Across from it was a Post Office and a combination police and a fire station with one engine and one tanker I noticed. Must not be a lot of fires around here. Oh yes, I also noticed a really spiffy fire chiefs car too. A Ford Explorer. Probably paid for it himself, and one police car. They probably only have one deputy. Sorta a depressed Mayberry RFD.
Ok, downtown it is. LOL.
I know, it sounds like I am making fun of the place but I'm really not. There are tons of small towns and villages just like this one. You walk around and ooh and ahh and ten minutes after you leave you don't even remember you were there and probably not even what the name of the place was.
Nothing against these towns or the people who live there. It suits them and that is fine and really that is all that matters. Just nothing much memorable about it but there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
We got back to the car, settling into our seats burping all the way (food was good but heavy), and with a roar of the engine we were off again to what we had no clue.
For this long a drive I kept thinking that I was glad we had brought the Range Rover Evoque, (very comfy) because of course we had brought most of the known world with us not to mention a few things from Uranus and Saturn to boot.
We were not exactly squashed in but there was definitely not an abundance of spare space to be had either. The rear seats were all down and needless to say the rear view mirror was useless. We had considered bringing a pull-trailer too but finally decided that that would be overkill. (MAYBE).
We had decided to make a two-day trip affair out of the drive up and settled on northern Indiana just east of Chicago as our night stop, and we got up there in the very early evening. (Never let it be said that Rico is a dawdler behind the wheel. HEHEHE). We had picked a nice motel to stay at and we did.
Sleep was welcome although somewhat elusive as our excitement was a bit intense, like a couple of 6 year olds on Christmas Eve. But finally we konked out and managed to get in a good seven or so hours of zzz's.
Next morning, breakfast was the buffet kind at the motel, both cold and hot and hardly gourmet but not that bad and then it was off again. We drove and drove and drove with Rico holding my hand except when he needed it to drive or something ridiculous and unnecessary like that and we got over to U.S. 131 via the Illinois and Indiana Turnpikes and then I-94. Then on northward to Kalamazoo which took a couple of hours or so and then began the northward trek to well above Big Rapids. This is called the wilderness by city folk, but while it is sparsely populated in spots it is hardly wilderness or so it appeared. But we didn't care. Lots of lakes and summer spots and cottages and great fishing (although we don't) and swimming holes and stuff like that. Beautiful in the summer. Few villages here and there too.
We made good time up the expressway (U.S. 131) north of Big Rapids and then north a bit further until we found our exit and then headed east for several miles. Mecosta county to be sure.
Suddenly, we came upon our turn (a narrow country road) and the excitement was building I assure you. After about 15 minutes, we came up to a gated driveway on the right and instantly recognized it from the pictures and VOILA. WE'RE HOME, or so it felt...for now at least. I dragged the remote they had sent us out of the console and punched its face. The gates began to open...Rico squeezed my hand and grinned and I grinned back.
"Here we go honey," he smiled his toothiest grin, and I smiled back just as wide as he began to move up into the driveway and back to the house. We drove up a fairly long driveway and then suddenly we entered a clearing and in that clearing sat one of the prettiest settings I have ever seen. Obvious why the builder had chosen it. In the middle of the rear of the property sat the house.
Rico parked in front and we got out, inched our pants out of our butt-cracks and moseyed (yeh right) up to the front door. I pulled out the keys we had been sent, inserted one in the lock, and the door opened wide...to reveal a two-story foyer. NOT BAD, I thought. "NOT BAD," Rico said. LOL. Nice chandelier too.
We did a quick run-through of the main floor, then upstairs, then down. It was all just gorgeous and the views of the river were beyond spectacular. We both knew we were gonna love it here.
The realtor had teamed up with a local furniture retailer in Cadillac and had arranged to put at least the basics in place before we got here, so we could sit and sleep and eat right away. We would have to go lay in foodstuffs in the nearby town tomorrow, but we had brought some stuff with us in boxes and coolers and that would do for tonight. Chip, my realtor buddy, had also made sure that utilities and cable were functional and after checking them out they were.
We hauled and hauled our booty into the house and decided to go ahead and put stuff away and that took a good two and a half hours, but it was a good feeling when it was done...CAUSE IT WAS DONE.
We stood in front of the walk-in closet in the master bedroom looking at each other and grinning, and then he hugged and kissed me. OH YEH. We had taken a six-month lease on the place but we had really not decided just how long we would stay. We wanted to make sure we had long enough for whatever we felt we needed. Thus we brought a ton of clothes and stuff to get us through. Rico says I overpack and he is probably right but I like to be sure we don't run out of anything.
"FAT CHANCE, HONEY," he said.
I grrred but...
"You hungry Honey?"
"Yep, and knowing you, you are too."
He grinned.
"OH HELL YES,"
Some things just never change. My hero, the human garbage disposal and damnit it he stays so skinny. Grr. Hahaha.
SO it was downstairs to the kitchen we went...to round up vittles which we did and both of us ate like it was the Last Supper.
BURP!
That burp was earned too, dammit.
"BED, HONEY?"
"Damn right skinnybutt," and I laughed and so did he.
Away we went as they say, and in two shakes of a lambies tale we were naked, in bed, and sound asleep.
Well-earned sleep and God so grateful that the bed we had gotten was about as comfortable as a bed can be.
YAY.
CHAPTER III: SETTLING IN
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