HERE WE ARE!!!

Darleen said where is everyone so I thought we better check in.  We are here in Northern Minnesota under all of the snow. 

I want to post pictures from Christmas and pictures of the snow tunnel we call a driveway.  I will have to have Joe show me once again how to get the pictures into our awesome, she said sarcastically, new computer with Windows 8.  Ugh. 

Anyway, it is very white outside, deeply white.  Actually quite beautiful if it would stay about 0. 

Joe has his annual ice fishing weekend coming up and I believe, because of the cold temps and wind chills, he said they would be playing a lot of pool.  Hard to fry up some pool.

I love that song by Dionne Warwick.  We were just singing it when we got the postcard of the new address.  I really enjoy her songs in general.  Also, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman was one of my favorite movies.  For those folks who have not seen it I highly recommend it. Yes, Dionne Warwick is in it.  She is a good actress.

Not sure if there is anything new here, other than the snow.  Did I mention snow?  Did I mention that from Friday through Sunday Joe plowed for about 10 hours, trying to figure out where to put the snow.  Also, the first 7 or 8 hours were just to be able to move the Subaru up by the house.  If it snows much more I am not sure what we will do with it.  All I ask now is some warmer temps, oh maybe in the 20 above range, so we can get out there and strap on the snowshoes.

That is all the grumbling from here.

Everyone stay warm where that applies and stay cool where that applies.

Love, Deanna

P.S.  Jeff, I was just thinking I wish I had a stocking cap.  I like the colors orange, red, yellow.  Hint, hint.

Do you know the way?

OK, for those of you under age 55……..Click Here to listen to Dionne Warwick sing, " Do you know the Way to San Jose?"  I didn't recall this was one of Bert Bacharach's songs.

Happy Birthday, Gramma & Chris! And an update!

Hi Everyone,

Happy Birthday, Gramma & Chris! Hope you do something fun to celebrate!

I know it's been radio silence from us for awhile. We're slowly but surely settling in to our new life in California. Our apartment is in San Jose (watch your mailboxes for a card with our new address!), and it's about twenty minutes' drive to Bryan's office in Cupertino. Motorcycles are allowed in the carpool lane, which makes his commute easy.

As requested, I've provided some pictures - I was going to wait until we had fully unpacked, hung the pictures and curtains, etc., but I know some people are getting antsy. We have two bedrooms and two bathrooms. There's a small fenced terrace just off the dining room. There's space for a washer/dryer in the garage - those appliances will be delivered later this week.

It seems to be a nice neighborhood, with all the necessities in walking distance. The spare bedroom is full of stuff that still needs to be unpacked and put away, but if you tell me you are coming to visit, I promise I will get it ready for you.

This is our entry door, and it leads into the living room. To the right is the stairway to two upstairs apartments and the walkway to the garage, and to the left is the first-floor apartment that faces the street.

Unlike our old place, this garage actually has a door that closes (and locks!) In addition to the laundry and water heater, Bryan will set up his workshop and tools here. There's plenty of space for both motorcycles as well, and my car is parked in front of the garage door. (Since there's never snow or ice, there's no pressing need to keep the car in the garage.)

The kitchen is also perhaps an upgrade from our former apartment: much larger, with more counter space and a built-in dishwasher. We are glad to have a gas stove as well as a range hood. The tile floors will take some adjustment - I already dropped and shattered one coffee mug!

We need to hang some pictures on the walls, and we may rearrange the furniture again. Our landlord is quite protective of the new wood-laminate floors and has requested that we not wear shoes in the house. We have bought a few more rugs to protect the floors.

Our bedroom has plenty of closet space and its own bathroom, with a nice shower. It may actually be smaller than our previous bathroom, but it has about three times as much counter space and cupboards/drawers! The other bathroom has a regular tub and shower and is next to the other bedroom.

So, that's where we are! We had rain all last weekend, although it is apparently not enough to make a difference in the worrying drought situation. It has been sunny and in the sixties most days. I hope you are all staying warm enough in your polar vortex - I imagine that it can't be very much fun!

That's the news from San Jose. What's your news?

Love,

Amanda (& Bryan)