“What feels like the end is often the beginning.”

The trailer still isn’t fixed so I’m going to leave it here and head for Denver to see my babies. I’ll come back and pick it up when it’s ready. Same timeline …different order! <3

“The Gift”

Yesterday was a cold and rainy day. When I say cold, it was predicted to get down to 37 degrees. That’s getting too cold for me! If my house would have closed with the original contract, I would have been in WV and settled by now. But everything happens for a reason. The second contract was better, smoother, and with wonderful people. My neighbors feel like they’ve won the lottery! And, I think they have!

“Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.”

I’ve been feeling particularly sentimental these last few days. Not in a “Maybe this isn’t the right thing to do” sort of way. More in a “OMGosh! I’ve been so incredibly blessed by God” sort of way. I have been surrounded by people who so obviously love me and that humbles me. I went to both services at church yesterday and my Pastor called me up to talk with him, to have me tell the congregation where I’m going and why, and to pray over me for my safekeeping. It was touching and the first time I’ve cried over leaving. I’m sure that I will cry next week when I have to leave my kids and grandkids but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. I spent the weekend with people I love deeply. I am so richly blessed to have them in my life and, even though I am excited for this adventure, I will miss them terribly.

“Change”

Last night I gathered a few people around me to share some love. My sweet brother. My sister-in-law came in from Salt Lake. My second ex-husband and his darling wife were there. My neighbors on both sides joined in as well as one set of their parents. A friend from Sisters on the Fly. A friend whose company I enjoy greatly. All these wonderful people gathered to celebrate. We celebrated my brother’s 63rd birthday and my ex’s 60th. And we embraced and shared our love for each other as I prepare in the next few days to head for parts east. We didn’t say goodbye…we said “see ya soon”! Some will come to WV to see me. Some I will see the next time I’m here in Colorado. I pray I will see them all again. It was a beautiful day and my heart is full of love. <3

“Belonging”

The U-Pack trailer was finally dropped off at 5:00 yesterday afternoon. My fabulous neighbors emptied all the plastic tubs into boxes so they would pack tighter while I emptied the trailer of all the items it took ten people to stuff in it Wednesday. Then three guys packed the semi while us gals went to buy dinner. OMGosh! They got everything in 5 linear feet of space in that trailer…it was amazing! I have very little in my car and TOW-Wanda Grande is packed like a house with just the things I’ll need for housekeeping. However…now the slide won’t go out! It worked fine at the lot. But now the motor on the left works but not the right. I took it in but it was too late in the day. They can squeeze me in at noon today and they will have a two hour window to diagnose and fix it. They have no time available Monday so if it can’t be fixed tomorrow, it may be Tuesday or Wednesday before I get out of here. Go figure! On the plus side, my sister-in-law got in from Salt Lake last night!

“Bye-Bye, 725!”

I parked TOW-Wanda Grande in front of my fabulous neighbor’s house Wednesday night and plugged in. I was so tired but really needed a bubble bath. My friend Terri came to get me and take me to her house. Got back and was too tired to fall asleep. I did finally sleep for a couple of hours but woke up at 1:30 and couldn’t get back to sleep so I just got up and started going through boxes and gathering stuff to take to the thrift store. I did manage to sleep for another hour about dawn. I had a doctor’s appointment at 8:30 then took the trailer back over to the shop because one end of the shelf over the bed wasn’t fastened correctly. My sales guy came out and said we had a more serious problem. When they hooked the trailer on Wednesday, there was too much slack in the power cable you plug into the back of the car and it got caught in the hitch and cut it in half. Fine…they fixed it. I went home and had no battery power in the trailer. Ok, call the trailer dude and he said the bring it back. The tech went through it with a fine toothed comb and finally discovered it was a faulty ground wire. It probably got pulled when the cable got cut.

“From little to huge!”

Awwww….lookie there at that wittle thing! TOW-Wanda Grande sure deserves that name! She’s a monster compared to Little TOW-Wanda. However, even with that great big size, only about 1/3 of my stuff that I so carefully sorted through and wore myself out packing will fit in her! My wonderful, beautiful, AWESOME neighbors let me store it in their garage and the next few days I will sort and weed and get rid of even MORE stuff. Every time I do this it gets easier and easier to let go of more. So, tonight I sat in the new trailer parked in front of my neighbor’s house. I listened to music. I breathed in and out. I listened to the crickets. I thanked God I don’t have to pay a house payment any more. I could rent a POD and move it, but there’s no room on the other side either. I’ll just let go. Let go and breathe. It’s easier by the hour. Honestly, I’m free so why would I want all this extra stuff???

“Mind Full, or Mindful?”

Although I have had moments of panic, for the most part I have been pretty well centered on this journey. I am beyond tired but I am so excited and happy to be moving forward that it’s not really hitting me. It probably will once I’m done today.

The “hitch” with the hitch was rectified easily enough. My sales guy was off Monday and when he heard about what happened regarding the trailer hitch, was on the phone first thing yesterday morning reassuring me that he was going to make everything work exactly AS I wanted it, WHEN I wanted it. He called me five minutes later and said if I could be at the shop in 15 minutes, they could fit the hitch right away. He also moved appointments around so that I could come in this morning for the full walkthrough. Then the only thing left is the actual transaction after the closing and I will have my trailer by 3:30 this afternoon!!! He even offered to come help load it so the load will be distributed correctly and safely in the trailer and car. I was SO exhausted by 5pm yesterday, I gave in and called my dear friend, Deisy, to come help me for a couple of hours to clean the empty house.

“And the winner is….”

TOW-Wanda Grande, skillfully named by Vicki Owens from out in California!

It was a really tough contest. There were so many names and they were all so creative. You all really put a lot into it and thought of who and where I am in this journey. It was SO fun to choose! In the end, I walked around all day trying this name and that name and nothing rolled off my tongue like my beloved TOW-Wanda. And she’s all grown up! It’s a clever nod to my Colorado life as well as my Starbucks order! Very cute Miss Vicki. So, go to Buffalo Baking Co.​, introduce yourself to the head baker gal, Patti. She will gladly take your order! And remember, this month she is running a fund raiser for Suicide Awareness Month so 50% of the proceeds goes to charity. I know this sounds like a shameless plug for Buffalo Baking Co., and it is because Patti is a ROCK STAR, but in all actuality…her Cowboy Cookies are AWESOME!!! Just sayin'.

“Inside the camper.”

You know it won’t go quite as you plan, right? It never does. I stopped in at the trailer place today, just to see how things are coming along. Good thing I did. Nothing has been done. My salesman was off but the owner was there. I went over the things that needed to be done pointing out that this needs to be ready in less than 24 hours because this is now my house. I went down the list and when I got to the weight distribution hitch, he said “Well, you DO have the weight distribution receiver on your Ford, right?” I told him I didn’t think so. He said his shop was booked out two weeks in advance and he wasn’t sure he was going to be able to do this but sure wished he could. Excuse me? I’m about to drop some serious coin in your lap but you’re not sure you can accommodate me??? Oh, I’m going to have to kick butt and take names today. Because, as you know…nothing goes quite like you plan. My plan was to close, buy the trailer, then get back to the house and load up. Not gonna happen. I’m going today to rent a U-Haul, load my boxes in it and park it across the street, then switch it to the trailer when that part is done. Breathe. Just breathe.