Settling In

Heading west...

What should have taken about 6 hours stretched into 9. It was Annika's first road trip as a driver. Needless to say, we stopped a lot. Here she is multi-tasking as the official caravan photographer. I had to call her up more than once and ask her to get off my tail. I think she was afraid I was going to ditch her somewhere out in the desert. Hmmm...maybe we've threatened the kids with that line a few too many times!


Our new casa in Dana Point


In the absence of having my own camera (yep, still missing) I'm going to try to explain the layout of the house using Annika's pictures. It's a bit confusing, but here goes. This is the gate you walk in as you enter the house. In this photo we're looking back toward the street. The garage is on the left and the casita (Annika's room) is on the right.


Okay, stay in the same spot but turn around. Now you are facing the front door.


Still standing in relatively the same place, look to your right. That's the entry to the kitchen, which you can also access from the garage. The boxes are for ambience.


Entering the front door, you see the living room, as well as a few more boxes.


This is the view from the stair landing.


I don't have pictures of all the bedrooms. Well, I do, but they're boring. As are the pictures of the bathrooms.


Here is the back patio. We put the basketball hoop here just for the time being, because we can't put it in front of the garage as per the HOA. It is nonfunctional in this location also, since that wall you see behind it isn't actually a wall, but in reality the next door neighbor's house. Gotta love those California lots where they pack the houses in tight!

Another picture of the patio and our view...awesome!


Unpacking the kitchen...not so awesome.


And there you have it. We'll be here for about 4 months while we try to sell our Arizona home and find a permanent place to settle here.