We have spent the last couple of days getting ready for our road trip north. Although I would much rather fly home, we have to take the truck back to Wisconsin because we are hauling back two dressers that Lindsay wants to use for the baby's room. She and Chris also have plans for the truck this summer; I suspect that they missed the truck more than they missed us.
Yesterday morning was spent filling the box of the truck with everything we wanted to take home. We know that we are going to encounter rain when we approach Wisconsin on Saturday, so in addition to padding, we also tried to make most of the items fairly water resistant. The largest piece of furniture we are taking north is a triple dresser with six drawers. We packed some clothes in the drawers since, of course, we brought way too much down with us.
Once the dresser was lying on its back and wrapped in plastic, we decided to see if a bathroom ceiling fan that did not work in the master bath down here would go north and be useful in Lindsay's house. She has a downstairs bathroom that badly needs remodeling, so we might be able to figure out some way of adding ventilation to that space when she and Chris rebuild it. We encased the fan box in a oversized garden garbage bag, and that slipped nicely into the front of the truck bed next to the dresser. A small box from Steve and Chris also was wrapped in a garbage bag and added to the bed.
Two blue plastic tubs were next, and on top of each of those were added small disassembled tables, extra folding lawn chairs, and an extra bicycle pump wrapped up like a mummy. On the face of the dresser, we added the matching mirror, padding the whole thing with left-over insulation board from the old windows and lots of blankets and towels.
Across the back of the truck, we were able to slip in a tall, thin dresser, and on top of that we added a well-padded piece of glass that protects the triple dresser top. Everything is strapped together and pretty secure. We were able to roll the tonneau cover over everything and shut the back gate. Although the truck bed does not have a lock on it, our belongings are fairly secure since one is simply confronted with the side of the tall dresser when the gate is lowered. To get at anything else in that bed, a person would have to roll up the tonneau cover and do a lot of unstrapping and unwrapping. If they want to steal my shoes or some old dressers that badly, have at it!
In the afternoon, we took one last trip to Sand Key Beach. There was quite a strong breeze, so after a while when sitting in the shade of the umbrella, I actually got chilled. Being in the sun was uncomfortably hot, but being in the shade too long was not great either. We did enjoy our time at the beach, though, watching the sailboats and jet skis, while also relaxing and reading our Kindles.
Today we got up early, changed the linens on the beds, and cleaned the house. Everything is scrubbed down for the next six months. We emptied out the refrigerator, storing the few remaining cold items in our electric cooler which will travel north with us. The dishes are washed and put away, the refrigerator is scrubbed and open, and the circuits to both the 'fridge and dishwasher are turned off.
Our bags are packed, so we will pack the back part of the truck later this afternoon. We've taken everything from the car, and we've moved the trikes into the Florida room, so we have only to drive the car in the garage when we return from eating dinner today. Once that is hooked up to the battery charger, it will be safely in place for the summer.
Personal showers this evening will be followed by one last load of laundry before we unhook the laundry facilities. We plan an early start tomorrow: the alarm will go off at 3:00 a.m., and we hope to be on the road by 3:30 at the latest. We plan to drive as far as Columbia, TN the first day. That is exactly the half-way point between Gladys and Green Bay. It will be an 11 hour drive... but probably closer to 13 hours before arrival taking in stopping for lunch and restroom breaks.
I pray that the weather will be good and that the traffic will be light. We think that by starting early, we will avoid most of the congestion of the Friday rush hour around major cities.
We both are going to miss Gladys. She certainly has become a home to us down here, and if we did not have friends, family, and a wonderful home in Green Bay waiting for us, I do not know that either of us would want to leave. However, this year will be the first time in three years that we will be in Wisconsin for the summer, so I am looking forward to spending some quality time in our yard and neglected flower gardens. The nice thing about leaving Gladys now is knowing that when we return in the fall, we will have a comfortable, inviting structure to welcome us home in Florida.
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