When You Get Where You're Going...

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... well, there you are!




It has been a busy couple of weeks. As usual!

I got the offer from my new client in early June, to come out to Illinois on a long term (6 months +) contract for medical device package engineering. The client is a big name in pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and the rate is about 34% more than I was getting in Pennsylvania.

I gave the contractually required five days notice to my Pennsylvania client, and then acquiesced for an additional week to permit them some time to find my replacement. I made my last day last Thursday, to pack up the trailer, and to drive Saturday and Sunday to northern Illinois.

It turned out that I had to go back to the house in North Carolina first, to move my cargo trailer out of the driveway! (*@#!*&! homeowners association!!) So, I drove down Thursday night, hooked up the trailer and loaded some stuff in it I can use in Chicago, and drove it Friday back to Pennsylvania. I loaded it with the excess fifth wheel stuff on Saturday, parked it on my site there, and hooked up the fifth wheel. I drove it on Saturday to Ohio, where I spent the night for free in a truck stop. It was hot and noisy (next time: hook up the generators for the air conditioning in the trailer), and someone “bumped” my trailer during the night. The left rear taillights and some fiberglass are gone…

On Sunday, I drove from eastern Ohio to southern Wisconsin, where I had reserved a RV campground spot near Kenosha. An underpass in Chicago with the wrong clearance height marked on it caused some damage to the roof air conditioner on the trailer, but I was able to get it running again temporarily. That park is about a 45 mile drive to my new client near Waukegan IL.

I started work on Monday, and it is great! The campground wasn’t: too much money, too far away and too few services. So, I found a new one in Illinois, at a 16 minute commute, at 60% the cost of the one in Wisconsin and with all services (the first one had no sewer connections). It is wonderful! Plus, they may let me stay after the park officially closes for the winter on October 15th, since mine is an All Season trailer with heated holding tanks.

This coming weekend, I’ll take the truck back to Pennsylvania and get the cargo trailer. My site at the new park is large enough for both trailers, so it will be like having my small home and a garage with me!

Lacy is having fun: new folks and animals to meet, new spots to see in the country, but always the same place to come home to at night. That’s reassuring to her… and, to me, now that I think of it.

I have family in this area, so I am looking forward to a long Fourth of July weekend!