Regarding upcoming changes at the Lee-Miller Cat Farm and Confusion Factory

[rolanni]

Dear Friends of Liad and all the ships in space,

we here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory appreciate your friendship and support – over the years you’ve helped us through problems, enjoyed the cats, and met us at conventions. Most of you have come to expect news out of East Winslow (especially the “For the Record it is snowing in East Winslow” and the Day Lily Count …) and you’ve seen photos of the snow, the flowers, the snow, the roadside, the snow.... We’ve enjoyed sharing all of this with you.

However, as Jefferson Airplane told us, Life is Change. That’s what’s happening here. Change.

Change?

Change. The Cat Farm and Confusion Factory will shortly be shifting.

All of us – cats, books, people (and maybe some day lilies and daffodils!) – will be moving to a campus closer to the delightful amenities of Waterville, Maine, so close, in fact that we’ll eventually give up our Winslow address entirely.

This is not as sudden a thing as it might appear – we’ve been looking to do this for years, as many of you know. Now, after several disappointments along the house-hunting trail we’ve not only made an offer on a house across the river but had it accepted. A house within a mile or two of the local downtown, the local hospital, the local major grocery stores (the local Gifford's ice cream stand!), the vet's. . .with a much shorter hop to hit the interstate, and a shorter ride to Old Orchard Beach, too. Both of us will have larger offices, and the cats will have a larger and more up-to-date basement. Also, we’ll have a garage to put Skylark the Subaru in and to mount the famous high-tail cat wind vane on.

What’s this mean to you, our friends? Well. . .change.

To begin with we’ll be maintaining our Waterville PO Box as is, so if that’s the address you have for us, you’re good. We’ll be submitting change of address to the PO RSN. . .and that will go out to all those who have need of the home address. Since we’re doing hybrid moving – partly us and partly a moving company – the change will take a few weeks once we go to closing. We haven’t got an ironclad closing date yet, but it could well be before the 40^th anniversary of our joining households back in 1978.

Also, we have yet to sell the house in East Winslow. We’ll be doing some clean up here, and then the pros will come in to make everything shipshape for sale. You’ll notice this takes time ….

In order to keep all things flowing smoothly we’ve petitioned Toni at Baen for an extension on the delivery date for book formerly known as Fifth of Five, which she was kind enough to agree to without question. Ah yes, while the book is slowly in progress it does appear to have a name now: Accepting the Lance.

Other things are still in flux – we’re not sure we’ll be able to afford the planned trip to WorldCon this year, for example – but we will keep you informed as things settle out.

Thanks for all you do.

Steve and Sharon

Comments

Congratulations!

[(Anonymous)]

So glad to hear that you finally found a place that will work for you. And good luck selling the old house once you are ready. I'm a bit sad that fifth of five will be delayed, but I love the title. I'm hoping that means some clutch turtles will be making an appearance. (I hope I'm getting the reference right and that it wasn't a menfriat(sp?) move instead.)

I also hope the cats appreciate their new basement once they are settled in. Do you move your generator or does that stay at the old house?

Re: Congratulations!

[rolanni]

It's a Very Different House from this one, so it will take some getting used to. For instance, the new place has a galley kitchen, and a dining room. I don't think we've *ever* had a dining room.

The generator -- in theory, the generator increases the worth of this house, but, if whoever the new owner will be doesn't, for some reason *want* a generator, the folks who installed it will move it to the new place for us.

Much, as you might imagine, is up in the air.

[martianmooncrab]

the hunt for a new abode has been long, and I hope that the New Place is easily moved into.

It would still be nice if you can make it to Worldcon... (looks shifty) maybe a bit of fundraising would entice you more?

Congratulations and sympathies

[(Anonymous)]

Congrats on finally finding a house that will suit your current needs better! And my sincere sympathies on having to move - it always seems to be twice as much work as it "should" be, no matter how much prep work you've done. I went through it just last fall, so the memories are quite fresh. But forge ahead - I'm sure it will be worth the effort!
Mary in MN

congratulations!

[(Anonymous)]

I am very happy to hear that you have found a new place that is closer into town. I recall several journal entries about looking. Good luck with the gazillion details that go with buying, selling, moving...
Best wishes!
Millie

Best of luck

[ireneha]

And it will be hard work. You had gotten the house into that comfy robe state.

The new building sounds closer to the things that make life easier, i.e. closer to food, wine and song (OK ice cream, restaurants, medicine, doctors, and vets)

Well, you'll just have to move the comfy chairs into new locations. Then make the rooms comfy around them.

Being selfish: Please move the offices first, so that if a chapter needs to leak out into the book, it will be able to. Please.

Re: Best of luck

[rolanni]

No, the offices will be the last rooms struck and the first rooms up. Also, we are keeping the laptops close. Work must go forth, or this whole project will fall on its face.

Re: Best of luck

[ireneha]

No problem. I see Last Out - First In... Laptops so that you can continue to write. All Good.

I haven't moved in 39 years. It was much easier back then. Everything fit in a minivan, and the autos of my friends. It was only a one mile parade. Back then I didn't own a computer. Not to mention the full guest room I can see from my computer today. AND I didn't have to move four footed family members who can sense a suitcase/packing crate being opened at the other end of the house... And who can call down snow at need.

[hairmonger]

Joyous houseness to you! May all go well, and may the cats--eventually-forgive the disruption.

Mary Anne in Kentucky

[reedrover]

Congratulations, good luck, and have as much fun as possible during this shifting dance.

[theowlunderground]

Wishing you good weather, good health, good energy, and may it all go down as smooth and neatly as one of those domino constructions ....rrrrrrrrpt-pwink! and there you are.

[(Anonymous)]

Congratulations on finding something a little closer to town. It sounds like a lovely house! Hope the move goes smoothly and the cats adjust quickly!

Wendy

[spiffikins]

Congratulations!

I'm glad you have found a worthy house and that your offer was accepted! I look forward to hearing about your adventures in moving and setting up the New House!

[sraun]

Congratulations!

I'm looking forward to my own move with both enthusiasm and dread - I'll have lived in my current house for 20 years by the time the new house is ready to move into!

[kk1raven]

I hope that your move goes smoothly and the new house turns out to be everything you're hoping it is.