The Journey Begins

Aren't you all so proud of me?? I figured out how to start a blog all by myself! Will wonders never cease?!

So, the journey here...first of all, I have to give really big props to my big bro, Chad, for actually volunteering to fly up to help me pack, load the truck and drive that mother all the way to San Luis Obispo! Both Chad and my friend "Tall Paul" keep assuring me everthing would fit in my 17ft truck. Ha Ha! I had already sold a ton of furniture (ok, a ton for me!) and given away just as much, but I was having to leave item after item behind. in the end, Paul promised to store what few garden items I had left, a fish statue (don't ask) and my bike until I could return to Ashland to retrieve them. Even then, the truck was filled side to side, top to bottom, end to end! But it was done (and so was everyone involved). I am eterenally grateful to Paul for all the boxes ("you need more, don't you??") and to Laura (who provided so much help, wine and beer, laughter and finally, a cot for me to sleep on that last night) for also volunteering to help out. It was a big lesson for me - to accept help and realize that people would actually be willing to help because they actually like me!

January 19th...we got a bit of a late start so we had to drive in the dark getting into Walnut Creek, CA...but happily, there was no snow on the pass leaving Oregon, so it wasn't too bad. Ok, we were dead exhausted. OH! And the cat, Taz, managed to get outside earlier that morning and it was an odessy to catch and cage him. I almost thought that I was going to have to leave him behind! But we got him and he did pretty well during the drive. Buttercup? that dog is just happy to be involved in anything I do!

At the hotel, we were to exhausted to go out and eat, so we scrounged up whatever we had with us. Taz was freaked out and kept trying to go under the beds (which, thankfully, were on frames that went to the floor, so he couldn't get under them). Finally, he crawled under my sheets and felt safe enough to pass the night peacefully. The next morning we watched the inaugaration over breakfast (so happy we could do that...what a great moment that was, huh kids?) And we were off to San Jose to pick up our mom who was visiting friends. I hadn't seen her in a year, so it was great to give her a hug (and squeeze her into my very full car).

The next few days were spent in San Luis Obispo, CA with my daughter, Tenaya. She is without wheels at the moment, so we spent a bit of time driving around for her. We had lots of laughs, good meals and a little drama about a rental car for Chad (there was a mishap with the company I used and they didn't have a one-way vehicle available. But it got worked out, I didn't make him stay in SLO). Reluctantly, I left Tenaya and Taz (he wasn't going with me to New Mexico)on Saturday and Mom and I drove to Santa Barbara, CA to stay with our buddy, Evelynn. Sunday, our other partner in crime, Meg, met up with us to have a great day of Chinese food, walking labarynths, cruising the Pacifica Institute, meditating at the Vedanta Temple and ending the day with red wine, chocolate truffles and a sunset. Can you beat that?!?!

Mom and I had one day of shopping before taking off for the last leg of the journey to New Mexico.

And THAT is another story, so more on that later!