As I write this, it’s about ten in the morning California time, Saturday. My back still hurts but it’ll be okay in another day or two; the cats are gradually getting settled into their new home and I’ve just gotten the first bits of my technology hooked up and working in the new office.

God, what a long week. This morning I feel like I’ve just survived a combat zone.. and as tough as it was to get everything packed, crated, shipped, stored, turned off, turned on, and finally flown, it would have been so much tougher had it not been for the help of my parents, brother and friends. I really expected it to be a lot worse.

The flight wasn’t bad. I scored a last-second, back-row aisle seat for the OIA-LAX leg, meaning that although I was pretty much the last to board and the last to leave (with two very heavy carryons in tow), at least I didn’t have to get other people to move to get to the restroom. Accidentally killed my MP3 headphones at one point by getting up to fast and ripping the audio plug off the cable. The inflight movie was really good (Stardust), and since I used my own headphones – until I destroyed them, anyway – I could actually hear the whole thing in stereo for a change.

The cats had a bad day. It took almost forty-five minutes to get them checked in at OIA; I saw them being transferred to the connecting flight in LA. When they landed in the baggage claim area in Modesto, Tuck looked like he’d just woken from a long nap. Ruca, on the other hand, had burrowed herself under the kennel mats. In all the years I’ve had her, I’ve never seen her that freaked out.

So now, this Saturday morning, I’m unpacking my stuff and Kristi’s getting ready for this holiday fair thing that’s about the descend on our neighborhood today. I feel guilty about sitting here tapping at a keyboard while she’s outside mowing the lawn and clearing it of Samson apples, but I really need to take it easy on the back today. It hasn’t been like this in a long time.. and it was fine coming off the airplane. I think it was lugging four 50-pound crates into the house last night that pushed me over again. So not much bending-lifting on the books for Rob today.

All I can say is, I do love this woman.. every step of the way since I got here, she’s been two steps ahead of me with coffee, food, Icy Hot for my back, kind works and gentle care. The moment the thought crosses my mind, she’s right there with it in hand. Makes every moment of this week worth it.