Friday, August 17

In the last episode of “The Move West,” our intrepid travelers are delayed again when the rental truck gives up the ghost in east Texas.  My sister Nancy, her son Frank, and Marg (the West Highland Terrier cutie) check into “a roach motel” for the night.  

Budget Truck Rental is tasked with providing another truck and transferring the load to it.  

Meanwhile in southern Arizona I wait for word of an approximate arrival time.  A moving company is scheduled to unload the truck Saturday (tomorrow) afternoon, arrangements having been made well before this horror road show began.

~ ~ ~

6:30 a.m. Arizona time; 8:30 a.m. east Texas time

Nancy sends this email:

“Another 26’ truck couldn’t be found.  Now the plan is to replace the water pump.  We may be on the road again by noon.  We should arrive sometime Saturday or early Sunday. I know that doesn’t make the unload easy to schedule. We aren’t confident this truck will make another thousand miles so there’s that to consider.

“Will let you know when we are moving again.”

~ ~ ~

On the home front . . . 

I’d like the house and yard in neat condition for Nancy’s first impression.  Regular, often heavy, rain has the grass and weeds growing while I watch.  As soon as it dries out enough to mow, I mow.

I have to stop frequently to scrape wet grass off the underbelly of the mower.  Also care must be taken to avoid mowing down our resident horned lizards of whom I’ve grown quite fond.

I’m relieved when I see them scurry away at the roar and approach of the mower.  Now I know where their homes are located.  Both of them wisely dug burrows on the outer side of the chain link fence.  No doubt because Roger likes to pester them.

Lots to do today. . .

Among other things I hope to trim the yard, sweep and mop the floors, go to town to stock the fridge, and make our family recipe for potato salad (the best in the world!).

I also need to prepare the Best Little Trailer for the crew and I to sleep in our old bed the nights that Frank is here (He has a Monday morning flight to New York reserved.).

I’ll contact the moving company and explain the situation with the truck.  I don’t see how that truck will be here by tomorrow afternoon.

~ ~ ~

Update at 10 a.m. Arizona time!

Nancy agrees that arriving tomorrow in time for the movers to unload the truck is not feasible.

She writes . . .

“Doubt we would make it before dark Saturday, we will be lucky if we make it Sunday.  We can try unloading as much as possible.  The way it was loaded is a mess, that’s a story for another day…. anyway, I can see 2 outside lounge chairs we might me able to get down to sleep on.   May have to change Frankie’s flight if we arrive Sunday and can’t get everything unloaded.   Mechanic just arrived.”

I call the moving company.

I tell the man on the phone that I need to change the unloading from tomorrow to Sunday. Understandably he isn’t happy about the change because the movers (probably young men) have family to consider. However, he realizes the bind we are in and agrees.

Stay with us!

There’s more to come in the stirring saga of “Hell on Wheels West!” and I’ll be sure to post it here.

~ ~ ~

On the road again . . . 

“Back on the road a few hours, almost to San Antonio. One trailer tire is wearing down so will need get that replaced later. Unreal.”

~ ~ ~

Saturday, August 18, Day Four:  All the way to Arizona and home!

As I type this at 6:30 a.m., Nancy and Frank anticipate arriving by late afternoon.  I don’t know how they covered so many miles . . . . I’m sure to hear all about it!

12:30 Arizona time:

Sometime later another email with this photo and . . .

. . . and this brief message:

“Check engine light on.”

~ ~ ~

This being the very special day of our reunion, I probably won’t be online or posting on this blog. Before disappearing for the day, I want to thank you, dear blogorinos, for your words of encouragement, for sharing the ups and downs of the journey, for your offers to help, for your prayers and good wishes, and for being here with us.

On behalf of Nancy, Frank, our canine crews and myself, thank you!

Please feel free to carry on your conversations.  Before the day is over I’ll write a comment that they arrived and all is well.

rvsue

NOTE:  Received a phone call from Nancy…. only a couple miles to go!   — Sue

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