Mutual Of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Live - The Road Show

I got up this morning and went off to my Starbuck's (I say MY, because FaithfulReaders will recall I WAS the DrinkOfTheWeek) for the last time, then started cleaning my bathroom, which has to be the most dreaded task in human experience.

The team of movers arrived at 9 a.m. - I was amazed and dismayed to discover that the team consisted of TWO guys! Boy, did they have their work cut out for them. One headed immediately to the kitchen, and the other tackled the bedroom, which left the bathroom for me to play in. I kinda set up an office complete with a phone and set to canceling all of my services. I even managed to cancel my dial-up internet service, and if you have ever tried to do this, MAN, they are like pitbulls - they just WON'T let you cancel, but I won this time! I was feeling quite proud of myself!

I then realized that the fellows would be at my place a long time, and I had many errands to run, and I was wasting precious time. I asked them if I was required to be there for this process, and they said no, and also declined my offer to return bearing fast food for them. So I went to the post office and changed my address, went to the bank, took the dealership a copy of some paper they needed for my car, did a little shopping, got lunch, found time for ANOTHER Starbuck's run, and gassed up the car, where I FINALLY noticed a dip in the prices!

When I returned, the guys were sitting down outside smoking, and asked where they could go for lunch. I coulda killed them. Instead, I got BACK in the car, and went to fetch them food and drink.

After their refreshments, they started in loading the truck. I never had the experience of people coming in and completely packing everything - they had the paper, tape, boxes, and incredible back strength. As each room was emptied, I followed behind them, spackling and Swiffering, and then I closed the door for the final time, and headed down to Columbus to spend the night with DJ V.

It was quite dark and rainy in Akron as I was leaving, but soon the skies cleared, and the world was bathed in a hyper-brilliant orange-y sunset glow.

And that is when Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Live - The Road Show began.

There I was, driving down the highway when a large peregrine falcon/hawk swoops down directly in front of my car and into the median strip, and impales a medium-sized furry mammal! (groundhog? rabbit? capybara?) It was completely amazing. The Savage Beauty Of Nature, as seen on Ohio's interstates.

I arrived safely, and took at peek at DJ V's new golden car. She had been busy setting up her small apartment, and it was absolutely lovely, inviting and romantic. That girl can set a stage almost as well as the Captain can. I brought a bottle of champagne to celebrate our anniversary (90 days - seems much more likely to be like, 3 years, oddly), and Kir Royales were made as we watched an episode of Six Feet Under.

And then DJ V gave me a present, my very own Magdalene, otherwise known as a Garmin GPS! I think it would be really cool if you could get a voice module - I want Eddy from Absolutely Fabulous - "Sweetie, sweetie, sweetie, turn right Now! Oh, bollocks, you bitch troll from hell!" But, I will be very happy with Magdalene's insistent Recalculating!

It was a wonderful, thoughtful gift, as I was SURE I would never find my way around Pittsburgh - what a wacky city of weird streets that is...but the best part was the sentiment:

So you can always find your way back to where you belong - with me

At last, I got to take a shower, and DJ V loaned me her Victoria's Secret pj's.

Sleep was deep, and well-deserved.