First of all, this house is no longer white, but a nice cheery yellow! It's not our house, but rather, my mom's new house in Fairfield Bay, AR! Ever since we decided to build a home here my mom has been looking at real estate and sending me places to go check out. My sisters really didn't want her to buy something at this stage so when I found this nice little house that had just been completely gutted and remodeled we had to move fast! Rentals around this area go fast and so did we! Based on my opinion and the pictures that I sent her...my mom decided to move into this house! A few days after making this decision...I flew to California to pack up my mom! We didn't
waste any time. I had my work cut out for me and work we did! Not only did we manage to pack up all her stuff (she had lived in the same house for over 12 years), but we shipped her car, shipped our boat, rearranged our storage container (with lots of help from my son), had not one but TWO garage sales and were able to fly out on time (on time...that's a later part of this story)!
BTW...see the storage container? That's where all our belongings are that aren't in the motorhome! While it may not look too pretty on the outside, it is so clean inside it's amazing! Actually it really stays quite even
temperatured inside as well! It was a great investment instead of paying for storage every month! In anticipation of our move, in a few months (well, o.k. maybe six or so) I had to put everything in boxes and gather up all the "stuff" we had elsewhere! Nathan and I did a lot of packing and arranging to get everything inside so that movers only have to come and load up for the move to AR.
To get the boat ready for transport, I rented a truck (remember I flew here) and pulled it out of the barn it has been stored in for the past two years! Took it to my mom's and cleaned it up a little. The next day it was time to
take it to the tire store for four new tires! I told the guy at the tire store that I only "did" forward! I was very proud of myself...never cut any corners too short and was able to back it up, just a little to get it parked while I went into the tire store! Two days later it was picked up and on it's way to Greer's Ferry, AR. It actually made it there before I did!
Moving day arrived and we were ready! The bad news for the day...the load prior to my mom's had taken up more room than they had anticipated. Since they guarantee the pick-up date (and we were flying out the NEXT day), they picked up her stuff, off-loaded it in their storage facility in Temecula and a few days later it was picked up by the driver bringing it to Fairfield Bay! By 2:00 pm we were done, the house was clean and we were on our way! Spent the night at my sister, Kathy's and the next morning she dropped us off at the airport on her way to work!
Since I was flying with my mom's 16-year old cat, Nicole, I flew American Airlines (Nicole flew in the cabin with me, under the seat) and my mom flew by herself on Southwest since it was cheaper! Our flights left within 1 hour of each other. I left first flying to Dallas/Ft. Worth and my mom flew to Las Vegas. We both were to arrive in Little Rock about 30 minutes apart - NOT! I had no trouble with the flight from Ontario to Dallas/Ft. Worth. In fact, even got on the plane in Dallas/Ft. Worth and it departed almost on time! From there, it went from bad to worse! Pull out from the terminal, and head for the runway. The pilot comes on and tells us that there are 10 planes in front of us...it would take about 2-3 minutes each and we would be on our way. Not much later and he comes on and tells us that we're delayed because of weather...and it did begin to rain. A little thunder and more rain and we begin to move. The pilot comes on and tells us that due to the wind change, we are changing runways...from the south runway to the north. Once we all make it to the north runway...no rain! Still didn't take off. The pilot comes on - again - and tells us that the two planes that have left have had to divert quite a bit to get above or around the storm for a smoother flight. Three hours later the pilot once again comes on...we are five planes from taking off...guess what...American Airlines has cancelled our flight! Before we got back to the terminal, I'm on my cell phone trying to get the next available flight out. No such luck! The flight after ours was also cancelled and everything is booked solid! Until the NEXT day! I get a reservation for a flight the NEXT day at 10:30 am. By this time...my mom has already landed in Little Rock and Don is there to pick her up! So, have you ever been in an airport with not one, but at least TWO plane fulls of unhappy customers? We are all wait listed for the next available seat. The bad thing...if you happen to be standing in the right place at the right time, or the staff takes an immediate liking to you...y ou might be on that NEXT flight! To see your name drop from 10th place to 17th place on each remaining flight is a very unpleasant experience! The guy who happened to be sitting next to me in the airplane decided to rent a car and drive back to Little Rock...if I knew then what I would later learn...I would have gone with him! I met three other ladies so it would have been 5 of us (and Nicole)! Anyone that had a Frequent Flyer card, medical condition, etc. took priority and the medical condition I totally understood. American had no compassion for the fact that I was traveling with an animal who had no cat box...and was 16 years old. Oh yeah. While waiting for all the flights, I found an earlier flight...at 7:35 am the NEXT day. O.K. that was better than 10:30 am and would get me back into Little Rock - bad move!!!!
Anyhow, all the flights were running HOURS late...even the next day! After the final flight at midnight left...and none of us made it, we took the shuttle to a hotel that American gave us a "distressed" rate for. Get to the Ramada Inn - South, check-in, fix a make-shift cat box for Nicole and we all went to bed. Remember that none of us knew each other before that ill fated flight at 12:30 pm! It was about 1:30 am when the lights finally all went out! We all woke up very early the next morning. One of the girls mentioned that something had been "biting" her all night. She looked in her bed and there were blood spots all over from where she had scratched herself. Not only that...but there were bugs in the bed! Yuck! Checked out the other bed...and there were a few there as well! Yuck, yuck, yuck! A call to the manager who was there within minutes! Yes, there were bugs...and while he was there...she found one ON her!!! He refunded our money and before he could even return...we were heading out the door. Walking out I happened to notice another bug on her pants leg! Ugh! Needless to say...we itched all day!
So we get back to the airport and go through security for our third time! Now I have a cat and my carry-on bag which has my laptop in it. You have to take the cat out of her carrier AND your laptop has to come out to go through security! Did I mention this was my third time through security? Head for our terminal knowing from the night before that the first flight (remember the one that I changed to at 7:35 am) had already been CANCELLED! By the time I found that out and confirmed a seat, my flight at 10:30 am was already booked. I was able to confirm a seat on the 1:00 pm flight but was wait listed for all that were in between!
One of the other girls got on the 10:30 am flight which was really the 8:30 am flight (I told you they were ALL delayed). Three of us left and we waited and waited! You didn't want to leave the area on the off chance that someone would take a liking to you and get you on an earlier flight. I saw it happen at least four times where someone was at the right place at the right time! The other two girls were on the 10:30 am flight which was now the 12:50 am flight. Before this flight had even arrived they were asking for volunteers to give up their (confirmed) seats for $250 in travel vouchers AND a flight on the next available flight. I didn't think I stood a chance in **** of making this flight! The night before I was #1 on the wait list for today, but after the first flight...I was bumped to #4 and a little later #5! Just didn't make sense! Anyhow, they did end up calling three other people and after calling the next person several times...they finally called my name! Let me tell you...I was never so glad to get on that plane! We took off about 1/2 hour later and I was so glad to arrive in Little Rock airport a little under an hour later! Daughter Kim was there to pick me up and we waited at her house for Don and my mom to arrive. Don had gotten the boat that morning and was putting it in our "new" storage! Indoor storage for a little over $400 - for the year!!! A little late lunch and we were on our way to Greers Ferry!
After our ordeal...Nicole and I were glad to get home. She wasn't too glad to meet that little (o.k. so not so little) black and white thing that lives with us but I know she was glad to get out of her carrier! The next day my mom was able to see her new house and now we're just waiting for the moving van to arrive!
This is the reason we were supposed to go to California in the first place. The marriage of Brooke & Gary on Aug. 25, 2007. Don and I obviously had to go earlier than we had planned because Don's dad got sick and ultimately passed away. We wanted to have the memorial service as soon as possible so that there would be more time between the memorial and the wedding. Brooke has waited a long time to get 
married. I think if you look at the glow on both her face and Gary's...it was a wait well worth waiting for! She made a beautiful bride and she had a beautiful wedding! Although they weren't there physically, Jane & Earl had a front row seat! :-)
