We are here

We are here at last. Palm Springs, or more accurately, Rancho Mirage. Moving is a pain (have I mentioned that already?) The packing, the driving, the stress of leaving behind loved friends and family and heading to a new place. As someone wisely said to me in Salida, "You know what you are going to lose, what you don't know is what you are going to gain." Those words have helped me. I have been trying to focus on what I am going to gain - however unknown - rather than lamenting the things I will lose. It has been no easy task. I will miss you, Salida!



The drive here went very well. Matthias drove the very large truck, filled to the brim. His mother went with him. His father drove his car, also filled to the brim. I drove my own car, with Mr. Pono in the back seat, travelling in style. He was so good the whole trip! He mostly slept on the drive. He even stayed in hotel rooms, two nights in a row! He took it all in stride, with much less trouble than I had expected. (I think I have been more upset than he has been. Maybe there are advantages to being a dog.)

We drove through Utah, and what sights we passed! I stopped more than I should have, to snap some photos, and to saturate my eyes. I would love to drive that way another time, when I don't feel pressure to get along, so that I could linger even more with the landscape there. We stayed in Mesquite, NV the first night (Sunday) at a casino. Pono got to eat a bit of my ice cream cone from McDonalds for being such an amazing traveller. (this is not a common occurance for either of us, I SWEAR!!!)

We arrived in the afternoon Monday, but spent another night in a hotel, just so we weren't rushing to find bedding and put together beds after such a long drive. That was a good idea, as we were all tired. By Tuesday afternoon, the truck was unloaded into our rental house. Amazing how much faster it is to UNLOAD.

Now Matthias' parents have gone home, and Matthias is off on another trip. Pono and I are trying to settle into a new place without unpacking. Does this seem like an oxymoron to anyone else? I still haven't found my shampoo. It's been over 100 degrees the past couple of days, and Pono likes sleeping on the tile floor where it's cool. But we're HERE!