apartment still on the fritz

We have heat in 85% of the apartment (yay!) but no running water.  We are going over everyday for a few hours to organize and get it set, but we are still staying with Dan's very gracious parents until we can do essential things, like flush the toilets and have water for (the really important stuff like coffee and...) cooking.

  :) 

I'm trying to keep things in perspective. 

New Year, New City

 We've moved.  We decided that December wasn't full of enough excitement, so we packed up our stuff and made an adventure out of it. 

Well, not quite.  But, it is what it is. 

 I don't recommend moving in December.  Even when it seems like a great idea when you give notice to your landlord in October and you think two months is plenty of time to get organized, find an apartment, pack, and move.  It won't be.  It's December, you can't do anything on schedule in December. 

We got lucky in that the days we were loading the truck it was in the 40's, but man oh man.  We used all that luck up because when we made it to Chicago, it was snowing, blowing, and the beginning of what is now called a Polar Vortex.  We didn't have to unload things when it was in the -15 to -20 degree range, but you could have fooled us - it was cold. 

 Even though all of our things, and our cats, are moved in, we are not.  You see.  The boiler in our building is broken.  No heat.  Then entered the Polar Vortex (duh duh, DUH!!!) and now the pipes are frozen. 

We are safe and warm with Dan's parents (thank God) but we are starting out 2014 with stress, sore muscles, cabin fever, and intense cold. 

 On the plus side, Yay!  We had Christmas!  My dad visited!  It's 2014!  It's only 8 days until my birthday!

Harper was enamored with the circus tent she received for Christmas, as well as with other things.  We had great food, fun, and memories with family and inducted some new faces (Nora's Boyfriend attended festivities for the first time!). 

And, Harper has finished teething.  Hallelujah!  A Christmas miracle! 

 We are sad our Bears did not make it to the payoffs, and the ruling is still out if signing Jay Cutler for a 7-year deal is a good decision, but we have cut ties with Bloomington, and we're making the best of our cold and complicated world. 

I am getting to know some people and places for Harper and I, and with the practically balmy temperature of 31 degrees forecast for this weekend, we'll be out and about our new city in no time.