Welcome family, friends, and colleagues to our unfolding "next chapter" story. Many of you have wondered about, marveled at, or otherwise questioned what the hell we are up to as we embark on this move to the great Northwest. When you questioners come up with a good answer, please let us know!

All we are certain of is the blessing to have this opportunity to explore new ground and create our future. We are up for this great new adventure and have appreciated the support that all of you have given us to "go for it." We also are grateful to have each other, trusted partners with whom to take this exciting and uncertain journey. After nearly 30 years together, we feel like twenty-somethings (we know we don't look like that!) starting over again- this time equipped with the confidence that comes from many shared life experiences. Prominent among are blessings are our two sons, Ben and Aris, who have raised their parents to be risk-takers and always young at heart. If not for their love and encouragement, we might not be on this journey.

So welcome to the great adventures of Nuckin' Futz (our trail names aptly annointed by Toni Bloom who along with her husband Jay are our dearest friends and gracious hosts in Oregon). We start with our departure from Connecticut on January 26 and hope you will enjoy the unfolding story.

Day 1-Friday, Jan 26th
We departed CT on January 26 delayed by one day in part by a storm in Pennsylvania but mostly because we just couldn’t get it together in time. All the goodbye dinners and luncheons and the final packing and loading of storage and cars was finally completed by Thursday night. With two cars packed and gassed, we set out at 5am with the temperature hovering at 2 degrees. We did hit a little weather in PA along I-80 (where there had been a multi-car pile-up the day before) but it was so cold that the snow was not very slippery. Along the way we stopped for a late breakfast in PA. Ten hours of driving took us through New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio where we stayed in a Best Western outside Toledo.