Monthly Archive for June, 2006

On Day 2, we made it through New Mexico and Texas. We ended up stopping for the night in Henryetta, Oklahoma. If you are planning on traveling on I-40, avoid the Super 8 Motel in Henryetta. Better yet, avoid Henryetta entirely. What a horrible hotel. I think “skeezy” (sp?) describes it pretty well. I don’t stay in non-chain hotels after my horrid experience in Texas my senior year of college, and there were only about 3 motels in the town. Super 8 seemed like the best choice, but sadly, it was not

We’ve been eating a lot of not particularly healthy food. I think we’ve eaten in at least one Cracker Barrel in each state that we’ve passed through, including one in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Cracker Barrel restaurant is not my first choice when it comes to restaurants. They have had some serious employment and customer discrimination issues to deal with. I would prefer not to go there at all, but traveling across country with a food allergy makes eating difficult. It’s not world-class food, but it is consistent, and I know they have things I can eat. Too bad about the biscuits though. They look great, but they contain baking powder, and most baking powder contains cornstarch.

Cracker Barrel does happen to carry the only mints I’ve found that I can eat – Bob’s Sweet Stripes. Bob’s has been acquired by another company, so hopefully they won’t change the recipe.

Day 2 has pictures, but I won’t try to upload them over this sloooowww connection. More coming about Day 3.

I don’t mind the boxes everywhere.

I don’t mind selling all of my stuff.

I don’t mind selling my house.

I don’t mind that the gardeners killed everything in the yard (well, maybe I’m a little upset about that).

I don’t mind quitting my job.

I don’t mind the idea of driving across country for 4 days. (I promise, Honey! Even if I’m cranky on Day 2.)

What breaking my heart, is leaving the friends and family that I’ve come to expect as part of my daily life in Arizona. Leaving college wasn’t so hard, because it’s a natural break, and you are prepared for it from the very first footsteps that you take on campus. Leaving the place that you have lived for 10 years is not so easy.

It\’s so exciting to be moving to a new city, have a new job (Just got the offer today! Still have to accept it, though.), and be close to other parts of my family. I just wish that I didn’t have to leave so many people behind.

I think I did it right though. My advice:

Have several parties – enough to say goodbye to coworkers, friends, family (Please stop by Four Peaks on Thursday!!).

Make sure you go to your regular knitting group, even if you get to the last meeting an hour and a half late.

Make time for some folks you haven’t seen in a while.

Pick your worries. i.e.: Pick the things you are going to stress about, and make peace with the rest.

Pack your favorite books and don’t worry that you have at least 6 boxes worth (Can you imagine what the numbers would be like if I hadn’t taken numerous boxes to Bookmans?).

Eat lots of chocolate, shortbread, and cherries (especially the Ranier Cherries E brought home tonight!).

And most important:

Don’t Panic!

Technorati Tags: moving, selling, travel, gardening, Arizona

Feline. AKA, Cleo the Crazy Cat.

Cleo is the cat who has shared my life for the last 11(?) years. I got her when I was in college and was seriously missing my cat family at home. She’s never really grown up, in size or mentality, she has a bad attitude about furniture, and she loves playing with knitting. She never plays with yarn, mind you, just knitting.

Cleo also really digs sheep fleece, and I think she would be in cat heaven if we lived on a sheep farm

She also thinks she is a dog some times (she even used to fetch), so being a sheep-herding cat isn’t too far fetched, I don’t think.

Cleo watches me while I am at the computer, making sure that I mess up what I am typing, or takes over the desk entirely.

(Cleo the map-making cat)

Cleo is also a cat. You know, the kind that loves to nap in odd places?

We have an understanding. As long as it isn’t 110 outside, TV time is Lap Nappy Time. Sometimes the knitting gets in the way – or maybe it’s the other way around. Some days I’m not sure. All I know is…

… we’re friends for life.