Decisions as progress - without taking actual steps
Friday, 16 January, 2009 at 8:06 AM Looking around my cozy home yesterday, it occurred to me that I would do well to actually pack some things since I'm ending my current house-sitting arrangement at the end of the month, and starting the transition toward that hiatus to West Virginia I told you about last week. Although there's still nothing set in stone, I feel much closer to putting together a timeline than I was last time I mentioned the evolving plan.
The first week and a half of February are nearly filled, already, with meetings and visits with friends and a quick beach trip to celebrate the then-past, currently-upcoming Big 4 0 milestone. I'm determining just how much I want to move to WV at first, for creature comforts. For example, if I get up there and find that two and a half weeks are quite enough for me to get this out of my system, thank you very much, then I'd be a little annoyed at myself if I've bothered to rent a moving van and haul unnecessary furniture up a mountain. On the other hand, if I'm staying there a few months, it'll be awfully handy to have my own bed and perhaps a cozy sofa. How to plan when you don't even know how the whole business will unfold?
Trust The Process - that's how. I don't have to know today. Today, I'm quite happy that I've worked out this timeline, and that I've spoken with Childhood Friend Who Will Be My Neighbor, and found out some things about the local options for high speed internet. It's the top priority. Yes, I realize those of you who mentioned the WV winters made a great point in suggesting I should take lots of extra blankets and making sure I have a backup plan for heat in the event of loss of power. We'll have the wood stove's chimney cleaned out, and that backup plan will do quite nicely. And? Internet is still at the top of the list. Because without it, I don't go. Without it, moving to the mountains for even a week is not an option. I'll let you know how that evolves.
So that's where I am. Making progress, though I have nothing to really show for it. That'll change soon enough. The clock is counting down...
Reader Comments (6)
Speaking of the weather--I don't think that you want to go today. I just checked weather online, and found the following statistics:
At 10:05 AM today, it was 30 degrees in Brewton, AL.
It was 22 degrees in Easley, SC.
It was 19 degrees (at 10:25) in Greensboro, NC
It was 1 degree in Bluefield, WV.
You know the significance of those places in our lives.
All I can say is "Brrrr!! It's cold!"
Love,
Dad
Now see, you're handy! I'm glad to have the reminder that I will, in fact, want to make sure I take the right clothes and blankets and other items for bundling up well. But for some reason it doesn't worry me! I think it just plays into my little idea of adventure. If I'm going to go for something different, I might as well really go for some change, eh?
But not today!
I was thinking about the first time you went to WV. You can't remember it--you were about two months old, and I think it was in march. We waited until we thought the possibility of severe winter weather had lessened. We left Gadsden, Alabama, after church on Sunday night, driving northward through Tennessee. Somewhere between Chattanooga and Knoxville, I think, we began to see little bits of snow--on the sides of telephone poles. Then, about the time we reached the Tennessee-Virginia state line at Bristol, the highway was covered. The last hundred miles of our trip were on snow covered roads. This was the first time I had driven on this kind of roads, as in L.A. (Lower Alabama) we just didn't see snow. The road crews in WV were on strike, and one of Mom's uncles had started to work in the mines, only to decide the roads were too treacherous to go on. With the Lord's help, we actually made it to your grandparents house, who were talking about how far I would get before I called and asked them to come get us. They were surprised when I drove into their yard!
But we had a good trip, a trip to really be remembered.
I wish you well in your adventure!
Love,
Dad
Daddy, I think I've heard that story before, but not in a very long time. That's crazy, man! I'm glad you made it safely. All things considered. :)
I'm not a fan of driving in snow. Which is why my upcoming plans include the acquiring of lots of supplies that would allow me to stay put for days on end, if I were ever forced by the weather conditions, to do so.
Thanks for the well-wishes. You'll hear about them all, first-hand, as they evolve!
Love you too.
Melody,
You have a really cool Daddy :)
I am so excited for you and look forward to hearing of your adventures!
Melody and all,
I was somewhat younger, and maybe not quite as wise, then. I don't think I would start such a trip so late at night now, not even when there was no threat of winter weather. But, it does make quite a memory!
Mom is somewhat offended at the tenor of this conversation. "People do live there," she said, "all the time." She forgets that what they learned early in life about really cold weather, we Alabamians have to learn later in life. Now, speaking about hot weather....
Love,
Dad