M.I.A. no more!

It's not that I don't love you--I swear!

I've just been busy....soooooo so busy.

Doing what?

Well...I went on vacation. Billy and I went on a beautiful, scenic, 10 day car-trek through not just one, but two countries. We laughed the entire time. With much hilarity. And visiting of family--of both varieties. GREATEST VACATION EVAR! Details sometime.

While on vacation, I was tracked down, Carmen SanDiego style, and first offered and consequently given a new job! I am now the new manager of my company's Amherst location! A smaller store in a much smaller community, but a great opportunity. It came with a decent raise, and a company vehicle and gas card. Woohoo.

While living in the hotel, Christine was stationed about an hour from me for a short while...we were able to meet for lunch. It wasn't the exciting festivities we had been hoping for, but it was great. And I was soooo glad to see her. And she met Billy which was nice for me too--'cause now they both know what the other one looks like when I babble incessantly about them to the other.

Also in recent events...I had checked out the MLS postings to see about real estate in Amherst. And folks? It's CHEAP. By comparison anyway. Compared to what? Any place you've EVER BEEN. So I went to the bank.

And I didn't expect much. But I was preapproved! EASILY. And very, very quickly. For WAY more than I'm going to need. Weeeeheeee.

So here I sit, not quite a week into my new job...in my hotel room. And am EXHAUSTED. (Too exhausted to go back and put in cool links to www.mls.ca, Carmen SanDiego, and the town page for Amherst, NS. Imagine it for me, wouldja?)

I've been spending all my waking moments out looking at houses. It's scary stuff. How big? How much? How much work am I prepared to do? How much extra will that cost? Do I care? How long will I be here? Is this REALLY the right thing to do? (the answer to the last one is Yes, I am certain of that much)

Anyway...so tired. Must sleep. But I wanted to let you all know I'm here...I'm alive...I'm coming back to you...and I miss you. I've got about 1500 back posts to read in my bloglines...so some of you will just have to leave me a note in the comments if there's something super-exciting that I've missed...but I'll do my best to catch up.


** okay, so I got energetic and did a little Googling...for those of you who DO remember Carmen Sandiego...you'll enjoy THIS immensely.