And So It Begins - Plano, TX - 0 Miles

Not the actual trip, but preparations are well underway. On Saturday, the 18th, friends picked up the furniture we were giving away. That included almost everything. Bedroom furniture and mattress, living room furniture, and the dining room set are all gone. Given my knees are shot and my back has been questionable at best my entire life, I stayed out of the way while adding the occasional "That goes" or "That stays". I felt pretty useless in the process which bothered me a little. However once I simply accepted entering that useless phase of my life, all once again seemed right with the world. I have not only accepted my uselessness, I have come to embrace and cherish it. I've probably been useless for quite some time but never had cause to recognize it before.

We are spending a week with no bed while two sun-bleached, green plastic chairs from the balcony provide the most comfortable seating. In college or shortly after I often visited people and slept on floors. In those days I awoke in the morning, jumped up, and was on my way. Now, after tossing and turning all night, I wake up thinking I must be dead since rigor mortis has obviously set in. Then I spend the next half-hour wondering how the Hell I get off the floor. I feel a new closeness to the "I've fallen and I can't get up" lady.

Packing countless boxes of miscellaneous stuff continues. Upcoming events include getting our previously reserved storage space at U-Haul on Thursday, picking up a rental truck on Friday, and having our hired muscle load the truck. (Please see the discussion above regarding my general uselessness.) They will follow us to U-Haul for the unload. Saturday we have a walk-through at the apartment and leave town either Saturday or Monday after turning in keys. First stop - Austin.