Thursday, July 11, 2024

TIME TO GO

As previously mentioned, Gary's promotion was effective December 1st but they allowed us to share Christmas with family and take the holiday time for road travel to California.  Again, IBM would have flown us and the animals to California and put us up in a hotel until the furniture arrived.  But we wanted to see some of what was between the east and west coast and it was during school holiday.  

The entire family had our celebratory meal December 23rd, my mother and step father stayed a few days more and left Bowie, MD Christmas day.  

There were lots of tasks for us to complete before the movers came to pack up the house in 4 days.  The van would be pulling the In'tl Scout (storage unit) which would carry sleeping bags, cooler, 6 days of clothing, thermos, coffee pot, eating utensils and cat and dog food.  In the van with us would be a flashlight, cat carrier and litter box.  Oh, and wide mouth jar for emergencies on the road (you're welcome Robin 😎).
December 28, 1978 was packing day, where the hell did all that crap come from?  The movers had to rearrange things in order to get Gary's beloved Porsche in.  You can see part of the Porsche in the above photo.
Friday, December 29, was load and leave day.  
With the moving van finally out we departed Bowie, MD 7:35 p.m. with mileage of 55,960 on the van.  I'm now writing by flashlight.

Betty inquired as to how the pets were transported.  Both rode in the van with us and a litterbox stayed inside the van so Pyewacket could use it at will.  We also had a pet carrier for her to ensure she wouldn't accidentally escape when we stopped to walk Misty and to transport her from van to motel room.

Pyewacket travelled just fine and no need to use the tranquilizers the vet gave us.  BTW, Pyewacket was given her name because of a cute movie called Bell Book and Candle.  Here she is quite content looking out the window.
Misty asleep, guess she and the cat took turns at the prime spot.
Drove 100 miles from Bowie, MD and spent the night in Ashland, Virginia.  Each time we take off again from the start, or from a toll booth the cat starts meowing ~ ever hear a Siamese cat meow?  It's torture it it lasts too long. 

Trip beginning Saturday, December 30, 1978 will continue next week.  

Saundra


5 comments:

  1. I just love these posts. It's like being catapulted back in time. That International Scout if fabulous. Wouldn't it be so cool to still have it?? Kinda reminds me of my Rover. And, yes...I know EXACTLY what a Siamese meowing sounds like. Even though neither of my cats I have now are Siamese, they meowowl all the up to the lake and all the way back. I cannot even imagine what it would be like traveling cross country with them. Looking forward to the next installment.... ~Robin~

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  2. Wow , packing up a car too !!! Fun to read all about adventure moving to CA !

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  3. Definitely fun stories u have ,,,,,,love seeing the pics too ,,,,

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  4. Love hearing about your cross country move. I do know how Siamese cats sound....and yes can be annoying. Janice

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  5. IBM sounds like great company to work for. I'm sure all these memories are sweet to you right now. You were young and looking for fun adventures. I love reading about your adventures across the US.
    The only Siamese cat I ever owned was a ceramic Siamese cat I made from liquid clay and he sits on a window sill in my daughter's house. He was a very quiet cat, lol...

    Take care, my friend and sorry about being so late in catching up with past posts.
    Hugs, Julia

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