“The Flatlands…Kansas”
“Kansas” is the Sioux word for “flat”! Flat, flat, flat! Kansas excels at flatness. It gets an A+ in flat! But, dang….you sure can see a long ways off. It has it’s own beauty. I saw gorgeous fields of wheat and sunflowers yesterday. Large feedlots full of fat cattle. Grain silos, farmers harvesting crops. Winter wheat a new green against the brown harvest. Thank you, Kansas…for working hard to fill our bellies!
“On the road with TOW-Wanda Grande!”
I can’t believe this day is here! I’m taking my time crossing the country this time. One of my Sisters on the Fly friends told me to pay the $50/day storage fee for my stuff when it gets to WV and take an extra week coming across. Good advice, Lisa!
My mom died ten years ago and I made three round trips between CO and WV that year…by myself. I also brought my brother to CO from WV via Disney World! I came cross country the last time with a 17’ U-Haul towing my Toyota on a car hauler. I slept in the cab of that truck! This is total luxury having my house with me.
“My new truck! FREE-DA!”
The night before I left on my Really Big Grand Adventure, I was so excited I couldn’t sleep. I was browsing through photos. That is how most of my posts are born. This photo was taken this past Monday. I traded in my Expedition for this uber awesome pickup. Every woman should own at least one pickup in her life!
As I looked at my smiling face, I noticed my old car sitting in the background and I remembered…I bought that car 5 days before Mr. Virgo died. I bought it because we were going to buy a travel trailer (very much like TOW-Wanda Grande) and have some fun. Our last car ride together was spent holding hands in that car and planning our future. And now the car is gone. Poof! Just like that. And here’s the good part…that thought never crossed my mind when I went to trade it in. It was merely an asset…something of value to bring down the price of the new vehicle. Healing! Healing is an awesome thing!
“Saying Goodbye to Little TOW-Wanda. This makes me a little sad!”
I had a perfectly smooth day yesterday. I almost didn’t know how to act! I went to Columbine Ford in Rifle first thing. (Ask for Brandun Weeden and tell him I sent you!!!) I had called him on Friday when I was at a Ford dealer in Denver. I told him what I was looking at, and what they were offering, and asked if he could do better. He said he could and he didn’t disappoint! I got a year newer vehicle, with 30,000 less miles on it, with a 36 month extended warranty for about $4,000 less than I expected! Sweet! The only thing is, the truck doesn’t have nav or a back up camera. But I can deal with that. Thanks, Brandun!
“I packed all my winter clothes!”
If you remember correctly, my first contract on the house was to close on 9/11. I, in my ever positive, enthusiastic, optimistic way was absolutely convinced that would happen so, what did I do? Why, I packed all my winter clothes and shipped them off to WV, of course! And then the whole deal fell apart and we didn’t close till the 24th. Well…that’s cool. I’d still get to WV in plenty of time before I needed winter clothes, right? Ummmm…not so much. I drove to Denver last Wednesday in the snow, wearing the only winter clothes I had left…a sweater, a pair of leggings, and my black cowgirl boots. Chic, for sure, but not very practical. So, I stopped at the factory outlet stores on my way through Silverthorne and just picked up a few things. At least now there’s a little variety.
“Hanging with the family at the movies”
Man, the theaters these days are amazing! A whole theater with maybe 25 full size leather recliners so everyone can sit back just like in their living rooms. Sweet!
Yesterday was coffee with daughter #2, a trip to Camping World to pick up a few niceties, then to daughter #1’s house to watch a few episodes of The Voice. Then we went out to Red Robin for dinner and to the movies to see Dolphin Tale 2. Fun!
“My quirky princess…Daughter #2.”
Had coffee with my beautiful, quirky, eclectic princess…my baby girl. I will miss her!
“Little and Me…Funny Faces!”
There is such magic in youth. Who else can you make funny clown faces with in a parking lot? I will miss my babies. But I remember how special it was when my cousin from Chicago came to WV for a visit. She was royalty! We anticipated her visit months in advance. And even though the visit went way too fast, we bonded over that week or two and I know how special it was for my grandma to have her “Trinket” there. My babies will come see me next summer and my daughter will leave them with me for awhile. We will camp and drive back cross country and I’ll bring them back to Denver. In the meantime, we’ll have plenty of FaceTime dates. And maybe we ’ll wear clown noses!
“Sister Time!”
Spending the day with some special sisters…Sisters on the Fly, that is!
“Color change in the Rockies”
I drove over to Denver yesterday to give the trailer guys a break and to squeeze my babies! The colors were fabulous, even though it was a cloudy, rainy day with some snow. I stopped in Silverthorne at the outlet stores to buy a few cold weather items. It seems I packed and shipped almost all of my winter clothes thinking I would have been in WV by now. Duh! I arrived at my son-in-law’s parents’ house and promptly took a MUCH needed nap. Awoke to rain and thunder. Ahhhh, blissful rest and people who love me and offer up lots of TLC just what the doctor ordered!