saturday at last

It is good to be home. I had to run back to Florida for an appointment this week. Tuesday on the road, Wednesday seeing the doc and packing the car, Thursday final packing and road trip.

The car, an Elantra, held an awful lot of stuff for such a small vehicle. I disassembled a corner shelving unit and both of our computer desks, then laid the parts on the floor of the trunk. My bucket-on-a-stick, broom, mop and American flag (with 5 foot pole) went from the trunk into the passenger compartment through the hole made available by laying down one side of the rear seat back. The cooler, holding about 10 pounds of frozen chicken plus some burgers and frozen vegetables, sat nicely on the lowered seat back - with my laptop case riding on top. Behind the driver's seat, on top of the tools, canned and boxed foods were neatly stacked under the end of the cooler. A small box fan filled the remaining space.

A kitchen-sized (13 gallon) trash can occupied the rear center seat and had its own seat belt. It was full of cooking utensils and other kitchen items. Heavy things like tools and jugs of liquids occupied the lowest level of the rear floor. Coats were rolled up and provided support and cushioning for my guitar in the front passenger seat. Lisa's dulcimer, in its quilted bag, rode on the rear window shelf.

Clothing was randomly placed to fill air space in the trunk, between metal items to keep them quiet, and pretty much any space that wasn't already occupied. Despite all that stuff, visibility was not impaired.

The drive was uneventful but I was happy to get home, thankful that I hadn't been foolish enough to wear shorts for the drive. It had been in the 70's when I left Elfers but was in the 50's when I arrived in Cruso.

Our house looks more like a home now. End tables by the couch; shelves in the corner bearing a large wooden radio, telephone, clock, dulcimer and a handful of books; a guitar on a stand by the front window. The room that had been my office now resembles a large walk-in closet. The kitchen counters are covered with pots & pans, a pile of well-seasoned cast iron cookware sits wrapped in an old bath towel on the washing machine.

Looks like another busy day in Cruso.