Sudden Developments

Well! Monday certainly brought news!

I walked up to the office door at work and there was a sign: "Air Conditioning Out for Whole Building". OK. Entered the office and was informed that: 1) Since the office building was having air-conditioning problems, that we really couldn't run any computers (since they need to be cooled) - so I really couldn't work in the office today. and 2) That my contract had been completed and they were happy with my work, but that they were "done" with me - for this round - so I'm officially retired. Again. Woo Hoo!

So. I left the office and began all of the many tiny details to actually GO on our trip. Kathy agreed that Thursday, 9/25 is our target since she's working thru Wednesday.

And meanwhile, Kathy had looked at our intended route and decided that we should try to include the annual Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico. That means that we have to be in a specific place at a specific time: not just amble along. So! I worked thru the stops and schedules and came up with a "loop" that is supposed to accommodate. Yeah, I know "NEVER plan" - but here I am planning. See the new attached map and stop list below. I also eliminated "Tahoe" - since it seems to be "scenery" and "winter sports" and we're already doing enough scenery - and we're not "winter anything" kinds of people. I also added Tampa onto our stops - just before we get home - since when I really calculated everything out - we aren't likely to get home until Nov 17 - and we have tickets to see "So You Think You Can Dance" - on tour - on their last stop. Here's the new map and new "Stop" list targets (things change fast, huh?).

1) Home
2) Fake stop to make "Streets & Trips" go the right way (smile) - and, by the way, a note of a Diner in Marietta, GA which was featured in the "Food Network" program: "Diner's, Drive-in's and Dive's". It's RIGHT on our way, and we'll be trying to hit a few other places - in Kansas City, Wichita, and New Mexico - if they fit into our schedule when it becomes real.
3) Friends outside Blairsville, GA
4) Friends outside Ocoee, TN
5) Friends in Nashville
6) Check out where I lived in 3rd Grade: Martel Ridge outside Wentzville, MO
7) My Brother, Manhattan, KS
8) My Mom, Kingman, KS
9) Mesa Verde
10) Monument Valley: Click HEREto see Monument Valley
11) Grand Canyon
12) Painted Desert/Petrified Forest
13) Albuquerque - hopefully just in time for the Balloon Festival
14) Santa Fe
15) Arches National Park: Click HEREto see Arches National Park
16) Bryce Canyon: Click HEREto see some of Bryce Canyon's views
17) Las Vegas
18) Yosemite
19) Friends in Napa (Wine Tours! and perhaps San Francisco)
20) San Jose
21,22) Pacific-Coast Highway - Southbound
23) Knott's Berry Farm (Roller Coasters)
24) Disneyland/California Experience
25) Laguna Beach
26) Tijuana
27) Resort close to the Mexican Border
28) Carlsbad Caverns
29) Other Brother's Arkansas Wine Tour
30) Destin/Panhandle, Florida
31) Tampa for the Tour Stop
32) Back Home


So! After getting the route re-arranged, I got a call letting us know that we *finally* managed to arrange for individual Health Insurance at a reasonable rate. That means that we can dump our expensive "COBRA" coverage. That is huge for us and is a battle we've been fighting for months now - so it is a huge load off our minds - just in time for us to run off on our trip.

AND we managed to arrange good care for our cat, Missy. We'd worried about just what to do with her - since we were going to be gone so long - and our daughter volunteered to keep her with *her* 2 cats. I decided that Missy really didn't need her claws anymore - and she's been scratching up the house - so I called to inquire about having them removed - and was told that nothing was available before we left, but they'd ask and call back. 15 minutes later, we were scheduled to take Missy in - tomorrow - and get her front claws taken out so that she'll fit in better with daughter's 2 de-clawed cats. Things just seem to be falling into place today.

So we bought a lottery ticket and we continue to pack. All we've got to do now is finish packing, fill out our absentee ballots (which arrived on Saturday - good timing - so we'll get to vote in the upcoming election - even though we'll be somewhere in Mexico for Election Day) - and get ready to GO! Woo. HOOO!

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