Settling In

Dear Friends:

Well, we be in Texas, although not quite Texan. We have gotten basically settled in our new home, and are starting to reorganize, set out, or throw away stuff from boxes that were packed on Silver Lake Blvd. in 2003. Our house is 1,700 sq. feet, all the walls are white, all the carpet light grey, very open and airy. I love it. Dave is adjusting. The house is not open to the street or the small back yard so he feels closed up. We are putting his computer work area in a bright front bedroom with windows on the street, so the will help. Eventually he will get the garage cleared of boxes and can begin to organize a workshop. We both are overwhelmed with the size of the house.

Our neighborhood is “suburban development.” We try not to think about it. The houses are all brick and basically four floor plans repeated in a random pattern . . . . . nghhh. But we figure that goes with the suburban experience we are going to have. We read the Dallas Morning News and are in awe of what’s going on around us. We haven’t found downtown Arlington or Mansfield, which is closer, let along Ft. Worth, which is closer to us than Dallas.

People are very friendly, very open and outgoing. They all apologize for the heat, which is about normal for August. But we find the 102Ëš temps easier to take than 98Ëšin North Carolina. The old saying is correct: it is the humidity! Much drier here. Our last utility bill in New Bern was $235!

Jason, Jamie and the kids worked very hard getting the house ready for us, and Jamie and the kids took a well-deserved vacation to Utah a day or so after we landed. We have had Jason around some evenings, and lots of Roxy Springer Spaniel company. My church experience here was great; I met a lot of warm expansive women who are converts to the church, AND Texas.

We’ll keep you posted as we step out into your new environs. Our computer won’t be on the web until the end of the week – we are hooking up at Jason’s house. We are looking forward to exploring North Central Texas, particularly Waxahatchie, Plano, and my favorite . . . . Flower Mound.

Love to all,

Sam

Texas Spread