Leaving Vallarta...

I left Puerto Vallarta this past Friday evening at 10PM and it was more difficult than I ever thought it would be.  In fact, I spent most of the day in the condo preparing for my move to San Diego, mainly because leaving the condo meant that I would have to say goodbye to the people and things that I didn't want to say goodbye to.  Obviously, pushing that off as long as possible was a much better plan!

By 3PM, I was running out of daylight, so I left the condo and headed to Salud, one of my favorites.  Salud Superfood is owned by a couple from Seattle that moved down to Vallarta about two years ago.  They realized that Vallarta was missing a healthy food option with fresh smoothies, so they decided to fill the gap.  The food is incredible (Smoothies, Quinoa bowels, salads, sandwiches, etc.) and the staff are incredibly friendly, and knowledgeable.  As I walked in for my last lunch there, I was greeted by Willy and Alfred, one of the owners and a guy that works there.  It's neat how the familiarity of seeing someone can immediately bring a smile to your face.  Willy and I started chatting one day abut he and his wife's experience in opening Salud and their gluten free adventures.  I thought that we had it difficult with FiddleCakes when we were having gluten free flours shipped to us from the West.  It was impossible for them to have flours shipped from the states and instead, they learned a very expensive and difficult lesson when they tried to bring organic quinoa in from Peru.  Without an organic trade agreement between Mexico and Peru, Mexico wanted to add chemicals to the quinoa and then wouldn't allow it to pass through customs.  The quinoa never actually made it to them and instead was auctioned off.  Crazy!  Until they could figure out the best way to produce their own quinoa, they have started using chia seeds as the binder in their gluten free cookies.  Willy brought me one to try when I told him about FiddleCakes.  

On this particular day, I ordered the Pacha Azul- A quinoa burger with turkey bacon and blue cheese. I also ordered an agua fresca... Piña (pineapple) with basil.  It was as good as it sounds! The flavors of everything I had there were intense and go very well together.  I may have "borrowed" a to-go menu in hopes of recreating some of the dishes once in SD.  Shhhh!  

After I sat down, Alfred brought me his contact info and asked if I wanted to stay in contact.  Of course I did!  Alfred grew up in the states and moved to Mexico about a year ago.  He was in Mexico because he hoped to open a restaurant one day and it was easier to open a restaurant in Mexico.  In the meantime, he was working at Salud to get some experience and better understand what it takes to run a restaurant.  Such a neat guy.  I have a renewed appreciation for facebook and social media after this trip.  I have met so many neat folks that are on their own journey and it has been amazing to cross their paths while having my own crazy adventure.  The last thing that I wanted to do was say goodbye and never see them again.    

I left Salud and headed to Swell.  Swell is a beach bar and restaurant.  Mom and I discovered this place in November when we realized that the pool at our condo didn't get sun in the fall.  We went out searching for a chair at the beach and happened upon Swell, in all of its glory!  In November, we met Jorge and Andres.  They were great guys that worked at Swell and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing them as we came back to Swell almost every day for a few hours.  We weren't the typical folks that hung at the beach all day, every day, but we definitely had fun getting to know these guys.  In fact, we made quite the impression on a number of people at Swell one day when we were buying gifts from some of the vendors walking by.  At one point, we had two vendors with their wares strewn out over our beach chairs and my mom and I were each negotiating deals.  It was fun, but apparently we made quite the scene.  The next day, a lady that was sitting close to us the day before starting asking us for tips. Hilarious!

Juan, Andres, Me, and Alejandro at Swell

Anyhow, upon coming back to Vallarta, I knew where I would spend most of my time.  If I was going live in a beach town I might as well hang out on the beach with great people.  To my surprise, the first day I stopped by Swell, neither Jorge nor Andres were there.  Jorge had decided to take some time off and focus on his restaurant and Andres was tending bar, but also working on a business.  I, of course, visited Jorge's restaurant a few times during my time in Vallarta so that I could see him and support his venture.  As far as Swell goes - It didn't take long to get to know the entire staff.  As my friend Neal put it (when he came to visit), Swell was like the Mexican equivalent of Cheers.  Well, at least it was for me!  If I showed up and there weren't any chairs, the guys would bring a new one out and put me by the ocean.  There were definitely perks, but I would have stopped by regardless! :)  The food wasn't cheap, but it was very good and the view was unmatched.  It's funny how experiences change you.  

Emmy, Neal, and Me

When I vacationed in PV in November, I hated sand and only dealt with it to enjoy the sun.  After spending about every other day on the beach (at Swell), being dunked in the ocean just off the beach by my wonderful friend, Buck (after he learned that I rarely went into the water - I was fully clothed by the way), and having some seriously incredible moments with friends (new and old) on the beach, It became clear that there wasn't much about the beach to hate.  It was awesome and leaving it sucked.  Good thing I am moving to another beach ;)  

Carlos and Me

I loved introducing people to Swell and it was always fun to arrive on an afternoon and come across Emmy (a new friend from Sweden that lives in Portland with her husband).  We met in Spanish class and she may have loved Swell as much I as I do.  One Friday evening, a group of us made plans to meet up with Alejandro (one of the guys from Swell).  We met at the church in Old Town and headed back to where he was staying.  Come to find out, he was staying with his friends, Andres and Patty, the owners of Swell.  They had this amazing house with a very cool outdoor patio.  We ended up at their place until about midnight and then went salsa dancing at a Cuban club on the Malecon!  Of course on the way, we stopped so that I could try the giant swing at La Vaquita.  Who wouldn't want to swing on a giant swing above a bar on the Malecon?!  It was definitely one of those nights that you wake up from and wonder if it really happened.  It was a blast.

It was great to meet folks at Swell and run into friends, but some days it was fun to just to be there by myself.  Some of the guys would stop by when they weren't busy or between tables and chat with me.  Besides being able to practice my Spanish, it was always a welcome break from my homework or my book.  A few days before I left, I headed to Swell and was just enjoying a quiet afternoon when Juan brought me the salad I ordered and asked why the ticket said "mi novia" on it.  I just started laughing.  Poor Juan was obviously confused.  Edgar, another one of the waiters had written on the ticket after he told Juan that I was his novia.  At this moment, I realized that I had spent a great deal of time at this restaurant.  Lots of great memories, lots of laughs.  We even laughed off the day that I received a text message from one of guys' phones asking me to "Plis never again contact me."  His visiting "friend" was having a bad day and she didn't appreciate me being friends with her "friend."  Apparently, some things are similar around the world! Oops!

Juan, Me, and Andres

On my last day, I walked into Swell and started the process of saying adios.  I was led to a chair by the ocean and spent a few hours reading, enjoying the view, and of course, chatting with my new friends.  Just before I left, I took some photos with a few of the guys that were finishing up their shift.  It was definitely bittersweet.  I was excited for the next phase of my trip, but I really didn't have an answer to, "When will you return?"  My answer became.... "San Diego is close enough for a long weekend, but I don't know.  Definitely next year."  So much can change in a year, but hopefully I will see these new friends when I do return. 


For the last time this trip, I hugged Andres, Alejandro, and Juan after a good bit of laughing and joking around and headed back up the hill.  I was taking an overnight bus to Leon that had a 10PM departure and didn't want to miss it!

     

Andres, Me, and Alejandro

24 hours in the condo

I woke up Thursday morning with horrible allergies.  They were so bad that I left in the middle of class to
 walk to the pharmacy.  I figured that I would be back to "normal" in no time, so after class instead of heading home to rest... I went to the beach.

Swell Restaurant and Beach Bar

I have a routine and skipping out on seeing everyone at Swell seemed inexcusable! :)  Unfortunately, I hadn't considered how exhausted I was from the previous couple of weeks - Guadalajara, the 4 hour hike to Las Animas, Sayulita, entertaining a friend, and of course, all of the sun and studying.  I know, I know... rough life.  Trust me -  I am not complaining!  Sometimes, I just don't know when to rest.  Anyhow, I woke up Friday morning feeling much worse and the thought of walking up and down the stairs hit me.  I decided to go back to sleep for an hour or so, but instead woke up in time to check-in with my friends from school as they finished the school day.  The last thing that I wanted to do was miss a day of class, but apparently I needed the rest.  I spent about 36 hours in the condo and was only awake for 10 of them.  In the 10 hours that I was awake, I lacked the energy to do anything, but was also completely, and utterly bored.  It's funny how feeling sick in paradise can somehow feel much lonelier than being sick at home.

Guadalajara

              Hiking to Las Animas

 
   








By Saturday morning I was feeling much better and knew that I had to get out of the condo.  I had entirely too much time to think.  I had figured out the rest of my trip and when I would fly back to Nashville, I caught up with some great friends, researched where I would live in San Diego, and essentially planned my move from Nashville to San Diego.  Problem was, I still had a month and had a lot more fun and adventure ahead.  I decided a short walk down to Swell on Playa Los Muertos for a couple of hours would be sufficient for the day.  I should know by now that my days are never just quiet and insignificant.

Before I left the condo, Jake and Elizabeth had reached out about heading to the Botanical Gardens on

Botanical Gardens - Hall of Flowers

 Sunday - a trip that I had already done and would probably do again before I left, so I opted out, but not before inviting them to join me at Swell.  I knew Jake in passing from the Nashville entrepreneurial community and back in December, a friend suggested we chat since Jake was planning a move to PV.  I would have never guessed that I would get to know Jake and his gf, Elizabeth, in Puerto Vallarta.  Obviously, at the time that we spoke, I was planning to be in Nashville for awhile and PV was a place I loved to visit.  

Anyhow, I headed down to Swell about 2PM and per usual, all of the seats were taken.  Usually that would require sitting underneath the Palapa or waiting for a seat to come available.  However, since I have come to know everyone there (including hanging out with some of the owners), one of the guys that has become a friend, Alejandro, asked if I wanted to sit on the beach.  I said yes and followed him through all of the people sunbathing, while stopping along the way to say hello and briefly chat with the staff.  I am really trying to speak Spanish, but that means that my conversations are generally limited.  They seem to get a little better each day, but sometimes it takes me so long to think through the correctly conjugated sentence and I feel bad that all that I can get out is a brief, "How are you?"  and "What's going on?"  

Once at the edge of the ocean, and while he is setting up my lounge chair, Alejandro turns to the guy that I will now be sitting in front of and says - do you mind if we put our friend here?  The guy is an older Canadian and is a champ.  He responds to Alejandro with, "At least I know that you'll be back a good bit with her here."  I just smiled and started a conversation with him.  Might as well get to know my beach neighbors if I am going to block their view of the ocean...especially if I am by myself.  I mention to Alejandro that I am happy to move if chairs open up or if anyone joins me, but he tells me not to worry about it.  After an hour of studying, I look up and Jake and Elizabeth have found me!  Instead of moving, two more chairs were brought down.  The beach cleared out pretty early and by about 530PM, most folks had left.  Alejandro finished with work at about 5ish and joined us.

As the day was coming to a close, a vendor walked by and he seemed familiar, so I stopped him.  He was one of the guys that I was looking for.  Back in November while I was visiting, I bought a bracelet from him, but forgot to have him shorten it for me.  I had brought the bracelet back to PV and had been carrying it with me to the beach in hopes of having him fix it.  Once I explained what I wanted and took the bracelet out, he said he remembered me and immediately sat down and went to work shortening my bracelet.  We chatted the whole time and I understood most of what he was saying until Alejandro came back from a swim and they started chatting.  I caught part of the conversation, but I have some serious work to do with my Spanish!  Roberto (the vendor) was very nice and as thrilled as I am that my bracelet is the right size, I feel like I should be more surprised that I found him.  It's moments like these where I am reminded how small this city of 400,000 can be.  

The four of us (Jake, Elizabeth, Alejandro, and I) had just decided to stay for the sunset when I heard a friend's voice.  Emmy, a Portlandian originally from Sweden, that I met here in School, and her husband, Paul, had decided to walk to Swell for dinner.  Paul is in town visiting for the weekend and they are staying at Playa Los Arcos, a hotel just down the beach.  They grabbed a couple of chairs just behind us and the six of us hung out and enjoyed the amazing sunset!

Sunset from Swell: Feb 1

It's so easy to be here and everyone just seems so happy.  The days that seem to be "just another day" turn out to be those of great memories!  Randomly meeting someone new at the beach, having a great conversation in Spanish, or running into new friends makes for great fun!  I don't know if it just having so much time alone, but the clarity that I have about what is important and what I want to do next is kind of amazing to me and really exciting.  So many of the worries that I came with seem to have disappeared and I have come to realize that there really are amazing people everyone you go and that it isn't that tough to find them.  I'm thrilled that I have four more weeks of adventure in Mexico (Vallarta, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico City) and am pretty excited about the month following!  

Catching up and a little life perspective

I've had my share of crazy adventures over the past two weeks since arriving in Vallarta and in hopes of catching you up, here's a quick recap:

Flight cancelled, ate,walked, found a Spanish class, ate, listened to dad say he would walk, ate, watched a female dog in heat attempt to keep male dogs away, walked, found a great yoga studio, ate, saw a cool beach and ate a seafood feast, enjoyed a cerveza at another beach, ate, walked, hiked through the botanical gardens, ate, and had a waiter tell me that he could spend the rest of his life with someone like me. Oh, and I ate.  

All in all a decent couple of weeks, right?!  

While my time here has been a bit more involved, but the above is fairly accurate (full stories on request)! ;)  It's been interesting and great fun, to say the least.  Yet, I have found myself feeling behind.  Behind on the blog, behind on my research for "what's next", my email, and plenty of other "to-do's."  After realizing how ridiculous this sounded since I have a limited time here, I decided to give it up and just enjoy.  I'll get to it and "it" will be fine... whatever it is.  So, here are some of the realizations or friendly reminders that have hit me so far:

1.) Perspective is a funny thing - It really is about how one handles things and not about what happens.  On my way to the San Diego airport at 5:30AM on Jan. 2 to catch my flight down to PV, I learned that my flight had been cancelled and re-booked.  I didn't realize that I had been re-booked on a flight two days later until I was at the airport.  After a 45 minute wait with some seriously frustrated travelers, I was called to the counter.  I smiled and asked for help getting to Puerto Vallarta THAT day.  The agent initially didn't have any options until the following day.  After offering to refund my ticket so that I could find a way to LAX to fly a non-partner airline to PV, she miraculously found the best option that I had.  It was not ideal, but it accomplished my goal.  I flew to LAX and to PHX, before arriving in PVR.  The trip was a bit more complicated as I had to change terminals on two different occasions and barely made connecting flights, BUT, I made it!  Once at the airport all that I wanted to do was go to the condo and go to bed.  Unfortunately, I had to wait an hour for my dad to arrive with the car at which point we stopped to see Felipe and Teresa for a hour or two (I had given up at this point). Keep in mind that I was exhausted and recovering from a seriously nasty cold... and on about 5 hours of sleep.  After finally arriving at the condo building, I carried all of our luggage (4 bags - Yes, I over packed) down the 40ish stairs to the condo since Dad was nursing a hernia.  Once the bags were in, all that I had to do before heading to bed was to warm up the food that we had just brought home from Felipe's.  That's when we realized that the microwave was unplugged and dead.  Surprisingly, the Birria was still good cold :)
A few years ago, I would have been a hot mess and most folks that I came across during such a trip would have known it.  At the end of this day, I looked pretty tired, but I was just happy to have made it to PV and to bed.  Whether its age or perspective - Its an awesome feeling to know that I can choose what I put my energy into.

2.) I have an amazing family I just spent two weeks with my dad in PV (I kind of crashed his vacation - oops!).  It was awesome!  I mean, I can't speak for him, but I had a great time.  What am I saying?!  Of course he had fun - this is me we are talking about! ;)  Anyhow, I'm not sure that I have
actually ever spent this kind of time with my dad and to be honest, I was a little nervous going into it.  Funny enough, it was more of an adjustment when he left and I found myself here alone.  I'm grateful that my trip worked out to include that time with him and even more excited about moving closer to home.

3.) I LOVE the sun I might actually worship it.  I'm just sayin'...  I'm the first out of my chair when the bell rings for break at school.  Yes, there is a bell at school.  That sounds so odd, especially since the first week there were a total of 4 students.  Regardless, I am the first out of my chair because I can't wait to get outside... in the sun.  I love Nashville, but it is somewhat curious that I have made it as long as I have in a climate that is so cold.  I'm not much of a morning person, but I just about bounce out of bed in the mornings.  It's amazing how much easier waking up is when you know its sunny AND warm... it also doesn't hurt to have a view of the ocean, or a rooster!  I think this means that I am moving somewhere with LOTS of sun.... or a rooster?!

4.) I only have rhythm when I stop thinking and listen to the music... or drink alcohol?  Solexico, my Spanish school offers salsa lessons.  I, of course, am taking them.  Problem is... I suck.  Even the teacher says so!  Well, its more of a "mejor," "no, no," "Esta bien," "No, escuchar la musica!"  This all is with a lot of head shaking and a really sad look across his face.  He initially told me that I would leave the first class ready to head to JB, a popular salsa club in the area.  I think he has since retracted this statement.  I'm somewhat worried that this may apply to all dancing that I do, but its too late to start worrying about this now!  Instead, I plan to keep going because I will eventually stop thinking about what I am doing and listen to the music long enough to make it through an entire class or I will get wise and have a beer or two before class!  Either way - its fun!  

5.) I really can do whatever I want to... because I'm an adult! (Thank you, Jordan)  This can be overwhelming. Where am I supposed to be?  What should I do?  How will I know?  The only thing that I do know is that it doesn't matter as long as it brings me happiness.  Every now and then I have to remind myself of this through yoga or a walk (ask my dad - walking solves everything!).  The pressure of feeling behind and the lack of clarity comes when I fall out of rhythm or think too much.  When I let go or "listen to the music", I somehow end up with clarity.  I am not exactly sure where I thought I would be at 31, but it definitely wasn't here.  I'm happier than I could have imagined being a few years ago and I have done a hell of a lot more than I thought I would.  Yet, I still am unsure about what is next or how to add the missing pieces.  Ultimately, my choices are to listen to the music or have another beer ;)  

6.) I walk really fast  I mean really fast.  I could win fast walking competitions, if they existed.  Someone should get on that.  I mean, it is somewhat upsetting that fast walking doesn't translate to fast running.  Oh well... I guess we all have to excel at something.  Too bad mine just lends itself to random expats and locals commenting on my ability to move through a city.  Oh, and creates confusion as to why I don't like to walk with family and friends.  It isn't that I don't like you - I just walk fast!  I promise.  Ask the guy that I passed this morning on the highway. Oh, and while I'm at it - walking on cobblestones down a highway with the ability to reach out and touch a bus that is barreling down the road is quite an experience.  You should try it. Welcome to the way that I start my day.  This is after the rooster and the 110 steps down to the highway. I love every minute of it.

7.) Everything happens for a reason and I get further when I trust myself  I met a very eclectic girl in Spanish class this past week that happened to be from Seattle (coincidence... I think not!).  The girl wasn't someone that I would ever choose to spend my time with, and if I'm being honest, she irritated the hell out of me. :)  She had characteristics that weren't appealing, but she was a reminder to get my butt to yoga, and for that I am thankful!  On the flip side, last month I met this amazing guy while boarding my plane in PV and today, I met a well connected woman that recently moved to PV from San Diego and has stated a business here.  She may have an opportunity for me, but has already invited me to an event tomorrow night.  It's odd to think that if I had left the beach 20 minutes earlier, been on a different flight, or my trip had started a few weeks earlier or later, I might have missed meeting these people.  I'm not sure what will come of any of these experiences, but I am pleased to announce that the girl from Seattle has left Vallarta. ;)              

And Finally...

8.) Socks have an uncanny ability to hold things For some unknown reason, I put a sock over my face wash when I traveled to California for Christmas.  The ONE container that I covered with a sock, leaked.  Fortunately, the sock caught most of it.  Initially, I was planning to wash the sock and chalk the lost face wash up to a causality of traveling, but then I had the brilliant idea to put the sock in a ziploc baggie and use what I could in the shower.  I have used this "face wash" sock at least 10 times.  It's like the gift that keeps on giving.  I'm so excited by this experience that I had to share it.  It may be helpful to know that this face wash is sold in one store in Nashville, that I know of and is not cheap.  I promise I wouldn't be doing this if I could buy it at CVS... well, maybe I would ;)  I am my mother's daughter!  

I'm going to Vallarta... Me amo a Vallarta

I've never really enjoyed writing as it has felt more like a chore, but every time that I have taken the time to jot down some thoughts or detail my adventures, I have always enjoyed returning to the writing.  After a few folks suggested that I start a blog of my current adventure in Puerto Vallarta, I figured it would be fun to not only return to the experience at some point in the future, but to also share my experiences with family and friends.  Hopefully, these posts will be as amusing for you to read as they are for me to write.

So, here goes nothing...

Puerto Vallarta (PV)

Bay of Banderas and Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is an amazing place.  The people are friendly, the food is awesome, and the setting is breathtaking.  Located on the Pacific side of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta lives on the Bay of Banderas.  While PV is, in many ways, paradise, there is so much more history that makes each trip down here feel like I am coming home.  My father first came to Puerto Vallarta as a child, beginning in the late 1960's when Puerto Vallarta was a just a small fishing village.  My father's aunt married a man, Lou Foote, who's boat had been stolen and recovered in Puerto Vallarta in the late 1930's.  When Lou traveled to Puerto Vallarta to bring the boat back to California, he fell in love with Vallarta, and ultimately became an ambassador for the village, not to mention spending about 6 months a year living in the village.  During my father's childhood, he had the opportunity to spend three summers in PV with his aunt and uncle (Lou).  Many of his stories include a local boy named Felipe that was about 9 years his senior.  After a 15 year hiatus from Vallarta, my father reconnected with the city and his friend, Felipe.  Our families have become friends over the years and there isn't a trip to Puerto Vallarta where we don't at least see Felipe and his wife, Teresa.  In 2004, my parent's love of Puerto Vallarta finally culminated in the purchase of a condo in Amapas, a neighborhood overlooking the city.  Ultimately, we have incredible stories from Vallarta and some of my favorite family stories are from our trips to the city.    

November 2013, L-R: Sharon (my mom), Teresa, Felipe, me

First experience in PV

Villa Olivia formerly "Casa Mas o Menos"

My father has now been to Vallarta countless times.  He first introduced my mom to the city in the late 80's and my brother and I were introduced when my family rented a house called Casa Mas o Menos in April 1992.  I remember celebrating Easter searching for plastic eggs filled with candy and pesos that my grandmother had hid throughout the 4-story home.  That was also the first time that I tried to catch a gecko by climbing on top of a closet in my grandparents' bedroom, and the first time that I saw a douche.  I can still vividly remember my mom trying to explain what it was to me.  Funny how many times over the years, I brought that up to her as a kid.  I guess anytime you put 4 adults and 4 kids in a house in a foreign country, there are bound to be stories...  This particular trip was quite an adventure.  My brother, about 7 at the time, accidentally walked into the pool fully clothed, just before we were leaving for dinner. Another night, my parents agreed to leave my cousin and I in the house because we didn't want to partake in the evening activity and we locked ourselves out of the house as we explored what we thought was a fire next to the house.  It was just the neighbors burning their trash, but why would an 8 and 9 year old from the states know that?  Instead, we thought we should explore what was happening, locked ourselves out of the house, and were found wondering around the streets of Vallarta looking for someone to help us, while trying to figure out what to do.  While my parents weren't amused at the time, we definitely laugh about that evening now.

Back so soon?
Vallarta is the home where no worries exist for me.  After a few years away, I finally found myself back to visit in November 2013.  I had an incredible trip with my mom, met some wonderful people, and came back to the states with a sense of renewed self.  At the end of my first week back, I sat down to chat with Steven, the CEO of the company that I was working with, who happens to be a good friend.  After launching the Wannado app over the summer months in Nashville, we (as a company) decided to focus on the technology before preparing to scale, which meant that what I had been brought on to do was somewhat on hold.  After an incredible time in Vallarta, a renewed sense of adventure, and a very strong urge to leave Nashville (I was actually planning to move to Austin in May 2013 when I first met Steven), I figured this conversation and change of plans was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up.  I was sad to be leaving such an incredible group of people, but the door was open in the future if I wanted to return... of course, if the timing was right.  It really is amazing how everything can change in an instant and usually, at the right time.

Why Vallarta?

Lux and Morgan... because everyone
should know who they are ;)

After some thought about what I wanted to do first with this new found freedom, I realized that I had always regretted not spending a few months in Puerto Vallarta learning Spanish.  I figured that I could always find a week or two for a trip to China, but finding a few months to live in Mexico may never be possible again.  I called my parents to secure the condo and booked my flights.  Not only would Mexico be an incredible experience, but there is no reason that I couldn't figure out where I wanted to move to after Mexico, while in Vallarta.  In one week, I had rented my town home, moved my stuff into storage, found temporary homes for Morgan, Lux, and my jeep, and said my first round of goodbye's to Nashville.  I would be back in March before actually moving for good, but two to three months was still a good bit of time to be away.