Thursday, April 22, 2021

Saddling Up


This time last year we viewed the road trip back to Massachusetts with the same happy anticipation of pioneers crossing the salt flats of Utah. Would there be bathrooms? Would we want to go into the rest stops to use the bathrooms? Would the rest stops even be open? Was there enough Lysol spray in the world to survive a night in a hotel?

     As it turned out, the trip was pretty uneventful. We asked for a room unused the night before, no problem since so few people were traveling. Ditto with the roads; we sailed through areas usually clogged with cars. And armed with wipes, masks, and hand sanitizer in the car, we survived the rest stops.

     Yesterday we had our bagels and coffee on the beach to say goodbye till next year. Instead of writing this, I should be reading my Martha Grimes book so I can get it to the library later. Today we clean, clean, clean, assemble meals out of the flotsam and jetsam left in the fridge, do the last bits of laundry, empty cupboards, and pack the car. Mail re-routed, check. Cable put on hold, check. Tonight, we gather charging cords, put DampRid containers under sinks & in closet to trap any moisture the air conditioning doesn’t catch (mold), remove batteries from everything we can think of (corrosion), bring in all porch furniture (hurricanes), and put the bikes in the spare bedroom (rust).

     Tomorrow morning when we’re half asleep: turn off water heater & water, put plugs over the drains (bugs), and best of all, plastic wrap over the toilet bowls with lid then down and weighted (rats). Now having written that, it seems a miracle we survived the spring here.

Good news – we’re both chockful of vaccine and at this point venturing into a world crawling with plague is now second nature.

 

9 comments:

  1. We'll see how this trip compares. I expect that the roads will be busier. Maybe not the hotels though. I will be interested in your report. Happy trails.

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  2. Rats coming out of toilet bowls? Really?! I thought that was an urban myth! Just reading about your packing is making me eager to travel somewhere.

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  3. Happy and safe travels.
    Rats in the toilet bowl? We have ants here. Which I consider bad enough.

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    1. I think it's an urban myth, but wouldn't want to find out that it's not.

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  4. Sounds like you're old hats at the whole preparation thing. Happy trails! -Jenn

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  5. That long list of things that must be done is one reason why I never leave the house, apart from going to the shops and straight back again.

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  6. seems like a lot of work to do twice a year. but I guess you get to experience spring twice, one in Florida and once again in Massachusetts.

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  7. Well, congratulations on getting all that behind you. I look forward to hearing about the adventure you have ahead. :-)

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