Portland (11/21/2004)

We got a late start, but the odyssey has begun. To go back in time, my PCP (Primary Care Physician) decided to do a chest X-Ray last thing before we were set to leave and found something new so we delayed the trip to do a few more tests. The Dr who read the CT Scan thought the lung was most likely OK (something left over from the radiation) but saw something new on the hip, so we did a bone scan. The bone scan was OK so before we had any more scares, we left town.
In the meantime, the house is on the market, and what we decided to keep is either in the RV or in storage with Mike and Ruthanne in Spokane. Everything else is gone; sold, donated or trash.
Living in the 5th Wheel has been challenging. We had some trouble with some of the on-board systems, but we have working through them one at a time. There is a lot to learn. It's a small place so we have been working on 'a place for everything and everything in it's place'. In the meantime, things are in the way until the moment we need them and then they have mysteriously disappeared. We have had some pretty active discussions as to who put what item in which safe place.
We finally bought cell phones and a cell card for the computer. I am not at all sure why we delayed. What a difference that has made in our ability to keep in touch. Now all we need to do is learn to carry the phones. The laptop has it's cell phone attached so it does not forget to carry it. I'm having a blast riding in the car sending Emails and GPS tracking our current location with the mapping software we bought. I just have to be a little careful since Rich is not having as much fun driving the rig.
We will be here in Portland through Thanksgiving with Sandy, Dale, Christine, Steve, Rachel, Frank and Lexie and then on to the San Francisco bay area. We have been having fun showing off the rig and visiting everyone here in Portland, but it was cold and wet in Seattle and it is cold in Portland, and we are looking forward to warmer weather.