What the??? I just GOT here!!

This is the scene I witnessed outside last night.  I only went out to get some milk so I could have breakfast in the morning, I swear!

HA!  My entire block was shut down all day yesterday to film "Total Recall" scenes.  The remake is set to be released in August 2012.  Not my kind of movie, but I will have to see it, just to see if I recognize any of my neighbourhood in "post-apocolyptic England".

I had a great weekend. Hubby came to spend the weekend with me (he brought my sewing machine, and one of my totes of sewing stuff - so I can sew now!) and we were tourists.  On the itinerary:

• Dinner at Wimpy's Diner -- I've been smelling these ribs all week, and just waiting for the opportunity to try them!

Saturday:

• Guelph Farmer's Market
• breakfast at the Apollo 11 which is as "greasy spoon" as you can get, but hey - DH was tickled!
• yard saling - we found some great art for the bathroom, a brand new cutting board and knife block, a dish rack, a key rack, and a grater.  Driving around Guelph helped us get oriented to out new hometown
• off to Ikea!  I love Ikea, and it's only 25 minutes away now
• late lunch/early supper at McCabe's. I had a chicken fajita wrap -- so good!  DH had a roasted chicken pizza.

Sunday

• back to Ikea - I had gotten the wrong lids for my garbage bins, and hey...can you beat the $1 breakfast at Ikea?
• Aberfoyle Antiques Market - we'll be going back again and again - too much to see!
• lunch at The Red Papaya Thai & Grill -  DH had "drunken noodles" and I had pad thai.  This was his first Thai experience, and he liked it a lot!  Never too old to broaden one's horizons, eh?

I spent the afternoon doing laundry -- wow!  I'm not a fan of apartment building laundry rooms - hot & filthy! 

I still don't have phone, internet, or cable - and I'm not hooking any of these things up until hubby is moved here full time.  I can use my cell, I can listen to CBC radio instead of listening to TV (there's nothing on anyway), and I can use the internet down here at Coco Latte steps outside of my door, as I enjoy my morning java!

This morning I'm going to be attending Landlord and Tenant hearings.  In London, there is a entire floor of an office building dedicated full time to this.  But I guess (and I haven't had a chance to figure it all out yet) it's a sort of "circuit court" sort of situation here in Guelph, where the hearings are held at a Best Western hotel!  I'm in the wild frontier here maybe?  I'm sure I'll know more about it by lunch time today.

Heaven! I'm in heaven!

Mom - call Nanna and give her a report! 

My first night was rough, because I couldn't figure out how to turn on the A/C, and I HAD to open the windows.  It was pretty noisy (compared to what I'm used to) but settled down after midnight-ish.

My first day was terrific!  The ladies in the office took me out for lunch.  I had West African curry -- never had curry before, and it was good (but put me in a sweat, and made my nose run all afternoon).  In the afternoon, I attended a community meeting and "worked the room" shaking hands, introducing myself, passing around business cards.

In the evening, I visited the local quilt shop: The Greenwood Quiltery.  I didn't buy anything...just shopped with my eyes.

Today, I got a little better oriented to the office, and spent most of the day researching community resources and booking appts. to tour agencies in the county.  My schedule is quickly filling up, and it looks like I won't be spending too much time in the office over the next three weeks.

Tonight I stopped by the local Bibles For Missions Thrift Store.  It's wonderful!  Again, only shopped with my eyes, but I'll go back another time.  In the same plaza was Lens Mills, where I looked at the fabric (not as much as in London) and bought a quilting magazine.  Oh oh!  this means trouble!

Now, I'm sitting in the coffee shop down stairs from my apartment, enjoying a little 'net and a cup of tea.  I'm going to try doing laundry tonight. 

Know what the best part of today was?  Being close enough to "home" to come home for lunch, unpacking four boxes, having a relatively healthy lunch and listening to the CBC radio.  Now that's what I call a LUNCH BREAK! 

I'd tell you more, but I forgot my laptop power cord in St. T. and my battery is just about dead!

It's gotta be bedtime

I'm absolutely exhausted!  Today was moving day, and by 12 o'clock this afternoon, we had loaded the truck, driven to Guelph, unloaded, and sent Hubby and Itty Bitty back home.  I'm going to unpack slowly -- the essentials are out, and I will be bright eyed and busy tailed for my first day of work tomorrow.

I have discovered that I forgot a bunch of stuff at the house, and will need to "rough it" until the weekend.  The worst part is the cold shower I'm going to have in the morning, because the gas won't be turned on until tomorrow afternoon. ACK!

I've already been to the public library, got my card, and borrowed a couple of novels, so I have something to keep my company. It's only a block from my apartment!

Tomorrow: MOVING DAY!

It is pouring rain out there -- but somehow, we managed to get the rented U-haul loaded in between the drops.

I'm just fiddling around, finishing up some laundry, putting together a box of the "essentials" (so if things don't go optimally tomorrow, at least I can still turn up in a presentable state for my first day of work Tuesday morning) and simmering down into a more relaxed mode so I can actually get some sleep tonight!

The Help

I just finished reading "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.  WOW!

Now I can't wait to see the movie.

Just a few more "sleeps"!

This is the fountain in front of my apartment.  It's entitled "The Family".  I guess someone thought this family was a little chilly.  I'm thinking a loin cloth was more appropriate for daddy, than a t-shirt...I'm just sayin'...

I got an email from the program chair of the Royal City Quilt Guild, outlining the schedule of speakers for this year. I expect I will be able to attend the Sept 13th meeting, where Sandy Proud Smallfoot will be the speaker. I am really looking forward to getting back to some quilty fun.

Packing, packing, packing!

I've only got a few more days until the big move!

I've been packing everything in the basement this morning - and making good progress, until I took time out to drop some stuff off for my sister and mom...and pick up a few groceries...and stop by the LCBO to get more boxes...

Taking a break was a mistake.  I just spent a half hour looking back at Bonnie Hunter's blog Quiltville.  I now need an aspirin and a nap, because my head is pounding with ideas to start sewing again!

Trick is going to be, packing carefully to ensure that I have what I NEED in order to get through my first week on my own.

Let's see:  bed, linens, coffee mug, sewing machine, fabric, thread, rulers, cutters, pins, scissors, iron, ironing board, radio.  Hmmm....maybe I should take some clothes too - -  since I WILL have to work during the day! 

OH - I better take a table and a chair too!

Gibson the Cat

Good Ole Gibby!

I'm sad to say that Gibby can't come with us to Guelph.  No pets allowed in my apartment.  However, my mom has agreed to foster grandmother Gibby for a year.  Hubby and I are completely bereft about leaving our kitty behind.  I'm so grateful that mom will be taking him -- there's no question of us giving him away.  NOT HAPPENING!

Francois the Squirrel

"Hey lady - bring me a cookie!"

I have a very friendly squirrel, who visits a couple of times a day -- whenever someone is on the deck! -- and has a tremendous sweet tooth.  He really likes biscotti, but any cookie will do in a pinch.  However, I'm all out of cookies.

Will Cheerios do?

"Yeah, I like Cheeriooooooooooos!!!!"

No kidding...

So, you thought maybe I'd get back to sewing and quilting and thrifting and ...BLOGGING, now that I was finished my degree, huh?

Now my time is consumed with getting ready to move!  I have accepted a position in Guelph, ON which starts next Tuesday, so I'm moving in a week.

My nerves are shot.  I'm not sleeping.  I scared witless.  BUT I'M SO EXCITED!!!  I can't wait to move into my lovely new apartment, and begin this new chapter of my life.