I have been in Goldendale, WA for less than a week, the first day I was here the computer moniter blew out, the second day I was here it snowed almost two feet (it was in the 80's when I left New Orleans and I was wearing shorts), the next day the parent company (Enron) of the company my husband is working for is about to go bellyup and the third day the local banks won't cash my husband's pay check (they put an 11 day hold on it). Now that we have spent an untold amount of money for both of us to get out here, we may not even stay (and I quit my long term "secure" job to come here).

We are in an 8x22' RV with three cats. The cats have actually made the transition pretty well, especailly after spending 5 days in a cage in the backseat of my truck, my son (who made the trip with me and then flew back to New Orleans) took them out every night and put them in the motel room with us. I had gotten tranquilizers for them but did not have to give them any (maybe I could take them).

We drove I-10 to Los Angeles, which took us through southern NM and AZ. It looked like a huge beach with no water and huge piles of dirt part of the way and then we got into some serious mountains. My son, who is 22 and know everything, thought he could put the truck in cruise control and drive through the mountains. After the Tackometer shot up in to 3 and 4 a few times I made him pull over and let me drive least he ruin my truck. I gotta tell ya driving through that mountain pass from CA to OR in pouring rain is quite an experience. And now I am on top of this really huge mountain and the only way to get to a Wal-Mart is to go down it on either side. Now you probably think I am foolish about the Wal-Mart thing but this is all so different and with the potential loss of our income I crave something familiar. We did find a nice price on a computer monitor at Fred Meyers in The Dalles, but had to go down this really steap mountain that I am scared to drive down and The Dalles is about 40 miles away.

But I am greatful that we are back on line, going for a week while in transit off line was an eye opener that I just may be addicted to the internet.

Even with these mishaps I know that I have many blessings and I intend to concentrate on the positives and try to set aside the negatives for the moment, that's all I have anyway, for sure, is this moment. As I sit here in our little RV, warm and dry, I could be anywhere, so I guess it doesn't really matter where I am.

Sheepish, I saw the sign for the Maryhill Museum, it's really just down the road (and part way down the mountain) from where we are and on the right coming up the mountain there is a replica of stonehenge. We spent some time in Portland on Saturday and around the E. Burnside Street area it reminded me of parts of New Orleans that I like alot. Coming out I-84 from Portland in the Columbia River Gorge area we saw an amazing waterfall, something I had never seen before. My husband told me this was in the high plains desert and now I know what he was talking about. I wonder what it was like for the settlers to come through the Oregan Trail, I bet a Wal-Mart would have been a welcome sight for them too. It's really all very beautiful, it's just a big transition and then there is the job thing too.

Namaste, Judy

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

Answers

Judy! I've been wondering about you, if you were on your way out there or what. Gee, I didn't realize that your husband works (worked?) for Enron. What a shock to you! I hope this works out well for you and turns into a blessing in disguise.

About the steep roads, I think you will become accustomed to them and eventually take them for granted. Keep us posted and welcome back!

Hugs to you!

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

Oh my goodness Judy...........what an adventure!!!! I swore the last time I drove through mountains that I would not do it again (go through them) unless I was WALKING!! Joy is most likely right and you will end up a regular mountain gal. Keep the story coming :>)

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

Gosh Judy, what an adventure!!! Even the Enron disaster hits "the family" here, oh, I hope all your DH's retirement isn't in the companies 401K program too! What a mess!

Sure glad you all made the harrowing mountain trip there safe and secure, at least your little family is all together and you have a warm and dry place to live, even if it is an RV, way better than a cardboard box in an alley!

I feel the same way about Wal-mart too, where ever you may be, Wallyworld remains the same.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

Judy, sure glad you made it safely. I've been sending those vibes ever since you left. Well, not the whole time. It sure was tough getting you there safely! If it took you more than 5 days you were on your own after the fifth day. And part of the first day, you were on your own. Hey, I was lucky to remember at all! Guess we need to continue since it's been such a mess since you're arrived.

Hate to hear about Tim's job. I know you were excited about it but you did say that you might not be staying a full year. How prophetic.

Glad you're back on-line and hope to hear from you soon.

Wildman (JackD)

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

Judy, welcome to Washington!!! It must be just about the most stressful thing to do (move that far and with Enron at $.26 today!) Anyway, I think WA is a great state (probably about the most different from the deep south as anyone could imagine (aside from Alaska or Hawaii!), but then, I don't know much. I DO know how hard driving that pass is over the Siskyous...even in summer it's often challenging. Did you see much of Mt. Shasta?

Please let me know if you need anything (support!?) I don't have friends in the immediate area, but I know a couple folks in Yakima etc. Winter will seem very long, but spring will be glorious!! Please feel free to email me any time!!!

Again, welcome!

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2001

Judy the mountains are always hard to get through because they want you to stay!!! Ha!

What a tale!! Keep us posted....Kirk

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2001

Good news, Calpine (the owner of the project my husband is working on) is taking over the project and my husband will be working for them. He just started working for Nepco/Enron a couple of months ago so he has nothing invested in them except his weekly paycheck. So it looks like we will indeed be here at least through the spring and maybe into the early summer. This will give me an opportunity to see this part of the world in warm weather.

Jack, thanks for the good vibes, we did make the trip without any problems, a true blessing, I had mixed emotions when my son left, but I haven't missed him yet. Five days in a small space is a long time with a 22year old.

Goldendale is an interesting small town. They actually have two natural food stores, so I don't have to go to Portland to buy good eggs and grains and one is part of a co-op that I can order organic beef from.

Coming into Oregon the only mountains I saw were the whatever was on each side of the road, beautiful and freightening at the same time, it was doing some serious raining. I have seen the snow on Mt. Hood and on Mt. Adams from here in Goldendale. We went to Yakima last Friday, that was a beautiful drive, and no snow yet. There must be a large population of hispanics around here, because there are a gazillion mexican resturants, I like mexican food anyway, so there is always one around the corner. The bacon in the resturants is thick and wonderful, one of my favorite foods, not like the thin greasy stuff in New Orleans, no grits in restaurants, but the grocery stores have them.

Gas is more expensive out this way, it was still around a dollar or so before we got to El Paso and has been around $1.30 or so ever since and up to $1.65 in northern California. I can see why things would be more expensive here because of the transportation of getting it here. My brother told me gas is 84 cents in some places in San Antonio where he lives.

Thanks for all the good wishes, I do feel so much better with the job thing being cleared up. Things always work out, no matter which way they go, it's just hard right in the middle of it.

We are going down the mountain today to "The Dalles" to poke around and see what we can see and maybe go to a movie. The Dalles is the nearest medium size town, about 23,000 pop. And the name is "The Dalles", the name dalles means flat stone and somehow ended up being the name of the town, guess all the flat stone around there had something to do with it. It was settled by some of those settlers who came across the Oregon Trail, guess they couldn't go any further (LOL). I looked on the map to see what was on the other side of the mountain where The Dalles is and there isn't much but the other side of the mountain.

It's raining here today, and there has been a drought here. It seems to rain all the time, but when the sun is shinning I get out and get stuff done that would be a pain in the rain. Temp must be around 40, so no more snow for a few days.

Everyone have a great day.

Namaste, Judy

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2001

Welcome back, Judy!! Sounds like you had quite a trip. You gotta be really brave to make such a drastic move...from one part of the country to the complete opposite. Good thing you didn't have to go though the Donner Pass :-)!!

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2001