Good Morning, America, How Are Ya?

In the immediate aftermath of finishing summer semester and passing my finals, I had little time to revel in the joy of officially becoming a second-year student.  Instead, I had to pack my things, move them out of my apartment, and get them into storage before I left for vacation.  As I abhor moving, it was only natural that I'd be spending the majority of my summer break moving myself into a new apartment, then going home and moving my wife across the country to Seattle. 

After an endless week, I managed to shove the last bits of my things (mostly the remaining 300 rolls of toilet paper from a Costco pack) into the storage bin and get the hell to Seattle onto a plane to Hawaii for a week of R&R with my wife's family.  I cannot explain how amazing it was to actually be in the same place as my wife for more than 48 hours.  Good stuff, indeed.  Two vacation shots:

Moon rise from the Joint Astronomy Center at Mauna Kea.

 

Waterfall at our lodging near Hilo.  

Swimming was great but the water was frigid.

After the vacation, I returned to ATL to help empty our house and, once more, drive across the country.  In case you didn't know, the housing market sucks for sellers and we were beginning to really freak out at the prospect of having an empty unsold house.  A few days before we left, however, we found some tenants for our place...big sigh of relief.  The rest of the time, we spent on the "Winning Run 2010 Farewell Tour" seeing friends, visiting family, and eating and drinking too much. 

We began our drive on the 11 JUL with our dog and hope to be in Seattle by the 15th.  Yesterday, we drove 700 miles and have stopped in central Missouri.

 

 Gateway to the West.

I gotta say that it's pretty damned strange and a little unnerving to be in a motel with your dog.  In good guard dog fashion, he's barked occasionally at strange noises which is followed by pleading cries of "Shh!!!! No bark!!!!" by the two of us.  Guess it's not like the first night in any hotel is ever restful, I suppose.