One of the major challenges of moving to a new city (let alone a new state!) is that you have to start over with EVERYTHING. Some adjustments have been easier than others. For example, after only a bit of online research Iona had a new vet within the first four days. She needed vaccinations for things we had never heard of before! I personally blame the trees. Of course there is also an issue with ticks and heartworm, which were things not commonly found in our LA neighborhood. Sadly I was the first in the family to return home with a tick, but that is a tale for another evening. Again, I blame the trees.

Anyway, the vet even seemed to like Iona, although she very quickly earned the giant CAUTION sticker across her chart. Something tells me that her LA vet had warnings plastered on all the files they faxed over. “Beware, she hates her hips touched! Beware, she hates shots! Beware, she will bite your arm off if you touch her feet!” Since she looks like a stuffed animal, people always seem a bit shocked that she has teeth. Overall though, that process was pretty easy and no one has yet to lose a limb. In fact, she came back from the groomer today looking quite coiffed. Michael said she resembled topiary as her feet and bunny butt were “sculpted”. Considering that you could actually step on her toe hair earlier this morning, I am taking topiary as a compliment. I would snap a photo but she has recently decided she no longer likes her picture taken…and I like my arm…attached…to me.

The grocery store adjustment has also worked out well. Harris Teeter may be a strange name, and can be rearranged to sound somewhat pornographic, but they are also mighty fine stores. LA markets are really hit or miss and are typically smaller and more specialized than in most parts of the country. So it is quite refreshing to shop at a bright, clean, big place that carries just about anything “normal” you will need. It is certainly lacking in the ethnic food department, unless you count BBQ that is. And there are TWO Trader Joe’s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Granted we used to have five within five miles of the house and these are technically in two neighboring cities to Raleigh and are 10 and 25 miles away respectively…but there are TWO!

Other adjustments haven’t been so simple. We are still without a dentist or a doctor, and I hated the shop that worked on my car. My next oil change isn’t for a couple thousand miles though, and we have yet to lose any teeth or tangle tragically with Iona, so these things can wait. So that brings me to…the gym. For those that knew Michael’s previous schedule, you know he had considerable flexibility. He could easily take two hours in the middle of the afternoon and work out or play racquetball or go swimming. That isn’t as easy, now that he is regularly taxing his brain midday and realizing that there are not nearly as many hours in a day as he thought! So, when to fit in the gym? He was going to the YMCA after work and then not getting home until nine at night. Then he would eat and be wound up until late. Everyone knows I am asleep by 11, or 10, or 9.30p, and awake at the ass crack of dawn (thanks Elizabeth), so that wasn’t jiving very well for us. Then…last night…he says…”maybe I should get up early and go to the gym in the morning”. Yes, yes, yes! So that is what we did. At 5.45 I roused him awake so he could run drive off to the Y and I could hop on the treadmill. (In our fake house the treadmill is in the master bedroom, so he rightly gets a little annoyed when I am running while he attempts to sleep.)

Michael looked a little tired tonight, but said he would try this again tomorrow. I too am up for the challenge, as I sure hope this thing lasts.