Okay, so now we're back

So, now we're back in Seattle area and the whole world is supposed to be perfect? Of course not. There was no expectation of it. There was, with the understanding of the living conditions, an acknowledgement of the misery that we’d be through. With the property values continuing to escalate here, we knew that things were bad. We knew that when we got back here it would be challenging to live with people. My gracious in-laws have opened their home to us, and I am grateful for this chance. Living cheap on the land opens up more opportunity to get out of debt and get some sort of down payment going for the house. It was what I had hoped for in NY and never transpired. It is happening now, and as Dave Ramsey puts it, we’re gazelle intense on getting out of this debt thing as much as we can and then getting into a home. If we could I’d stay here two years and get completely out of debt, but that option isn’t open to us. Not only that, real estate here is going to continue to climb, up until it gets as ridiculous as New York. I can’t….no one can…save as fast as the real estate market is going up.

I wrote notes on the trip back. It was radically different coming over with a one-year old, than it was going over to New York. I have to admit it was a bit more fun when Ryan was inside of Julie. We just could do more. Of course, I was actually able to relax on the way home. No foreboding, no collapses of stomach lining, no grinding of teeth -- it was a homecoming. I did feel victorious when I arrived in NY. I wondered if somehow my family would get me a police escort ( since I have cops in my family), or if there would be a big party when we got there. There was the later. But for some reason, julie and I were freaking out. We were so scared that I had screwed up everything. It was about 1000 degrees outside, and the humidity was horrendous – then we had to move packages. But I have told that arrival horror story already.

We stopped first, on the Triumphant Return, in New York City. Getting out of our apartment, as I’ve mentioned, was a living nightmare, a deep torture that left permanent scars on my psyche. So the Plan A: Drive to Virginia on the first night, was dashed on the rocks.

The enormous fun we had in Manhattan! Books will be written, stories sung. Brianna got to go to the best toy store in the world, Toys R Us in Manhattan. We played in bookstores, had a great time in a surprisingly plush hotel for a Best Western. Small on the outside, but on the inside the place dripped with character that even the kids could feel. The fruit in front, the separate bedrooms, the look of the place. TI was almost worth the $300 bucks we spent on it. We spend more in one day in Manhattan that we did for the next 3 days nearly, and that includes the touristy Williamsburg, VA.

Williamsburg was also surprisingly terrific. Sadly we couldn’t get to DC. Time wouldn’t allow it. We played in VA for two great days. They have this bridge there with things that you would be losing as you went back in time. The courage of those men, the way they bristled at British rule. It makes you so proud of them, and you wish they could see what they’ve created. I’m a little stunned that the site didn’t have a higher tech re-enactment of any of the battles. This could have been great for Bryce if they had decent re-enactment’s. Have you been to Gettysburg? The battlefield of all battlefields, and what do they have on the site to reenact it? A bunch of Christmas lights in a floor. I mean, that was cool maybe 40 years ago. But now? When I get famous remind me to donate some software to both locations.

Nevertheless The King of Arms restaurant, Downtown Williamsburg, had the most terrific food of the trip. Such good Sweet Potatoes we absconded with one of their recipes and made it almost the first week we arrived in Seattle. The biggest letdown was the horse rides. 80 bucks. 80 BUCKS? I’m sorry, but that’s a rip-off.

Then it was to Alabama, but we didn’t see a lot there. The hotel was kinda nasty, but the people were nice. Then it was onto Texas, where we were duly impressed with how really big the state was, and how few people were there. Its amazing that more people don’t drop on in. Its 3 grand an acre, a very tempting price.

The stay at my sister in laws house was a nice break from the hotel bouncing we were doing. One thing I recommend to parents of a baby. Get the suites. It allows separation and relaxation when the baby is out at 8pm for everyone else to play. My crazy daughter wanted a pool every night. This is after hours of driving and all you want to do is lay down and die. She wants to swim the Olympics. We swam.

I ran up more that 20 bucks of data charges on my cell phone. That news reader is nice when you’re brain is slipping into a coma from the driving.

After leaving Heidi and everyone else, we bailed to the next location, Utah. I loved it there. In Moab we stayed in a small condo with more amenities than anyone really needed. The pillows were soft, the beds heavenly. The place rivaled the Manhattan experience. Yet, the most striking thing about Moab was the quiet. It was so quiet you could hear your spirit rustle inside of you. Like after a rock concert when your ears are numb to the sounds outside of your body. And the sunset ended the day with a grand concert of colors – blazing reds and purples. The place was remarkable, and I will return when the kids are older.
We tried to stop in Salt Lake City, you know, the hub of Utah, and with an episode of egregious misunderstanding between my wife and I we actually passed it. I don’t think she really wanted to stop, but she says she told me to pull off at any exit. We pushed those kids of mine so hard that day. Again I’m stunned by the strength of children. As long as the parents have a happy face and keep their turmoil under the skin, the kids are completely shielded. They deal with what they’re handed so well. Its only when you’re an adult that you think you can change everything.

The night in Utah was nice – about 20 miles north of Salt Lake City. But the morning held a surprise for us that we never suspected. At about 7am I woke, got to the window and opened it with the expectation of a brilliant mountain view. In Utah everyone has view property. But the light that streamed in wasn’t yellow with sun, it was florescent white. Snow. By all appearances we were, in April, snowed in, trapped in Utah, nary one day’s travel from Washington State.

Undaunted we got in the car and prayed for warm weather. Having our absolute fill of continental breakfasts and pools and hotel beds, everyone was worn thin. We need a home to stay in, we needed to end this journey.

And end this journey we did! The snow abated soon after we left the mountains, and though treacherous winds and rain still followed us, we got home to Tacoma, Washington the next day, April 10th, 2006 with great fanfare. Still no police escort, but this time I didn’t expect it.

I’m not sure why they wanted us here. The entrance of the Fecarotta family was completely disruptive to their life, and I hope they don’t regret it. We are most certainly getting our finances together, and I predict we could get a reasonably priced house this year. Everything is, though difficult still, on track.

The next entry will deal with the results. The summary of what I’ve learned in this journey.