Our journey begins in a suburb of Milwaukee WI called Wauwatosa. That name means "flash, flash firefly" in the Native language. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan, or nearly so. The city of Milwaukee is on the lakeshore. Wauwatosa sits on the skirts of Milwaukee. At a population of 46,629, Wauwatosa is a city in itself more than a suburb. We have lived here for eleven years.
Now Adina and Carole (me) are moving out west, all the way to Washington State (on the west coast, not the Washington of politics, government and international relations). We lived in the west for most of our adult lives. In a way, we are going home. Yet, Wisconsin has become home, too. We are surrounded with friends here. We have Wisconsin roots. If we are going home to Washington state, we are also leaving home here. It is a strange feeling to stretch ourselves 2000+ miles between one set of roots and another.
We're sending our furniture, boxes and bits on a moving van. It will arrive in our new home long before we do. The van will make the trip in a week or so. We already have a place out there. Beginning our new life in Vancouver WA will be an adventure. We went out there for a couple of weeks in May and found a place to live. Our family lives in the Portland area, just across the Columbia River, that mighty stream that separates Washington and Oregon. "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On." We used to sing that song as we wandered the state, hiked in its mountains and watched the salmon run up fish ladders or whales frolic in coastal waters. We have family in Seattle and Spokane too. Our friends dot the state like polkadots. Even though we have been gone for these eleven years, our roots are still deep out there.
So we are moving to Vancouver Wa. We found a church and met some great folks. Otherwise, our only knowledge of Vancouver has been to drive through it at breakneck speed on the freeway on our way to Portland or points south. It will be a new life for us -- an adventure. Who knows what doors will open for us?
Seven days on the road and our furniture will move into our new digs. Our granddaughter will meet the van and tell the movers where to put the furniture. Bless her for that!
Our own journey will be different.
In two and a half weeks, we'll hitch our 17' travel trailer to our Ford Explorer, load up a supply of food, clothes and electronic toys and head out. That's going to be our home on wheels for our trip west -- mobile roots.
Because of my limitations, I can't drive more than 3-4 hours each day. Our friend,
Anna Drichab, is coming with us for the first few weeks to help with the driving so that will extend our range a bit. This isn't a trip where you get in the car in the morning and drive until you drop at the end of the day. We intend to wander and explore as we live on the road for the next couple of months. We'll get there when we get there. We're retired. Why not? This is more than a road-trip. It's an adventure on the way to an adventure.
Right now, we're living in a maze of boxes. Yesterday I got a mess of boxes from Pik-'n-Save, our local grocery. I expect we'll fill them all. We've gotten rid of a couple of desks. We've sold our table and chairs and our lazy-boy recliner, though the buyers aren't going to pick them up until closer to when we leave. We leave on August 9th. The days are rolling by quickly. I expect we'll get everything done, but right now I'm not sure how. One day at a time, that's the ticket.
plan and dream. Our big adventure has already started.
Come and journey with us. Who knows what we'll find along the way?
Welcome aboard!
I totally agree...this trip is both daunting and exciting for me as well. Somehow I knew from the time Adina first told me that she and Carol would be moving that I would somehow be a part of it. This will be a once in a lifetime experience for me. I will be traveling with them as far as Yellowstone Park then will return to Milwaukee by plane on Aug. 26. Somehow the causes and conditions are right for me to do this. Even my boss gave me her blessings with the reply, "never give up an adventure"...thank you Heather. Lots of work and preparations to do before August 9. Thank you Adina and Carol for choosing me as your travel companion.
ReplyDeleteLet the journey begin.