We rolled out of bed early on December 29 to get an early start on the drive to Dan and Malena’s in Charlottesville. The coach was sitting in their driveway and we were going to drive though in one day in the tow’d (our RAV4). There were boxes and suitcases scattered on the floor and I wondered how everything would fit into the back of our mini SUV, even with the seats folded up. As we ate breakfast we started moving stuff into the car. It soon became clear that everything would fit just fine and there were only a few boxes left to move.
Murphy picked this moment to visit. I was transferring five cans of gingerale into a wine case to consolidate one more item when one of the cans tumbled onto the floor and hit a corner of a cabinet putting a small hole in the side. Gingerale sprayed over the floor and up the wall as I grabbed the can and tossed it out the door onto the deck, where I will find it come Spring. After cleanup we finished loading and closed up the house. I opened the garage door onto 9 degree, blowing snow weather. The forecast said we had to tolerate this for about 60 miles and then we would be out of the lake effect area and into clear skies.
Clear skies couldn’t come soon enough. The roads were not bad, but every passing car and truck threw ice and sleet onto the windshield and the windshield washers froze up. I drove the 60 miles with declining visibility, stopping every so often to scrub the windshield. After a stop we saw some clear blue sky and could see rainbows to either side of the sun. An omen! Murphy was left behind. The rest of the drive was uneventful, other than finding that Tedd’s Landing (landmark for those who run US 15 through Pennsylvania) was not open for lunch any more. Perkins, anyone?
It snowed in Virginia over Christmas – 28 inches at the farm. It has not warmed up much since. We found Gee 2 under a blanket of snow, but with paths shoveled to the door and bins where Dan had gone to find an electric heater and a water jug for use in the house during the storm. Tuesday night we moved it back into its usual spot (ten feet forward from where we had parked it), hooked up the electric and used the water jug for wash water since I was not up to dewinterizing the water system in the dark and cold and I was tired from the drive. Wednesday we got everything back into live aboard mode and we are cozy and comfortable. Each morning the children come out to play for 30 minutes before doing their chores and schooling.
Here is Carol (Bubbeh) reading to Alex and Corey:
and this is the view down the driveway as I am writing:
