Columbus Day 2012

Well, the moving of our stuff from one house to another is completed.  That doesn't mean the move is over, we still have tons to unpack, furniture to organize, necessities to find again, and a huge amount of superfluous crap that we need to throw away or donate, but at least most of the heavy lifting is done.  Last night I even got the bookshelves and desk into my office and by the end of the day today, I hope to have the server set up so that I can work on something other than this laptop in a recliner chair.

Having my Internet service through a cellular antenna, I hope my signal will be somewhat more reliable than it was living in town.  I’d hate to have to drive down the mountain to find a hotspot.  Even though we have lived “out” most of the time since we've been in the mountains, the last couple of years living “in town” have gotten us out of the habits and routines necessary when “going to town” is not a five minute, easy jaunt.  We're only about 12 miles out, but the drive down the mountain, then along the river up to the bridge, through the tiny village of Clyde, across the railroad tracks, out to the four-lane and then 8 miles to town, means in simple language: don’t forget anything at the grocery store.

Oh, and here’s some fun: I have received deliveries from UPS, FedEx and even the Post Office, I have had all the utilities hooked up without incident, friends have found me with Google Maps, MapQuest, Garmin GPS and Verizon Navigator, but when I try to change my address with magazines, websites that I do business with, and more than a couple of bill collectors, the attempt comes back, “No such address.”  Apparently a lot of businesses use an address verification program provided by the Post Office that as yet does not know this house exists.  I get mail, no problem, but until I track down my rural-post deliveryman and get him to update his “address edit list” (assuming he knows how to use a computer), no cyber-savvy company will accept that I really do live on Normann Road (yes, two N’s -- must be the Moonshine spelling -- some places will accept two, some want one, either way it will get here).

Just for fun, here is a two minute video of our little mountain town.
  http://www.ourstate.com/videos/waynesville-5-things-not-to-miss/

With that, please note the new address on the invoice if you get one.  If you mess up and mail to the old address, even our hillbilly postmaster knows how to forward it here, but it will delay delivery.  Let me know you saw this, and have a great Queen Isabella Day (she’s the one who bought the ships and paid for the voyage that Columbus gets all the fame and credit for).