(I’d already painted a “WHERE’S RAKKITY SIGN?” and was about to post it)

Michael,

We had no idea what had happened to your father–until today when we went on line here in Indiana. We wish him the best of luck in his recovery.

We’d like to drop down to Evansville, but we’re falling behind schedule in our 4-ton truck. We’re only a couple hundred miles north of Evansville right now, but the weather channel tells us that there are raging blizzards ahead. Hard to believe, with the balmy, partly sunny weather here in Indiana. At the eastern side of Kansas, the rain showers are supposed to start changing to snow showers, and on the western side it changes to a full-blown snow storm. (And all I’ve got is sneakers. Our boots are buried under a couple tons of junk in the truck.)

Thursday was a mighty exhausting day. We got the Penske truck, drove it home for 3 burly guys to start packing it. They packed all the heavy stuff until 3 pm, then left us to pack light stuff for 4 more hours. Luckily Patrick could help after 4 pm. We finally got under way, with P. driving. at 7 pm. Drove about 100 mi to Hagerstown, MD, found a motel, and slept the sleep of the righteous.

The next day we motored through Pennsylvania, going only 45 mph up the slopes of the Appalachians. No snow anywhere. All the ski areas are closed. Meanwhile Katie is driving through the south. She is in Charleston, SC right now, dodging tornadoes, sight-seeing, and calling us every day on her cell.

Beth and I have walkie-talkies, so when she drops out of sight driving my car, while P. and I handle the truck, I give her a, “Hey good buddy, got a 10-4 for us? Over and out, rodger dodger.” Patrick’s a great driver, except in parking lots. Last night at a diesel stop, he took out a concrete pylon, leaving it in shards on the ground. No damage to the truck, amazingly enough. We have complete insurance coverage, but we’ve learned to make wide, wide turns.

We’ll contact you again in Kansas. We hope to get to Salina by nightfall.

Again, best wishes and hope for complete recovery for your Dad.

–rakkity, the Mrs, and P.