Lloyd Wright house and going out for Texas barbecue. We look forward to many more visits now that they don’t have to fly across the Atlantic to find us.
Hendrik is another year older and he got a house for his birthday! In addition to moving in, I planned a four day extravaganza to celebrate. On Friday he opened presents and we went to his favorite Thai restaurant, Cha’Ba Thai, for dinner with his parents. Saturday, we had chocolate raspberry cake and went to Ground Kontrol, an old-fashioned arcade, with his high school friends. Sunday, his friends joined from all around the US for online video games. Monday, we went out for dinner and to the symphony to hear Verdi’s Requiem. I think I kept him too busy to feel old.
Hendrik and Ben racing while Cam waits his turn. There was some Pac-Man and pinball too.
Surprise! We bought a house and moved in last week. I didn’t want to say anything on here until everything was finalized and now it is. We got the keys on Tuesday evening, the movers came on Wednesday, and we slept there for the first time on Friday. We’re not totally unpacked and set up yet but things are mostly functional. We even cooked dinner there last night.
We also learned something about our priorities based on the order in which we set things up. It went something like this: COFFEE, bed, patio (it was sunny), office with computers (for games, obviously), and then kitchen. Seems about right. Everything else is still a disaster of boxes and disorganized possessions.
Moving day.
We decided to buy instead of rent because the rent here is ridiculously high. Of course so is the real estate market but at least we can build some equity this way and we’re planning to stay for a while. The current plan is to “never move again,” since we’ve each lived in 13 different abodes in the last decade. So far it feels nice to own our own place but we’ll see what I think once something breaks and I can’t just call the landlord.
Apparently one week of sunshine in San Diego is enough to convince my subconscious mind that it is summer. The conversation with my sister yesterday went something like this:
Amy: The Iditarod started this week.
Me (confused): I didn’t know they ran the Iditarod in the summer?
Amy: …
Me: …
Amy: Umm, March isn’t summer.
Me: Ohh. Good point.
I spent my last weekend in San Diego playing board games, going to the beach in the rain, and enjoying the sunshine.
The rain wasn’t that bad although there was a stampede of southern Californians running down the pier shrieking and seeking shelter. It was actually good luck because we saw a pelican, an egret, dolphins, and a whale before watching a gorgeous sunset.
We went to the Hindu festival of Spring, Holi, and got to enjoy throwing colored powder at each other and eating traditional food.
Holi, the most fun holiday ever! Indians sure have the best festivals.
I also gorged myself on as many tacos as I could find and explored the North Park neighborhood of San Diego.
I sure am radiant if there is this much sunshine (the sweatshirt is to avoid sunburns, not to stay warm).
In contrast to the snow Hendrik was enjoying in Portland, I have sunshine and the beach in San Diego!
Soaking up sunshine and science at Mission Bay.
For the last week I have been attending the Annual Meeting of the Adhesion Society and in between lectures I got to wander around on the beach in the sun! My friend and former colleague from the Netherlands, Michelle, was also there so I got to see her too!
Scrambling over rocks and sand near La Jolla.
This is the first time I have been back to California since we moved to the Netherlands and I didn’t realize how much I missed it. Good thing Portland is a nice place to live too.
EisenOrem Adventures 