So Why Haven't We Written?

This is a very boring blog. It is not really meant to be read, so if you have something better to do, skip this and do it. However, if you are having trouble getting to sleep, read on.

Prior to our last message, we had been asked by many (or truthfully only a few, which is the majority who read this blog) why we were absent from blogging, which we assumed (or perhaps hoped) meant that some of you were eager to hear (or actually, read) how we were doing in making our transition to Texas. This blog is a very boring compilation of the things that kept us mostly away from the computer from late February until now. As promised in our last missive, we hope to be more diligent in the future but, apologies offered, this will be an abbreviated account of our activities.

Moving In

We unpacked, inspected for damage, and inventoried 508 separate items and boxes of all sizes that were transported from Santa Barbara CA to Georgetown TX, by the aptly named Mammoth Moving Company. This was truly a mammoth undertaking and took us most of the first month we were here. We swear we will not move again! (We swore this upon arrival in Santa Barbara 20 years ago, so obviously our swearing is not very compelling).

Upon arrival we had to arrange for: the mailbox key from the Post Office (here they deliver to a group of mail boxes up the road from our home), electricity from the Pedernales Electric Cooperative (where we had to join as members of the Cooperative and pay a membership fee), water service from Chisholm Trail Water ($225 transfer fee), garbage and recycling (once a week, using their containers . . . they recycle newspapers, clear and [only] brown glass -Texas beer comes in brown bottles-, and plastics #1 and #2, and cable/internet/telephone service from a local outfit called Suddenlink. We didn't have to arrange for sewer as we actually own our own treatment plant (on our property, no less), complete with an official County license to operate a sewage treatment plant. Don't think of this as merely a septic tank, think of an entire processing plant using an aerobic septic system that processes household wastewater through a multi-tank underground arrangement involving separation, aeration, chlorination, and subsequent distribution by pumping the treated effluent under our rear lawn through a series of headers and perforated PVC pipes that are not visible from the surface. They tell us this is the latest greatest green technology for waste treatment and achieves purification to standards higher than required of municipal wastewater treatment plants. We had to Google "aerobic wastewater treatment" even to get an inkling of what was involved.

Of course there were other surprises awaiting us upon arrival. We had to arrange for all our trees (of which we must have more than 50) to be trimmed of old dead branches so that Lily (or for that matter, any of us) wouldn't be at risk of a dead branch falling on our heads. And we were told we also needed to spray them for "tent worms" that nest there and produce untold numbers of offspring in the summer (several were easily visible upon inspection of any tree) so we did that. Also, while we were at it, the trees needed to be root-fed for a more healthy condition next year. Tent worms, we were told, weren't particularly harmful, but in numbers in the tens of thousands (which we could expect) they made a particularly obnoxious mess on the walkways and patio, which they would cover like a blanket . . . yuk!

Other minor activities taking considerable time included changing both car registrations and titles to Texas and exchanging drivers' licenses for Texas ones. Sounds simple enough. We thought AAA might be of help here (as they used to be in California) but upon arrival at the AAA office in Austin they said no, they could only give us a guidance sheet to help us. Step 1. Get each car inspected for safety and emissions at one of the very few inspection stations in the area (Dick's car needed two new rear tires and a revisit to pass so he also got to know the local tire dealer as well). Step 2 (take a number time). Fill out a form. Pay the transfer of title and license tag tax in person at the Williamson County Office downtown but be prepared to show each inspection certificate, California title of ownership, proof of County residence, proof of Texas car insurance and two forms of official photo identification. Step 3. Go to the Texas Office of Public Safety (this is the same as other states' departments of motor vehicles), show that we have successfully completed steps 1 & 2, fill out a form to apply for Texas driver's license (this takes some time, as it asks a lot of questions about health, driving record, etc. Upon completion of form, stand in line for an hour or two, and be prepared to show a) previous drivers license, b) proof of auto insurance, c) birth certificate or passport, d) social security card, and e) proof of present residence in Texas. Absent any of this information, go directly to jail and do not pass go.

Another local pest in need of spraying is the fire ant which we were told we definitely didn't want to get stung by (Katie and several others verified this from personal experience). They spray all the irrigated landscape areas using high pressure hoses that pump the chemical from a tank in the bed of a truck. We scheduled, then rescheduled due to rain, then rescheduled again due to conflict with another customer, and are in line for treatment May 1.

Speaking of rain, it comes down in torrents Noah-style here at times, and the local San Gabriel River has received flood control attention from the Army Corps of Engineers, that created several dammed lakes including Lake Georgetown a mile or less from our home. The lakes and surrounding areas are widely used for fishing, boating, camping, picnicking, and day hikes, but several years ago it rained so hard they had to close the roads to all the recreation areas because they were under-water.

We had wondered about the curving hand-laid stone wall at the far edge of our garden area out behind our home and now believe it may serve the purpose of diverting any heavy runoff of major rainstorms down to our driveway instead of into the back of our house. Something to watch for in the future. In the meantime we discovered that as beautiful as our house is, the builder decided it was unnecessary to install gutters and downspouts. The previous owners placed stones in the ground where roof runoff from heavy rains was eroding a trench around the house so as to minimize erosion. We have decided to get gutters installed and will witness the installation next Tuesday and Wednesday. This of course involved selection and interviews with guttermen (if we don't insult them by this term) and decisions about screen baffles to eliminate the collection of leaves in the fall.

Necessary Purchases

So we arrived with everything we needed, eh?

Not quite. The previous owner took her refrigerator with her to her new place so we needed one stat, as they say in the medical business. Oh, and we had left our old Sears dryer in Santa Barbara at the request of the buyer so we also needed a dryer stat. We had previously mentioned that we discovered the need for a yard tractor/mower to make the yard maintenance a more reasonable task, and Sears had one in stock that we had delivered.

Here is Dick with his new big-boy toy. He always said his ambition was to be a truck driver but this is about as close as he is going to get, apparently.

In addition to outside maintenance, we also needed additional inside maintenance in the way of better storage of all those things we had shipped halfway across the country.

The local Costco warehouse supplied the garage racks and the Container Store provided the various storage containers shown here.

The real treasure, though, was the workbench and tool pegboard that the previous owner had left us that immediately became Dick's work and tool storage area.

Along with these items there was need for those odds and ends that we bought to make the house a home for us. More towels for the bathrooms, a step-stool for the kitchen, a chair for Susie's desk, a chair and mat for the computer desk, a display case for the dining room, two rattan chairs for the patio, two hanging plants for the patio, 6 landscape lanterns (solar-rechargeable) for the front walkway, a toy chest for Lily, a couple of gasoline cans for the yard tractor and other gas-powered tools, an updated automobile navigation DVD that, hopefully, will have some of the recently built local streets in the neighborhood, and we are still looking for a "glider" rocking chair for Katie. (Did we mention how boring this blog was going to be?)

Other Time Consuming Activities

Other than constantly rearranging furniture to see what works best, we have busied ourselves with a few other activities, like reading all the user manuals for the new equipment and appliances, repairing as we are able those that fail (e.g., dishwasher gasket and heating element), resetting/repairing home security system malfunctions, consulting with the aerobic septic system service contractor after an electrical power outage tripped out the aerator, tried understanding the motion-activated outdoor light systems (that seem to stay on all night), and generally orienting ourselves to the community.

We have dined at ten or more eating establishments (everything from the truly downscale Rattlesnake Inn to the veddy upscale Silver and Stone Restaurant), discovered and enjoyed the many amazing children's play parks and the incredibly well-planned dog park with its separately-fenced small-dog and big-dog areas, both with intentionally distributed, non-working fire hydrants (smaller ones in the small dog park), attended church services, found a new hair stylist and manicurist, wandered through the downtown square during the Red Poppy Festival to view the arts and crafts booths, and [Susie] attended several PEO women's group meetings (a great source of insider information).

Dick has begun clearing the debris and leaves from under the trees in the side yard in preparation for a play area in the shade for Lily. Plans include a tree swing and some climbing and playing structures, yet to be determined.

And Speaking of Lily

Lily and her parents are the real reason our blogging has been deferred these past days. They have been with us every weekend and many weekdays since we moved here. Let's face it, when the choice is between spending time with family and grandchildren or sitting at the computer blogging, well . . . . . . . ! Need we say more? Here she is at the piano, composing and singing as happily as can be!