Road to California, part two.

Did you start with Day One? If not, start here!

Day Two: Rocky mountain high.

Wednesday morning, we awoke in the truck around 430, drove for an hour, slept again, and started up for good at 7a. Doesn't make for an attractive Erica:


Breakfast was Burger King at a rest stop that made me sleepy so most of my morning was spent in dreamland. We passed through the remainder of Iowa into Nebraska (which looks like Ohindillinowa, but with less trees :) and into Colorado. Colorado is beautiful. The first part is high desert (eh) but the west of Denver took my breath away. Mountains inspire awe in me; I feel more centered near mountains. I knew that about my mountains (the Sierra Nevadas of home) but, no, it's true of all mountains. So someday, I think I should like to live near a beach and mountains.

Also, if one has to live in snow, one should live where the view makes living in snow worth it. Like this:


Dad and I stopped for dinner and fuel at a Qdoba in Glenwood Springs then continued through Glenwood Canyon -- beautiful even in the shadows of dusk. I've driven the road from Denver before, but this time I remembered more of the scenery. We did see Vail in the daylight -- I can see why it's so sought-after. (And I hear the skiing is good, too.)

Wednesday night was spent in a real building (showers and beds and electricity, oh my!) -- the cheapest Motel 6 in Grand Junction (the room was already cheap and Dad got a senior discount because the early-twenties-something receptionist considers 50 old). Oh, it felt amazing to be fresh and dressed in clean clothes. When we left Thursday morning, I felt like a new woman, even if I looked more like a drugged one:


Random highlight of Day Two: Grundy County! For any lover of John Michael Montgomery, there is an actual Grundy County of "The Grundy County Auction" fame. :)

Reading on ... Day Three!

Road to California, part one.

We've made it back to California! And now for highlights with pictures.

Day Zero: It's a big ol' truck.

Dad and I loaded the truck on Monday. It only took seven hours ....


Still, nothing was getting in there. For dinner, we walked to Shaker Square and had pizza at Captain Tony's, which was really good. I wish I'd eaten there more often instead of Papa John's (though Captain Tony's would have been too expensive before). Later, Erin came over and took lots of my unwanteds home so that I didn't have as much to feel bad about throwing away -- thanks, Erin!

Day One: Land-locked and alone, she hangs up the phone.

Tuesday morning, I got up, disconnected all of the cable, and returned the box, etc. to Severance. Note to Clevelanders: The Severance Time Warner Cable building is across the road from the IHOP, not somewhere in the actual shopping center. Good to know .... Learned that I get a $52 credit, yay.

Back at the apartment, Dad and I crammed the rest of my earthly possessions into my car -- no small feat. While Dad hooked the car dolly to the truck, I met Jeff upstairs for a three-minute "walk-through." There will be a $50 charge for not cleaning the oven (never even crossed my mind; I hadn't used the oven for at least six weeks) but I should get the rest of my deposit back -- woo. Now if they'll only rent the apartment quickly; paying for rent in California and half of rent in Ohio is not my idea of a good time.

Apartment before and after:


As soon as the walk-through was done, we hit the road (1230p). There might have been a set of teary eyes in the passenger seat as we drove past downtown; it was a bittersweet moment of everything that the past ten months have held. Will I see Cleveland again? Only time will tell.

Downtown Cleveland:


Giada wasn't thrilled about the first leg of the journey, but she settled in quickly once she had the chance to sniff around the truck. Dad and I were both amazed at how well she traveled, not that I ever want to do it again!

Giada at the beginning, middle, and end stages of relaxation:


Highlights of Day One on the Road to California:

• Ohio to Iowa looks exactly the same: corn fields and orange trees. It's pretty for a couple of hours, but even four states of rolling countryside gets boring.
• There is a town in Illinois or Indiana called Chesterton. I guess "-fieldville" wouldn't fit on the sign!
• A billboard in Iowa advertises "Bob's Your Uncle" Pizza Cafe! If you've ever seen the best infomercial ever, you know why this was so cool.

Dad drove until 1a, with a couple hours break when I took the wheel, then we pulled over and spent a few hours at Motel du Truck. Not exactly recommended -- the truck got cold, my seat wouldn't recline because the backseat was so full, and Giada wouldn't stay in her carrier. Still, much cheaper than a hotel room.

Next entry = Day two!

Homeward bound.

It's early for a new post, but my cable will be turned off on Tuesday, and I won't have much free time before then.

Dad is on his way, should be somewhere around Toledo right now. We're going to Tommy's for dinner (I think anyone who visits Cleveland should experience Tommy's at least once), and I'll enjoy my favorite TLT one more time.

Yesterday was my last day at work. We had a store meeting, and those crazy kids surprised me with a card, a cake, and lots of hugs. Threw not crying right out the window! Last night, I went to dinner with a couple of my partners and a friends. Steak from Outback, mmm. Plus, my first ever alcoholic beverage. Now that that's under my belt, I'm not such a freak. :)

The message in church this morning was something I needed to hear. Stephanie spoke about what love looks like, based on 2 Samuel 12:11-24. For a lot of us, the definition of love is getting what we want. If God really loved me, He would give me what I want. Or wouldn't do that. But we cannot decide the attributes of God based on the state of the world or on what we can fathom about Him. Instead, God is love. He loves in spite of. He loves over all. He enacts consequence, and He loves. I think I find the "and" the most significant but the most difficult part to understand. Love isn't getting what you want; it is getting what God wants, understood or not.

I have more laundry to finish, and need to pack clothes for the trip, and have trash to take care of. But for a moment, sitting here, thinking "aloud" to friends, and enjoying the view of a breathtakingly blue sky takes precedence. I think I will try to plan an International Eastern Tour of Awesomeness for next summer. Two weeks, if possible, of a trip split between Toronto (to see Emily and Dan), New York City (to see Ginger), and Cleveland (to see various peeps). The Cleveland stop will be optional, but it would be a shame to be so close and not take the chance to visit Erin, and work people, and my church family. This is usually the sort of thing I say will depend on finances, but finances shminances. There will never be enough money for everything I want to do; that's no reason to stop! Exciting to have travel plans!

To promote interaction, maybe I'll start asking a question at the end of blogs. So, this week: What are you reading, and why? What do you think of it? All answers appreciated! Remember, you don't have to have an account; just sign your name like an email. :)

And that's that. Barring any complications, the next time you hear from me, I'll be living in the 559. Feel free to call and say hello as we make our way to California (email me if you need my number), and please pray for safe travels! Cheerio.

Goodbye, Cleveland.

I feel like walking the world.

Ack, people, only one more week in Cleveland! I can't believe the past nine weeks have passed by so quickly. I guess time flies when you're growing like the proverbial weed, even on the inside.

Last week, work was a lot of fun. This week, it's slightly crazier -- making sure the store is ready to lose its "manager," saying goodbye to partners and customers, and getting my Starbucks fix before two weeks of vacation. Not that it will be much of a vacation. Driving across the country in three days with a kitty in the car isn't my ideal road trip -- wish us luck!

Tonight, I went to dinner with Erin at Yours Truly and had the yummiest Hawaiian omelet. Eggs, ham, pineapple, and swiss cheese -- I really need to learn to cook more food. That's another goal for the next year: Learn to cook lots of new foods. I can handle pasta and frittata and anything baking-wise, but I don't have much practice beyond that. To achieve this goal, I would like to cook a meal for myself at least three times a week and hold some sort of dinner gathering at least once a quarter (every three months; every month might be lofty). I want to find the joy in cooking; right now, it's a more of a chore than a pleasure. Feel free to share any fabulous recipes!

The leaves are finally changing colors! There was a beautiful fiery orange tree across the street from church of Sunday, and it brightened my heart. It rained all day yesterday, but today the sky was blue-gray with clouds that moved like the ocean. When Erin and I left Yours Truly, the pink sunset was peeking through steely clouds. I will miss sights like that.

What I will miss about Ohio:

• Skies that are always beautiful and never smoggy.
• Greenery in July.
• Brick.
• Clouds that fly through the sky. I've never seen clouds move so quickly.
• First Baptist Church of Cleveland.
  

But still so ready to come home.

And almost everything is ready for me to leave. The last piece of the puzzle is someone to sublet the apartment. There was someone lined up until he mysteriously dropped off the face of the earth. Guess he didn't want to leave Florida after all. So please keep that situation in your prayers. I'm trusting God to take care of it, and I know He has a plan. I just wish I knew what it was! Other requests and praises:

• My parents are on the road toward Anderson. Please pray that they have safe travels, enjoy their time with Abbey, and Mom has a safe flight home.
• Giada's experiences with riding in the car have been, let's say, varied. One day, she's fine; the next, she's meowing like I'm poking her with a sharp stick. Please pray that she will be calm and quiet through three days in the car!
• The church I've been to over the past two months is amazing. The people have been welcoming and so loving. Last week, I shared my experience and said thank you during the congregation's time of sharing and was so blessed by the many people who came up afterward to introduce themselves, wish me luck, and thank me for sharing. Thank God for such a wonderful place committed to His glory and spreading His love.

Giada is tearing around the apartment so I'd better go give her some loving. The next time you hear from me will probably be early next week before my internet is turned off. Hope everyone is doing well and actually reading this. :)

Love!

Beautiful fall colors from this year:

Color me blind.

Hello, everyone. Hope you're all doing well.

Life has been emotional and wonderful in the past week. Some personal things happened that have released me from any hold Cleveland might have had on me. It's liberating to have no bonds left holding me back from being ready to leave. My time in Cleveland was short, sometimes sweet, sometimes not, and very educational. I've learned more about myself in the past two months than ever before in my life. I've learned to love myself. And I'm excited for this new chapter -- working at Starbucks in Fresno again, being part of a church family, reconnecting with friends, meeting new people, having lots of adventures. And sharing them with all of you.

Okay, enough of the mushy stuff! Work thusfar this week has been a lot of fun. I'm going to miss my coworkers more than I could have imagined. They are wonderful people who have supported me through the sudden jump to manager as well as through the personal trials.

The leaves are finally changing colors. Trees are on fire in my backyard, and it's amazing. I was afraid that a late fall would mean no neon foliage for me, but I'm still glad to be leaving more. Just say no to living in snow!

The timer for my laundry just went off so I need to run downstairs. This time next week, I'll be cleaning. This time in two weeks, I'll be driving somewhere around Texas. This time in three weeks, I'll be able to do laundry in my own apartment in the state I love the most. Goodnight!

Beautiful fall colors from last year:

Back to the place where I belong.

Look, a public blog! In three weeks, I'll be living in California again and need a good way to stay in touch with friends and family, right? Here, I'll be able to keep everyone updated on life in Fresno, share pictures of how cute Giada is, and muse about whatever comes to mind that I feel like sharing. I'm excited; hopefully you will be, too.

For starters, yes, I'm moving home! As much as I just looove Cleveland's forty degree autumn (I kid), I'm looking forward to a comparatively mild winter and central heat. Also, how fabulous to be home for Starbucks holiday, the craziest and best time of year. Mostly, I'm grateful to be near family and friends again because I miss everyone. It's lonely in Cleveland. It was before and after the breakup. Now it's time to come home and start the life I'm meant to lead for the rest of my life. The past two months have been a time of incredible challenge and pain but also amazing personal growth that I wouldn't trade for anything. I'm a better person for it all.

Enough with the mushy stuff. Get ready, California, I'm a-comin'! :)

And because I promised: