Prepare to be moved

Here are the Girl and Boy this morning, busy de-icing a tree as they wait for the school bus. Note that the Boy is wearing snow boots and gloves, but still no coat.

With our move potentially imminent I made a start on packing today. Not that there’s all that much to pack, really, since most of our stuff is still in the boxes delivered here however many weeks ago. The kids have had toys and books out, but for the most part we've been living with the furniture and equipment that came with this rented house.

For several weeks I've been telling people how much I'm looking forward to using our own things again. That's still true, but I'm realising there's another side to it. Up until now, using borrowed furniture and china, it has felt rather like being in a holiday house. On holiday. Once we're established in our own home, with our own familiar things around us, that'll mean we're in this for the long haul. We'll be settling. OK not forever, but it does in so many ways seem a whole lot bigger commitment than just coming to America did. We're happy and it still feels like we're doing the right thing, but...

Gulp.

We received our first Christmas - or should that be Holiday? - card today. I was quite excited, until I realised it was addressed to The Current Occupant and came from from a random local real estate firm. What a delightful festive gesture, I thought, tossing it into the recycling bin.