Almost Full Circle

In a little over a month from now our lives will have come full circle. Memories of that day will probably never leave us but now we are looking back and accepting it as an event that has changed our lives - and perhaps in a good way.

Last year - December 26th - The Man's new (to us) beautiful blue Touareg burnt to the ground - fatally damaging our little 13 foot trailer that took us from Alberta all the way to Key West and to the Mexican border and to the west coast of California. The little 13 foot trailer that is my home during the summer while I help my brother with his white water rafting business.

That little 13 foot trailer is rising from the ashes (literally) like a Phoenix and is being reborn as I type. I found a wonderful guy who has promised to rebuild it with plenty of love and fiberglass and who will have it done by the time next summer rolls around again. It won't be the same little trailer when we get it back, but a trailer that has new paint and 'The Love Boat' hand inscribed under that back window once again. I'll probably post multiple pictures of it once it is returned to us once more.

However! Because of all of this, we have gone through a type of hell here at the Big Blue Barn. As most of you know, because of The Man's need for a vehicle to drive the 40 minutes to work - my 1996 Red Cavalier sports car was put into action. Too much action. It was also involved in an accident and because of its age was written off by the insurance company.

It never fails to amaze me just how many - slightly damaged -vehicles are written off by the insurance companies. I often wonder what the reasoning is behind it all. Is it to create more jobs? Or perhaps its a plan to increase the volume of landfills? I know it's an attempt to increase their bottom line as they sell all salvageable parts. We even notice how the government is involved in it as they erect barriers along our major highway that will 'save you' but destroy your vehicle in the process. Let's not go there.

All of this being said, the salvage company called me the day after I signed away my little red sports car and asked me if I knew anyone who wanted it for free. This man had not even seen my vehicle - he just didn't want the job of hauling it away. He told me it wasn't worth the effort.
I didn't care - I got my vehicle back and I had it fixed for the paltry amount the insurance company gave me for it. Because of all of this nonsense we had to buy another vehicle to get The Man to work and so we ended up with a lovely used Saturn Vue SUV.

Whew! Complicated? You should have tried living the stress all of this generated.

Never mind - there was a silver lining in the end.

On Friday we picked up a new (to us) Touareg. I'll not go into the horror that was the 5 hour drive to Medicine Hat through the snow and ice covered highway. Five hours of it! My nerves were frazzled because it was another five hour trip home - in the dark! I HATE driving in the winter!

But - now The Man has the vehicle he has always wanted once more.

To add to this we are getting a brand new 30 foot trailer delivered to our driveway on Wednesday! Our little 13 foot trailer could probably fit in the entire bedroom! We have spent months looking at trailer after trailer, wondering if this was the way to go. What decided it was the fact that The Man was told by his employer that he MUST take the holidays he has accumulated over the years he has worked there - or lose them. His choice - holidays - or payout.

He chose holidays.

So what does this all mean? The Man has eight weeks holiday time coming to him! And what are we going to do with it?

On December 8th we are hitching up our new trailer to our new Touareg and heading to Las Vegas where we will go to an Andrea Bocelli concert. We saw him six years ago in Las Vegas very close to the time we are seeing him now (more on this in another post sometime). From there we are traveling to New Orleans where we will stay in the same RV Campground we stayed at in 2008. Not only are we going to enjoy Christmas in New Orleans once again but we will have the chance to see much much more than we have in our other three trips.

Not only that - but with the ability to sleep 6! in our new trailer - my beloved brother and his partner are planning to come and join us for a week in January. I can only imagine how happy this time will be for the four of us! New Orleans will always be a place that needs to be introduced to others! No fair grounds or people wearing Mickey costumes are needed to be the main attraction of this incredible place. New Orleans stands on her own two feet beautified by its residents. They are the loveliest people we have ever met in our travels around the United States. That says a lot!

As I sit here with almost 6 inches of snow piling up on the deck outside my window where the thermometer reads almost 25 below Celsius - I think of what awaits us in a very short time.

We love everything about New Orleans! That must be obvious by now - but I don't care. I will continue to extol its virtues forever!

We will be gone from December 8th until February 7th! It seems unbelievable to me! And - this is the first time I've ever been excited and NOT frightened to leave The Big Blue Barn! I find this incredibly amazing all on its own!

Well - there it is! I'm a lucky gal. I know it. Thanks to the very hard work The Man does every single day we are going to have a wonderful time!

For those who have wondered how we managed to get away to New Orleans and all those other places before this? It has all been accumulated overtime and earned days off for The Man. That boils down to me not seeing him very often or being in bed and asleep before he gets home from work. We've managed. And now we get to hang out with each other in the city we would love to call home for longer than ever! And not only that - we get to see 12 basketball games with our favourite New Orleans Hornets! Woohoooooooo!

Okay - all this being said - I need to get back to my studio! I still have orders to fill and jewelry to create for the next couple of weeks. Shipments will be made up to December 8th for anyone wondering if they could get their purchase before we leave. Of course you can!