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April 6, 2003
I’ve never been so exhausted in my entire life.
I’m going to give a *hopefully* brief account of my trip thus far and I promise to try not to rant. I’m afraid this may turn into a vent, but I’ll try… If you’re brave, read on ~
Monday, March 24
Leave Atlanta bright and early (6am, or was it 5am?) to beat traffic. Drive to Memphis, TN. Wrestled three cats in carriers and a dog on a leash up to the 4th floor. Sleep. I paid $1.49 for gas.
Tuesday, March 25
Leave Memphis at 6am. Drive to Checotah, Oklahoma and spend the day visiting family. My mom’s whole side lives there, so it was nice to catch up with everyone - and EAT. LOTS! I paid $1.45 for gas (but saw it as cheap as $1.24 - the lines were too long there)
Wednesday, March 26
Leave Checotah around 10am. Stop in Western OK at a place called “Cherokee” for lunch. I bought Alyssa a really pretty porcelain Indian doll, dressed in leather and fur. Let the dog out to pee and - onward!! Arrive in Amarillo around 5pm. Check into La Quinta and then walk to a local Mexican restaurant. The waitress played with Alyssa and told me about her daughter who is a month older. I paid her and began walking back to my hotel. I got almost there and this man in a truck pulls up right in front of me and jumps out. I am feeling threatened. He asks if I just ate at such and such restaurant and I told him that I had. He says “A customer saw you walk out without paying.” I said “I paid the waitress. Perhaps you should have asked her before running me down with your truck. I cannot believe how rude you are.” He got back in his truck and I continued to my room - only shaking now because I was so angry! I got to my room and looked up the telephone number for the restaurant and called to speak with the owner. I told him the situation and said “Not only did I pay the waitress, I left a 20% tip! And I am accused of not paying!?” He said that the situation had been straightened out and he apologized several times. I watched a video on faux finishing walls on Pay-Per-View. LOL Gas is around $1.59
Thursday, March 27
Eat a malted waffle at La Quinta and head on down the road. Take a photo of a huge cross on the south side of I-40. Pop on and off of Route 66. It is snowing in Moriorty, NM and there is a 60 mph headwind. I am getting 10 miles to the gallon and the van is sucking gas. I can’t go over 60mph with the trailer in the wind. I listen to an audio book “Talk Before Sleep”. Arrive in Grants, NM. Had to have help hauling my luggage up to the 2nd floor. The animals are now staying in the van. There is a lake behind the hotel that has gypsum all around it. I think gypsum is very icky looking. Gas ranges from $1.59-$1.69
Friday, March 28
I drove across a mountain range in central Arizona with tall pine trees and lakes formed by melted snow. Snow drifts of 2 foot or more remained in the shade of the trees. It was very beautiful, but I forgot to take a picture. Arrive in Mesa, AZ to visit Grandma Jean and Papa Walt. Go to dinner at “The Streets of New York” where Alyssa inhales a plate of penne pasta and Grandma comments “She’s going to weigh a ton if you let her keep eating like that.” Alyssa cruises the room, begging for strangers to pick her up.
Saturday, March 29
Drive to the Arizona Mills Mall to meet Jeanette & Bella and Carla Joy & Devon. We eat at the Rainforest Café, which is perfect for the kids. Then we walk the mall. Then back to Grandma’s to wrestle some end tables into my Uhaul trailer. They are very heavy. Grandma notices that Alyssa hasn’t eaten any dinner and I better make sure she’s eating enough ROFL Gas on I-40 was $1.79, but is now $1.95 in Phoenix.
Sunday, March 30
I’m very sad that I’m not able to be at church today. I am going to miss my church terribly. Earl is such a sweetie. He calls me and puts his cell phone on my seat so that I can listen to the service. The choir sings my favorite song and I bawl through the entire thing. I miss everyone terribly. The plan was to drive to Ontario, CA (Los Angeles area) and stay the night, but when I arrive in Ontario at 1pm, I have to keep driving. I’m only 4 ½ hours from home (Fresno, where I grew up) I called Steve & Janette, my youth pastor and his wife from when I was in high school. I plan to just drop in on them, but end up staying the night. Just like old times… Alyssa is fascinated by the peacocks - hmmm. Peacocks? Now there’s an idea! Gas? Do you really want to know? I paid $2.59 coming across the desert.
Monday, March 31
Today is supposed to be the closing. But that doesn’t happen. I drive around Fresno, meet my grandfather for lunch at the Chicken Pie Shop. Alyssa climbs all over him and I take a picture of them under a big chicken on the wall. I have loved the Chicken Pie Shop since I was a little girl. They are the best chicken pies I’ve ever had. I had heard that my best friend from HS that I haven’t talked to in over a year is working at the mall, so I went to find her. We spent a while catching up and planned breakfast for the next morning. Then I visited my mom’s best friend and her daughter. My brother’s wife met me at Sam’s Deli and we got sandwiches and took the kids across the street to the playground. I played here when I was a little girl in daycare. Then we walked the mall. Alyssa and I spent the night at Grandpa’s property in Easton that is being renovated - I didn’t know that until after we arrived. Don’t ask.
Tuesday, April 1
Meet Patty for breakfast at the Waffle Shop. We ate way too much. Had the car washed (the trailer was at Grandpa’s with all the animals!). There is still hair everywhere in the car, even after the washing. Went to a salon and had my hair hacked off to chin length. I needed a change and Patty volunteered to watch Alyssa. Lunch with two other friends from high school and their little boy. One of my cats jumped out in the parking lot and it took all three of us to retrieve her. Scared me to death - she is my favorite cat. After lunch I headed to my friend Philip’s house. We went to high school together, too. We put Alyssa down for a nap and catch up on things. Then we headed out to dinner at Javier’s (awesome Mexican food!). On the way, we stopped at a grocery store to see if my old high school boyfriend was working. He about fell over when he saw me - it’s been 7 years. While I am pretty much the same as then (just slightly more round in the tummy region and better at holding my temper in check), he seems to have really changed. His outgoing personality has been replaced with a reserved, almost depressed demeanor. He seems to have aged 20 years instead of just 7. And he’s put on probably 50 lbs. He got a girl pregnant in college and married her. He’s still with her and she’s pregnant with baby #2. He doesn’t look very thrilled with his life situation. And he doesn’t seem to be the person I once knew…
Wednesday, April 2
Wake up with a tummy ache from all of the fresh California strawberries Phil and I devoured before going to sleep LOL See him off to work, then pack up the van, grab my laundry and Alyssa and head out. We stop at Casa De Fruita, but it is early and not everything is open. And Alyssa is too young to really enjoy it anyway. She watches the peacocks (they seem to be appearing everywhere) and I pick up some goodies to send to Daddy. Continue driving through the rain to San Jose, where I call my aunt. We have lunch and then I continue up the road to Willits. Just south of town, I thought I saw sheep off on the right. I looked and they weren’t sheep. Three snow white deer stood there, a buck and two does. I drove on, pondering this. Albino deer? No, not three in one place! Then I passed the “White Deer Lodge” - hmmm. Are there white deer that live only here? Where is my camera and why didn’t I take a picture? I drive up to the property and as soon as I round the last bend, it begins to snow - hard! I pulled up next to the barn and began unloading the trailer. I take one look at those heavy tables and wonder how I’ll ever get them out. I prayed that God would give me the strength to move them and He did. I somehow heaved them up and out of the trailer and carried them across the barn. I think they weigh like 70 lbs each, so I know it wasn’t my strength that got them there. After about 10 minutes, the snow stopped and I was warm from the exercise. It took about an hour to completely empty it and I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I finished the job. I drove up to the guest cottage to see what progress had been made and if there was any chance I could stay there (the closing was pushed to 4/9 and the people say they can’t be out until 4/15. This leaves me in limbo until then…) The first floor is covered in boxes and the second floor is under construction. Staying here is not an option. But I am pleased with what I see - the second room is much larger with the wall ripped out and the bathtub is going to fit perfectly in the master. I head down to Willits and rent a room at Best Western.
I’m going to start a new paragraph here because this may take a minute to type (and read.) I am not a fan of hotels. Maybe it comes from being an innkeeper or maybe it is just a personal view, but I hate hotels. Rarely do I find one that passes my minimum requirements. The man at the desk looks irritated that I have disturbed his evening television watching - it is 7pm. I ask the rate for one adult, one child, triple A member. He says $69. My husband stayed there recently for $53. I tell him that. He says $59. I’m too tired to argue or look for anything else, so this will have to do. I ask if I may please have a first floor room, as I have a toddler. “No.” I ask what the room has in it. He says “King sized bed.” Fine. I head out to wrestle my child, her playpen and my suitcase to the second floor, all while trying to keep the dog and cats from jumping out and taking a swim in the pool I am parked next to. I got the playpen and suitcase halfway across the parking lot. I sat them down and thought to myself “One of the first requirements to be inspected by AAA is that you are available to assist with luggage. I know this. I am in this industry.” So I marched right back into that front office, disturbed the man’s tv AGAIN and told him I would like help with my bags. He stares at me like I am from another planet. I said “Since you would not give me a first floor room, I am going to need assistance with my luggage.” I glare at him. He says “How many bags do you have?” Why this should matter, I do not know. I said “I have one suitcase and a playpen for my child, but I cannot haul them and my daughter up the stairs, YOU ARE GOING TO HELP ME.” And he did. Grudgingly. He dropped my suitcase by the door and headed back to his show. I opened the door and felt like I had stepped into a sauna. Mind you, it is only about 45 degrees outside. Someone must have left the heat on high for three days in that room. It was roasting. I opened all the windows and left the door open and turned the air conditioning on high. I grabbed a menu for a local pizza restaurant that said “Free Delivery” on the front and called them. I was told they were not delivering. I sat on the edge of the bed and cried. Here I am, by myself, with a screaming Alyssa. She is starving, I am starving, I am exhausted and my muscles are sore and the room is so hot I want to die. After my little breakdown, I called another pizza place down the road. They promptly delivered a very tasty pizza, salad, and Pepsi with juice for Alyssa. It took two hours to cool the room down and if I opened a drawer, I could feel the heat radiate out. Surprisingly, the hotel room itself was quite clean and comfortable (it should have been, the place is brand new). The service just sucked.
Thursday, April 3
I get up, knowing that today is going to be a difficult day. I eat leftover pizza to conserve cash and check out. Backing that trailer out of the hotel parking lot was quite interesting. I didn’t hit anything, but the stupid front desk guy was giving me an ugly look the whole time. I’d have liked to have seen him back the thing out. First on the agenda, return the trailer. The easiest part of my day. Next, locate a self-storage place that has room for all of my stuff. The movers are heading into town today. First place (that was recommended by the guy at Uhaul) only has two units available and they are too small. Second place also has two units - smaller. The movers get there and we go back to the first place. Since I left, a larger unit has become available. I rent that and the movers back around and open the trailer. The first thing I see is the headboard to my great-grandmother’s bedroom suite. I just paid $750 last month to have it converted to a queen size and had it restored in the process. There is a huge gash across it and I don’t know if it is repairable. I’m fighting back the tears again. My new lamp that I got for Christmas is in a million pieces. My coffee table is severely damaged. Item after item that they pull out has scratches and nicks. I’d like to know WHO loaded this trailer because they didn’t wrap anything. I feel sick. I leave to go get something to eat and call Earl and cry and cry and cry. I go back and they are now unloading the big truck. Surprisingly everything in the truck is intact, but only God knows what all is broken. I didn’t watch, so I won’t know until we move it all to the house. The mover guy (Earl’s sister’s friend) says to send him the bill for repairs and replacements and he’ll send us a check. I hope he keeps his word. I have to rent a second storage space because we don’t have enough room. $200 out the window, plus I now have to hire new movers to move the stuff to my house. *cry* The guys leave and I head to the Chamber of Commerce to get recommendations on a place to stay for 13 days. I feel overwhelmed and aimless. I don’t know what to do. I decide to head down to Santa Rosa and decide when I get there. I find a room at the Los Padres Lodge and settle in with a margarita and chicken ceasar salad.
Friday, April 4 (My baby brother’s birthday. He’s in the Persian Gulf)
I take my time getting up. Alyssa and I have a very good breakfast at the hotel’s coffee shop and check out at 11:30. We go to a mall and look at appliances at Sear’s. We buy some See’s Candy for Daddy and eat a bunch ourselves. We try to make heads or tails of our situation and try to decide what to do. I talk to Earl and my mom and then decide to head back down to my aunt’s and stay for a few days until I can find some direction.
Saturday, April 5 (Alyssa is 17 months old today)
I’m so tired. I’ve never been so tired before. But Alyssa is bouncing out of bed at 6:30am. She hasn’t realized that we’re in a different time zone yet and it gets light earlier here. I’m not getting any help with her and I feel like I’m at the end of my rope. It wasn’t long to begin with! LOL Aunt Pat, Alyssa, and I head out to vacuum my car out and go to the mall. I only buy some teethers because Alyssa is cutting her 2 year molars. What timing! We go to a thrift store and I buy some clothes for us because all of our stuff is in storage. We have a wonderful Mexican dinner at a restaurant called La Miltas.
Sunday, April 6
I’m sad that I’m not in church. Earl is at his sister’s in Florida, so I don’t even get to listen in on things. My aunt is off to take her grandson to a ball game. She is having chemotherapy because she has bladder cancer and the woman takes care of her husband and two grown sons day and night. I don’t know how she does it. I would have run away by now. The men all stay in their bedrooms all day and play video games or watch tv all night. What a life. There has always been family drama here - and now is no exception. Miss Alyss made it 30 minutes later today, and because of the time change, that meant 8am. I woke up wanting to go back to sleep. I’m never going to feel rested at this rate. My aunt is too busy for me to ask her to watch Alyssa. She’s tired, too. She is going through a rough time and I can’t expect her to watch my child on top of everything else. So my couple of days of respite are not turning out to be restful. I’m calling my mom today. I’m going to have her drive down and I’m going back up to Santa Rosa and getting a room at the extended stay place there. They have kitchens and everything, so we’ll be set. I’ll be an hour from Willits in case I’m needed up there, and I’ll be in the same town as our real estate agent if she needs me. And I’ll be down the road from that wonderful day spa that Earl and I took advantage of during our conference in January. I’m planning to spend a couple of hours there one day this week. I desperately need to relax and recover a bit and at this point, I think I’ve earned it. Earl is horribly worried about me. Probably because I bawl during every conversation we have. I’m not sure why, but I am just pooped out with no where to go. I’ve been homeless for two weeks and I’ve got another week and a half to endure.
Now that I’ve gone on and on and sounded so pitiful, let me change direction a bit. The day that the movers dropped off all of our damaged furniture, I kept asking “Where are you God? I’m all alone and things just keep getting heaped on top of me. I can’t do this alone.” And I felt all alone. That evening when I got to Santa Rosa, I kept wishing that I had the phone number of the pastor that we have been in touch with in Willits. He and his wife had told me if I needed anything, to call them. But I couldn’t access my e-mail to find their number. When I got back to my room with dinner, my cell phone rang and it was the pastor, asking if I had made it okay and if I needed anything! Then I really cried. I told him the whole story and said that the one thing I could really use right now was some advice on movers. He said that they don’t normally hire anyone, they just round up some people that they know and move it themselves. He’s going to check around for me and get some folks from the church in Willits and the church in Ukiah together to help move things. I am so relieved. Now I just need my mama to let me put my head in her lap and tell me that everything will be okay. I know that things will work out. I know that God wants us here. I know that all of these things are happening for a reason. But this has not been easy. And it’s not over yet. Someone certainly doesn’t want this to happen -- but God is on my side. If it doesn’t kill me, it makes me stronger and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I’m so thankful that He does strengthen me. I’ll be okay and I’ll be a better person for having come through all of this.
Please keep us in your prayers - Earl as he continues to run the inn in Georgia by himself (he’s living in the inn now, too) and me as I get things set up out here. Also, pray that those teeth come in quickly so Alyssa feels better. I’ll update when I can.
Thanks for reading!
Christy
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