Chipping away at the mountain that grew...

Who knew that a mountain could grow so fast?

I'm referring to my endless to-do list that seems to have grown exponentially in the past week.    While I’d love for every entry in this blog to be a glowing account of how wonderful this life-transition is, it wouldn’t be authentic.  While this is no doubt a special time of wedding planning and moving overseas, the reality is that it takes a lot to accomplish it all!

Here are some highlights from the list.  (I suspect that if I were to try to line up all of my tasks end-to-end, they might form a footbridge across the Atlantic!).

~

A few more appointments with wedding vendors

• florist
• cake
• photographer
• DJ and/or other music-related items
• wine selection
• reception venue

Many other misc items pertaining to events following the wedding cermony

Dress fittings and alterations
Shop for a veil
Buy postage, put together and mail wedding invititations
Printing ceremony programmes, guest book, placecards and various such items
Schedule rehearsal
Finalize elements of the wedding ceremony
Figure out wedding rings
Flights!
Hired car

Accommodations for guests and for myself upon moving out of my apartment
Figuring out dates to give advance notice of termination of everything – from rent, each utility company, cable, internet, phone, and any other service subscribed to

Figuring out last day of work
Coordination of benefits from work – and all the nightmares and headaches accompanying this (COBRA healthcare for a short transitional period, rollover of 401ks to IRAs and the exhaustive paperwork and research of current and potential tax liabilities now and in future between the USA and UK and tax treaties and all the hedging of my bets that results from my best estimates of what will be… oh you don’t want to know!)

Securing an international accountant
Dealing with a system for banking from afar and any belated refund checks that might appear after I’ve physically left the country
MOVING out
Arranging shipping / transport of personal items (even clothing is heavier than you might think!)


(these are but a few!)

~

I wonder what I will do with myself when I arrive in my new country of residence and I wake up one morning to realize that the manic pace of daily life has suddenly ceased?

quietly celebrate, I should think…


… and then start a new to-do list

Happy Daisies...

Another happy surprise at work this week!!  :)  Thank you, A for brightening things up... xxx


(A work colleague of mine asked when we were going to hurry up and get married so we could be unhappy like everyone else)   :p

Sometimes good things come in small ... (e-mails)

I received a rather short but oh, so sweet e-mail communication today.

UK visa application approved!!!

* jumps up and down and does a little happy dance *

!


(I know it’s only the first step and there are additional applications in our future, but I’m going to enjoy my little moment for today)


:)

postscript

A sometimes likes to comment on my blog entries.

He doesn't post his comments *on* the blog; that would be too revealing, perhaps - though it's nice to know he's reading it.

He definitely had a comment to make on my latest entry about his favorite new i-toy. It wasn’t his usual, thoughtful compliment or commentary. Not ‘I liked your latest blog entry’ or ‘funny’ or ‘well written’ or any such luck. No. The first words out of A’s mouth upon reading this most recent contemplation of A’s enthusiasm for Apple things was:


“‘i-pad is spelled with a small i”.

!


(further highlighting our technological disconnect).

Men and their gadgets...

The extremes some men will go to in order to procure the latest gadget...

Perhaps some of you ladies out there suffer the same malady, so this is not meant to be sexist. You know the symptoms: salivates (over things like 3D TV, Dyson bladeless fans, Apple’s latest creation, et al), has to drag fiancée all over town to view them and try them out, voluminous research and price comparisons, plots how to obtain them without spending the night in a queue (though this wouldn’t be ruled out), discusses these things in great detail with fellow-sufferers, and just for good measure, spends a second day dragging fiancée around town just to see the gadgets again.

The latest gadget conquest for A is the I-pad.

After spending part of an afternoon demonstrating one to me in a shop, his exasperation and incredulity were evident when I dared to suggest ever so nicely that I am sorry but I don’t understand the point of it? When he pointed out its portability, I advised that I already have a laptop that does that (and I think most everything else an I-pad does) – and I can type soooo much better on a laptop. In addition, I already have an I-pod and am very happy with its features and don’t need them duplicated with another I-product? Call me old fashioned (after all I still keep a paper calendar), but I *like* touch-typing and just cannot get Apple touch technology typing down. He enthusiastically showed me the piano keyboard as he knows I grew up playing piano. I cannot fathom a keyboard on two rows on a screen and cannot see that working for me.

I can see some of you Apple fan(-atic)s shaking your heads and calling me hopeless (much like A did), but try as I might I just couldn’t get excited about the I-pad. Still, part of loving A is supporting him in endeavors he enjoys, so I won’t mind if he wants to procure an I-pad for himself.

After repeated visits to see it and after scouting out a few local shops that sell Apple technology, A was rather dejected when they were continually sold out. He departed our week together I-padless. That is, until he reached Chicago O’Hare, took two trains into the city, and walked ½ mile more to an Apple Store with me on his mobile phone giving directions that I had to map for him… all for the love of the I-pad.

In the end, in spite of jubilantly announcing to me on his mobile that he has the I-pad in his briefcase while standing on a crowded subway train platform (not something I generally recommend), A made it safely home with his beloved new toy.

He’s been playing with it all day!


I wonder if I should arrange a ‘play date’ for him with his friends?


*smirks*

A wonderful surprise!

Last Thursday, just when I was feeling a bit harried with my latest juggling act between work, wedding planning, legalities, preparation for a big move et al, I received a most unexpected phone call from A that changed my focus for the rest of the week.

'Hello from Canada!'.

It took me a moment to realize that I'd heard him correctly. Canada?!

Apparently, A took it upon himself to fly to the States for a week just to surprise me and put a smile on my face... I think I actually squealed! The only caveat was that his plane had to land in Canada for re-fueling due to strong headwinds on the way, so he didn't manage to pull off the total surprise of waiting for me outside my workplace after the day had finished. Still, I picked him up at the airport later that evening and have thoroughly enjoyed this past week having him here.

Although the week ended all too soon, I am feeling far more relaxed about all that has yet to be accomplished. :)


Happy Fourth to those who celebrate!



Missing you already, A...