Heading Home

The countdown has officially begun for our return to the USA and more specifically, to Washington State where this “little” ha,ha,ha, adventure began 2 years ago.

The official “Moving Assessment Guy” was here yesterday and he well…assessed us. He went room to room and noted all of our belongings that the movers will be packing up and hauling via semi tractor trailer to the port city of Hamburg, Germany where they will be loaded onto a ship. From there all our worldly goods will sail across the Atlantic through the Panama Canal and up the coast of the Pacific Ocean to the Port of Seattle. From there, our stuff will again be loaded onto a tractor trailer and hauled clear across the state, making a sharp left turn in Spokane and forging on another 4 hours up and over Sherman Pass to the little town of Republic. Another 10 miles will get the truck to Chez Giebel and process of unloading, setting up and organizing will start. And with a little luck, oh heck, a ton of luck will be needed, all will go as planned……hoped……prayed. I’m exhausted just thinking about it!  I’m in the middle of downsizing our belongings here and making decisions about what to discard and what to keep. Sparky continues to work hard earning us that paycheck and he’ll be working right up until we board that jet. Gee….we managed to accumulate a lot of stuff in the past 2 years. My desk alone is full of maps, directories from our travels. Keepsakes. Throw them out? Keep them all? Decisions.

One of us is happier than the other about the end of this European journey. Actually, Sparky could be considered deliriously happy about going home. That’s different from his usual state of delirium but it is nice to see him excited and smiling!

First order of business as a retired man when he gets home!

And a whole lot of this too! Gardens to be planted. Orchards to be orcharded. ( Made that one up)Buildings to build. Pastures to mow and many, many acres to hike.

The other half of this equation is maybe not quite so happy to leave here. This journey has been quite the exciting, heady ride and I will miss Germany and Europe very, very much. But, our place in Republic is truly home and I can’t wait to be reunited with my dog Otto, all the barn cats and our Alpacas!

Poor pitiful, little ol’ Karen!

Because….I will miss this

and this………….

Then there are the 2 that really don’t care where they are as long as they are with Sparky and myself. Ya know, I kinda like that. That’s a good message.

One 3 legged hop a long named Bandit.

One 4 legged Alpha female German Shepherd who still thinks she is the boss, but I love her to death, named Gracie.

But it is time to go home, where my heart lays.

So, on May 23 and 24, that enormous truck will be parked in our driveway. Sparky, Bandit and myself will move into a Hotel while Gracie pays one last visit to Katia’s Kennel. Then on June 1st, the 4 of us will wing our way through the sky to Seattle. From there, we’ll rent a van and drive across the state to Spokane, hang a sharp left and forge on for another 4 hours up and across Sherman Pass, to home.

Thanks for stopping by today friends. I truly enjoy sharing my life with you all. Never fear, the journey will continue with our adventures from the wild west up in the mountains of the far northeast corner of Washington State in some of the most stunning scenery  in the country!

Journey On!

Hugs,

Karen, TJG

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