Settling In

We're here! Our new home, the start of a new chapter. I'd love to post photos of our chaotic, box-filled apartment and local environs, but the necessary equipment is still packed away somewhere. Maybe next time.

I was thinking about it, and I decided the best way to describe my situation right now is with a list of pluses and minuses. If you don't mind, then:

Minus: It took us 11 and 1/2 hours to make what should be an 8-hour trip from Toronto to Jersey City.

Plus: It only took us one hour to unload all our stuff! Unbelievable!

Minus: While pulling in at a gas station, I scraped our brand-new moving truck against the gas pump.

Plus: The truck rental company didn't notice the scrape when we returned it.

Minus: After the scrape up, "King Oliver" decreed himself driver for the duration of the trip.

Plus: In response, I decreed myself backseat driver, a position I took very seriously for the next 5 hours.

Minus: I find myself, for the third time in as many years, unemployed and friendless in a brand-new city. I miss my Toronto peeps.

Plus: It's worked out swimmingly the other times, so I'm sure it will work out this time too.

Minus: Our apartment's a little dark.

Plus: Our apartment comes with lights and light switches.

Plus: Our neighborhood has a good mix of different types of people. The most entertaining are the students who walk past each day around three (fyi: we live near a school). The following is a conversation I heard between two teenage girls yesterday. Note: since this is a "family blog", I've made small changes to a couple key words:

G1: Snitch.
G2: Who're you calling a snitch, snitch?
G1: Truck you, snitch. I ain't no snitch.
G2: Yes you are. Snitch.
G1: Truck you!
G2: Truck you! Snitch.
G1: You're the snitch. Snitch snitch snitch.

Ladies, ladies! There's no need to fight. There is however, a need to get out our vocabulary workbooks. Spice things up a little.