Bidding adieu to California
When last I posted an update of my personal happenings, I was days away from hitting the road for our major relocation from California to Kentucky. Believe it or not (I can’t) that was on August 24. And now it is October 15! Oh my!
You can read that post, which includes a super cool video of our New Kentucky Home, HERE.
I do apologize for the massive gap in blogging. Hopefully as I attempt to fill in the events, you all will understand and take pity upon me. LOL! Indeed, much has occurred since we drove away from California. So much that I will need more than this one post to sum it up.
I’ll begin with a short video I took an hour or so before we left our California home. As excited as we were to leave and settle in Kentucky, it was strangely sad to say that final goodbye. I did get a bit emotional, so view at your own risk!
Yeah, yeah… I’m a sap. We know that! I did get over my emotions, luckily, and by the afternoon we were on the road. Our hope to make it out of California that first day didn’t happen. We were simply too tired to drive that far, so stayed the first night in Barstow. By morning, Friday and our first full day on the road, we were ready for a longer drive. Due to a minor error in navigation – my fault – we ended up in Nevada for a short while, but that was actually a good thing. For one, we passed through the Joshua Tree Wilderness Area. Now, as much as I adore the fertile green hills of Kentucky, I have always loved the interesting vegetation and landscape of the desert, Joshua trees my favorites. We had to stop for photos—
The other fortuitous aspect to our derail onto the wrong highway was the nice lady Nevada trooper who stopped to make sure we were okay. Very sweet, but the coolest part is that she grew up in Bardstown, Kentucky. I know! What are the odds? It was hysterical, and very nice.
Back on the correct interstate, we got as far as Holbrook, Arizona… thanks to a big accident closing I-40 to Gallup. Still, after driving for nine hours, we were ready to relax and sleep. Day #2 got us all the way through New Mexico. Beautiful vistas most of the way—
—and into Texas. The trip was uneventful. Long, boring, tiring… but uneventful. Well, aside from the Texas trooper who pulled my son over for no reason we could discern, and by the time I drove back, had made him vacate the car so he could search it because, I quote, he “smelled marijuana.” Very annoying, but of course nothing was there so we resumed our trip. Amarillo was our stop for that night.
Day #3 took us out of Texas, into Oklahoma – just as flat but greener – and into Missouri – very green, hilly, and lots of trees! The drive was just as long, but at least prettier to look at. The weather was fair, and thanks to XM Radio and a steady stream of munchies, I had plenty to keep me entertained. I forgot to mention that we were each driving our own vehicles (my husband also pulling a small U-Haul with our most precious items), so there was no relief away from the wheel. We stopped frequently to stretch our legs, visit the facilities, and gas up. The latter became a challenge the further we moved east. As we discovered, Chevron, Shell, Mobil, and Texaco stations (all the gas cards we use) are apparently located in the western half of the US!
Even with a few fuel scares, we made it to Springfield, Missouri for our last overnight stop. Our fifth day on the road (counting the four hours that first day to Barstow) was destined to be a long one. Anticipation to reach our new community helped tremendously in overcoming our exhaustion, as did the stunning countryside.
We passed through the rest of Missouri – where I managed to snag a while-driving snapshot of the St. Louis Arch – into Illinois and then Ohio, before crossing the Ohio River into Louisville, Kentucky. Whoot! From Louisville, pronounced Loo-a-vul to us Southern folk, it was a mere thirty minutes to Bardstown.
Touchdown at around 6pm on September 2. We were almost too tired to enjoy our arrival, wanting nothing more than to sleep. We didn’t have the energy to drive past our new house. LOL!
Sleep we did, after a nice dinner, and bright and early the next day we hit the ground running. More on that in a later post.
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Dear Sharon,
Thanks for showing us your house where all your beautiful novels were written. I would be just as emotional moving. I did the sponge painting too in my kitchen, and still loved it too, but we opened up our room but it looks even better. Enjoyed reading about your move. Your new house looks gorgeous. I live in a suburb in St. Louis……:) May God Bless you in your new move and may you write more beautiful novels in Kentucky…..
Sincerely,
Jill Jones
Thank you Jill. We are very happy here, especially now that we have the time to fully enjoy it.
I love painting and wallpapering. I think it is in my blood! My mom was an artist, and her dad was a professional housepainter. If I had it my way, each room would have some little dab of specialness to it. My hubby, on the other hand, is a minimalist. So we must compromise!
So sorry to see you leave, but so very happy for your bright years ahead in GREENER country! Cheers to you and Steve!
I will miss seeing you and Jeff! Sad we couldn’t get together for another visit. Give Jeff my love and keep in touch.