Preparing for Cold

It's been decided, announced, scheduled, and packing has started. I head north Saturday morning.

With Koda. That will settle just who is/isn't properly housebroken, just who gets into all the foods, who chews furniture and pipes. We've already settled which dog sheds last spring by clipping Koda's coat down to nothing.

He's going to be thrilled by winter almost as much as I am.

There will be both more and less room for stuff in the car. A smaller part of the back seat will be dog bed, and the front passenger seat will hold freight. But things that came down in the moving truck will return in the car, like all my work equipment and uniforms, some of the cool weather duds, cameras and beading stuff. A box of food is already packed, with a single casualty along the way: dropping a chunky soup can on my big toe. Yep, naked toe. Yep, funny in the classic sense. And somehow I managed to avoid chipping the bone as it landed right across the joint, leaving it looking much like a ripe plum.

Yep, funny.

I gave notice yesterday at work here, having given notice of my return last week in Minnesota. They're waiting for me. Down here Alfredo indicated he'd talk to the head guy to see what could be done, but unless they want to double my commission, it's too late. And they won't. But it's nice to be appreciated, on both ends.

That's just the details. Emotionally I'm trying to be shut down right now. I have already cried over missing Xmas with Steve when a particular Xmas carol came on the radio, and vowed that we won't miss any more of them together as long as we can have them together. I checked next year's calendar and decided I can take a week to fly down and barely miss any meaningful work, with the holiday being midweek. There will be two vacations a year, driving Steve and Fred back and forth, maybe varying the route and visiting family in Idaho and Colorado.  This spring it'll be right after tax time, so Steve gets to be in Arizona 6 months plus 1 day, making this his primary residence now that he's part owner of the house. I'll be able to enjoy Arizona again, rather than stressing about work. Driving can be to places we enjoy rather than work or waiting for work that delays coming.

On the positive side, I've learned a whole lot about this area, where things are, how to get there. When it is time to drive out somewhere, I'll know how to get there.  I just can't wait to start to love Arizona again. I haven't now for over a month.