In Life as in Nature, Seasons Do Change

     We did it! We survived Summer in Phoenix! It was brutal at times but no more tiresome then the relentless rain we endured for years. I thought that there would basically be one season here, Summer. Not true. People here told me that, when Fall and Winter came, and temps drop to 70 or so, I would be wearing jackets. I figured they probably get bundled up but I wouldn't because, being from Washington, 70 degrees is a warm Spring day! The first couple of weeks of October were amusing. I smirked when I saw people wearing jackets, knitted hats, scarves and boots. I was still in tank tops and flip flops. I have since changed my tune. I took Jonah to our favorite park yesterday around 5:30 p.m.. The temperature was 67. I had a long sleeved shirt on but I was cold! I am still wearing flip flops every day but when the sun goes down, I put on some socks and, yes, a jacket. I think I'm becoming a little bit acclimated. I have always loved heat and now, it's worse. If it isn't 80, I'm chiiiiilly. The temperature is now perfect for so many outdoor activities, walking, hiking, bike riding, playing catch, eating outside, parties, barbecues, going to the park, fishing, camping and the one thing I'm looking forward to...daytrips! There's a whole world of daytrips or weekend trips we can take now. Places like the Sedona, The Grand Canyon, Mexico, Tombstone and so many more.

     Halloween was a whole new delightful experience. There were no adult parties for Eli and I which was unusual. Every year since we met, we've had a big Halloween party to get ready for. This year it was all about Jonah. I was sad at first to not have a party to get excited about and no costumes to make but I discovered that sticking to a kid's Halloween is cheaper and much less stress. We went to a pre-trick-or-treating party a few blocks away where they had fun foods with creepy themes. Then we all descended upon a nearby neighborhood. We had about 9 kids and 5 adults. I couldn't stop talking about how awesome it was to be trick-or-treating in a sundress and flip flops! All those years of windy, cold, wet Halloween's and there we were strolling in the dark feeling comfy and warm. The kids didn't have to cover their costumes with big coats or wear long johns underneath them.
     We've had some visitors since we've been settled. Friends Ken and Pam from Big River, CA in July, Eli's mom in August for Jonah's first day of school and Kylie & Taryn for Jonah's birthday last month. We did some fun stuff while the girls were here, some vintage shopping, sushi night and lots of pool time. On Jonah's birthday, we went to Dave and Busters arcade restaurant. We're big fans of Dave and  Busters where adults can have a drink and really great food (not just pizza, fries, etc) and kids can play games for hours without costing a fortune. Later in the week we went to the Arizona State Fair. It was the biggest fair any of us have ever seen. It somehow reminded me of a movie set. Eli and Jonah rode carnival rides while the three of us girls went to the Billy Idol concert.  Seeing the legendary Billy Idol with my daughters was pretty surreal. We were surrounded by a white bread crowd of couples who seemed too uptight to let loose. Their stillness and blank stares at the stage were downright distracting as I tried to clap, dance, shout and rebel yell. The vibe around us was lame but Billy was fantastic.
     Eli doesn't get to enjoy the visits as much as I do. He's working about 50 hours a week. His job has really been a roller coaster but he's still riding the ride and it seems to be working out for our family. There were times when we decided it wasn't working out at all. In fact, he had accepted a job at another company and put in his two weeks notice. His current manager asked him not to leave and offered to pay him more to get him to stay. It all sounded great but they couldn't put anything in writing. We spent many evenings weighing all of the pros and cons of old shop vs new shop. He had made his decision. He was going to tell old shop thanks but no thanks and take the new job once and for all.  The same day Eli was going to tell his manager that he was taking the new job, a veteran body tech and key member of Eli's team, abruptly quit. He had been there for 20 years and was paid more than anyone in the entire company. This surprise was a complete game changer. While it would decrease their team productivity for awhile, it would also free up a large percentage of the shop revenue to be dispersed among the remaining team members. The climate of the entire shop changed. Morale, relationships and almighty paychecks improved and as a result, Eli decided to stay. In fact, I've never seen him so fired up about a job. He's really into it now. He comes home late and spends most of the evening talking about work. I'm not amused with the shop talk but I'm glad to see him so positive about it so I listen. His pay is much better.
     With a better income, life will improve for us now. We'll be playing "catch up" for some time but the future looks brighter. We're struggling a bit to keep up with our rent. It's just too high. The promise of cheap rent and low cost of living was part of what brought us here but we found that the cheap rent is always in a bad area. In good neighborhoods, rent is high but home prices are cheap. It's a recipe for investors to make a killing. If anyone out there is looking for a rental investment, you can buy a nice 3 bedroom home here for $70,000. Your payment would be approximately $350 a month. Rent on a nice 3 bedroom home is $900-$1300. Seriously. That's a great rental! I have an ongoing list of good ones that pop up. I just enjoy the window shopping and dreaming of the future. We would have already scooped one up but our credit is still shot from our financial crash.
     It's been 4 years now since we lost everything (so to speak). I say that with no reservations because I hope that someone may read it and realize that it's O.K..  It happened to millions of good, hard-working, smart people. I hope that others in our position realize that they haven't lost anything at all. I can only speak for myself, but I have gained insight, experience and a deeper appreciation for simplicity and for life itself. I like that feeling and it's something you cannot buy or learn from a text book.
     I hope this finds everyone well and swimming in blessings.

Michelle

    
    

Triple Digits and Double Dares

     I talked to my dear friend, Angie Watson, yesterday and she reminded me that I have a blog she expects to be updated regularly. ha ha. Once a month isn't bad right?
  
     First and foremost, my husband is in love with Arizona. He says he is not leaving. He works 50 hours a week in extreme heat and still comes home in a great mood. His job is going well in every way except for pay. His work performance is impressive and he's met some great guys that he hopes will be lifetime friends but the pay is pretty lousy so he is forced to continue to look for something better. In the meantime, money is tight. When I am able to get a job and add a second income to our budget, we will be fine but we only have one car and no way to buy a second one right now. It's a classic catch 22. No car, no 2nd job, no 2nd job, no car.
     For the first time in my life, I am shopping for groceries one day at a time because I have to watch the balance until payday. Thank god he gets paid every Friday. I'm honestly enjoying the challenge though. Spent $22.00 last night and I think I can feed us for the rest of the week. My job is to watch that budget and squeeze every ounce of living out of it. I ordered a Magic Jack to reduce our phone expenses. I'll let you know how that goes. We don't have TV but we do have Netflix so we're shamelessly into Lost three years behind the rest of the world. I haven't used the clothes dryer once but the power bill is still nutty because of air conditioning. That's a corner I just can't cut. We're in triple digits now. If we aren't in the pool, we're home with the A/C on. Jonah and I read a lot. He's into bug books and I just finished The Catcher in the Rye. I'm writing a book too but man, do I need an editor. My punctuation skills are gone.
     The last 30 days have varied from 100 to 116. I had a hard time at first. I even got nauseous once while running errands but it seems tolerable now. On super hot days I try to think ahead. If I need to go to town, I drink plenty of water prior to leaving and take a quick shower so my hair is wet for a while. One day I even got a dress for me and a tank top for Jonah soaking wet in the sink and wrung them out before we put them on and got in the car. It worked perfectly! We were totally comfortable and no one knew.
     Jonah has learned to swim and learned to read since we got here. Big stuff for little Jones. He's more than ready for school next month and so is Mama. I was worried about his upcoming birthday in October because I didn't know what kind of a party we would have if we didn't know anyone but my house is often full of kids so no worries there. We have met 5 kids here in our neighborhood...all girls but he doesn't mind.
     I was nervous about meeting new people here in Phoenix but that was just plain silly. Diane, who we knew from Washington, comes over once a week for Fun Day Monday. Elicia and Bud, who we also knew from Washington, serendipitously live 2 blocks away from us. Eli's new BFF, Roy, and his wife, Amanda, live near Peoria and have 2 kids, Nathan and Lily. Nathan and Jonah are perfect pals. Zina and Eno are from Bosnia and sweet as can be. They live in our complex with their daughter Irma. She and Jonah will go to the same school. Then there's Madi, the remarkably mature 11 year old that lives in our complex as well with her Mom, Melissa. They are the nicest people. We love having Madi around. She's sweet and helpful and really good with Jonah. More recently, I met Katie at the pool with her 3 little girls. She and I hit it off right away. She's a high school teacher with a quick wit just the way I like it. She took me out with her friends last Saturday for plenty of liquor and laughs which led to karaoke. We're bonded now. ;o)
     Diane dared me to train for a marathon which I did until the summer heat came. Even when we got up to run at 4:30 a.m. it was already 90 degrees or more. I wimped out. I had also agreed to take on 2 more kids for the summer and they arrived at 4:30 am. Excuses, excuses, I know. I may try again in the Fall when the weather cools down to a nice 80 degrees or so. Don't think for one second that she has forgotten. ;o) She even offered to pay for a gym membership so I could run in an air conditioned building. She's serious! Even though I wimped out, we are still getting in better shape here in AZ. Eli has lost 20 lbs, I've lost 6 (Isn't that always the case with men and women). I attribute it to the heat, the daily swimming and craving better food in higher temps.
     I miss Kylie and Taryn terribly but I get to talk to them often and they are doing very well on their own. Jonah and I flew back to Washington for Taryn's graduation last month. I got pretty homesick. I find that I only get homesick when I go home. It's tough to leave again. Taryn is planning to come out here to live with us for a while and go to school. Plans often change but I really hope this one works out. It would be nice to have at least one of them here for a while.
     That's it for now. Oh, by the way, Phoenix IS the 5th largest city in the nation for those called B.S. It doesn't feel like a massive city to me but there are many benefits. Benefit #1: You can get anything delivered. Not just pizza. *wink*
 

Becoming Locals

     It's been two months since we pulled into Phoenix on a record 100 degree April day. The first month was stressful trying to figure things out but the second month has been pretty dreamy. The weather has been really mild, 85 to 95 degrees most of the time with an almost constant breeze. I've figured out that 100 degrees in Phoenix is much more bearable than 100 degrees in Washington due to the lack of humidity.
     Eli had a rough time at his new job for the first couple of weeks because the pay here is so lousy compared to Washington. However, the 3rd week proved to be an excellent paycheck and we were very grateful.
     May was a struggle financially due to the lack of expected pay and the expensive move. The Uhaul was $1400.00, Gas = $1000 and restocking a new house was another $400. Then there was the cost of me flying back to Washington and flying the girls out here for Mother's Day. As per our usual M.O., we overshot the budget a little (insert sheepish grin).

     I have a couple of Washington friends here who have also transplanted. Elicia who works way too much (poor girl) and Diane who works way too little. She knows how to live! She comes over every Monday to hang out at the pool with Jonah and I. We have fondly dubbed it Funday Monday. It's the best day of the week. She has also become my personal trainer. One Funday Monday she got the bright idea to train for a marathon with ME. I've never been much of a runner but she is very convincing. She comes to my house and makes me run 2 days a week at 5:00 a.m.! I'm amazed at my progress. I didn't think I had it in me.
     Meeting new people isn't always easy but I've learned to seize every opportunity whether it be at the pool, the mailbox or the park. I've met a handful of people right here in our complex and everyone of them is really nice. Irma and her mom, Zina, are from Bosnia. Madi and her mom, Melissa are from California. Annette is from Portland and yesterday I met a realtor named Nicole who was cleaning out one of the condos she has listed for sale. Nicole is from New York. It seems almost no one is from Phoenix. We all have come for the same reasons. Sunshine or work.

     The kids are out of school for the summer already but I did get Jonah enrolled in Kindergarten. I was so happy with the adorable little school. I had been so nervous about the school being big and feeling like we would be lost in a sea of students and parents but instead, it was really small and just 5 blocks from our home. Another big shocker was that school starts on August 11th! I've never heard of a school district starting so early? Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to it and so is Jonah. We'll meet lots of great people through the school. I hope.
     I'm still running the rocker baby clothes website (www.BornCoolBaby.com). I've had it for five years now and it's come a long way but it's still more of a supplement than an income. Most of my sales are through Amazon.com and a small amount come directly through the site. I'm thinking of opening a store at an indoor Swap Meet in Goodyear. Indoor Swap Meets are kind of a big deal here and it would allow me a perfect schedule. They are only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I'm currently working on building up plenty of stock, adding more products and searching Craigslist for a few fixtures. The next step will be to get a second car (Eli and I share the only one we brought here) then we'll rent a booth and give it a shot!
     I miss my girls terribly and can't wait to see them. Jonah and I are heading home for another visit in 2 weeks for Taryn's graduation. Unfortunately, we can't afford for Eli to join us. Poor guy has to keep the dough coming in. I dare say, he likes it here more than I do. He doesn't have much interest in flying to Washington for a visit. Not yet anyway. He has made some friends at work and one couple had us over for a BBQ on Memorial day weekend. I was elated to find that his wife, Amanda was fun and easy to talk to as were all of the other people there. Their house was modest but so, so fun. Jonah and their son, Nate played in the pool for hours while we gabbed and ate fabulous food that was terrible for us.
     We are all feeling very healthy, happy and grateful for everything, the weather, the job, the personal energy we get from the sun and the technology to keep in touch with loved ones.
     Sending sunshine you way and God bless you all!

Emotional Roller Coaster

     After a wonderful week with my girls, I dropped Taryn off at the airport this morning. I hugged her, made sure she had everything she needed, got back in the car and cried all the way home. Part of me wanted to park the car and go in with her to make sure she was checked in and everything was fine. The other part of me wanted to let her do this on her own knowing she's 18, lives on her own and can do anything she puts her mind to all by herself. It's just that she's never flown by herself before and seeing her walk through those big automatic doors and into the terminal she looked 9 years old to me. The same way Kylie looked last Spring when I dropped her off to go visit friends. I cried all the way back home that time too.
     I called Eli who is still frantically packing back in Washington hoping to pull out of there in a Uhaul by 2pm. He let me cry to him for a bit then I pulled myself together and got on with my day. I dreaded that I will have to do this all over again because Kylie's flight is tomorrow.
     A couple of hours later, Taryn called to say that her flight had been delayed twice and she was able to get on the flight with Kylie tomorrow instead. So Kylie went to pick Taryn up and we got to keep her for one more night! They are at the pool now with Jonah and I am packing up our condo.
     I paced the floor all morning with knots in my stomach wondering if we will get the condo we are hoping for or if I will have to go with an alternate one and try to get it all ironed out before Eli and the Uhaul get here in 48 hours. No pressure at all! I finally got the answer about an hour ago. We got the beautiful condo we wanted and I can have the keys at 4:oo today!!! I wouldn't be surprised if everyone back in Washington heard me sigh and then cheer. I am so relieved. So is Eli. I'm packing up and cleaning the temporary condo surprised at how much excess stuff we've acquired in just one month. I can't complain though. Poor Eli is tackling a 3000 square foot house that we''ve lived in for 7 years. I'm just packing a 1 bedroom condo after one month. A big shout out to Kaye Lind, Ken Arthur, Matt Specht and, of course, Mom for helping him with this overwhelming task.
Please send out good vibes for Eli's trek back out here with our "cheddar". That's what Matt called all of our stuff.

Making Our Way

     So much happens every week that, every time I think about writing a Blog entry I just sigh. I'll try to write the condensed version.
     We're still in Arizona and things are going well. It's been fun, scary, stressful and exciting all at the same time.
     I flew home a week and half ago and interviewed for a job in Mt. Vernon, not knowing for sure if I wanted the job or not, but feeling like the responsible thing to do was to go for it. In the meantime, Eli and Jonah were still in Phoenix and Eli was also seeking work. Well, Eli wins! He got a great job at huge Auto Body company near Scottsdale with good pay & benefits, great future management opportunities and best of all, a really cool boss. I still haven't heard ye or nay about the job I interviewed for.
     We've been on an exhausting hunt for the right place to live. We've seen so many condos, apartments and homes that they have all started to blur together. We finally made a decision and we're waiting for approval. The timing is crucial because Eli is on a plane right now heading home to get a Uhaul and load our essential belongings. He will drive it all back in a few days. It's my job to secure a home and get the keys before he returns. Yikes!



    Kylie and Taryn flew into Phoenix on Easter and we had a wonderful unconventional Easter together. We barbecued steaks by the pool. It was fabulous!

     Yesterday the whole family went to the Phoenix Zoo. It's rated one of the best in the nation. It was definitely the best I've ever been to.

     So, by next week, we will have an official permanent address! Hello Sunshine, we're here to stay! Hopefully, we will get the townhome we want because it's really roomy and all of our friends and family can come and stay with us for as long as they like! 

Are You Kidding Me?

After one week of dreamy weather in Phoenix the rain caught up with us. Thursday of last week the clouds rolled in and the rain started. It was cute at first, a sort of subtle reminder of home in the northwest. I smiled and welcomed it because, after all, it was still 70 degrees out. It reminded me of the frequent warm rain in Maui or Kauai. Friday was a different story. Not cute at all. 42 degrees and dumping rain just like Washington. I didn't even have a tan yet! The sun came back out in Phoenix and the temperature will get back up to the 80's this week but my story gets more ridiculous.
     I flew back to Seattle this morning. No, I'm not kidding. I have an interview tomorrow morning in Mount Vernon for a job that is just too good to ignore. Not just an interview but a second interview (I squeezed the first one in for good measure before I left). The company even offered to pay for half my flight back.
     Eli and Jonah dropped me off at Sky Harbor Airport at 6:30 this morning. I had some trouble checking in because, out of habit, I had booked my flight in reverse (SEA-PHX-SEA). I slapped my hand to my forehead as I have done more times than I care to admit when knowing it was all my mistake. As the reservation agent scrambled to get me new tickets for comparable times, fares, etc. I thought, "This is a sign. I'm not getting on this flight. I can't pay double and that's that. I gave it my best shot. I'm calling Eli and telling him to come back and get me and I'm not going to the second interview". This miracle woman from Southwest did it! She got me going opposite directions for the same price at relatively the same times! I reluctantly praised her, took my boarding pass and ran for the gate because she informed me I would be leaving a 35 minutes sooner than I had planned.
     The flight was alright but I am developing a slight phobia issue with tight spaces, long lines and car rides. I used my iPod for therapy. Within 10 minutes of getting off the plane I ran into my dear friend and fellow Saturday Saints bandmate, Curt Small. We both gave each other the "What the heck" look. I only had time for a hug since my bestie, Kaye, was circling outside to avoid parking and we were timing it via cell phone conversation. The interception was perfectly executed!
     So I'm "home" now and further away from my boys than I've ever been. We all got a little choked up saying goodbye. Eli and I have only spent 3 nights apart in 7 years and they weren't consecutive. Not only that but we literally haven't been out of each others sight in 2 weeks. This will be a challenge but a good one. ;o)
     I spoke to him a while ago and he told me he finally landed an interview in Mesa. Of course he did. As soon as I get on a plane and he has no sitter. It's a bit like a race now. If he gets the job there then that's where we live. If I get the job here then this is where we live.
     So interview tomorrow. Wish me luck...I think.

The Three Musketeers in The Valley of the Sun

We made it to Phoenix! I thought that I would blog each night along the way but that's easier said than done. We set out last Tuesday and drove as long as we could. Eli was determined to drive until the rain stopped but after 6 hours of non-stop windshield wipers, we gave up and stayed at a Super 8 in Roseburg, Oregon. It was far nicer than any Super 8 I'd ever seen. We chose it for the indoor pool which made Jonah very happy. We crashed out for the night, woke up and had a terrific continental breakfast complete with waffles! Jonah and I hit the pool for a bit then we hit the freeway again. The rain had finally stopped and we were able to give the wipers a rest.

We took a path less traveled on Day 2. I can't even recall all of the Highways we took. Our objective was to get to Lake Tahoe. I do remember one particular Highway in Southern Oregon (Hwy 60 or 66) that was a seriously bad idea! It was long, steep, snowy, narrow and had very few guard rails. I asked Eli to play a CD of our friend, Matt Rehfeldt, Bach Cello Suites. It did the trick. I went from white knuckles to feeling like I was in a car commercial. We thought about turning back but stayed the course for the sake of adventure. We passed 3 cars in 2 hours and finally made it back into civilization. Once across the California state line, I never drove again. In fact, I still haven't been behind the wheel. That was 5 days ago!

Around dinner time we arrived in Reno. Tired, cramped, crabby and hungry, we tried to figure out where to stay and where to eat. We had hoped to get to Lake Tahoe that night but we were running out of steam. We drove around for about 15 minutes and I just wasn't feeling it. I pleaded with Eli to just keep going because Tahoe wasn't much further. I doubt that I will ever live this down because, as many of you know, it's A LOT further. It took us another hour to get to Tahoe and it was very cold. There was still snow up there. I didn't even have a coat so we couldn't walk around much but we did find a great Mexican Restaurant and a cheap place to stay. Jonah and I wanted an indoor pool again but Eli wanted a Jacuzzi in our room. He found one at a dump called the Vagabond Inn. I was skeptical but the room turned out to be really nice with a jacuzzi tub and a fireplace too. Eli fell in love with Lake Tahoe in the short time we were there. Thank god for that because he forgave me for costing us an extra hour of driving.

Eli and Jonah, Fremont Street, Las Vegas

On Day 3 we crossed a gorgeous section of the Sierra Nevada side mountains and drove through some beautiful little towns... and some not so beautiful. Jonah was such a great kid on this trip. He endured long days of driving with very little complaint. He played his DS, entertained himself with my Ipod, colored, painted and napped but only twice in 4 days. When we arrived in Las Vegas he was ready for some fun and so were we. We only had about 19 hours there but we made the most of it. We had dinner at The Burger Joint in The Flamingo which is where I had chosen to stay (again, based on price and pool). After dinner we walked the strip toward Treasure Island to catch the free pirate show. As soon as we spotted the ships, the show was starting and we were on the wrong of the street. The nearest cross walk was so far away, we would have missed much of the show so we watched from where we were. In the past, the pirate show was a cool gang-like rivalry between swashbucklers. The two ships shot an one another and the pirates waved swords and swung from the ropes just the way you would expect. Now the show is more like a Britney Spears video in which the white ship is full of she-pirates who lip-sync and dance the other ship to death. I'm not kidding.  Jonah liked it anyway but he would have liked the old one even better. After the Sirens sang the Pirates to death we caught a cab to Fremont Street. Jonah loved the street performers dressed as Michael Jackson, The Mad Hatter, Prince, Captain America, Yoda and of course, Darth Vader. Not one Elvis! What's up with that? Eli loves the overhead show at Fremont. I had never seen it before. This month, to my delight, it was a tribute to Queen. The lightning crashed, the screens flickered, the music blared and Freddie Mercury came back to life for about 6 minutes. On the way back to our hotel, we got a call from our friend, Ken, who was just arriving in Vegas. We all met up at Treasure Island again where Jonah got to see the Pirate show for the second time from the best seat in the house. We hugged Ken, said good night and starting walking back to The Flamingo. I heard a few people commenting about how late it was and Jonah still being out. It was only midnight. Those who know Jonah, know that he can easily stay up until 2:00 in the morning if given the chance. We all slept hard that night.

Getting up on Day 4 we were all very anxious. None of us wanted to get back in that car but we were excited to know that it was our last day of driving. We drove to Flagstaff first and met the owners of our condo to get keys. Flagstaff is really a cool little city. I'd like to go back and spend a bit more time. All in all, it was a very smooth day of driving. That is until the end. We were just about 45 minutes from Phoenix when all traffic came to a halt. After 4 days of driving without any traffic hitches we got stuck in the last hour! I've never been in a traffic jam where people actually turn off their engines, get out and start chatting with one another but that's what they did. I was in no mood to chat about it. Jonah hung out his window and made new friends with anyone who would listen. We were stuck there for about an hour. It turned out to be a semi that flipped onto it's side and slid for several hundred yards blocking both lanes. No one seemed to be hurt badly.
We arrived tired but safe at our condo. Unloaded our filthy car, looked around a little and went to bed without much celebration.
Our first full day here we did celebrate. After a trip to town for food and supplies, we made a pitcher of Raspberry Margarita and took it to the pool. We met a great family and spent the whole afternoon and evening by the pool laughing and getting to know each other. A few of the Raspberry margaritas and we were all the best of friends. Little did we know that the pool we were at wasn't even the big pool. Jonah and I ventured out again on Sunday and found that there is an incredible pool just a short walk further! He even got to partake in a birthday party that was underway for a 5 year old girl.

I thought we would be so lonesome but we keep finding people, meeting people and hearing from loved ones back home. I realize it's just Arizona and I'm not in Taiwan but the number of people who are here or are coming here is just astonishing to me. My friend Amy, who lives in New York saw my Facebook post about being in Phoenix. She texted me and said she was here too. Unfortunately, that was Raspberry Margarita night and we had both been drinking so we couldn't drive to meet each other. We just laughed at ourselves. Monday night, my friend Diane, who moved here last year came over for dinner. We had a great time and she warmed my heart. It's good to know she's here too. Three other friends will be here in the next 2 weeks and daughter Kylie is hoping to fly down on the 23rd. We also have 3 other close friends here that we haven't even had a chance to look up yet.

Our long weekend is over now and we are diligently looking for jobs but we still make it to the pool  every day. The weather is dreamy and I know it's still raining at home. For now, we've traded in our umbrellas and boots for sunblock and sandals.

A Much Sadder Goodbye

I was scheduled to have a farewell luncheon with my former co-workers this Thursday but the person I wanted to see the most couldn't be there so I had called it off. My former boss, Hugh Gregory, had a heart attack and was in a coma. I was being kept up to date on his condition and very hopeful for a recovery. This morning I got the news that he passed away. My heart is broken for his family. He was a friend and a father figure to me and I will miss him. I sent him an email about 10 days before his heart attack. In his response, the last words he said to me were, "You keep being you". I'll treasure those words.

What I will remember most about Hugh is his adorable relationship with his wife. I worked in the office next to Hugh for a very long time. No matter what kind of day he was having or what kind of mood he was in, his wife could light up his whole day with just a phone call. His voice would change to a tone that I only heard when he talked to his beloved Bonnie. I have to admit that I would stop what I was doing and listen to him because it was just so sweet and compelling. After more than 30 years he still treated her as though he had just met her. I loved that.

I am now waiting for funeral information and hoping that it will take place before we leave on Saturday. I can't believe he's gone. He was so looking forward to retirement. Sadly, that was to be in four months. He died just four months shy of his last day of work. He and I once had a light hearted conversation about what a travesty it would be to work all your life planning for retirement and die just short of it.

 Hugh Gregory, David Wood, Javier Valdez, Me, Liz Trepanier-Bartlett.  Dec. 2008

I will take this unfortunate event and use it to further inspire this journey I blog about.

God bless you, Hugh.  Thanks for everything you never knew you did for me. I should have told you.

Potelco Engineers 2008: Dave, Liz, Michelle, Beth, Hugh, Richard

Connecting with Our Peeps

My, my, my. We haven't had a social calendar like this in, well...ever. We have so many parties, dinners and lunches planned between now and when we leave. So much to look forward to. The excitement of our trip preceded by spending quality time with all of our loved ones.

On one hand I feel grateful for all the plans because it's the impending absence that has inspired my own effort. On the other, I feel guilty for not doing it sooner. Why does it take something so drastic as a move to enlighten us? Probably because we work ourselves to death. Isn't it funny how we go about our lives rushing from here to there executing all the professional and domestic duties with such tenacity that we don't leave time for our own personal relationships? Sure, it's important to get things done and also to relax at home but it's also important to foster our friendships and family connections. I've tried to maintain my own life in addition to the demanding role of wife and mother. It really can swallow a person right up.

I have a grandfather whom I adore. He lives 5 or so miles away. I have met him at the bakery for breakfast a time or two and sang for him at the family reunion but I haven't been to his house in over ten years. I cannot leave this valley without spending some time with him. He is the one who inspired my love of maps and who made me so fascinated with Arizona. He was the first "snowbird" I ever knew. At the age of 12, I vowed to be one myself.

Last weekend I went out with some girlfriends. We had way too much fun. Nuff said. Thanks Kaye, Rhonda and Jodie. It's going to be tough not having Girls Night Out. Maybe Eli will wear heels and listen to Joan Jett with me if I get the GNO blues.

Last night we had a dear friend, Ken, up for dinner. As an extra bonus, he brought his grandson, Keenan, up to play with Jonah. I'm worried about Jonah not having playmates in Arizona. I'm going to make a special effort to stalk a family with boys around his age. It won't be weird at all. Pfff.

Tonight I'm making dinner for a family that is very special to me. I've known the Lowrances for over 20 years. They were my neighbors to start with but have become like family. The littlest one in the family wants lasagna so that's what I'm making. We're all hoping Kylie and Taryn will make it down from Bellingham.

Sad Goodbye to our Pooches

Still purging belongings but worst of all, we had to say Goodbye to our pooches last night.

Bella, our King Charles Cavalier Spaniel (Size Extra Large), went to a lovely family. She has a new sister who is a Yorkie. They liked each other immediately. We've had Bella for 2 years. I couldn't help but think of the day I got her. It was a sad farewell but we're confident she will be happier. They're ready to take on her weight issue and they plan to take her to the beach near their home almost every day. If she gets back in shape she will be a beautiful dog again.

A sweet young couple took Vinnie, the silly little lovebug that showed up on our back deck a month ago. I found him early one morning. He was scared to death and freezing. We asked all our neighbors and no one knew where he came from. I posted a "found" ad on Craigslist too. No one claimed him. He was fun, adorable and already loved us so much that he howled when we left the house. Unfortunately we can't take any pets on this journey. Jonah was crushed that his new pal had to go. We convinced him that the old owners finally showed up. Ugh. It's been the toughest thing so far.

Visited with my family in Lynden on Sunday. We have a new baby in the family. Ava Elizabeth was born on Friday to my nephew and his wife. They were pretty exhausted so we didn't get to see her. Hopefully, I can get some newborn snuggles before we leave.

On the way home, we stopped in Bellingham to bring Taryn some Kleenex for her cold. I was conscious of the fact that I won't be able to do such seemingly insignificant things. Suddenly a box of Kleenex for my girl was a huge priority.

We've got a full schedule of lunches, dinners and Happy Hours with friends, family and former co-workers. It's starting to feel pretty surreal.

17 more days....

Purging Excess Baggage

24 days until departure. Our house is becoming adorned with lists. Lists of Things to Sell, Things to do, Things to Purchase and Things to Remember. Todays list includes getting a new charger for our camera, signing for our tax return and shipping off some items sold on Ebay.

Determined to streamline and simplify, I pre-purged the garage, closets, drawers and such over the last few months. Our two daughters moved out and with them went a LOT of stuff. I think the removal of their clothes alone freed up 1000 square feet of space. They also took some furniture and miscellaneous household items. If they had more space I would really unload on them ;o). Taryn was the last to go and when she did, it really set the wheels in motion for this escape of ours.
I'm a regular at Goodwill and the local garbage dump and Craigslist is like our daily bread. Last Thanksgiving I managed to pawn some family keepsakes off on my niece and my sister. Things I don't want to get rid of but cannot possibly lug across the country. Love you Sis and Kenda!

Speaking of Kenda; How's this for a coinkydink. She informed me today that she just returned from Anaheim where she was visiting her husband's family. It seems his uncle has worked at Disneyland for 37 years. You don't say? Hmmm.....We will definitely talk more about this when I see her this weekend. Disneyland is on our itinerary and I was already planning to hit the H.R. department while there.

Eli and I want to spend as much time as possible with friends and loved ones while we're still here. Tonight we're meeting our friends and former bandmates for some quality time at a local pub. Jonah will be spending quality time with his pal, Kalen. A night out! We better enjoy it while we can. There will be no sitters on the quest.

Crash and Turn

An exciting journey begins today. I am ready to take a giant leap of faith and walk away from life as I know it to forge a new path. My husband and I, like so many other couples have been faced with such disastrous circumstances that we are running out of choices. While our family is healthy and remarkably happy, we are facing foreclosure, bankruptcy and ongoing unemployment. It was tough to admit at first but, as the number of similar stories increases, it gets less painful. It really is comforting to know we aren't alone.

I can't tell you how many times I've stared off into space thinking of how and why we ended up here. We were living the so-called American Dream but when the recession hit, it hit hard. We've gone from six figures a year to selling everything we had just to survive. Rental home, cars, motor home, any belongings worth anything. I could go into the details of the last 3 years but I think I'll just start the blog from here instead. Onward and upward. No looking back.

The Plan: After a 2 year attempt at establishing a business of our own that eventually failed and many months of looking for jobs locally, we've decided to move to a new location. Nothing is working for us here anymore. Having spent our entire lives in the rainy northwest, we started aiming our resumes at sunny states like Hawaii, New Mexico, California, Phoenix, Texas and Florida. We jokingly say "If we're going to be poor, let's be poor where it's sunny". Phoenix turns out to be the most likely place for us because the cost of living is lower than the other choices and the number of jobs posted on Craigslist and in the local papers is abundant. The results have been disappointing but staying here isn't helping our situation either. Perhaps the address at the top of our resumes is a deterrent. I'm far more confident in our person to person communication skills than I am of our impressive yet sterile qualifications. The hope is that, if we can get some face time and inquire about positions in-person, we may have better luck.

After 3 years of crashing we still haven't burned. Instead we're going to turn this corner and drive. We've all heard the saying "When one door closes, another one opens". I believe that. I also believe that everything happens for a reason and we are always right where we are supposed to be.

With the last amount of cash we have and our 5 year old son in the back seat, we have mapped out a "budget quest". I will post the itinerary soon. Out of necessity, I've become a champion budget miser. I have a 45 day itinerary set with a budget of $4000.00. It's impressive if I do say so myself.

I will blog the entire quest. I hope it may inspire someone else.
We leave at the end of this month.