Here I am, in Odessa, surrounded by white of snow steadily becoming a sheet of ice. Brewer is curled up in his bed napping, while Ian is borrowing Kenny’s garage to change the oil and make a few modifications to Sheila, our new-to-us 1997 Subaru Outback.  The list of things preventing us from taking off (in a southerly direction) is growing quite short, but as things go, something unexpected always seems to pop up.

One of those things we were not expecting was the fridge in the RV going out, but it is much better that it happened when it did; on the road we would not have had access to the network that we have here.  Our friends allowed us to wait out the delivery of a replacement and do the swap ourselves.  To list everyone who has helped us prepare for our Coddiwomple would be impossible, but we must express our gratitude to Katie & Cal Kimes for offering their warm and cozy home, driveway, power, and hospitality.  After delivery of the new refrigerator was delayed for two days due to the ongoing storms over the mountain passes, Ian and I were able to remove the old fridge, clean up, make some slight modifications with help from Cal, and install the new, 7.5 cubic foot fridge in about two hours.

We have moved on from one driveway to another, staying with my best friend Cait and her FIANC´E, Kenny.  They also have a nice wood stove, so we are enjoying our time lounging and spending time with them before we depart.  Ian and I have been enjoying travel books gifted to us by our Uncle Steve; I had to start with Blue Highways, which so far has been phenomenal.  Ian is reading Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley, which I am not sure he is enjoying as much as I am, but likes to talk about Rocinante, Steinbeck’s custom-built camper.  Looking at pictures of Rocinante, I find myself wondering if Ian and I could live in something that small!  I look forward to reading it when I finish Blue Highways.  We are also able to catch up on chores, such as getting rid of more stuff and reorganizing (again, and again, probably for months to come as we learn how to live in here) and updating our address in all the important places.  This will probably be our launching point, when we decide “today is the day.”  To say we are both eager to be in warmer climes may be an understatement, but that doesn’t mean we don’t yearn for one last trip to the mountains for snowboarding or more time with family and friends.  There will never be enough time for everything and everyone, so we will do what we can, and be happy with that.

Speaking of wanting to see as many as our friends as possible before our departure, we have decided to spend an evening at Downpour Brewing on Friday, January 6 and on Saturday, January 7 we will be at Slippery Pig Brewery at 3pm for a few hours.  If you are able, please stop by so we can see your faces and give you a big hug before we launch.  This we likely be our last weekend in the area.  I hate to disappoint everyone who asks, but we still haven’t decided on a when or where.  “A traveler who leaves the journey open to the road finds unforeseen things come to shape it.  ‘The fecundity of the unexpected.'” – William Least Heat Moon