finally time for internet.

...sitting at starbucks (york ave at 80th - just around the corner from katie's apt) and uploading photos. and using katie's mac, because I left my laptop at home. so far that seems to be the only thing I forgot, so that's good, and I love the mac - but it is very different from what I'm used to! hoping I can figure out how to configure my flickr upload once it's done!

(edited - yes, I did figure out flickr, but what I can't figure out is getting pictures into this post - not even links, so visit the photos (there's a link in the sidebar) and use this post for commentary - hopefully we'll have time today for katie to show me that part for tomorrow!)

in any event, whew, it's been four extremely busy - but honestly, very productive - days!

we left roswell about 3:00pm on friday afternoon. google maps said our trip was 881 miles, about 14 hours 22 minutes. we were hoping to have 3-4 hours to stop for sleep and arrive in manhattan by 11:00am on saturday. katie drove the truck like a pro (not that it takes much from a driving perspective to impress me, but really, she was good). we headed up I85 to south carolina and north carolina, picked up I77 into virginia, then I81. we stopped for sleep in harrisonburg - and felt pretty good after just four hours. back on the road again by 4:45am ... to west virginia, then maryland, pennsylvania and I78 into nj (the first state without a welcome sign!) and I95 to the lincoln tunnel and into manhattan. from there to e79th street. we picked up the keys at 11:00 - right on time!

spent 2-1/2 hours unloading and getting everything up to the 6th floor. katie hired three guys to help and they made it go much faster. my job was to watch the uhaul and the movers' van to be sure we didn't get a ticket.

and then the real moving in started.

my only job was the kitchen (and it did take me about six hours). katie assembled her bed, the microwave cart, shelves for the bathroom, shelves for her closet and the dining table. again, not that it takes much in the "handy" area to impress me, but she is good!

we ordered in pizza and worked til about 2am - feeling pretty good about our progress.

the sun gets up really early here - like 5-something am. so even sleeping til 6:30 feels like a long time. sunday was more of the same - we visited the grocery (katie "seriously grumpy" to spend $75 on just a few essentials - eating out seems cheap!) and then more unpacking/setting up. first the window air conditioner. then the living room rug. and we made a list of needs (like shelves for the pantry, blinds, locks, chairs) and headed out.

subway to midtown (duvet cover at anthropologie was the first item on the list)...and met up with the gay pride parade. it was a zoo. great for peoplewatching if we had the time, but it was more an inconvenience to walk ten blocks out of our way just to cross 5th ave. got to see the 30 rock building.

success at anthropologie and we headed to chelsea for home depot. this is a fabulous store - it looks great, and the staff is so helpful, and we actually found everything we needed and arranged for same day delivery (just $20 - a real deal in manhattan!). then bed bath & beyond and west elm for the chairs. we took a cab home (carrying chairs on the subway is not an option). a quick trip to agata & valentina's for dinner food. then back for the home depot delivery. katie got the pantry storage setup and then unpacked and organized it all.

then monday - started with a bit of bad news - the pottery barn delivery (console table for the tv and coffee table) katie was expecting won't be here til wednesday. we regroup and head to the park for a long run/walk - two hours later and we feel good. katie hangs the blinds and installs a deadbolt (while I knit and check work emails). another much smaller list and we head out. first to soho for crate & barrel. katie has pretty silk tulips that need a vase. then back to chelsea for home depot and fish's eddy. more success and we head home. it's 7pm by the time we get back. but we get it unpacked and katie can finally get the front hall cleared out. leftovers for dinner and early to bed.

so now it's tuesday. the couch is supposed to arrive between noon and 2pm. we've got another long run/walk planned. and more groceries to have mexican for dinner.

closing with two thoughts - what's top of mind after editing the photos and typing this post - amazing how much we've (really mostly katie, with a little help from me) accomplished so far...and so grateful I'm having the opportunity to spend this time with her - love watching her, so capable, so smart, and so much fun.