Can't We Just Leave?

Can't we just leave?! Aen't you gone yet? I thought you were supposed to be gone by now?!

We get these questions every day, and here's the answers, folks...
It's been a 2 1/2 year planned journey. The AH HA! moment started with a show called House Hunters International. I was recovering from gall bladder surgery,lying in bed with Tony, watching said show. The story was of a woman living in Northern Cali, who was selling everything to move to Merida, Mexico. I turned to Tony and said, "Why can't we do that?" He said, "I'll go pack my bags."

So, we talked about it, dreamed about it, planned, changed plans repeatedly, argued, laughed.....then finally put up a huge piece of butcher paper on the dining room wall. On the right side it said: "Somewhere warm." For the next two years we filled in that huge piece of paper from left to right. It was a bitter sweet day when I took the paper down to paint that wall.

We slowly moved from thoughts of living in Mexico, to moving back toward somewhere sunny in the states. Mexico can still be in the picture, and so can Palm Springs,CA or Natchez, Miss or Fargo, SD. Wherever the big yellow ball in the sky is, that's where we'll be.

We're hoping I'll be granted a leave of absence, and can hit the road to Palm Springs in January. If I'm not granted a leave of absence - more than likely, as the gov'mint doesn't like giving its' employees anything that might be construed as a kind benefit for a job well done - I'm afraid I'll have to retire. I'd like the state to think outside the box for me, with me. We can work out an economically feasible alternative work schedule.

Hopefully, my next post will be from the road.