FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST

THE DAY HAS ARRIVED AND I AM OFFICIALLY ON THE ROAD! MUCH TO DO THIS MORNING...A TRIP TO THE BANK, A TRIP TO TIRE BARN (TO SAY SEE YA TO MY CUSTOMER FRIENDS), A FINAL TRIP TO FINKELSTEIN TO SAY FAREWELL TO MY FORMER CO-WORKERS, THE FINAL WALK THROUGH THE OLD APARTMENT (AND THE OFFICIAL RETURN OF THE KEYS) AND THEN GETTING IN THE CAR AND FIRING UP THE THEME SONG (SUGARLAND'S "GOTTA BE SOMETHING MORE") AND HEADING SOUTH ON THE TURNPIKE TO MEET VIC AT THE REST AREA BELOW EXIT 7A...

VICTOR IS MY OLDEST AND DEAREST FRIEND...WE'VE BEEN THROUGH AN AWFUL LOT OVER THE YEARS (OVER 40 YEARS!!! YIKES!)... IT'S TOUGH LEAVING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY BUT THIS IS SOMETHING I WANT TO DO. THE NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER FAR OUTWEIGHED MY NEED TO REMAIN IN NEW JERSEY... SOME THINK OF THIS MOVE AS EARLY RETIREMENT BUT IT'S NOT...IT'S A MOVE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF MY LIFE...THIS IS ONE OF THE HARDEST DECISIONS I'VE HAD TO MAKE BUT EACH DAY I'M MORE AND MORE CONVINCED IT'S FOR THE BEST...
SEEING VIC AND HEARING THE SUPPORT AND LOVE FROM HIM AND LORETTA (HIS WIFE AND ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS) WAS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED TODAY...

THANKS TO CHRISTINA FOR HER VERY THOUGHTFUL GIFTS...THANKS TO ALL MY FINKELSTEIN FRIENDS FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND BEST WISHES...THANKS TO THE MULTITUDE OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO WISH ME THE BEST...

BACK TO THE RIDE...WHEN I SAW THE SIGN "WELCOME TO DELAWARE" I LET OUT A CHEER (SEE BLOG TITLE)... WITH EACH MILE THE EXCITEMENT GREW (I WAS ACTUALLY DOING THIS!) THEN I REALIZED THAT TECHNICALLY I WAS HOMELESS. I CAN'T MOVE INTO MY NEW PLACE UNTIL NOVEMBER 15. THAT THOUGHT FLEW OUT THE WINDOW WHEN I HIT VIRGINIA AND THE WORST TRAFFIC I'VE BEEN IN SINCE I WORKED IN NEW YORK CITY...IT WAS AN INTERESTING INTRODUCTION TO LIFE "ON THE ROAD." BUT I SURVIVED AND HERE I AM IN GLEN ALLEN, VIRGINIA WITH MY SISTER, MY BROTHER-IN-LAW AND MY TWO NIECES. NICE!

DAY ONE ON THE ROAD WAS A ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTION AND ONE I WILL NEVER FORGET...IF THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S IN STORE, THEN THIS TRIP AND MY NEW LIFE ARE GOING TO BE AN INCREDIBLE "RIDE"...