After about two hours sleep on floor-bed, I arose about nine o'clock to see what I could do. I was beginning in a slightly zombied state, and it wasn't likely to improve. Julia, after having a fairly good night's sleep, had straightened up the living room some, and was just beginning to make some tea, while she waited for it to brew.

On the last day of work, I'd gathered lots of boxes. A huge tower of wine products had prevented access to one corner of the cooler. With the opening of those boxes, pricing the bottles, and putting them on the shelves next to the cooler wall, I accomplished two goals. I was, of course, then able to access that far corner, and I'd garnered the boxes for the items we'd be bringing on our final trip to Yuma.

Ah, but what to select for those boxes? That was the question. Sleep shy as I was, my mind boggled. I developed an extreme form of stuttering when conferring with Julia. It was like trying to force an older, slower computer to do what a newer, more high powered computer does. At one point, I just broke down and bawled, while Julia held me.

I had to channel the energy from SOMEwhere. Changing my mind's focus from trying to take ALL the remaining stuff, I then focused on items most necessary. I didn't want to leave behind a serger (edge finisher), as that cost over four hundred dollars, and I'd never see its like again. So that got carefully nestled in a box, and the small spaces in that box filled in with items like remote controllers for the TV and DVD player.

One large box Laura had packed contained nothing but cans of vegetables. The troops had left it behind. It was MUCH too heavy for Julia and I to pick up, so I divided its contents among three smaller boxes. Those items went into the trunk of the car, and I moved on to the next stage.

Julia, not much of a mind for packing, never having done it in her life, turned her energies to washing bedding. No good bringing dirty items to a new house, indeed. In between loads of wash, having assembled bills from the various utilities, I had Julia call them for shut off.

Next, I packed the remaining bathroom items, tossing out the few items past the expiration date. Meanwhile, Julia was sent to the bank to acquire our items from the safety deposit box. All this time, making decisions, I am stuttering, stuttering, stuttering, words coming out like I'm a stranger to the English language, sentence structure odd even.

I normally do not stutter. But apparently, this trait that my Dad had shows up in times of stress. In all our many previous moves, I've leaned on Laura and looked to her for guidance. THIS time, I had to use my own judgement.

Mostly, we did well. I forgot my coat at work, and will have James pick it up and deliver it. I let Julia leave behind her teamaker, a coffee brewer used for tea instead, and that was a mistake. However, for thirty dollars or so, that can be replaced when I am working again. I also miss the sturdy stainless steel pail I left behind.

I'd had ambitions of cleaning the place better. Cynthia said to just leave it as it was, and, except for the cleaning that Julia had done, I did just that. She'll find a jumble of stuff here and there.

We packed the car as full as we'd dared. Julia, who would be driving, insisted we not obscure the rear view. It's a sane request. Only Laura can drive with a car totally crammed to the roof top. I was ensconced in the passenger seat, a box at my feet, and blankets and quilts on top of me, no other place to put them. Able to at last sit and rest, the stuttering subsided, and I started to feel more like myself.

Julia rejoiced in the various mountain views, as we traversed our way west. She'd not seen them since many years ago. The three of us had made a Yuma trip when we lived north of Tucson. That was six years ago at least. Indeed, Yuma has grown up quite a bit since she'd last seen it, acquiring many nice stores. And perhaps I'd needed that five year sojourn in the 'rural' area to appreciate a real city. It will be nice not to have to travel forty five miles to Ray Road every time we want a decent movie theater, bookstore, record shop, or computer supplies. Nice, indeed.

Halfway there, I entertained Julia by singing all the Christmas carols I could remember. She joined in, sometimes. Singing a latin, or german version to some of them, she had to be different. I didn't know the tune of 'Oh, Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree', was also used for the Maryland state song, and she sung its first verse, entire. I'm not even sure if the state of my birth, Illinois, has a state song. But Julia assured me all the states do. Even Arizona? It would be an interesting matter to research.

The sky was darkening as we passed through the mountain range just before Yuma. Not entirely pitch, we could still see the shadowy shapes of the mountain forms, however. It wouldn't be long, now.

Julia was surprised at the myriad of twinkly lights coming from the city. Yes, a REAL city! I found the map Laura had made for me of how to exit TO the freeway, and reversed its steps to guide us to our new home.

Coming up the short steps to the door, oh the light from the windows looked inviting. HOME! A happy Laura awaited us with hugs and kisses. She'd been busy this day as well, trying to make the apartment livable, and I could indeed imagine it when we are finally unpacked.

A real BED also beckoned, and I spent most of the next day and night sleeping. It almost doesn't seem real. It seems like I should soon have to leave again. But we are here to stay. HOME!

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Make the Yule-tide gay, From now on our troubles Will be miles away.

(Aye, about 180 miles away, indeed.)

Here we are as in olden days, Happy golden days of yore, Faithful friends who are dear to us Gather near to us once more.

(Well, this is the one part we wish could be different. We left all those friends and family behind. Maybe some day they'll join us, here.)

Through the years We all will be together If the Fates allow, Until then, We'll have to muddle through somehow. And have yourself A merry little Christmas now.

(Using the older 'Meet Me In St Louis' lyrics, yes, we'll 'muddle through' somehow. Because that's what we do. We muddle, and we muddle well. Okay, we may stammer through it, stutter through it, quake and shiver through it, but WE MUDDLE!)

Here's to a better year for everyone!

Whaddya mean, he's still got that sucking RING????!!!!!?

''No, Joan, this movie was of only the FIRST book. Frodo doesn't get rid of that ring until the end of the THIRD book!'' Laura whispered to me.

TWO more in the marvelous series then. I'll TRY to be patient. I've not read the books upon which LORD OF THE RINGS (FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING) was based. I did see some of the cartoon set based upon them, so I had some VAGUE idea. Quite vague, really. So I went into this with fresh eyes.

I just love the cute wide eyed Frodo. He's just so charming, I want to hug him. And, oh, he has such an adventure ahead of him, yet. The elven archer has got a certain appeal, too. Well, really, all the good guys do. So convincingly does elder Bilbo show the draw of the evilness in that ring. And the heroic human who died fighting all those beasties, yes, wasn't THAT something, taking the head off the huge one, with three arrows in him besides? Yes, this movie gave me the rush of true heroism.

I cried at several points. Of course, when the two met their ends, but also when Samwise swam across the waters to catch up with Frodo. ''I gave my word I wouldn't leave you, and I'm not!''

It's a marvelous movie. Laura was enthralled as I, and she's read all the books. A thoroughly pleasant way to spend Christmas Eve, it was. Not a huge crowd of people at the theater, on account of the holiday, I'm sure, but that just made it nicer. Main Street Cinema, Yuma's best theater, is in the old section of town. There's a coffee shop attached to it, as well. Their fancy drinks were quite tasty, better than Starbucks.

But what draw my eye was the amazing grayscale paintings all over the walls. Various actors and actresses were caught in their most memorable moments. A true artist did them, for their eyes radiated LIFE. Mel Gibson, in a big wide grin, with gleaming eyes; Tom Hanks, in the deep thoughtful pose he assumed in THE GREEN MILE; a happy Julia Roberts; Lucille Ball with a fiery look in her eyes; Gene Kelly a lit on the light pole, umbrella pointing out; and, of course, Marilyn Monroe in the white dress blown high by the ground vent. And there's more, but that's just what stood out most in my mind.

We inquired of the clerk, and he said a set background painter from Hollywood did them for the theater. On the two wall sides left and right, a typical desert scene, in color, helped set this as an Arizona place. However, I've not seen anything in either Tucson nor the Ray Road area to equal this theater's charm.

More and more, we like what we see in this new town of ours.