We found a Renter

We found someone to rent our house in Arlington! A big deal for us – but probably not that exciting if you are visiting this blog for the first time. I promise this space is going to be the home of much more exciting news in the coming months. The truth is right now we are wholly focused on the mundane activity of moving (and, of course, Christmas).

So perhaps our renting out our house is not earth shattering news. Other than renting the house the most exciting thing that happened this week was the Christmas tree fell. Dropped like a rock. Flat as a pancake. Looked like George Washington had come to town and gone after that thing with an axe. Luckily no one was injured in the process (other than my pride). We are still picking up the million or so pieces of red glass that were spewed around the house.

But, what do we care – we are renting the place out to someone else and they can clean it up for the next year! By the time we get back from Argentina they should have every piece of glass picked up. What a deal!

After reading this post Janalee became incredibly worried. What would happen to us if VA Child Protection Services logged on to this incredibly well publicized blog that must have dozens of visitors a month. Between the glass on the floor and the bump on the head (you can read about the bump a little lower on the page) I must be seriously challenged when it comes to child care! So, we need a disclaimer -- our child is well cared for, we promise (honest, no kidding, we wouldn't lie about this). You can see photos of her here (MIA). None of the photos have been retouched - I swear.

We had it and then we didn't

My last post described how excited we were about the house we were renting. That house is a thing of the past. In the end it was a good lesson in the difficulties of working across continents. Unfortunately, the landlord wanted to change the terms of our contract (about 10 times over the last week). Every time we would agree to something, he would add a new element. While we thought we had an agreement he was just getting ready to renegotiate the terms. Perhaps if he had only met me in person we could have worked it out. Not likely -- perhaps if he had met Amelia we could have worked it out. Anyway, the whole thing was too much drama for us and we are back on the market for a house. Anyone have an empty house in Mendoza you are hoping to rent to a friendly couple with a cute kid?

Meanwhile back here in the U.S. I have finished my tenure as the President of Earth Force. You can read about them by following the link in the right hand column. The new president – a great guy named Chuck – started this week and it is off to a great start. Chuck also became a grandfather this week – talk about having a lot going on in one week. Good Luck Chuck! (I really couldn’t help myself).

And, with that update we are off to the races. Over the next 14 days we are going to move out of our house and celebrate Christmas. Good thing Jan’s parents are coming to visit. That reminds me, where are my bothers – get out here and help me move! Pretty persuasive approach - don't you think.

We Found a House! (and need to find someone to rent the other)

Thanks to our friends Michael, David and a bunch of others we haven't met yet, we may have a house in Mendoza. We have pictures and it looks great. I think it has four bedrooms - leaving plenty of space for everyone who has said they are going to visit - and was recently renovated. Looks like a great place. Strangely I don't know the address of the place or really anything about the location (close to a park, near Mike's house). Not that an address would make much of a difference really at this point - since I don't know anything about Mendoza. I think it is the first time I have ever rented a place without really knowing much about it - good thing I have a high tolerance for the unkown. You can see pictures of the place in our photo albums -- the link should be in the right hand column.

Several people have asked me how I like Mendoza -- to which I say “they have a great website”. I haven't ever been there. I guess I should have visited before moving there. But, since Janalee has visited and says there is a great coffee shop in Mendoza it must be great. One small problem, I don't drink coffee. Janalee, on the other hand, thinks that any place that has a great coffee shop will be a great place to live. For me, great places really need to have a football team – I guess that means that I will have to become a Boca Junior fan.

Just two big hurdles left in our quest to move. We still need to rent our house (feel free to tell everyone you know that we are looking for renters) and we need to sell the Saab. I am emotionally attached the Saab, so that one is going to be challenge for me. Janalee is emotionally attached to the house, so that one is going to be easy for me. Once we get those little things out of the way we can focus on the easy stuff like packing everything we own, putting most of it in storage and picking five suitcases worth of stuff that we are going to take with us to Argentina. After Janalee gets her two suitcases of shoes packed (or did she mean we are going to bring two suitcases full of shoes home?) the rest will be easy.

Enough for tonight – I still have a ton of work left to do before I leave Earth Force and Amelia needs to blow her nose (the same cold for 3 months). Good night to all – said Charlie Brown.

The Case of the Big Bump

This what your head looks like when you fall on your face -- without breaking your fall with your hands. I am told that it is bad form to post photos of your kid with a big bump on her head -- but she was pretty proud of it and she got to come home from school early that day -- so it all worked out. And, no worries she is going to be just fine. The only strange side effect seems to be that Amelia wants to spell her name with a Q. I am not entirely sure where that comes from, but the good news is she is really excited about the alphabet.