Gone fishin’

March 5, 2013 By in Baked Goods, My life Tags: , 42 Comments

Gone fishin’

That might be the sign hanging on my blogging door- except for the fishing part. And except for the relaxing by the stream part. We had a ginormous week of getting our container from Germany which equals boxes all over the house and THE grand piano.

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Within the same fifteen minutes the movers showed up, literally, O shoots me an email with a scan of his visa interview scheduled the next morning in Frankfurt. I was running around with my clipboard checking off box numbers as they brought them in. Upstairs, downstairs, main floor and oh sorry, but that needs to go down to the cabin… they were a very patient crew. Then I’d be skyping with O, looking through papers to make sure we were on top of our game for the interview  he had to attend solo at the US consulate. Before they could ask him the first question, he asked how long it would take to get his visa stamped passport. The guy replied with a wink and a how about we do the interview first.

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PS – River stone is not a good choice for a walkway.

O is a champ and the visa is processed, printed,  pasted in his passport and it with the top secret, sealed, only to be opened by special customs person brown envelope is sent within two days.

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And he’s flying in at noon today!! PHEW! Let me tell you it’s been a week in CAPS…

The mover went to put the legs and pedals on the piano. Legs made it fine but the bolt for the pedals was missing. We are talking about a German Schiedmayer grand from 1895. I wasn’t going to be running down to Ace hardware for a new bolt. We (meaning I) decided not to panic and just began opening all the boxes for an overview. I found a special key box with desk keys, cabinet keys, bike lock keys, bolts for the tables. No Schiedmayer grand piano pedal bolt. The official piano guy was coming Friday. I’d panic when he told me it was time.
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O will be happy to see this!

The piano guy shows up on Friday and lo and behold brings with him this lovely object.

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The movers had found it, I assume in the crate, which was unpacked in the truck. They had heard me talking about some piano guy in Anacortes (mainland where the ferry terminal is), called him and said hey are you the one ….And here it is. I do believe. I do believe. I do believe in God and Angels.

Pedals are on and the piano adjusts to his new environment awaiting a tuning in about three weeks. Here’s a question is your piano a male of female?

The craziness of the last few months is finally settling. I almost feel strung out like I’m coming down from a four month long high (and I’m only guessing as I’ve not participated in a lot of otherly substances).  There are though, these phases of seeing something huge and overwhelming ahead of you, (international moves, immigrant visas, culture shock etc). Transition to the middle stress part of papers,faxes,emails, threats. Then the completed, joyous, victorious part. And last, the point where you are looking back on it and bringing your head round to look straight ahead. We are ready to move forward.

We will be living with a little less stress, making blackberry scones and drinking green chai tea. Together, eyes wide open, looking straight ahead.

Tschüß xx

blackberry scone-2

42 responses

  1. German Schiedmayer grand from 1895? OMG, your anxiety is justified, really! Good wishes in settling down on the new shores. Incidentally, when we moved from Dubai to Frankfurt and then again back to Dubai, we had Crown as our movers and packer! I am surprised that you have the patience and the inclination to blog amidst all these! Miss your recipes though – hope the kitchen is all settled!

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    • Oh I’m glad you haven’t given up on me! I’m sitting here ready to dive into 300 blog mails! Two more hours till I pick up O at the airport:-) Funny you mention crown- they were one of our bids but actually we went with another company in NY who hired Krumpf (very good btw) but Krumpf is a subguy of crown. The international moving scene is pretty incestuous and there are so many layers of people! I can’t imagine doing this again but I know people do it regularly with their jobs. You just sort of hold your breath for a couple months. Cheers! xx

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  2. Oh Wendy! I wished I lived closer I would have come to help you with the move. Or at least bring you a meal! I’ve moved 13 times in 26 years… never across oceans however. Just the simple in-country move can be enough to make my blood pressure go through the roof. Glad your able to look straight ahead now 🙂 Enjoy the blackberry scones and chai tea… And some much needed rest!

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    • Your so sweet. I can’t imagine packing and unpacking 13 times. Even if it was just down the street.
      I’m feeling great and motivated to re-organize and build us a solid organized home base. Yeah! x wendy

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  4. Wow – you’ve had so much happening and still a lot ahead of you, and you find the time to take pics and blog… hat’s off! Good to see you back, though. And just when you’ve moved away from Hamburg I get invited to a wedding there. Guess our paths were not meant to cross in real life after all 😉

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  6. Thinking back to our move a few years ago (3 miles in total) and I am feeling for you. I hope it is all worthwhile and that things settle for you.
    Best of luck in your new home,
    Conor

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    • Thank you Conor. I think there is a little more stress with the distance but the packing and unpacking/back ache is the same for 3 miles or 6000! And yes we are on the verge of feeling settled and it’s very nice. cheers… wendy

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  7. Gosh, moving…across the oceans…I don’t envy you, but I think you are handling it excellently 🙂 Hope all goes well and you will find everything in your gazillion boxes 🙂 Take it easy and enjoy the new surroundings 🙂

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    • We’ve made some progress this week. All the boxes are actually unpacked but we now just have stuff covering about every surface. This is definitely a look at the half full glass project. Sometimes you feel you aren’t getting anywhere. But I remember what we’ve accomplished and hell this is the easy part in comparison!
      xx wendy

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      • It just never seems to end…all this unpacking…wondering: why did I pack it at all? What was I thinking? Where shall I put it?! Well, once you’ve got rid of the moving boxes, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck and happy organizing 🙂 Have a good Sunday with a bit of rest, too 🙂

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      • I’ve got to say- I wasn’t there when everything was wrapped up – say like the orchid that arrived brown and crispy. These guys were like little worker ants with no thinking just wrap, pack and box it up. We’ve been laughing at some of the bits (broken piece of the fridge drawer, ikea shelf brackets from the kitchen… dirty paper plates- etc. They almost wrapped up the car and house keys but luckily my husband caught that! Happy Sunday to you too! x

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  8. Ouch.. just looking at that mover’s back (lifting the piano) makes me cringe! Thankfully it’s him and not you, but I do hope you’re taking care of yourself while packing! Lots of scones would help so much! Congratulations on completing a massive move! xx

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    • Thanks Smidge- It was one for the books ( at least mine). We are glad to have it finished and look forward to having it sorted. It just takes time and patience… a good back and a good attitude:-)
      cheers…xo wendy

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    • Thanks. We are very happy and comfortable… and spread through about twice as much space as our apt in Hamburg (which we loved but… ) I’ve actually had this property on Orcas for almost 20 years and have been on and off the island a few times. It feels good to be here again and I think we will be staying put for a long while.

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  11. Oh Wendy, what joy and a huge sigh of relief! Realising there was this beauty of an instrument sailing the high seas raised my blood pressure just reading about it. Glad it all arrived safely, including, eventually, that all important bolt. Even the bolt is an object of beauty! Do you play or is it O or you both? I’m so envious! I am not sure I ever see myself living in a house large enough to house a grand over here, but I do visit one every year and it’s always a pleasure 🙂
    Congrats on the visa and am reading the hope and anticipation in your post today. Have a happy reunion and all the very best wishes for a good time settling in properly and unpacking.. I mean, uh… fishing 😉
    xx

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    • O is the musician- jazz trumpet professionally and some guitar and piano. His first musical instruction took place on this very piano so there’s some history here. We are at it daily and will stay at it till it’s done. I’m one who likes to work from an organized base so it’s a bit of a challenge. In some ways though that is good to have to work through too. cheers. xo wendy

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  13. I can not believe you moved a piano overseas. Holy cow. You are more of a woman mover than I am. : ) Happy unpacking!

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    • Really we can’t either. We went back and forth about it. But once you start moving a few things and are into a half container – well you might as well bring the grand. It’s made for great stories too:-)

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  14. I totally would’ve freaked out over the missing piano part! It’s absolutely gorgeous and I’m so glad they found it. Whew, just reading your story and staring at the photos of all those boxes are giving me an anxiety attack! I hope you are all settled in soon, with as little pain as possible. And I hope you have many quiet moments with delicious baked goods in the days ahead.

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  16. Oh Wendy, t’m so glad that you managed the arrival of our big baby so well! There are so many memories connected with this grand piano – while reading your blog and looking at the pictures they all came back! Hope that O. has arrived by now so you’ll get some help!.
    xox

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    • You really get it most of all. This piece holds a lot of history and I think it was important to make it happen. I’m just so grateful it went smoothly. I think it actually fared better going cross the Atlantic than it did from Detmold to Hamburg. We look forward to you guys getting your fingers on it in America. xoxox wendy

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  17. Beautiful grand piano. I have an electric Yamaha piano affectionately/ironically named Roland, who, oddly enough, when I pondered your question, is a female, or perhaps just effeminate! Glad to hear all is well despite the week with a capital WEEK. Scones certainly help – here is a pan of virtual ones (I’m known for my cheddar and chive scones).

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    • We have been plowing away. It was complete utter chaos and now it’s just a few stacks behind a few chairs. I do believe there is light peeking through at the end of the long tunnel we’ve been traveling…cheers – wendy

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