Changes...

Yes, you are hearing the sound of crickets. This blog has been very neglected for the past several months for the obvious reason...we have moved out of Canada. Work has sent us back to the USA and after what seemed like a very long time, we have settled into a new house back in the Chicago area just days before Christmas. Moving back to the USA has come with a sense of reverse transition like we went through four years ago upon moving to Quebec. So much has changed, yet so much has stayed the same.

We've returned with great memories from our time in Canada. A few not-so-great memories, but most of those include petty details and the usual government obstacles we would face just about anywhere. We learned a lot in Quebec, Danielle earned a kick-ass high school education and Louis is a Special Olympics ski champion. Paul experienced working in a new culture (and got to ski a lot) and I left with many dear girlfriends I know I'll have throughout my lifetime. I also left with a new appreciation of speed limits in the USA as they really are more reasonable than Quebec.

Adding to the irony of so many things is moving into the new house right before Christmas and thankfully with decent Chicago weather. As the movers were unloading the truck and bringing in boxes I would have to check off the box number and take note of the box contents to tell them where to place the box -- or what I said most often -- "in the basement." After dozens of boxes were labeled "ornaments"I was confused because it seemed like I must have more ornaments than the White House. It was then that I realized "ornaments" to the French-speaking packers must mean "knick knacks" or what I have come to call "crap."

For the record, we found THE ornaments a couple of days before Christmas and the stockings the day after Christmas.

We are happy to be settled in our new home and Duke is trying to figure out "his" place in the new surroundings.  For those who have moved in the past, you know the packers pack anything, including garbage. While looking through yet another "ornament" box to find THE ornaments, I was unwrapping and unwrapping thinking I would find something really fragile, like an ornament, only to unwrap this...

Two of Duke's tennis balls. We are finding balls in every other box. Duke is enjoying the unpacking process even though we put these balls in some random drawer or cabinet which will likely be packed up in a future move. Or they might stay for a while, since we're hoping to stay for a while.

As for this blog. I'm not certain. While the transition has been interesting and our family is by no means boring, I'm going to evaluate after the first of the year and it may take on a new look or a new theme.

Until then, or as my Quebec friends know I love to say....à la prochaine.