Hello from Virginia!

We have had quite the week! First we both finished up our jobs and then immediately started packing up our lives into neat little boxes, to be put on an even larger box to be shipped out to Virginia. After spending 10 hours,(not exaggerating) the landlord came over to do a walk through and we were still not quite ready for him. He came in armed with his flash light and literally touched every inch of our apartment checking for dust and telling us what still needed improvement. Yeah..goodtimes.

Next day, exhausted and ready to go, we stuff our little car with everything we could, and realized we didn't have room for the cat. So I had to take stuff out of my bags, right there on the lawn and throw them on our shipping container. I am sure our neighbors thought I completely lost it. From there we drove off and headed to Mama Butler's house. Where she had a fantastic graduation party for Paul. Then it was time to hit the road the next day for Virginia.

Now I have never driven longer than 7 hours, and this was going to take about 10 hours, with my cat Lola in the back of our still very full car. Us trying to be good kitty parents, had got Lola a new carrier, and a bowl that attached to the door of it so she could stay hydrated. Well we didn't even make it 20 minutes before we had to pull over. I had filled up her water bowl too much and it was spilling over on her, and she was not happy. So we got that sorted out. Then she was crying and going on, so Paul thought it would be a good idea to let her out for a minute. Well she was quiet but then of course she wanted to sit everywhere but in his lap. So we had to put her back in her case. Well that was a challenge. Now that she had tasted freedom she wanted more! Lola is a well traveled kitty, don't be fooled by her sad pathetic face through the bars. Now we are about to take a turn off to Ohio and Paul looked back to see what she was doing and there she was laying on her side in her very roomy carrier and somehow flipped her water bowl out of it holder and onto her head and was wearing it like a helmet! Her whole head was soaked. I still think this was her plan to get out. So once again Paul let's her out so she can dry off for a minute as we were driving. She was sitting pretty and quiet in his lap,and I am sure if she could smile she would have been. Finally we got her back in her carrier and she was really good. The only time you heard from her was if Paul would look back at her to make sure she was okay and she would let out this sad meow, just when he was looking. She knows a sucker when she sees one. We decided to stop and get gas and a quick lunch, I think we were still in Ohio at this point and we sat and let her walk around the car when we were parked. All she wanted was to sit in my lap and hang out. We offered her water, her litter box, food, nope didn't care, she wanted to sit in my lap and watch the birdies. From that point on we would stop every couple of hours and let her out of her carrier and stretch her legs while we were parked. As long as we did that she was happy. As we got closer into the Smokey Mountains, which by the way were amazing! Much steeper and majestic then I realized they would be. It was like driving the Cabot Trail but it went on and on, for about 4 hours, of up and down and switchbacks. There were times our little car just chugged her way up the 6% grades. Lola would let us know when she didn't like something, liking going down hill, not her favorite. She would turn herself around in her carrier with her back to us and meow as loud as she could over the music. If it started raining she would start meowing until it stopped. That was fun, cause it's not like the radio where I could turn it down or Paul could change the play list. (She didn't enjoy Bob Seger, but she did like Bob Dylan and this Mexican acoustic metal music) Yes she has ways of making herself know. All in all she was a great little traveler. We really couldn't have asked for a better co-pilot.
Yes, even Paul and I are still talking to each other lol, and Lola she has already forgotten about being stuck in the car for so long. As a matter of fact she was just lounging on the king size bed in our hotel room. She's not spoiled or anything.

Now the fun really begins. Apartment hunting we go!