We Are Slogging On

Yesterday just before noon our Mexican friend, Nuco pulled in driving his new truck. For a number of years he worked for J. doing both carpentry and mechanical work. Like many men he was lured by the wages for working in the oil fields and has spent the last several years working in Sheridan, WY which is about 3 hours away.  [Every place in Wyoming is about 3 hours from everywhere else.]

He doesn't always return to Lander on his week off and it had been several months since we had seen him. We were concerned that with the haste to be off house hunting we wouldn't see him.

Just about the time that we remark his long absence he arrives.

He seemed not at all astonished to learn we had sold the house and were venturing off on a retirement caper.

He immediately insisted that we get in the truck and he would drive us to town to eat at the Mexican restaurant El Sol.

Kind man that he is, he spent the afternoon after lunch helping J. to move tools and equipment out of the garage and down to the old barn where it will have to remain until we come back from our house search.

While the men labored outside I continued to empty closets and kitchen cupboards, filling box after box.

Today, daughter G. had a dental appointment so was off work.  She appeared and began directing the sorting and cleaning of the kitchen, telling me, of course, that I have "too much stuff."  Grandson D. is off school early on Wednesdays so he was also recruited to help.

G. has taken my plants to her house to care for while we are away.  D. and J. hauled out boxes, removed all but a few sticks of furniture into the van.  G. found a home with one of her work mates for the sewing cabinet I don't want to move.

The excess of clothing, shoes, oddments, canned goods and such have been laboriously stashed in the cabin where we and the cats are climbing over them.

The cats!  A stray cat wandered onto the porch at 4 A.M. and several of our resident vigilantes went into siren mode---singing cat war songs up and down the scale.  J. lept from bed, his big flashlight already in hand and shone it out the door onto the big tiger tom who was now sitting in the drive. 

I stayed out in the living area, trying to calm the cats while J. went back to bed.  Finally, convinced that the felines were "over" the intrusion, I crept back to bed.  I had just gotten warm and sleepy when the outcry came again with even more of the cat tribe adding their voices.

Resignedly, I got up, put on the coffee.

It has been a long day!

I got all the kitchen cabinetry wiped down inside and out--a big job.  Now merely [!] to sort the odds and ends, clean the floors and we'll be ready for the closing early on Friday morning.

I have to pack a suitcase, make sure I have reading material sufficient for the journey.

I must remember to read the electric meters, have the phone cancelled.

I think I must keep my "eye on the prize."

I have a post or two scheduled to share later.

I expect to suffer bloggers' withdrawal.