It's Getting Real!

How many Ph.D.s does it take to build a BBQ?

Today I packaged and sent out the thousand and one documents to the Finnish Embassy in Ottawa for our residency permit applications - Finland or bust! Of all the questions, the most entertaining ones were in the "clarification of family ties" application. Among the theoretically possible but still silly questions: "Have you met your spouse since you married him/her?" and "Have you or your spouse been previously married (while you yourself have been living in Finland)?"
So sending that form away, and the combination of the first of many moves, is starting to make the whole adventure become real. But of course, it won't really be full speed ahead mentally until the permits land back in our hands! So for now, it's more hurry up and wait, but the big adventure is becoming more tangible each day and with each little step. Hard to believe that, in one way or another, this idea of a year abroad has been in the back of our minds for the past six years since my last sabbatical, and now it's almost upon us.
For some fun, I helped Glenn build up his enormous new BBQ yesterday evening. Strangely, it's actually my first BBQ setup, since that was always something that I delegated to somebody else in both our move to Halifax and here to Ontario!
For getting into the international spirit, Glenn introduced Debbie and me to the "Caipirinha" ("little hillbilly") drink tonight. Lime juice with lots of sugar, water, ice, and sugar cane alcohol. Nice! And to celebrate the Royal Wedding, we all watched our favourite, "The Princess Bride." Poor Debbie had to put up with both Glenn and I reciting every line in stereo!