stripethree

Forgive the lame title, I couldn’t think of anything better at the moment.

I just returned home from a meeting of the Sierra Sports Car Club, the organization which I am planning to autox with once a month while we are in the Grand Canyon state. It was cool, I’m definitely happy to get involved and it was nice to meet some of the folks other than through an Internet message board. Seems like a fun group that takes the existence of their club and their autox seriously, in a very good way. I’m really looking forward to Sunday, especially since the site is a mere two miles from our place. Rock. Hopefully, in return for some kickass autox action, I’m going to be ale to help them migrate their registration to an online process. So I get to autox and I get to do some fun (I know, nerd) web development. Rock times two.

Outside of my near giddy state and the fast approaching autox, this little town is pretty cool so far. It’s quiet during the day and I’ve been able to get a bunch done and not get distracted while working from home. The only wrench thrown in if when dweedle dee and dweedle dumb (also known as about 20 lbs of kittens) decide to get rowdy and run around. They jump on the ‘desk’ in order to get to the window ledge they like to sit on, regardless of whether the blinds are open or not. Luckily, I’m making headway on breaking them of the habit of walking on my laptop keyboards. They are slowly learning to step over them, or sometimes, with more interesting results, jump over them. I type this as they zip by my feet. Llama seems to be adjusting fine, he’s as curious and bouncy as he always has been and seems to be having a grand old time in the new place. Monkey still seems freaked out for some reason and he’s been more aloof than he was. He’s even made some attempts to get out the front door when we’ve had it open. Hopefully he’ll feel more comfortable soon. Both of them do enjoy hanging out on the balcony, except when the little one decides it’s time to jump and climb the walls. He doesn’t look like he’s going to jump, instead, just seeing how far he can look over the ledge, but I don’t have enough confidence in his ability to realize when he’s going to hurt himself yet. Definitely have to keep an eye on that one when he’s outside.

Other than that, not too much exploring has been done. Most everything is on one main street. Still though, I’m somewhat indifferent. It’s much more laid back here, and I like it so far. I tell you what, and I never thought this was something I would actually take notice of, but the produce here, soooo much better than Maryland could ever hope to be. I don’t know if it doesn’t have to travel as far, if it’s because it’s a warmer climate, or what magically genetically engineering wool someone is pulling over my eyes, but it is magnificently delicious.

Well, that’s all I got for now, I’m hungry and about to wage war on some leftover stuffed shells. There will be more come Sunday. Oh yes, there will be more.

Well, it’s been barely 48 hours, but so far so good. I have to admit, the ol’ SV had some surprises in store for us, most of them positive. I certainly did not expect to turn off I10W onto AZ90 and be met with a steady snowfall, but then again, apparently neither did most of the people already living here. It was cold the first night we were here, but that’s life. Our apartment, as good as it looked in the pictures, looked even better in person. Although it may be small, I like it. Put this place in Columbia and it would easily fetch twice the rent. We are away enough from the ‘city’ so it’s quiet and but there are still plenty of things within a few minutes drive. Some of those ‘things’ are more chain stores that I expected, as if the city is trying hard not be that whole in the wall, middle of nowhere place that no one ever wants to get stuck. I think it will be a nice change. My only real disappointments are that there is no Chipotle, the closest being in Tucson an hour away, and there is no VW dealer (hey, you never know what parts might be needed).

The road trip for the most part, was smooth. I won’t speak anymore of the incidents in Texas, other that I don’t plan on driving through there again anytime soon. And by soon, I mean ever. It was a long drive, and by the last day and a half, I really just wanted to get out and away from my car, but 2300 miles might do that. The car made through the ordeal with some bumpbs and bruises – bumper scrapes, blown tire, chipped windshield, and a cracked speaker cover – not nothing catastrophic and that won’t be fixed or just ‘lived with’.

I don’t want to pass judgment yet, but as I said, so far so good. I’m looking forward to settling down, getting into a regular work from home schedule, and getting into some things in the local area (yay autox!) and I’ll take it from there. We still have unpacking to do, our household good shipment will be here on Thursday, the cats are adjusting just fine (as Monkey is passed out on my leg and Llama is in the same state somewhere in the closet of clothes), and hopefully we can settle in and have fun while we’re here.

I’ll post some pics of the new place, the view (spectacular!) and whatever else is of interest in the surrounding area soon.