One step closer to leaving.

Working my last shift at Wettstein's (the appliance/electronics/furniture store where I've worked for the past six years) was harder than I thought it would be. I think the reason was because unlike most of my friends and family, who I know I'll see again the next time I'm home, there are people at Wettstein's that I never see outside of work. So the possibilty that I won't see them again is very real. Add to that the stream of people who kept coming up to my desk to look at me with puppy-dog eyes and wish me well, and I was fighting tears (or, to use the dock manager's words, trying not to "get misty"), for most of the night.
 
Thankfully, the next night when we went out for pizza to celebrate my going away, everyone was in much brighter spirits and no tears threatened anyone. The get-together was a great send-off from my Wettstein's gang.
What's better than pizza, good friends, and ice cream
on a Saturday evening?
 
So, I'm officially one step closer to leaving for the island, now that my time at Wettstein's is done. I found out last week that I'll be in one of the 3 bedroom houses that the school owns, living with another new teacher. Last week I also started packing--mainly just moving from my house in La Crosse to my parents' house where I'll be storing most of my things rather than taking them with me (I won't need most of them; the house is furnished). Starting tomorrow, I'll be in Disney World with my four favorite female relatives (my sister, mom, and 2 cousins) for a week. We've been dreaming of this trip for years--no husbands, fathers, or kids--just the girls. We get back on the 19th. Then, I'll have 3 days in La Crosse to finish packing and see as many people as possible. The Saturday before I leave, one of my good friends is getting married. (I can't help but thank her for her timing. It will be her day, and her day only, and she will shine as a perfect bride...but I also can't help but realize it's a very convenient way for me to see many of my friends from college all at once, right before I go.) After that, it's 2 1/2 days in Holmen for me to finish packing and shipping things and soak up some family time, and then I'm off. Where did the last six months go?
 
One of my favorite days at Wettstein's...Halloween 2010. 
Who doesn't want to dress up as a pirate and come to work?
 

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