...And More Progress

Said farewell to Mom this morning after a busy, if not actually whirlwind, visit to help us settle into the new place. Which is not to say that we went out and did a lot of things, because we didn't, but the time passed quickly.

Sunday we did indeed go out shopping--Home Depot for keys and shims to keep our bookshelves from toppling (the floors in the new place are, um, not exactly level); Target for a vast miscellany of things, including an umbrella stroller (finally) and what turned out to be our housewarming present--all new towels!; and Bed Bath & Beyond for the things we couldn't find at Target.

Monday D* had a major dental appointment in the morning. I am drawing a complete blank on the afternoon; I suppose we just spent it unpacking. For dinner I made stuffed 8-ball zucchini, inspired by this post from Tea and Cookies, one of the best blogs going. I added mushrooms, and it made for a nicely substantial meal. I also did my first baking in the new place, a mint brownie recipe I have never tried before. They turned out okay despite the fact that I almost forgot to put in the eggs (had to scrape them out of the pan and stir those in), but are in no danger of displacing my usual go-to recipes.

Tuesday morning L had her annual checkup, and the acquisition of the vital paperwork to allow for enrollment at her new school. In the afternoon we went to the Aquarium, as I figured we should try to do at least one "event" during the visit. The place was packed with summer tourists escaping the heat, and the visit was a little hectic, but I think we all had a good time. Getting home, unfortunately, took forever, as there was construction on 93 causing an insane backup and spillover onto the local roads. The kids were patient (OK, L was patient; JJ fell asleep). Once we finally got back, I pulled some tortellini out of the freezer and whipped up a sauce with canned diced tomatoes, an emergency "recipe" I am happy to have.

The new place is coming together. I am impatient for our furniture to arrive, but the kitchen is almost totally sorted out now, which means I can relax in it. The books are finding their way toward an arrangement, though we are almost certainly going to have to store or get rid of some of them. There's a ton of miscellaneous things left to do, but progress is visible, and I think that the place is going to suit us very well. I'm even getting used to the stairs.