This blog has come to a screeching halt. It will resume as soon as I finish reading, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I imagine you are busy reading your own copies and will not miss me anyway.
I purchased the book at 9:06 a.m. today. I am currently in the middle of chapter 8 on page 153. I have only 28 more chapters and 606 pages to go.
I left Roy, Utah at 9 a.m. yesterday morning. For awhile it looked as though I wasn’t leaving at all. I asked the motel desk clerk for directions to the nearest north bound freeway on ramp, and she didn’t know where the freeway was. Instead I got directions to a gas station.
I could see the freeway on ramp from the gas station. I asked which lane I needed to be in when I pulled out — neither. It was a one way street and first I had to circle the block.
Finally I hit the freeway — to contstruction woes. Traffic was bumper to bumper, 70 miles an hour, with dump trucks and orange cones and tractors rolling in and out … somewhat freaky. And in the mess I missed my exit and didn’t realize it until I was quite a ways past.
I stopped to ask for directions and was told to keep going, I’d make it just fine … which was tue, but it took me about 300 miles out of my way! I drove through West Yellowstone Park though. That was pretty.
I made it to my sisters about 10 p,m, last night. I have had about 6 hours sleep and was just called to breakfast …
I didn’t get all of my packing done last night. I worked until I was so punch drunk I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be doing. I finally decided — with some prompting from OC (on the phone) — to get some sleep and hit it fresh in the morning. I slept. No, I over slept . So I came charging from my room ready to do battle … and for some reason I had left the vacuum cleaner right at the end of the hallway. I whacked it with my little toe and neatly — okay, bloodily — removed the toenail. Not a good start.
I finished packing in very good time. Then I went to the post office to mail several of the boxes to my sister — and the line stretched from breakfast to lunch. Finally, packages mailed, I charged home to pack the car. I figured that would take a lifetime, but the neighbor guy came over and did it in minutes. After the car was packed I showered, put on clean clothes, turned in my keys, and hit the open road. It was 1 p.m. — much later then I had planned to leave.
I made up a bit of time in the vast flatness that is Arizona. The road is straight from horizon the horizon, so I just stepped down on the gas pedal. There was another fellow in an even bigger hurry than I. I was going 90 m.p.h. and he shot past me like I was standing still. His haste made me rethink mine and I slowed down. Even so, I passed him a couple of miles later and he was standing still — he’d stopped to look at some pretty blue flashing lights.
Right now I am in a motel just outside Salt Lake City, Utah — halfway to Spokane. It was a long drive — 7.5 hours — and much of the route was being repaved, so we were routed to single file lines rolling too slow. For a goodly portion of the drive into Salt Lake we actually traveled on the shoulder of the road. Mile after mile — over an hour — of driving on the “wake up” strip. My hands tingled from all the vibration in the steering wheel — and we won’t even talk about the noise ….. Driving in Salt Lake itself is actually a joy. Even during rush hour the 10 lane freeway doesn’t get crowded. The drivers were very courteous, too. It was almost surreal.
After I checked into the motel — even before I unpacked the car –I went down the block to Applebee’s and had my only bite of food in almost 9 hours. I ordered a steak, and ate like a vacuum cleaner. I am not certain I didn’t munch the napkin.
Now I’m going to bed.
Good-nighzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…………
I keep packing, but nothing seems to disappear! Somebody come help me! I have no organizational skills. I do everything three times. I move this from here to there and back again. I can’t tell you how many times I resisted the urge to pitch it all out in the yard and whistle for the neighbors. To hell with selling it. TAKE IT AWAY!
If I am packing, tossing, throwing away, giving away and selling, how is it that my house is in shambles and I have only treacherous paths to aid my travel from room-to-room? Maybe when I pitch it all out in the yard tomorrow for the sale, I’ll be able to see the floor again.
My yard sale prices are going to be very reasonable — as in:
“Can I have this?”
“Yes! Take it with my blessing! Do you need help carrying it to your car?”
