So Much to Do!

Wow, there is so much to do and the time is going so fast, only 5 more weeks till we begin our adventure. Case is busy at work and so far has no one to begin shouldering the load he is carrying. He hopes for someone to step in to begin covering his position, but he may be working full steam right up till the day we leave. I, on the other hand have begun tapering off on work and trying to pick up all the details that must be finished around the house before leaving for a period of time. All of these little projects such as getting the final home inspection completed from Case's long remodel project, getting the trees in the yard trimmed (especially the one angled toward our roof), having a lock smith re-key the house from the remodel, combining all of our insurances and modifying coverage for the year ahead, arranging for bills to be paid, finding people to look after the house and the list goes on, but you get the point!

Last Friday we came upon a travel store in Santa Barbara(www.nationstravelstores.com) that was very useful; the owner graciously gave us tips and helped us find important items we'd need. We found waterproof, sturdy maps of South America, backpacks with detachable day packs included, and, (Jolene's favorite) travel underwear that is advertised as "2 pairs, 6 weeks and 17 countries." At that rate we may need to burn the underwear at the end of our travels!!

Friday, on our drive out to Santa Barbara, we received a phone call from Brooke, our source of work for the next year. She informed us that a locum is needed in Alaska on an every-other-month basis beginning early 2007. We were excited. Case loves Alaska, while I have never been and have always wanted to go. So, Case is patiently waiting for word on whether they'll take us, and I am anxiously waiting to hear more.

We do know that our sabbatical will officially begin October 30, 2006. We will begin with work to support our travel habit. Case and I (and our beloved cat Jack) will be driving to Klamath Falls, Oregon where Case will be working locums through November. I found it a bit expensive to get a license to work for one month so I will find other things to occupy my time, maybe an odd job in town, running in the beautiful outdoors of Oregon, or planning adventure/play time for December and January.

How it all started...

Before marriage Case floated an idea: "Why don't we sell the house and take off and travel for a year." My response: "Sweetie, I need a little more stability than that at the beginning of our marriage." So, dutifully, Case set about creating a safe, stable environment for me. After a wonderful wedding and honeymoon (www.joleneandcase.com) from March 24 through April 16, 2006, we happily settled down to life together.

And so...

One day, after a few months of safety and stablity, I looked at Case and asked, "Sweetie, why don't we sell the house and travel for a year?" Case's jaw dropped to the floor and, nearly in shock, he exclaimed:"When I mentioned selling the house and traveling a while back, you said you wanted safety and stablity! And now we've got that, you want the other?" "Oh, yes," I replied, not missing a beat, "It's what's called 'balance' in a marriage!"

Fortunately, Case has a pretty good sense of humor and, besides, has always wanted to spend time as a beach bum and vagabond. So, now "balanced" together, we've embarked on the wonderful adventure of making the dream of a "one year sabbatical" come true. You are invited along on our adventures through the planned and expected, the planned and unexpected, and the flat out unexpected, as our lives unfold.

This blog takes it's name from an Irish drinking song that Case first heard in a bar in Sitka, Alaska, where he washed ashore after sinking a sailboat in the Inside Passage (but that's another story). We sort of hope the lyric will set the stage for our a year ahead:

The Ramblin' Rover
(words and music by Andy M. Stewart, see www.andymstewart.com)

Chorus
Oh, there's sober men aplenty, and drunkards barely twenty,
There are men of over ninety that have never yet kissed a girl.
But give me a Ramblin' Rover, fra' Archney and to Dover,
We will roam the country over and together we'll face the world.

Verse
I've roamed through all the nations, turned a light on all creation,
And have tried a wee sensation, when the company did prove kind.
But when parting was no pleasure, we've drunk another measure,
To the good friends that we treasure, for they are always on our mind.

(Chorus)

There's many that feign enjoyment from merciless employment,
Their ambition was this deployment from the moment they left the school,
And they save and scrape and ponder while the rest go out and squander,
See the world and rove & wander, and they're happier as a rule.

(Chorus)

If you're bent with arthritis, your bowels have got colitis,
You've galloping bollockitis, and you're thinking it's time you died,
If you've been a man of action, while you're lyin' there in traction,
You may gain some satisfaction, thinking, " Goodness, at least I tried!"

(Chorus)

Happy ramblin' & rovin' to you!