Sissy here as Kim is working in the backyard with my Husband. It was an adventure, and this will be a long post!
As you all know from Kim's last blog on the 8th of May. she had a serious case of vertigo but flew out on the 9th to DC with my Husbands Brother.
The flights were horrible, and this did not help, but they arrived at midnight on the 9th. Sissy was sick and I put Her right to bed, with a cold diet coke!
Now the whole point of bringing Her out was to help with the final packing, etc. She was no help and listed from room to room like a drunken Sailor. I felt so bad for Her as I too had a serious bout of Vertigo about six years ago and it is awful. So, we just laughed at Her (a lot!) and I served many diet cokes.
We had rented an extended stay Hotel for the last three days we were in the House as we did not want the Cats anywhere where during the final stages. Sissy had her own bedroom, and the Cats took care of Her.
The morning of the great packing was May 15th, and my husband and I had rented a 26-foot U-Haul. We were at the U-Haul Store and Dan and BIL were in the truck and I was finishing the final paperwork. The Manager and I walked out to the parking lot to greet the Giant truck, only to have my Husband jump out and declare that He had hit a car in the parking lot. It was the managers car and it was of course a BMW!
What a way to start a move! But we are well insured, the BMW was drivable, and no one was hurt. Just a PIA. So, I spent the next two hours on my cell phone explaining to my Insurance Company, but all is resolved. We hired professional movers to load the Truck and it was full, full, full. We ended up sacrificing two wing back chairs (yes, Sluggy your chair is gone!) an ottoman, a bookcase, and a large, overstuffed chair with Ottoman in the Family Room. Friends came and took all to the dump. Then we cleaned, and cleaned and cleaned. Moving is so dirty. AS the Movers were leaving, here comes Sissy listing down the drive as She had walked from the Hotel to help! I put Her in the Car and took Her back to the Hotel. What a goof ball! I am surprised She did not fall into traffic!
The start of the great adventure!
May 16th
We left early in the morning and getting the Cats in the Kennel was no easy task. Our Cat Lucy is Ferrell and only likes my Husband, well my Husband was in the truck, and I was trying to get Kim up and out. I chased Lucy around the Hotel living room, cornered Her, threw a bath towel on her and got her in a death grip. Sissy was on the floor ready to do zipper duty and she succeeded, and then I had to get Her off the floor. WE were on the Road and drove for 10 hours, Sissy laying back and sleeping most of the way except for potty stops. Our first night was in Danville Ilinois. Sissy was feeling a little better, got the Cats into the Hotel and I had hoped for a bed that was all the way to the floor but no. So, I knew that getting Lucy out from under the bed the next morning was going to be difficult.
Our Vet recommended expensive Halters with leads that and we had purchased them. With dizzy Sissy's help I managed to halter up Lucy and she rambled around the Hotel room knocking things over, but I could get to her with the lead. Had some dinner and went to bed, exhausted.
May 17th
Up at two AM to use the ladies and on the bathroom, floor was the halter, the lead and no Lucy! I went back to bed and prayed as the bed and nightstands were tied into the wall and Lucy was in the deepest darkest corner under the bed. I managed to sleep till six which is late for me and then went down to the lobby and asked for a broom. Yes, we broomed Her out and I am a cruel Mother. Bath towel death grip, lots of hissing and Sissy doing locking duty. Lucy yowling.
We then packed up and hit the road. About an hour outside of Danville, (Farm Country) we hear a ruckus and I look through my rear-view mirror and Lucy is out of the Kennel! Now this is dangerous as Cats if upset will crawl under the gas pedal. Again, the power of prayer...looking for a place to pull over and no shoulder to speak of...Lucy climbing all over and finally up to my seat where I pinned her to my side and the door and drove one handed. A pull off appeared and we took it. Farmland and fields as far as you could see. Popped the trunk and said to Siss, work your way around the Car and get the bath towel and come to the driver's window. Sissy lists out of the Car, and I thought she was going to fall over. She gets to the window, I roll down enough to get towel and put Lucy in a strangle hold.in the meantime Sissy opens the back door and Lucy had managed to open the side of the Kitty Condo. She says Kay if you let go of the Cat you will never find Her, but we get her in the Condo and closed the door. Back in the Car we hear a ruckus and Lucy is opening the zipper again with Her teeth. Out of the car and what to do? Well ingenuity did play a part in this. On those expensive halters were carabiners and I closed the two zippers and Lucy was trapped. On the road again and Sissy is major dizzy and sick. 9 hours later with a few stops for gas and potty, we arrived in Sioux Falls South Dakota, exhausted. Unload Sissy, unload Cats, grab a quick lousy dinner and in bed. I got a broom from the desk clerk as I know what was in store for the next morning. Slept well!
May 18th
Third day on the Road, Sissy feeling a little better (yeah!) ninety miles an hour for the first four hours and then highway 212 going 45 to 50 on a two-lane road took us another six hours. The only highlight of the day was Sluggy called and we got to kibbitz. Landed in Billings Montana, unloaded with Sissy's help, ate dinner and to bed. This was the longest day on the road, the Cats were not happy, and chorused each another all day long.
May 19th
Woke up early with a taste of anticipation as this was the last day. I did not even have to threaten Sissy, and we were on the road by six after brooming Lucy out from under the bed and She seemed almost resigned and did not fight as much. We stopped in Missoula (our Hometown) for a late breakfast and then Sissy took over the drive and four hours later we were in Lewiston! Unloaded and collapsed.
So, we made it safely. WE wished we had the energy to do some sightseeing, but with the Cats and the Dizzy Sissy, this was not possible. WE did have a lot of laughs.
Lucy's name has now been changed to Loudini and she loves zippers. Out makeup cases are not safe!
Now it is the 25th of May and we have been on a dead run, so much to do here and I must get Sissy caught up as she has nine dresses that are due out for June. Going to a barbecue at little Sis's today and it will be fun!
Dan and I will start looking at properties tomorrow, and I am cleaning Sissy's cupboards, I see a dump run tomorrow also. Sissie's vertigo comes and goes, and it is going to take time. It took me about six weeks before I felt even close to normal, wicked stuff.
Now all of you pray for us as we do for you and Sissy will be back.
Kay
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