A big day

Big day today – Cate got her Social Security number.

There are many people I had to tell about this so I spent the day trying to remember who they were and letting them know.

Our next challenge is to get our cars registered and then for Cate to get her license. She is not keen on doing either of these things so will need some prompting.

There are all kinds of ghastly penalties for not complying with the myriad rules and regulations so I have a diary with all the deadlines carefully marked.

I discovered why there were 137 people waiting in line for the cashier at Indiana Power and Light. I received my first bill and discovered that there is no way to pay except by cash or by check. That’s right – you cannot pay by internet or over the phone or by direct debit. How quaint – and antediluvian.

Naturally I wrote a check and posted it immediately. There is no way I want to end up on the wrong side of IPL because I dread the thought of ever having to go there again.

Cate got her new car and the second time she drove it the boot (trunk) lid froze shut and cannot be opened. There were some big parcels in the trunk at the time so I had to fold the back seat down and drag them out through the car.

I could then wriggle into the trunk and open it using the emergency handle. This is especially designed for when you are locked in the trunk – by whoever. This is a dangerous country. Still – if you can use the emergency handle it means that whoever locked you in did not kill you so let’s look on the bright side.

I have filled out a form on line to see if I can get to see the car dealer – but they are not keen. They are sending me messages trying to solve the problem by email but no luck so far. I imagine if they do agree to see me it will be another excruciating experience in the sad bastard’s chairs.

The cats are as happy as clams

There were 431 cartons. Some small  - some very large.

We have emptied about half of them. 

We are having a struggle as there does not appear to be as much cupboard space as there was in Vienna. Fortunately we have a loft and a very large basement – and much is being consigned to these two areas.

Today I walked from my study to the basement – two flights of stairs – 27 times.

I also schlepped some things upstairs to the TV room and did some schlepping to the living room.

My study is now useable which makes me a bit more settled. I can now starting sorting through the masses of papery files and stuff I have accumulated during the last five weeks.

I know I have to do some important things with some of these bits of paper and hope I can remember exactly what.

Sissi yowled on the way here but it was only for half an hour. Monika remained very quiet.

They have settled in very quickly and are as happy as clams. There are lots of places for them to explore and they particularly like the basement.

This is a very old house and the almost all the floors slope one way or another.

In my study the floor slopes towards the bathroom and I have to use my left foot to anchor me when I am using the computer so that I don’t end up in the shower.

There will be some wobbliness

So I went to the BMV and did the license thing again. And yes they made me do the eyesight test again and pay another fee. I await the receipt of my new and improved license with breathless anticipation.

In the meantime – Cate on Monday started a four day conference – staying at a hotel in downtown.

Naturally this accelerated the arrival of the sea freight which duly turned up on Tuesday - so I spent Tuesday and Wednesday on my own trying to ensure that at least some of the boxes and furniture ended up in the right rooms.

Cate caringly rang me each day to see how it was going.

The task was harder than I expected and there will by quite a bit of schlepping to do over the next few weeks. Fortunately we have a loft and a basement so have room to put the more obscure items until we can get to them.

Tomorrow we move out of our apartment and take the cats to Delaware street. This will be the third traumatic event for them in a month so we are expecting a week or so of wobbliness.