Several months ago, my mom sold her house and decided to move into a really nice rental where she doesn’t have to worry about the yard, shoveling snow, or maintenance.  The other bonus was that she had a few extra dollars left over, so I suggested she go and do something she’s always wanted to do.  I suggested she take a cruise, partly because we had just taken ours over Christmas and had a terrific time, and partly because if she was travelling alone or with a friend, most everything is taken care of for you.  The conversation went on and the next thing you know, her cruise is now our cruise.  Sandi and I hadn’t planned on taking another one quite so soon, but I think it’s going to be a good time.  My sister and niece are also going, and it just so happens to be the very same ship we were on just seven months ago.  It’s now sailing the Alaska route out of Seattle, so the familiarity should be nice.  Plus, we’ll be on the boat for mom’s birthday, so we can all celebrate together.

When we were living in Chehalis, the logistics of sailing out of Seattle sounded a lot less daunting.  After we made all the initial reservations and arrangements, we found our Colorado property and things changed a tiny bit.  Mandi and Casey will be up for a visit tomorrow morning and then I plan to catch a ride down to the airport with them in the afternoon for my flight to SeaTac.  We’ll be on the cruise for a week and then we’ll be finishing up the packing and moving.  If all goes according to plan, we should be pulling in to Cripple Creek with everything we own in just about two weeks from now.

Given the remoteness of this property, I’m a little nervous about leaving our fifth-wheel, our vehicles, my tools, etc., so I’ve been working hard to get a small measure of security in place.  I talked before about building the fence and gate, and I’m pleased to report that after four days of fighting rocks and dodging lightning, I have a finished project and a little more progress to share.

The ‘before and after’ photos were taken about four months apart, and give me a real sense of accomplishment.  I’m hoping it will also give me a little peace of mind while we’re away.