Getting Acclimated

[Working on getting our pretty SLR photos uploaded, next post will be dedicated to showcasing those shots!]

A week has already gone by, and I’ve already learned so much:

1. Our yard is a haven for small animals, including lizards, Lodgepole Chipmunks (aka Tahoe chipmunks), squirrels, Stellers Jays, and even a bunny that I’m sure lives under the deck thanks to our Ring security cameras.

2. It is quiet here. Like, really really quiet. Then again we came from Bethesda/Chevy Chase outside of Washington, DC where you hear a lot of car/truck engines, motorcycles, helicopters, and emergency vehicles around the clock. It’s almost a shock to your system to switch your living space to somewhere that is the exact opposite.

3. The night sky shines bright full of stars and the moon on clear evenings.

4. The California fires cause a noticeable fog at least once a day. If you walk around barefoot on the deck long enough, the bottoms of your feet will turn black.

5. People here are SO nice! We had neighbors come introduce themselves to us within the first few days. This did not happen at our last neighborhood in Maryland.

6. Maia loves to adventure outdoors with me and/or Adam, but usually only in the mornings. Afternoons are for hanging out and playing with toys or hide & seek.

7. The closest beach is Nevada Beach 1 mile down the road; all other points of interest are within reasonable driving distance.

8. The drive to the closest city (and Nevada capital), Carson City, is extremely challenging, winding through the mountains with bear & deer crossing signs throughout. While it’s one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever done, it also requires utmost concentration and focus.

9. An altitude of 6500 ft does weird things to my body. Coming from 300 ft elevation, the effects are cardiovascular and digestive. I’ll just leave it at that.

Moving truck isn’t here yet, but they finally called today to let us know they are delivering our belongings on Saturday. I’m just glad we have a furnished place! To be honest, it’s amazing how little we actually need in our daily lives. I anticipate we’ll be donating another lot of items after we sort through everything.

I’m also officially a Nevada resident! Went to the Carson City DMV (only took 2 tries and a 1.5 hour wait) to get my license, registration, charity plates and voter registration complete. License will arrive in the mail in a few days but those new plates are on and they look niiiice.

Here are some photo highlights of our first week…