Flagstaff, AZ. Full Circle

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Welcome to Arizona!

Several people have asked me "Where's a new blog post?" and I've had to tell them that there hasn't been one because 1) I'm lazy, and 2) there just isn't much to say.

We're back at KC in Flagstaff, AZ. We've been here almost two weeks, and as usual, it feels almost like we never left. I say almost, because we did leave and there is a lot of mileage under our butts. Even though we're back almost literally where we started, and things are almost just like they were when we left, they are not exactly. Just a little different, dare I say a little off? Not bad, just different. The trip has changed us subtly. For instance, we no longer think of a 4 or 5 day drive somewhere as a big deal. We could do it on a mere suggestion of an idea, and probably will.

 Being back in Flag feels like home, but not. It's one home out of several real and potential homes. I will say what does not feel like home anymore to either of us is Cottonwood. We've made the trip down several times for doctor and dentist visits and we no longer feel any affinity to the place. Some of the people, yes, but the place holds no allure, even though it surprisingly scored well (better than Sedona!) in a recent poll of places in AZ. (I don't know who ran the poll, probably the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce). Unfortunately we still own a home there. The ties that bind.

We have The Suitcase parked right near Terry and Gail, only one spot away from where we were last year.

Kit Carson hasn't changed one bit, except they painted their sign. They do have new people running the place. As Tark says "They're the manager of the year. Because every year there's a new manager."

The sign does look better. It's a small improvement over the old one, but they took away the "seasonal" invitation.

We look at the stuff in the storage shed and wonder why we have it and where is it going to go in a condo. We've lived without any of it for so long that we've forgotten what we own and why. We do miss our comfortable chairs and I miss the kitchen space and tools, but those will come soon. Much of the rest of the stuff in there is a mystery, both as to what it is and why we have it. And this is after a major downsizing before we left Cottonwood. Furniture count: a mattress, two comfy chairs, a sleeper sofa, several book cases and two wicker patio chairs. That's it, I think. Everything else we sold or gave away. No bureaus, vanities, armoires, desks, coffee tables, dining room, etc. etc. All gone. (Sure to be replaced by my able shopping specialist Miss Ikea).

When we looked at all that, and the time frame we were working with, we decided to see what a pro mover could do for us. We found one that can move us at a reasonable price and at a time of our choosing. We don't even have to be here when they load up. That lets us get up to WA and get the place  ready for the arrival of the boxes. That, believe it or not, is a major relief. And the added cost over doing it ourselves, as Mr. Skinflint had originally planned, is well worth it for the freedom it allows us.

Also, we're going to move the Vesta from North Carolina to Arizona to get it out of the East Coast winter and into the more congenial desert of Phoenix, and hopefully where there are more snowbird buyers. Our friend Bob has agreed to do the honors there, driving it some 2000 miles from there to here. Somehow he thinks it's going to be fun. I'm not going to try to change his mind about that. I'm happy that he's willing to do it.

So, things are coming together. What seemed sort of hopelessly complicated several weeks ago is now looking manageable now that we've "outsourced" some of the work. It will allow us to zip up to WA in a couple of weeks to get started making a new home. Miss HGTV has several ideas for "beachy" themes that I can't wait to see. Some of them involve the color blue, and she doesn't even like blue. Don't talk to her about lighthouses, though. She gets a little touchy on the subject. I don't think any lighthouses are part of the beachy decor.

Here we all are, in our usual positions at happy hour on the evening we got back. This is really what makes it feel like home.

From L to R, Bob, Gail, Frank, Loretta, Nancy, Peg, Dave, and Terry

We have finally arrived at the last blog post. For awhile at least. Thank you for reading, and thank you to those of you who think I can write and have told me so. I don't really believe you, but it still felt good to hear, and encouraged me to continue. (Even though some days it felt like homework). Maybe I'll start this up again a little later, once we've settled in, gotten bored and decide to go exploring again. We have the whole Pacific Northwest to investigate, Canada too. See you then. (If you care to read more of our travels as they occur please enter your email address in the right column and you'll receive an email notice of a new blog...we have the PNW to explore at our leisure! PC)