My Beloved held up pretty well In the arctic climes of Up North. I did get a little tired of hearing about the "cold" (insensitive of me, I know!) and had to limit him to five complaints per day by the end of our stay.
Minnesotans were thrilled with the balmy temperatures. Anything above zero is a bonus at Christmas time!
I offered to get him some Minnesota winter clothes like this popular buffalo plaid wool Elmer Fudd hat with ear flaps. He decided to pass but did get the sunglasses for the glare on the snow.
We rented a sixteen foot truck to move all my worldly possessions to South Carolina. We didn't begin to fill it up, but it's still a lot of stuff.
My sweet daughters came over to help pack the boxes and load the truck. Of course, Mason was a big help, too. The job he chose was to carry a TV remote around for two days, periodically hiding it and "finding" it, and offering it to whoever was near.
On the last night we went to a Mexican restaurant with the family where Mason charmed the server into giving him candy.
Who could resist these charms, especially the green tongue?
There was a massive winter storm on the way so we rushed to leave18 hours ahead of schedule. We drove through an ice and snow storm all through Iowa with cars and trucks spinning out and landing in the ditch.
Next we drove through the floods in Missouri. Unbelievable. Twenty some people have died in the areas we went through and bridges and overpasses on the Interstate closed behind us. Fields, woods, everywhere you looked, flooded. And we endured a two and a half hour traffic jam in Georgia.
Tennessee has some interesting town names. Here is our favorite --
Bucksnort
I wish we had had time to explore it!
Georgia gets our vote for Worst Restrooms, including a couple I refused to use at all. This one was stuck in the back of a yucky storeroom but I'm glad I persevered in finding it because I have not seen one of these since I was a kid! You put a quarter in, step on the platform, and it gives you your weight, fortune, and lucky numbers for the day!
So they can sell you a lottery card on your way out the door?
You need to win the lottery when you are driving a 16 foot truck that gets 8 miles to the gallon of gas.
Yesterday we had a young, strong helper to help us unload the truck and today we returned it to the Penske people. It will be days before all the stuff is sorted and put away.
And I will begin the new year as a South Carolinian!
A year ago I couldn't have dreamed that all these changes would occur in the life I had carefully planned out for my retirement. I wouldn't have believed anyone if they had told me!
Happy New Year, Friends!
Posted with Blogsy
And may be 2016 be better for all of the World.
ReplyDeleteHere the New Year was welcomed in over Sydney Harbour, Bridge and Opera House with
$35 million worth of fireworks. Just watched it on morning ABC TV - it was the best
ever and thousands of people from around the World come to witness it.
Just interviewed young ones from Chile, Germany, the UK and the USA - they sure
looked like they all had a ball - that's just to name a few visitors!
Of course getting out of a locked down - traffic free CBD and close harbour suburbs
would have been a nightmare - ha ha. Still they all enjoyed the festival.
They will give the "official" estimates of the crowd later - I'll let you know,
no doubt in excess of 1 million plus.
I am glad Paul decided against that hat and what ever the thing was dangling off his nose.
He may have whined about the cold - I would have driven you mad!! ha ha.
Not sure if the green tongue suits my young mate, Mason.
Lovely day here - no summer yet - I still have two blankets on my bed for night - unbelievable!
Cheers
Your Aussie mate who is enjoying warm summer days - ha ha.
Colin
They just gave the numbers for the Sydney Harbour New Year fireworks - 1.6 million!!!
DeleteThe joys of getting home!!!
Now the crowds are descending on sunny Sydney beaches for the BBQs and surf in fantastic
sunshine.
Good news also on the crowds - very little trouble for the Police. That is a bonus.
Now watching Moscow putting on her display.
Colin
So you moved your stuff! I am a little sad to see you leave Minnesota behind you, but I know you will be back to visit! It hasn't been all that cold! Yes we all need sunglasses when the sunshines which hasn't been too often lately. Happy New Year! I wish you the very best in 2016:)
ReplyDeleteCynthia Happy New Year . I hope it is going to be healthy , and successful for you both........... In Polan dwe don't have anysnow winter is vbery mild like spring. I love it
ReplyDeleteSo glad to read that you have made it safely home. I was worried about your travel. You hit some terrible weather! Who could resist a cut little guy with a green tongue? It matches his shirt. Cute! Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're home safely! What a trip. Mason reminds me of our grandson, Sam - especially the green around the mouth! It's bitter cold here in CO - will be minus teens tonight. Happy 2016!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to the south, you should only hit the bathrooms in reststops, not gas stations.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I think it's good for people to make a major move from time to time. I know it's a pain in the butt to load those rental trucks, but a new experience is worth it.
ReplyDeleteOops, I forgot to say Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteYour story is proof that life can change so quickly. Happy for you that it changed in a good way. Glad you made it safely home to South Carolina. Travelling over the Christmas holiday is always a bit of gamble. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteYou must have been relieved to get home safely. That sounded like an epic journey. It makes life interesting when we veer from our planned path. Happy New Year - have a great 2016!
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, what an 'adventure' you had driving back to Sth Carolina...the weather has gone crazy by the sound of it. It must have been a relief to get home safely. What a cutie Mason is :-)
ReplyDeleteYou certainly had an eventful trip back home.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year..
Must have been great for you to feel the cold again with a little frost.
ReplyDeleteI think that I must have found you via my blogging friends Biebkriebels and Margaret-whiteangel and just at the beginning of a new adventure for you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a trip you had in the truck, it must have been quite frightening at times. It is difficult when trying to beat the weather at the best of times.
In the UK we are experiencing very strange weather too.
Wishing you a happy 2016 in your new life down south.
Cynthia, we couldn't wait for the 2nd Detectorists to come on Acorn so we ordered the DVD from Amazon UK, we have a DVD player that will play DVDs from England.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean--last Jan I had no idea that I would be living in Florida this New Years instead of New York--had talked about moving to Fl where my 2 grown kids live--but I don't think I ever really thought I would move back here--but do love it--
ReplyDeleteso glad you left when you did and that you got through safely--
smiles, di
Happy, Happy New Year Cynthia - such a romantic tale, Mason will enjoy telling his Grandkids all about when he helped you pack up and move to South Carolina - I hope you found the remote when you got there! Terrible weather the world over, we held our breath again yesterday as the bush fires were just across the bay.
ReplyDeleteHave fun unpacking :)
Wren x
I am so happy you had a good time and especially that you made it back safely. I didn't realize you had left your belongings up north when you moved. After a cross country trip in late November with every type of storm possible to drive through I have vowed to never again make a move during the winter months. You were very brave to take this trip after Christmas. You should have driven down through Pennsylvania, we had gorgeous weather in the 40s and 50s through New Year's.
ReplyDeleteMy kids and I loved driving through many of the states and seeing what towns were named but I have to say the bathrooms we came across one year in Arkansas were the worst. I wouldn't let my kids touch anything and made them wait til we left to wash their hands it was that bad.
Your grandchildren have really grown since the last time I saw pictures of them. Did you wear your bow and announce you were their present? :-)
That must have been a tough trip home. I'm glad you made it safely. I'm sure you'll enjoy the temperatures in South Carolina better in your retirement. I admire your adventurous spirit.
ReplyDelete