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Articles Tagged ‘1 – Pre-departure/Madison’

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The Final Mile: Farewell to the Civvy

Tuesday, October 9th, 2007

Erin and Angie on Friday

Hey everybody!! I’ve got to be brief today as it’s late and I’ve got to get up extremely early tomorrow to get my person to O’Hare International Airport at the proper time. I’m sure my brevity is heart-breaking to some of you…and sheer bliss for the rest. We aim to please here at the Extravaganza blog so for those who think I type too much…here’s your chance to revel in the lack words.

I managed to make it back to the Mad City in time for wine, gossip and Grey’s Anatomy (season premiere…did anyone else think it sucked?) at Ryan and Colette’s last Thursday. As always, the Civvy rolled into town in top form. Friday night dear Erin from San Diego (who failed to make the blog when I was in San Diego) arrived and a bunch of us went out for drinks and fun times (including the elusive Sarah Ralph…new mother of two). Here are some photos from that:

Angie, Erin, Sarah R., Sarah P., Colette and Stacey

Ryan and Colette

On Saturday Erin, Colette, Angie and I went to the wedding of our friend Jenine where, of course, a good time was had by all. Some more pics:

Me and Jenine (it is entirely clear to me I need to get some taller friends. Just kidding J.)

Stacey, Angie, Erin and Colette

This past week was spent trying to get organized and get final errands run while at the same time trying to see as many of the locals as possible. Speaking of locals, these two are trying to win the special Extravaganza prize for appearing on the largest number of posts:

Matt and Jen

And finally…the day we have all been dreading…Saturday…the day I finally had to sell the Civvy. Yes, I fear it is true. She was a good and faithful car but storage costs for the next six months would have been prohibitively expensive so it was time to part ways. She went to a nice couple who was buying a car for their son in high school who hit a deer with his. Here’s a picture of the Civvy departing:

Bye, bye Civvy!!!

I’m finally off to bed…must get up at 4 am so Colette can drive me to the Van Galder bus stop (thanks Colette!). Watch for a new post coming from Quito, Ecuador in the next few days! Buenas noches!!

Posted in 7 - Montana/Madison | 2 Comments »

Mile 0: Avoidance

Friday, July 13th, 2007

I wondered all week if it was ever going to hit me…I’m leaving. I’m leaving soon and I’m going to be gone a long time. The funny thing about being busy is that it almost always allows you to avoid dealing with whatever issue is at hand. Last Friday marked the end of my work life for the foreseeable future and amazingly, I didn’t even think twice about it. I just shut down the computer like it was any other Friday afternoon. I’m not sure what I was expecting…some sort of mental break-down? Pomp and circumstance? To be struck by lightening? But nothing happened…and I didn’t feel especially sad, happy, nostalgic. Nothing.

Saturday and Sunday brought lots of activity despite the boiling temperatures. My first stop on Saturday morning was to the nation’s greatest farmers’ market (can you tell I’m a bit biased?) around the Capitol Square. I took the below boring pictures (I swear they’ll get better) for those who’ve never been here. Ah yes…my last FM until next year…maybe that would prompt a slight bit of emotion? Nope, not even the prospect of a farmers’ market-less future could upset me.
Vendors at the MarketCapitol on Farmers' Market Morning

On Sunday evening I had dinner with my running buddy Jenny. Here’s a picture of us after our 5K race on St. Patrick’s Day all sweaty and disgusting:
Post-race at the Shamrock Shuffle

Then on Monday, it was off to the spa in the Wisconsin Dells for two days with Colette for some much-needed and much-deserved relaxation and pampering. On the way to the spa we stopped in Prairie du Sac at the Wollersheim Winery for supplies. We did a tasting and determined yet again that the dry Riesling and the Prairie Fume are the best Wollersheim wines. Here’s Colette with the Wollersheim-themed cow from the Cow Parade:
Colette with Wollersheim Winery Cow

Though my days were dwindling I still don’t think it was hitting me. Until yesterday, that is. My last errand of the day was to drop off my computers at Fedex so they could be shipped back to California. I managed to do so successfully and was admiring the space freed up in the Civvy with their departure when I suddenly starting bawling. I mean, honest-to-god, tears of the most unabashed nature. Well this was unexpected…and more than a little ridiculous. Who cries over a bunch of circuitry and wiring? It finally occurred to me that I was turning over the last and only thing that had been exactly the same for me in the past five years. Through multiple moves and the death of a parent, lots of stuff has changed…but the one thing that was always the same is that every morning I logged on to the same computer, in the same manner, without fail. But once that was gone…Reality hit and I realized that this is for real. Which is good. And bad. But mostly good. So I’m glad I got that out of the way and can begin the Extravaganza in earnest.

The good news is that I’m not a dweller so I’m over it, past the point where I thought I might break down and am now ready to head out. Despite the fact that I’m starting a day later than planned, I’m off to the Twin Cities tonight to hang out with my friend Danielle and to attend a party tomorrow at the house of a very old friend from college named Bryan. Type to you all after the weekend….

Posted in 1 - Pre-departure/Madison | 1 Comment »

And the countdown begins…

Wednesday, June 13th, 2007

One week to go and I'm not even close to being ready. My house is in complete disarray, my car is neither clean nor packed. My supply list is a mile long with nothing crossed off of it. What ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in 1 - Pre-departure/Madison | No Comments »