I'm Off!!

NOT THAT KIND OF "OFF," YOU GUYS!! Sheesh.

Tomorrow morning I will be leaving on my long and long-awaited trip! I'll be gone for five weeks, and I will be keeping track of things through email and the blog. I may not be checking every day, depending on my location and internet access, but it should be fairly available. I'll be reading your blogs, but perhaps not every day. Don't think I've forgotten you.

Originally I planned to take two months and see a lot of family and friend along the way, but since I've had to shorten the trip for several reasons, I've struck a few out of my itinerary. I'm going to see a couple nephews and their families (thank you both for living where I need to have a rest break, West Texas and near Atlanta, GA!), my niece and my sister and their hubs near Dallas, my son and his family in Wichita, hopefully Caroline will meet me for a few hours of visiting. Then I'll drive East, saying hello to Elvis as I pass through Memphis, and while in GA, I'm going to get to meet Dawn! On leaving there I'm headed to SC where I will meet Patti and perhaps her family, depending on where they are on that day! Woohoo!! IRL meeting with two of my blogging friends! From SC, I will head South and land at my daughter's house in Melbourne, FL. I'll be spending Thanksgiving there ... we are going camping for Thanksgiving! LOL! Only in FL!!!

After all of that I will more or less high-ball it back to NM across I-10. By that time it will be early December, and I will just want to head back home and get ready for Christmas, my first one in this house! I haven't decorated for Christmas in several years. Glenn's health issues consumed us until we didn't have the energy or spirit to decorate, then I've been away from my own home the last two years. This will be a huge job. I have decorations for more than the three trees we used to put up. I will be getting all the Christmas decorations out and sorting them to decide what to keep, as my current home is about half the size of my former one. The ones I can't use or don't care to keep will be offered to the kids and then sold in another yard sale next year, if the kids don't want them. I'm excited about having Christmas in my own home! OK, it is the day before Halloween and I'm extolling about Christmas! Am I Walmart personified, or what????

So, anyway. I'm off tomorrow, and if I don't post as regularly, you'll know why. Everyone be happy, wish me safe travels, and remember ......

...Life is beautiful!!!

PS - Good news! Gail closed on her house this afternoon!! She is feeling the mixed emotions ... joyous about having her own home again, and a bit panicked about having a mortgage!! She will be moving in and getting settled while I'm away. It is going to be strange when I come home from my trip and she won't be here! Just when we've gotten used to each other, too!!

Allan was her real estate agent, and he came by tonight and took us both out for dinner to celebrate! How sweet! Yeah, I (half) raised a good man in him!