Barefoot Weather
One year ago today we were in the bus, driving back to Minnesota, to see my parents. Leaving North Carolina and its 60°F sunny weather for MN and its -20°F solidly cloudy weather. I still wonder if we lost our minds while we were there, or if the land we were staying on was so soaked with evil that subconsiously we couldn't make any other choice but to leave, even to go somewhere we desperately didn't want to go.
We stayed in Minnesota until March and, honestly, the weather didn't get nicer until it was almost time for us to leave.
Today is January 3rd. We’ve been in Minnesota since November 3rd. We came back to Minnesota this fall for a few reasons; Andy and Connor's annual hunting trip with the guys (35 years on the books for Andy, 6 for Connor so far) was one of them.
The other big reason was an apartment hunt.
After Alyson came out to Colorado to work with us at the end of July, she never left again to go back to Ohio. Instead, she had let her lease end in July and her girlfriends drove out, rented a uhaul trailer, and helped her pack up her apartment and bring it all back to Minnesota, where it currently sits in a storage unit.
This week, after two months of searching for an apartment that is both affordable and allows cats, Alyson moves into her new apartment and our lives change dramatically.
Because, you see, Alyson is not moving into her apartment with just two of her kitties (apartments with two cat limits are sad for Alyson, but nice for us as we are keeping Castiel on the bus with us!) She is also taking Connor with her.
And here is where things start to get real for me. Connor is 18 now. He's working full time and he is more than ready to start life as an adult. I am also more than ready for him to start life as an adult. However, it is bittersweet for sure.
While I miss the little boy he was, and sometimes still is, I really like the man he's turning into and I'm a little sad that I won't get to see him live this adventure. But, I'm also glad he can experience it with his sister standing beside him.
With grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins just a 15-20 minute drive away, and both of the kids having been out of state since 2020, I have a feeling there'll be a lot of family time happening.
It also means that Andy and I have a whole new life to experience, and a whole lot more space on the bus. And a lot more quiet. And stillnes. And more chores for me to do, because someone has to take over being in charge of the fresh water now that Connor won't be here.
While we had planned to leave Minnesota the first week of December, we won't be leaving until this latest storm rolls through and dumps 6"-10” of snow on us, because that storm is happening today. And the kids are signing their lease and starting to move into their apartment today.
And where are we heading after we leave Minnesota? It really doesn't matter, as long as it has barefoot weather.
You know, the kind of weather where you can go outside barefoot and not end up with frostbite.
That is all we need next.
Barefoot weather.
