Countdown. in A small but passable life.

The upcoming trip started as a curiosity. I had priced bus tickets. Close to three hundred dollars and nearly two days on a bus. Outrageous. Even though I have enjoyed several cross country bus trips in my younger days. So I went to Allegiant Air to look for specials. And there just happened to be decent prices at just the right times. $100 for the flight out and $81 for the return flight. And $36 for a carry-on bag. The grand total was $225. That wouldn’t even pay for the gas to drive out there in the van. Oh yeah, these are direct flights, Springfield, MO to Mesa, AZ. So I called Mom. She seemed happy that I’d finally decided to come out and visit. With her on the phone and me on the website, we used her Visa to purchase the tickets. And of course I got frustrated with the website but Jassy and Clayton had come to the student union with me so Jassy took over and made everything work.

Mom has had a list of stuff she needs done around her place. The first thing on the list is she wants the whole place painted, the interior that is. She and Dad bought the park model brand new in 2000 and it has never been repainted. The park model is only a 10X40, 400 square feet, so if we take our time and prep well it should be a fairly easy job. She’ll probably have a lot of odds and ends on the list too.

She also mentioned that I could join her in her “card playing” nights over at the rec center. Ugh. I’d rather spend the evenings in the pool or reading. We’ll see. There is also a woodshop, library, pool tables, silversmith shop and a crap-load of other activities. How about shuffleboard? HA!

I’ve got less than two weeks to get ready. The van is pretty well cleaned out and Jassy and I already went and signed it over to her and Clayton. And they insured it. The rest of my belongings are in a neat pile in one corner of her spare bedroom ready to be packed away. I’ll be leaving my sleeping bags and blankets, one big duffle of winter clothes, two carry-on bags of other clothes and odds and ends, my full-sized backpack with backpacking gear, my briefcase and my walking coat and boots. I don’t plan on taking anything except my new knapsack. Hopefully it won’t be too stuffed.

I still need to go to the library and print out my confirmation and boarding pass. And then I’ll check in online 24 hours before the flight out.

Jassy and I had went to a flea market the other day and she found me a pair of leather “old man slippers” for a dollar. I bought them. A good find. I may wear nothing but them all winter.

I don’t really have that much to do so I’ll just wait until after Thanksgiving and then just get it all done.

I won’t miss the cold weather but I think I will be missing my sidewalks and my mostly solitary evenings at Hardee’s. And I’ll definitely be missing my morning coffee with Jassy. And our errand running around town.

Anyway, I think I’ll pack up early and go over to the student union and grab today’s papers.