Stage IIa - In Ct.

1 - Car now has replaced the missing snow tire, and has four on it.  An oil change, emissions test and front end alignment later - it is as ready as ever for rolling to Colorado on Thursday.
2 - Having weather concerns now - as we try to drive the 30 hours from Thursday morning to Saturday night.  So I can start work Monday morning.
3 - Prayers for the Boys while Mom is driving with me - We have the same N. morning coverage as last time...but still, it's a worry.

Stage II - In Ct.

Umpa flew down to join me for the RV ride back to Ct. - We mounted the car on the Dolly, prep the RV and hit the road.  We make out about an hour - then someone drove by and made frantic hand motions, we'd blown one of the tires on the dolly.  We stopped and I dismounted the car - and drove on to the next exit.  There was a Wal-Mart in front of a big RV park.  They had a big automotive section with a whole section of Trailer tires - but they were a full size bigger than the blown one.  So I bought 2 - on rims and went back.  Amazingly it only took 45 minutes to be back on the road.  We made it through Florida and Georgia, and stopped at a Wal-mart to sleep about midnight.. We forgot to leave the ignition or the generator on so it would run the furnace (until about 3am) so it was chilly .  Up at 8, check the dolly, winter treated the water system and off we went.  Turns out we passed pretty close to West End (Hi, Uncle Ronnie, Hi Aunt Joanie)  - and then on to DC (Hi, Aunt Dawn) and made it into New Jersey. Found another Wal-mart - ran the generator and Furnace for the night - and was home in Ct by 12:30.

All is well - but snow is deep.  N. is upset I am stealing Mom away for Stage III.  Pastor Darr has allowed me to stash the Camper in the Church lot for a few days, until the driveway improves.  Still need to get a snow tire for the Mazda - They are an odd size and don't seem to be carried any more.

Nervous - hate making yet another fresh start and first impression.  And realizing the I'll be even further away, the time changes (and altitude) will drive that home.

And there are always extra expenses in starting up in a new place - that is stressful as well.

Stage 1 - Out of Florida

Back at work in Florida (with the 50 and 60 degree weather). Busy, wrapping up my work.  Need to get the RV out on the road - which means packing up the various hoses and wires and disassembling the Direct TV.  Then a road test and oil change.  The car also needs an oil change, and the brakes from Mieneke need replacing again.

More to Follow...

MLK Update

So the offer to contract in Florida took a while, and I got an offer for the job in Colorado - It is a contract to hire, and the rate is significantly higher than my current contract or the other Florida contract.  I ended up taking it.  So I need to work out how to get there - with a car with snow tires, and the camper stored somewhere.  By 2/7.

MLK

Flying home this weekend.
Concerning work: Still done with RJ end of month.  Have contract in hand for job at JPMorgan Chase, across the bay in Brandon.  Job looks ok - but Contract Firm says they don't offer a straight per diem.  This is a huge deal as it impacted my taxable income, and would result in actually less money than the stated rate.  Had second interview with a company in Colorado - they have some contract to permanent positions available, and would pay substantially more.  And are through the same contract firm I work through today.  We'll see how these play out - I hate this stuff.  Neither job gets me home, or even in New England - But I need to buy the ramen and pay the cable bill.  I am so frustrated by the attitudes back home, working so hard not to be as angry when I get home.

New Year, New News...

1- It was a great blessing to be home for the whole of Christmas week, and once the rush of arrival past, there were vivid reminders of broken dynamics within the family...Of discipline, of teamwork, of normalcy...Chasing down young men and their needful.
2- Told RayJay my last day will be 1/28 - and I will start my new contract at JP Morgan Chase the next week.  I will need to move from Vacation Village in Largo to an RV park closer to Brandon (on the other side of Tampa, near the state fairgrounds).