The Preparations Begin

I think Michael needs a haircut.



Ah, much better. Of course, this is the first haircut he's liked since he got here (the woman even did his eyebrows), and now we're moving.

The weather finally broke too. The morning's have brought great temps, with a breeze, to boot. Even the ospreys seem to be happy because they've been chirping up a storm around our deck (I keep checking to make sure they haven't grabbed a cat). But the preparations are in full force to head out in a couple of weeks.

One of the things we liked about Fountain Hills was how slow-paced it was. It's got the same # of people as Key West (about 20,000), but is 18 square miles instead of 5. There are no street lights, so you can see the stars; you have coyotes yipping at night; rabbits everywhere; bobcats running in the washes; a surprising number of businesses still don't accept credit cards; and the same businesses with the same owners have been around for decades. When that becomes boring, you can drive 12 miles to the south and have everything you could possibly want in Scottsdale, or go 20 minutes east and be at a lake. If it weren't for the cold/snow, rattle snakes/scorpions/tarantulas, and lack of beaches, it'd be close to perfect.

Our apt. view if we get accepted.

Yesterday I was reminded how "slow" the town really is (still) when I tried to find a place to live. The company who manages almost all the rental properties is run by an ancient woman who doesn't know how to upload photos to her website and gets put out if you ask her to email you some. So....we decided to move into an apartment for now. When I called the complex, I got the friendliest person I might have ever spoken to. She has sent us maps, layouts, measurements, and photos and has been extremely patient. The place has more space than we need (the extra bedroom and dining room will be empty), and costs a little more than we'd hoped, but it's still $500/month cheaper than our apartment in Key West. And we'll have access to a pool and a fitness center, among other things. Now we have to pass a credit & criminal background check and complete the most complex amount of documents I've ever had to fill out for an apartment. Our fingers are crossed that nothing unexpected crops up, and we can cross this task off our list.

Bye scooter - sniffle.

And I sold my moped. It was gone 4 hours after I put it on Craig's List. It's harder to license a moped than a gun in Arizona, so I've decided it's not worth it (we'll be within walking distance of everything in town). Michael already had an M on his license, so doesn't have to go through the hassle that I would, so will be keeping his. That said, I was sad to see it go. For some reason I get really attached to my vehicles (I don't give a squat about anything else). But the sale will pay for the U-Haul gas, so it is what it is. I'm also going to miss my FL driver's license photo. If my AZ one comes out as nice, it'll be good until I'm 65, so there's always that.

Where are the kitties?! And don't say "roadkill."

I've got the utilities turned off for the end of the month and have the U-Haul booked. The thing gets 10mpg, has a 40-gallon tank, and we have just over 2,500 miles to drive. You do the math. All the other stuff I'm postponing until the apartment is confirmed. I suppose at some point, we'll have to start packing. I'm just glad it cooled off so packing & loading won't be anymore unpleasant than it has to be. This is my friend's idea of what Michael & I will look like going cross country (on his moped) - it's from Dumb & Dumber (thanks a lot, Rayann).