Home for Now – Dec. 31, 2012

As they say, the grass is always greener on the other side; a thought that edged into our minds as we sat in dog beds on the floor of our new rental home; driving day chips balanced on one knee and a Manhattan on the other.  We were in such a hurry to stop living in Salt we thought anything would be better—including an entirely empty rental home.  

Entirely.  

Empty.  

Yes, after our cocktails, we ate off of plastic plates, standing at the kitchen island and then crawled into our sleeping bags for the night.  (The Noses could not have been happier with this sleeping arrangement, although Rosco does prefer a tent be included.)

Amazing the amount of comfort that Salt could pack into 19’. 

We did indeed make it from Florida to Colorado where we dropped Salt and all the way out to Laguna Beach, California and back to Evergreen, Colorado before Christmas.  (For those of you keeping track, this amount of driving, done in less than two weeks, almost surpasses what we drove during our nine-month tour of Europe.)  It was a lot of driving but well worth it as we were able to see friends and family along the way and coordinate the shipment of our meager belongings from our 10x15 storage shed. 

While in Laguna, we opted to stay at the Casa del Camino Hotel.  Although comfortable and with excellent service, it is loud and rambunctious late into the evenings, so I don’t recommend it if you are looking for a quite seaside escape.  It is, however, perfect if you enjoy the hustle (every pun intended) of the Laguna Beach scene.

Back in Evergreen, Colorado, we are slowing adding to the comforts of home as the snow softly falls outside.  We are enjoying a fire in the hearth and The Noses staring up at the plush comfort of our new (to us) sofas; having just arrived today, we’ll see how long we can keep the dogs off.   Personally, I was sprawled out reading a book on the one we placed in a sunny corner within 30 minutes of their arrival.

Can this really be the end?  I think there must be one more Musings in me somewhere . . . perhaps for 2013.

-K

PS:  SP and I had a deal that the first one to get a job got to pick their in-home office.  I moved in yesterday, first day of work:  January 3, 2013. 

The Beginning of the End – Dec. 9, 2012

We’ve been back in the US for nine nights but we are finally home; a night in Salt at the very hospitable Duck Creek Campground just east of Paducah, Kentucky.  The rain is coming down in waves and we are enjoying a gin and driving day chips in our full hook-up spot a mere thirty yards from the fully fenced, large, grassy dog area.  (Those of you who have been reading through Europe know the importance of every word in that last sentence!)

We picked up Salt & Pepper from the docks in Jacksonville, Florida on Thursday morning and took them immediately to Camping World for Salt’s new LP tanks (we had to leave the others behind before shipping from Belgium.) Friday we drove to Savannah for a delightful night with some dear, but don’t call them old, friends.  That night was the first time we had spent the night in a house in over fifteen months.  Yes, there was the Paris apartment, but nothing compares to the solidity of a house; it was heavenly.   (Not to mention the Seabass roasted in banana leaves and chocolate bread pudding with German chocolate drizzle.  C'mon Man!)

Becoming friends with people from all over America is one of the greatest benefits of our previous careers; after that wonderful night on Skidaway Island we were treated to another divinely home-cooked meal and night’s rest suffused by southern hospitality with friends in Atlanta.  Don’t get me started on the Butterfinger pie—lord I need some time to get some exercise!  The Noses especially loved this stop as they were provided with a fully-fenced back yard.  Complete with Teasing Squirrels. 

Now we are headed to Colorado almost as fast as Pepper can pull us all.  We will have two nights in St. Louis allowing one day for me to fly to Boston and back for a job interview.  After that it is Colorado, Baby!

-K

PS:  The picture above is of Rosco on Main Beach in the city of Fernandino Beach on Amelia Island, Florida.

Musings – On Returning to the USA

As John Denver would say, “Gee it’s good to be back home again”, if only we had the farm that he sings of in the next sentence we would be in absolute heaven.  But with no farm and, as of this writing, no Salt & Pepper, we find ourselves at the Comfort Suites on Amelia Island, Florida awaiting US Custom’s release of our beloved rolling home.

The flight back came off without any trouble despite the stress and panic clearly reflected in both Rosco’s and my eyes.  If you ever get the opportunity to fly Air France La Premier out of Charles de Gaulle, by all means take it.  The exceptional service starts upon your arrival at the terminal:  Before you even check in, they have a lounge waiting for you where they sit you (and your dogs) down in plush leather chairs (ok, The Noses remained on the carpet) while they arrange your boarding passes and check in your luggage.  If you happen to have Tax Free items that need to clear customs, they walk you through the back doors and into a private Customs office where your documents are all stamped post-haste.  This is the way to travel!

The flight seemed to take forever as I was worried about Rosco, but eventually we landed in Atlanta and they delivered the Alive (!) But Shell-Shocked Noses to us near the baggage carousel.  Atlanta is a wonderful place in which to arrive from an international flight:  The customs and immigration lines are almost non-existent (unlike, LA, San Francisco or NY) and the southern hospitality simply engulfs you as you disembark.  Indeed, our luggage porter knew just where to take the dogs for agricultural clearance and then led us directly outside to the pet area.

As the old New Austerity hadn't caught back up with us yet, we stayed two nights at the Westin in Buckhead getting a quick but deep dive back into the commercial aspects of living in America.  With streets full of Porsches and sidewalks full of people with large shopping bags we knew we were home.  Being all shopped out from Paris, we saved our money for Manhattans and wine in the lobby bar where The Noses were a huge hit and the wine was over $15 a glass.  Au revoir vin du maison at $2 a glass! 

One five hour drive later we find ourselves on the aforementioned Amelia Island in the delightful small coastal town of Fernandino Beach, just 30 minutes from the docks where Salt & Pepper await Customs clearance.  With any luck they will clear within a day or two, then it’s a quick jaunt into Camping World for the installation of new LP cylinders (had to remove them for the shipment home) before heading to Colorado.

And more John Denver:  All together now, “Colorado Rocky Mountain hiii-yiiii.”

-K

PS:  As expected, The Noses weren't even examined upon our arrival into Atlanta.  The officer looked at their Pet Passports, specifically noting the rabies vaccination, and that was the extent of it.  Likewise, we slipped right on through Passport control in France despite our Schengen violation.