Storm's End Farm

Sorry I've been short on travel updates! We made it to Oregon! Been in Coos Bay, Newport and Lincoln City. Returning to Coos Bay Friday. We've been around the ocean, but haven't gotten wet. Weather has been awesome! 50s in the mornings and mid 60s during the day. It did get hot once...75 ... Found a great real estate agent, Holly. Sabrina (Bean Creek Realty), you'd like her. Tough and funny. She is taking good care of us. We're fixing up the trailer slowly. Today? Cable TV and finish unpacking. Meanwhile, we took the fur kids to the doggie park (during and after pictures) and let them run themselves ragged. We got take out at the Newport Chowder Bowl at Nye Beach (best clam chowder on the whole west coast)! OMG I thought my mouth had died and gone to heaven. Ben and I agreed it was even better than we remembered! We have found a house. Cutest little retirement cottage with a (not yet livable) studio guest house with kitchen and bath! House community has trout fishing, hiking, swimming in the Coquille River nearby (like walking distance). Ben will be able to cruise around on Roscoe. It is about an hour from the coast, 15 minutes to a town, 30 minutes to a bigger town, hour to two little cities. For those who care...about 4 1/2 hours to Tillamook 2.5 to Eugene, and 4 to Portland. We will submit offer today, hope to hear then by Monday. Hopefully offer will be accepted. Toes, fingers crossed and good thoughts for us! Meanwhile some pictures for you!

Well, Day 5 turned out to be a WINNER. Found a 27' toy hauler at a park and sell in Lodi. I thought we weren't going to get it, as another guy was looking at it. We were getting ready to call the owner again (we had told him we wanted to look at it), when this guy knocks on my car window. So I roll down the window and he says "Are you Jenny? I'm Bob. I own the trailer." So we made a handshake deal...he had the paperwork, I had the cash... and he told the other guy that he sol...d it to us because we had been evacuated in the fire and really needed it. THEN Bob helped us unpack the whole suburban into it! Went back to turlock for the last night. Day 6 Ran errands in Turlock, got the fur kids out of hock, and took off for Lodi. Had help getting it hitched up. Drove to Napa (about 50 miles) to spend the night. Fridge doesn't work. It did, then it didn't. Spent all night trying to figure it out. Bob suggested a ton of stuff, most of which we'd tried. Nothing worked. Robbie is afraid of the tile floor so he had to be carried to bed, the spoiled brat. Groot had to be chased off the bed so we could make it and he found a little space in the corner. Gerry, on the other hand, opted for comfort and slept sprawled on the couch. Day 7 Ben and I stayed up till almost 1. I took a sleeping pill and went through my early morning (5:30) routine like a drunken sailor. Falling over boxes, confused, and bouncing off walls. No coffee because wall sockets don't work. Had an epiphany! Maybe a fuse! (I did check breakers.) Left at 9:30, then drove toward Eureka. Got gas. Got lost in Uriah. My gas pedal was sticking like the cruise control was stuck on. A very nice mechanic at MC Automotive blew out the throttle body and checked the computer. Didn't charge me a thing. It didnt fix it, but he was nice to look at it. Got to Willets. Too pooped to pop. Changed all the fuses and voilá the fridge works. (Sometimes I amaze even me! LOL).

Day 4. Luck is just not on our side. The travel trailer we were going to buy is in the evacuation area, but the guy who owns it is there as he is working with the dozer crews. We drive up, nope, cops won't let us in. Smoke is so bad you can taste it (see pictures). So, we go to the Travelodge in Turlock. (If you are thinking about staying there, go someplace else...ANYWHERE else!) It was awful! Cash only, no microwave, free internet doesn't work, no coffee pot (but there wa...s a safe and an iron), ice machine broken, no instructions on the remote (so no CC, which we use). The grounds were so bad the dog didn't want to pee there (see more pictures). Day 5 I get up (the second time) at 7. A fire truck siren sounds like it stopped right at the "hotel". So I go on the "balcony" to have a few puffs, and there is a black smoke pillar right behind the hotel. Well, I get Ben up, and the dog and we left! A car was burning... We went to Waffle House. It's closed. Permanently. Go to Sonic. They are out of coffee. Found a travel trailer near Sacramento. Drive up here. Sold just before we got there. So now we are waiting for people to message us in this area for other trailers. It's been long days of waiting and waiting.

Day 3 of the Big Adventure... Taking care of all the traveling stuff. Suburban getting new tires and oil change, picking up all the meds we need, a few last minute purchases, and Chinese for dinner. Trailer and dogs tomorrow. On the road Saturday!

Our first day of homelessness. Treated ourselves to Best Western because we cant pick up our trailer until Friday. Ben and Robbie are watching TV.