This Moving Stuff is HARD!!!

A quick post

 (now that we have internet thanks to a handy Time Warner guy who was here climbing everywhere for about 4 hours - he arrived right after the movers left)

Yesterday was one of the most exhausting days I've had in awhile, well since probably the last time I worked Fancy Flea with Suebee and Kathy.

Nope, yesterday was harder.

I took some pictures around the house before the chaos ensued.

In no particular order:

Dining/Living space

"Master Bedroom"

Mr. T's office - or as the movers referred to it, "The King's Room" - They obviously were unaware that I am referred to as "The Queen" around here.

Larger Bath

Family Room

Kitchen

Front Entry

Family Room beams

My Space! Also a guest room

Neat space-saving door

Sadie, conducting inspections

Back Patio

Cute little green gate

Panda conducting outdoor inspections

Another view of Fam Room

We are very pleased with our rental and it is even nicer than we remembered it from our tour through it.

Then....

The unloaders came.

Sadie: "What the heck is happening NOW?"

I'm not a person who deals with upheaval really well and well...let's just say my sense of humor was absent for a good part of the day.  Heh, heh.

Mr. Tennis worked feverishly to get his office up and running so he can start working. (What's that? We're supposed to be working?)

 And getting the TVs up and running.

I concentrated on making things looks somewhat familiar and comforting.

Got enough of the kitchen unpacked, with the help of The Maven who showed up for a few hours, to make my first dinner here. 

With a gas stove!  Never used one, but the meatloaf (comfort food) was edible.

I realize this morning that I am going to have to go at a slower pace. Hence me logging on here for a break and talking to my good friends and family.

I did get one little vignette set up, flowers compliments of my brother, Mr. Connor.  

They arrived last night as I was cooking dinner.  What a wonderful surprise from home.  

Thanks Richard.

I will be back soon with some progress reports.

We hope to get out and about this weekend a bit during the Labor Day events.

Bumby will be coming here with The Maven, Darcy and Stanley the Greyhound for the weekend.

The Writer and Sammy remain in Tampa/Charlotte covering the conventions.

So...

Will Stan and the Bostons like each other?

How much more unpacking will get done this week?

Will TBL and Mr. T assemble their bedframe soon, or will they just continue sleeping with the mattress on the floor like college kids?

Burning questions, I know, and ones I hope to have answers to.

AND, I hope to visit some blogs in between unpacking over the next week.  My commenting has been scarce and I appreciate all who have taken the time to come over here and leave such encouraging comments,

We Made It!

We arrived in one piece.

The Maven met us in Burbank at our hotel and delivered my car and joined us for dinner.

Panda is much better!

We think it was a combination of high altitude and dry air that stressed her already small breathing passages.

Tomorrow we get the keys to the house and Tuesday the movers arrive.

Deets to follow after all of that as I think I will be a bit harried and unorganized.

However, here are a few of images from today.

A blurry picture from the truck of a field of Black-Eyed Susans.

Arizona has so many of them growing wild 

along the highway - at least along our route into and out of Flagstaff.

A clearer picture follows of a smaller cluster.

We begin our approach to the Mojave Desert 

which we must cross before getting into the Los Angeles area.

Another blurry shot.  This time as we start our journey through

the very hot and arrid desert.  It was about 108 degrees at the rest stop

we stopped at for a "breather".

Panda and Sadie behind the "sun shield" we erected in the 

cab of the truck. Because they sat lower than us they had

the afternoon sun in their faces for a good 6 hours.

I took this shot while Sadie administered "first aid"

to her "sister" after her last rough breathing bout

in the desert. Sadie licked Panda's ear for a good 15 minutes 

out of some instinct that told her that Panda was in distress.

I was most impressed as this calmed Panda a lot.  Sadie - why didn't you do this sooner???

Relief amongst the pillows with her favorite (disgusting)

toy after arriving at our hotel in Burbank.  Breathing and

demeanor dramatically changed as we came out of the desert and

into lower altitudes.

Panda is happy.  Therefore, so are we....

Our first night as Californians spent comfortably at 

The Safari Inn in Burbank, CA. My vintage-loving friends would love

this re-done motor court.

Good Night and I will be back on the blogosphere soon after we get our act together.

(Is that possible? Yes. Yes it is)

Cross Country Day 3 and 4, A Study in Contrasts. Or, How We Almost Lost Our Minds....

Yeah, so....

 we woke up to day three with Bovine Bliss outside our Texas hotel window:

Our tough girl, Panda, started exhibiting strange behavior. 

 At first we thought it was the heat, but soon realized she was stressed, dehydrated due to excessive panting.

THEN. 

 Our rented moving truck started acting strangely with all kinds of warning lights going off and sluggish   behavior on very small inclines.  We called the Penske "Help Line" and were connected with a phone tech who tried to help us and then who eventually arranged for us to pull into a truck shop about an hour up the road.

I was prepared to spend the night there with a hyper-ventilating Boston, but in 20 minutes the problem was solved and we were on our way to our destination for the night. 

 New Mexico.

Although it was late and we were behind schedule, we were treated to a beautiful sunset as we approached our overnight stop.

Thank goodness we got the truck issue resolved yesterday because today we spent a good part of our day climbing much steeper inclines.

Vet suggested Benadryl for squirrely Panda, who also wore the Thundershirt, for the first time.

Whaaaaaaa?

Look at me!  I'm as cool as a cucumber...

Sadie, had this reaction.
Totally relaxed and "who cares?", there are no thunderstorms, afterall, you big baby!

Poor Panda.

No! I refuse to get back into THAT truck!

The Benadryl helped somewhat, and day 4 was somewhat better for her and definitely for us since we didn't have any issues with the truck.

 Surprising since the topography changed drastically in such a beautiful way and we were able to enjoy it because the truck performed admirably.  Thank goodness we got the issue taken care of on day 3 before hitting the more challenging hills.

My view from behind the windshield, bug guts, footprints and all:

And Panda is now fine and resting comfortably, but little does she know she has one more day....

And we get to see The Maven tomorrow as we enter the Los Angeles area.  She will meet us in Burbank at our dog-friendly hotel with my car and Mr. T's clothes and work items and we will have dinner.

Monday we meet the realtors involved with the rental and have a "walk through".  THEN we will have our first night at our new place.  Mattress on the floor, some other comfort items, but settled into our new home nonetheless as best as we can until the "unloaders" arrive on Tuesday.

Almost there...

Blue Skies.

You Know You're in Texas.....If Your Hotel is in the Middle of a Cow Pasture. True Story.

Okay, there are many things to love about the state of Texas, but when we pulled up to our La Quinta of the night and saw that it was surrounded by cows, I knew I had a new reason to love it.

Usually, our drives across the country involve two days spent in Texas.

Not this time!  Surprise to me as I didn't plan the route this time.

Today was spent mainly in Louisiana. "We", meaning the Bostons were much more relaxed today and slept a good amount.  First day on the road Miss Panda never put her head down.  Today, she finally did.

 While it's coastal areas are familiar to me with the elevated highways over the bayous, 

My view from behind the windshield which seems to attract all sorts of dirt and bug guts.

...we were not prepared for a very barren drive up the center of the state towards the Texas border.  Bordered by trees, not a bad thing at all, the drive was a bit monotonous, although nice and green. 

I have the belief that every state has it's beautiful areas and unique characteristics.  

Again my views from behind the windshield and through the side window.

Louisiana has a lot of beautiful waterways and greenery.

There are more to our states than what they are traditionally known for.  I look forward to one day coming back to Louisiana and exploring their fascinating cemeteries and historical districts.

Roads could have been smoother.  We couldn't listen to our book on tape because it kept skipping with the bumpy road. 

 And we were at a crucial point in the story!!!

Great, epic story, by the way.

THEN.

We crossed the state line.

Look at that windshield! We are like a magnet!

The roads smoothed out.

Our cow-surrounded hotel was not far off and we got to hear a bit more of our book.

We are spoiled.

Just look at Miss Panda as she arrives at our La Quinta for the night.

Can you say "Diva"?  Told you CG!

Our hotel is actually surrounded by cow pasture and I can't wait until morning when I can take some more pictures.  

The little calves were very curious about the Bostons and had their ears pricked up.

Had dinner at a great nearby restaurant that had a "chandy " that looked like this!

Wow!

Of course I had to alert SUEBEE and Kathy as this would be right up their alley.

Awesome.

PAT!!!!!! HI!!!!!!
 We didn't get in until about 8 as predicted.  

Next time, my friend, next time....

Tomorrow.

Will we be able to drive out of Texas, past Amarillo? 

Or will we just say, let's stay for one more night.

Depends on lots of things.

Guess we will find that out tomorrow.

I promise to go on Mr. T's iPad at some point during the drive and visit all my favorite blogs.  I feel that I have been neglectful...neglectful, but busy.

Our thoughts are with all those in the path of Hurricane Isaac. Haiti, in particular, which does not need another disaster to add to it's sorrows and struggles.  Of course we are also thinking of our family and friends in FL. Our son and DIL, will be in Tampa for the next week while The Writer covers the Republican National Convention.  We are so proud that he has this opportunity as well as to travel to Charlotte to cover the DNC.  My brother, Mr. Connor also lives near Tampa and has his fair share of hurricane drama and damage. We will be following it's path and hoping that all in it's path remain safe.