A Kind of Farewell
However, since so much has changed and I am planning to be in AR permanently, at least for the next 2 years, I needed a lot of things from my home in So Cal. So I came back with two 29" suitcases full of clothes and various papers that I need right now. Thank you Southwest for not charging for suitcases.
I flew out of Love Field in Dallas and that was a treat in itself. Dallas is about a 2.5 to 3 hour drive from Texarkana. I didn't know how to get there or where to go so I decided to leave very early Thursday morning for my 3:30 PM flight. I left here at 9:30 AM and arrived in the Love Field area around 12:30 PM. It really isn't a bad drive, I30 West to 35N to the turn off. Once I figured out the correct exit and got to Love Field, I had to find a long term parking area which actually is on the road to the field. Anyhow, I managed to get the truck parked and onto the van to the airport just as it started to rain.
In spite of possible predicted weather delays, we manged to get in the air and wing our way to Phoenix, via Amarillo. Lo and behold it snowed and was lightly snowing for our short stop in Amarillo. Pretty cool actually and the snow was fresh. After a change of planes in Phoenix I arrived at John Wayne airport where my son-in-law picked me up.
It felt kind of funny to walk into my own house and see all the boxes that were already packed and all the things Carisa needed me to make decisions about whether to pack, toss or take back with me. I cannot believe all the things my darling daughter has done with this move. She has taken it on and organized and completed so much. She is definitely a wonder woman with all she has done.
The weekend went by very quickly with a hair appointment with my great stylist (and you know who you are Sharon); visits with wonderful neighbor and friend, Linda; an all too short visit with darling neighbor, Norma; various trips to stores to get a few things and dinner with Liisa. Best of all, Sunday Carisa and I got to get our toes done and have a nice lunch. In between those things, packing, tossing and getting things ready for sale and storage made the weekend go by very quickly.
Monday morning came early and making sure I got to John Wayne in time to get thru security (I ding because of my knee replacement) was all too quickly an end to 44 years of living in Southern California. It really felt strange on Sunday nite to realize it would probably be the last nite I would ever spend in my home of almost 11 years. But new, different and hopefully exciting adventures will turn up in Arkansas.
One thing I do know is that I don't think I'm going to bother flying out of Dallas again no matter how seemingly inexpensive the tickets seem to be. By the time I figured out the gas costs, the cost to my sanity in figuring out how to get there and then the drive home, it will be less expensive to fly out of Little Rock and maybe occasionally Texarkana. The drive home from Dallas was terrible. The 35S to I30 East reminded me of the 405 at rush hour. Naturally my flight landed at 4:30 PM so I wound up in Dallas rush hour - similar to and no fun as LA rush hour. I chose Dallas cause the ticket was about $100 cheaper than Little Rock. By the time I paid for gas (Kirk's big pickup does not get good gas mileage) and the wear and tear on me, it didn't save me a whole lot.
In the future, if I have enough advanced notice, I can probably get a pretty good fare out of Little Rock. That's a shorter drive and a smaller airport. Leaving out of Texarkana airport, which is about 5 minutes from the house, is very expensive. You have to take a commuter airline - American Eagle - to Dallas DFW airport and that fare is very expensive. I'll just have to be smart and plan my trips more efficiently.
I'm not sure I've come to grips with the full idea of the change that I'm making. I think it will really hit me when my mobile sells and I get an apartment here in Texarkana, whether it be on the AR side or the TX side. Yes, I have family here and that definitely helps. But I left family in So Cal and that is strange knowing I won't see them on a daily or whenever I feel like it basis. I also left some special and good friends in So Cal. Fortunately, they are all available on e-mail or by phone. But it's a change and sometimes change take a while to get used to. However, I'm a firm believer of things happen when they happen for a reason, so I will get used to this change and make the most of it.
The very hardest thing for me when I moved to the mountains was leaving the girls behind, although they might not believe that. But it was a move that needed to be made, and I've never, ever regretted it. You, too, have been thinking about getting out of the SoCal rat race for a long time, and I'm prouder than heck of you for seizing the opportunity to do it.
ReplyDeleteAnd you've given Carisa the opportunity to really demonstrate the kind of person she is, how much she loves you and how very capable she is. (Of course I knew that in spades when she pulled off the fantastic birthday bash!)
Although Texarkana is a bit farther than SoCal was from Bass Lake, it's still not the end of the world. And, I, for one, am looking forward to seeing your new part of the world.
One question: Did you get the pedi where the fish nibbled on your feet?
Love you and miss you!