23 November 09

A really big moving truck came to our house loaded the remaining furniture we are shipping and then they loaded the Hummer. That was fun to watch.

And now I am driving a rental car, cleaning closets, getting ready to pack my suitcase, getting the dogs ready for their flight, and baking pecan pies and cookies for Thanksgiving. Whew.

Well it's official. The movers came today to get our stuff. We wanted to get it on the truck and out of our condo early so that we could spend our last week here getting the rest of the condo straightened out. It will also allow us to enjoy a relaxed Thanksgiving feast with friends before we leave the following week. We're having our Hummer shipped since we didn't want to chance a drive in unpredictable winter weather, so we'll leave Florida and arrive in Colorado all in the same day!

I can't begin to describe how tired I am, but also how thrilled I am that the boxes are gone and with them there is a finality that this is really real, no looking back!

14 November 09

This has been a very productive week. We now have 40 packed boxes and last night I  made arrangements for all the utilities, cable, and internet to be placed in my name. Incredibly I was able to accomplish all of this over the phone and online. Yes, I am old enough to remember when this same project would have entailed car trips to each service provider, long waits in long lines and inevitably tears of frustration. Yet another reason to celebrate the joys of progress and the Internet.

I decided to fly and have my car shipped, so yesterday I bought one-way plane tickets to Denver and arranged a rented car while we wait to mine to arrive. I also spent a great deal of yesterday searching for a reliable auto transporter and a mover, which seems like an oxymoron given the consumer horror stories one reads about cars held hostage or lost or delayed or household goods broken or lost in transit or held for ransom when the original cost suddenly doubles once it reaches its destination. This search entailed one screen open to google to check reviews of each company, one to the Better Business Bureau to check their rating, and my phone nearby to answer their calls. I have finalists in each category and will have the whole things wrapped up on Monday.

All of this is to provide a progress report on our move and to justify why I woke up this morning dirt tired and a bit crabby and with every plan to spend the entire morning in bed (yes, noon.). Of course, this would also be the morning that my mother had scheduled cleaners to come to the house to wash windows and screens and take apart ailing window registers, as part of the major cleaning before we leave effort (she's also having the place painted after we leave...I think she's got ulterior plans....). Somehow they neglected to consult me on the timing of this event and I had no choice but to jump from bed, throw on shorts and t-shirt and head to my current outpost in exile, the public library, where I will spend the morning until I run out of options. At which point I'll head to the beach, still tired but at least surrounded by better scenery.

Packing packing packing. Even though I'm only taking six months worth of stuff AND moving to an already furnished home, it's amazing how much there is to pack. There is adelicate balance between taking what I want (Christmas decorations) and what makes sense (don't pack the tree, buy an inexpensive one there). I'm so looking forward to having a home to call my own, I just have to remind myself that this, while temporary, is still one step closer to my goal. Patience, Suzanne, patience. Take a breath and savor the journey.

And with that sage advice, I'm off to enjoy a nice glass of red wine.

5 November 09

Since we've chosen a six month furnished rental, we really don't need to bring much with us other than our toothbrushes and a change of underwear. Okay, there's going to be a few boxes of clothes as well and maybe a couple boxes with Christmas decorations because while not practical, who wouldn't want to decorate for a White Christmas in Colorado? Given small amount we're taking we'll just ship it out.

Now the question is: what's the best way to get ourselves out there?  Should we ship the car by auto transport and fly out with our two yorkies? Or should we drive the 2000 miles? Currently I'm gathing info on what the actual dollar costs would be under either option.

Here's some considerations for each scenario:

Ship and Fly:

Pros: It's convenient, especially given the unpredictability of winter weather.

Cons: It's expensive. Any way I crunch the numbers it will cost more to pay an auto transport company to ship the car, buy one-way tickets for two and two dogs, and then rent a car in Evergreen while we wait for my car to arrive. But maybe it's worth the extra cost?

Drive:

Pros: It's less expensive than the ship and fly alternative. We get to enjoy the scenery of a cross-country drive.

Cons: Health and safety considerations for driving with an elderly person and two dogs for 2000 miles. This precludes long-haul drives, instead we'll make frequent stops to stretch our legs, which will mean that while Google Maps suggests we can make it in 1 day and 9 hours, we'll probably take 3 - 4 days. I'll be driving my H3 Hummer, not a Prius....I've estimated gas costs at $500.00.

If you have any experience with a long distance move or thoughts you'd like to share, please leave a comment. Thanks!

31 October 09

In the end Evergreen, Colorado won my heart. I've signed a six month lease for a furnished home there and will be moving on December 1st. It's a wonderful way to end the year and a perfect place to start the new one. I have a lot of work to do in the next month as I finish packing and make arrangements for the move. Once I get there, I'll have to start looking for a job and then eventually a house to call my own. But tonight, I just want to savor my happiness at the completion of one journey as I look forward to the beginning of another.

29 October 09

Mom and I had a wonderful trip to Evergreen and Colorado Springs. I was surprised at how well Mom fared in the higher altitudes of Colorado. Three years ago when we visited Evergreen she was overcome by the effects of being 7500 feet above sea level after just the second day and spent the rest of the visit in her hotel room, unable to join us as we toured the area. This year, she was amazing. She was there for every house tour, every car trip up and down the mountains as we searched for our home away from home.

We found a couple great prospects and are now just waiting for the right one to come through. We also met some wonderful people through the homes we stayed in via VRBO.com. Our experience with both homes was incredibly positive and I would recommend them as an alternative to hotels for extended stays, especially for families.

So that's where we are.....waiting. Satisfied that we've chosen the right place for us, but anxious that we haven't found the right house. We're now back at home packing up and with plans to rent out our Florida condo as Mom will be joining me in Colorado. We plan to begin a lease on our new home December 1st.

12 October 09

Tomorrow I'm heading out to Colorado for a five day investigative trip. I will spend three days in Evergreen, which is where I spent the month of September last year...a rather glorious month of writing every day and watch election news commentary every evening. Toward the end of the week, I'll head down to Colorado Springs for two days to look at rentals there as well as to drive around the city and get a feel for the area. I haven't been to 'CoS' in years and really don't remember it. In both Evergreen and Colorado Springs, I will be staying in houses that are prospects for rentals which will give me the opporutnity to 'test drive' each place to see how it feels.

By the way, one travel tip I'd love to pass on: if you have an extended trip, check out http://www.vrbo.com/, often you can rent an entire beautifully decorated house for the price of a hotel room. So instead of being stuck in a small room and eating every meal at some fast-food chain, you can relax in a spacious home and enjoy your own homecooked meal. This is a particularly good deal for families and a great way to get a feel for an area from a residents perspective rather than a tourist's.

So I'm ready for this trip, I've got comfortable accomodations to look forward to, homes to visit, and hopefully some beautiful sights to see. And then it will be decision time. November will find me somewhere....I've had difficulty sleeping this past week which is what happens when I have a lot on my mind. I either have difficulty getting to sleep at night (to which problem I address by reading myself into somulance) or I wake up at 5am with a mind full of worry. When the 5am situation happens I start talking to God. And I try 'positive thoughts'. I remind myself that some of the best things that have happened were completely unexpected, so I remain open to the possibility of a positive outcome instead of worrying about my lack of a decision.

25 September

Here's just how weird life can be: Last week I'd completely written off Lake Tahoe. I made an aggressive offer on a rental house, which I didn't expect to be accepted and then flew home at peace that I needed to move on to a more affordable town.

This week I've been trying to find rental home prospects in Evergreen and Colorado Springs. You wouldn't believe how difficult this is turning out to be: there seem to be few houses available, especially in Evergreen, they are unfurnished (which means I would have to move my furniture out, whereas the houses in Tahoe are furnished which allows me to take a six month rental and see how things go before moving everything), they may or may not allow dogs, and most surprisingly they are more expensive than Tahoe. I'm having a little better luck in Colorado Springs, but it would mean living in a sub-division rather than the mountains, but maybe that will be what it takes to get started.

Then the agent in Tahoe called and let me know that the landlord had accepted my offer. Then another landlord on a second home I'd considered sent me an email and made a very attractive offer.

I don't know what all this static means. After my epiphany in Tahoe, I expected smooth sailing to Colorado. What to do? On the one hand: go to Tahoe for six months and see what happens. On the other hand: I long to get my stuff out of storage and into a home in a community where I have a better than average chance of affording a home, which is Colorado. I really want to settle down in a home surrounded by my own things, which have been in storage forever, not someone else's.


At the moment I'm trying not to read too much into these unexpected developments. I'm still planning on flying out to Colorado next week to look around and then make a decision. I'm also going remain perfectly open to finding and realising the best place for me to be.

Sept. 26th in my email this afternoon, a daily devotion from Today's Daily Word seems particuluarly appropriate to this situation:

Today's Daily Word - Saturday, September 26, 2009

Let Go, Let God

I open to Spirit and follow divine guidance.I have journeyed to a crossroads of opportunity. This is a place for me to pause and reflect upon the road I have been travelling and the choice that lies ahead. I imagine that I have just walked through the desert and have now reached an oasis with refreshing water, a cool breeze and a hammock tied between two shade-giving trees. I have reached a welcome refuge. I experience this kind of an oasis as I let go of personal striving--trying to do it all myself--and let God guide me. A sense of calm washes over me as I release my concerns and trust that God will show me the way. I pause, I listen and I discern the guidance I have been seeking. Following the guidance I receive leads me to my greater good.

"If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit."--Galatians 5:25

22 September 09

Joy is not geography.

That is the big lesson I learned last week. I spent a few days in Incline Village, and yes, it will always be one of my favorite places on earth. But what I discovered while I was there is that right now it's not the right place for me. The home I've always wanted is beyond my financial means there and while I did find a nice house to rent, at the end of six months I'd be back where I started. But here's the big discovery: as much as I loved it, I could and would be able to find joy elsewhere. As a friend of mine said, " your joy is inside of you, has been all along."

So where does that leave me now? I'm heading to Colorado next weekend with three towns to visit and a home to rent.

Tonight I am in Tahoe. As I drove up Mount Rose Hwy ' I am home' popped into my head. I am still plagued by fears that I am over-reaching my abilities, that I will not be able to find a job here or if I do I won't be able to afford a home. I don't know what to do about those fears or if I will be able to overcome them to choose this place rather than the more practical Colorado. I don't know what I will choose, but for the next two days at least, I know this feels like home.

4 September

I've made reservations. I will be heading out to Lake Tahoe in the middle of September, to spend two days looking at rental homes. (I spent the day looking at prospects online). If all goes well, I will begin renting there in the middle of October.

1 September

Park City / Heber Valley, Utah was lovely, but not for me. From a physical standpoint it had all the features I am looking for in a prospective hometown, but lacked that 'aha' feeling that would tell me I've found home. It was, however, good to confirm my feelings and to at narrow down the prospects by one more.

So, now we are down to the final two, not surprisingly they are the same two that have remained in that position for most of the past year: Incline Village / Tahoe and Evergreen, Colorado. The choice between the two is between my heart and my head. Incline Village is my heart's desire, I love the feel of the place, the mountains and lake, but I worry whether I will be able to find a job there or a house I can afford. Evergreen is more practical, Denver and the jobs it holds is nearby, the cost of housing is within my budget.

Let me illustrate this dilemma more explicitly: Here's my favorite house: 1011 Apollo Way, Incline Village, Nevada it's currently listed at $1.2 mil. Here's a fairly comparable house in Evergreen, Colorado (and one of my favorites in that area) it's listed at $450,000. I don't know how to reconcile that difference.


That's where I am at present. While I mull this over, I look at websites for each location checking out their houses for rent, which is what I will do when I first move, and then buy once I've found a job. I also continue to pack, this morning I finished off two more boxes before leaving for work. This month I will fly out to the chosen location and rent a house and then arrange the move.

As usual, I don't know where I'm going, but I'm moving forward anyway!

24 August

Tomorrow I leave for Park City / Midway, Utah for a long overdue exploratory trip out west to check out one of the places that I have been checking out online. Two things draw me to this area: snow and affordable real estate. The rest of what I'm looking for in a place ranges from the broad (small town, sun, affordable) to the particular (catholic church, farmers market, up and coming but laid back).

The top three contenders in the 'Where Should I Move' adventure continue to be:

1. Incline Village / Tahoe / Truckee

2. Evergreen, Colorado

3. Park City / Midway, Utah


Two close contenders are:

4. Bend / Ashland, Oregon

5. Bozeman / Livingston / Whitefish / Bigfork, Montana


Packing is going well and the timing of my move is first week of October. Does it seem strange that I still haven't decided where I'm moving????

17 August

One week, what have I been up to? Packing! That's right, I continue to pack boxes of books and winter clothes. I went out and bought more packing tape and bubble wrap and then packed a box full of framed photos and icons. Little by little a pyramid of boxes is beginning to form in a corner of the living room.

Where are all these boxes going? Hmmmm.....