No Turnin Back (without even more grief!)

NOTE! If you are new to this blog please see it from the beginning at: http://offtowhidbey.blogspot.com. When you get to the bottom, click on "older posts" which are really newer posts.............don't ask why they're that way; just do it!)

Wednesday, August 11

We have a Washington State License plate! I guess that makes us Washingtonians now. Neither of us has ever had anything but a CA plate; strange and somewhat cosmopolitan for the likes of us!

Obtaining a driver's license and vehicle license are separate functions here. Vehicles are licensed at a vehicle licensing office. Dave drove about 20 miles to Coupeville yesterday, showed the woman our pink slip, paid the money for the license, and voila she gave him a plate right then and there! No waiting. Amazing. We'll get our driver's licenses tomorrow at the Washington State Office of Licensing in Oak Harbor, the big city on the Island, about 35 miles north. That office sounds much more like the CA DMV—they suggest you make an appointment so as not to have to wait, but we hear it's a thousand times better than going "off island".

After a week of Dave's deconstruction, The POD is FINALLY empty AND

OUT OF OUR LIVES not a minute too soon. PODzilla came today and picked her up.

Things are coming together slowly slowly slowly. So much nicer to unpack without a deadline I have to say.

Our garage, however, is VERY FULL, and probably will be for some time.

I used our BRAND NEW, never been used oven for the first time—baked gloriously beautiful, organic, grown on the island golden beets—

and used my little bug timer, Judith.

Funniest thing happened last Sunday. We were eating breakfast (latkes; Dave's favorite) in a tiny cafe at a place called Greenbank Farm (http://www.greenbankfarm.com/) Of course I was knitting, and had all my paraphernalia in my "East Bay Knitters" bag. The the woman next to me said, "where's East Bay?" and I told her in Northern California. "Oh, she said, we're from Berkeley." I told her my background—knitting group, CAL, etc.—turns out her husband got a Phd from Cal in Public Health and knew a lot of people I did when I was there. Small World.

So, that's about it for the big move. I'll update now and then (just like a holiday card!) to let you all know how things progress.....all our firsts.......winter rain, snow, wind storms, etc. Today's wether is stunningly beautiful. I'm off to the recycling center, will unpack a few more things, and then go to my first knitting group tonight. I'm always nervous about new knitters. As many of you know, I like to pick my own ;+}

Hope all is well in CA.

Di ---------& Dave too

Later: Knitting group was fabulous. Everyone ooed and ahhed over my (steeked) harlequin sweater (how could I NOT like them!), wanted to know what I was working on, showed me all their projects; typical knitting stuff. Knitters are the best! They meet weekly, (http://www.knittypurls.com/) and told me I'll love the group in winter—warm and snugly. YAY!

Below some photos I took on our walk from home to town where the knitting group was. We had dinner out first, then Dave went to the beautiful Langley Public Library (overlooks the Sound) while I knit..........what a way to spend retirement! (again, remind me of this in the cold of winter.)