On moving

No pictures yet, but lots of random thoughts to post, and if I don't get them down, I'm sure they'll get lost in my head (it's a very busy place)....

* We have spent the last week marvelling at how much stuff one can accumulate in three years time. Three years ago, KB and I each arrived with just three suitcases a piece. It took us one moving van and four car trips to get everything to Sigulda!

* If I didn't know it before, I know it now. I'm allergic to dust. There was a lot of it in the moving/cleaning process, so it was lots of sneezing and watery eyes for me. I've even got the red Rudolph nose to prove it.

* While moving down 113 steps is easier than moving up, it's still quite a painful task. When IG and I went shopping for her wedding dress two days after the big move, we just kept laughing because were quite sure we looked like old ladies wearing wigs from the back, so slowly we were moving through the streets of Riga.

* We have lots of good friends to thank for helping us in the moving process - I can honestly say it wouldn't have happened without them! AD and IG take the biggest gold star for helping us pack up the treehouse as well (between the four of us we got it all packed up in a day!). Thanks also to AV, TK and EM as well as AK and our former neighbors for donating boxes to us! All who helped will be rewarded with many a weekend in our pirts (sauna)! :)

* It's a good thing that unpacking happens after packing because it's generally more fun. It's really starting to feel like home already!

* Mima the Wondercat is just now coming back to her senses. She spent the whole week in a pretty crazy state, as she was slowly watching things disappear from her treehouse home. Moving day was the fifth time in her life that she has actually been outside. She screamed the entire way to Sigulda. She has this thing about pooping when she is nervous (every time we go to the vet, let's not forget the first infamous visit when she pooped on the seat of the taxi....) but this time she peed herself too and was completely yellow when we arrived to the new home. I wiped her down with a wet towel as best I could after we let her go in the bathroom, hoping she would start cleaning herself, but she was too scared/embarrassed by her own smell to do that. So she got the first bath of her life. She is not a normal cat, because she actually really enjoyed the bath. She only got upset when we took her out to dry her. Then she went into hiding for the rest of the day and only came around to check us out while we were sleeping. The following day she went into hiding again and only came out at night when I was the only one home unpacking. Now she's back to being a dog and came straight to bed with me and slept at my feet as usual. She's been hanging out on the window sills amazed to see something more than just the sky. This morning she was growling at the flag.

* Having a fireplace is so cozy. I love it.

* Even though I won't feel too rested going back to work next week after our "ski break", I'm glad we moved during this time. I can't imagine trying to do it all in the evening while still working during the day.

* Starting Monday I will check out my new commute. It involves a five minute walk to the train in Sigulda, one hour on the train to Riga, then a 7 minute bus trip from the train station across the bridge, and another 10 minute walk to school. I'm really glad I found the bus from the train station over the bridge, because otherwise it would've been another 40 minute walk from train to school (I tried it out one day last week - I somehow thought it was a big closer, but no, it's over 2 km). As long as the train isn't too full and I can get a seat, I think I'll be fine with reading, sleeping or doing homework. I don't see sitting in the train as a waste of time. And if I have to stand, KB has offered me his mp3 player, where I can download and watch some of my TV shows. I think it will be fine. It will be an adjustment, but once I get home I'll just be able to totally relax.

* There is really something to be said for living in a home as opposed to an apartment in the city. Space to breathe and to just be.....it's nice.

* I hope I can discipline myself to start writing shorter, more frequent posts again rather than these long ones. They are more fun to write and I'm sure to read..... One of my many goals for self-improvement during this time of change. :)

* And now back to unpacking so I can relax and watch KB on TV tonight. He helped with the move and then had to take off for Ventspils for three days for Eurovision semi-finals. I actually don't mind, because that means I get to unpack everything how I want it. Hopefully, he'll be pleasantly surprised when he comes home on Sunday!