Sunday, July 24, 2022: A shock for the sloth!
Hi folks,
I am excited. We are starting tomorrow. With the test run, so to say. To the north. To Scandinavia. In order to get ourselves prepared for Canada.
But there’s a second reason why I am so anxious. Just imagine, Ursula brought another animal into Annie Way. Leona Loewenfeld.
Leona Leowenfeld! A lioness!
What’s the point of that? Has Ursula not got a bit of sensitivity? Can’t she imagine how a sloth must feel when there’s suddenly a lioness around? What if Leona Loewenfeld becomes hungry and starts thinking, well, there’s Sally the Sloth hanging around … Enjoy your meal!
But the Ursula put Leona down on the bench, far away from my place, so she won’t have a chance to come up to me no matter how hard she would try. I am completely save. And I am the one who is sitting at the top! Like on a throne. This made me forgive Ursula.
For days Ursula has been busy putting all kinds of stuff into Annie Way. Before she had her last day of work, and she celebrated for weeks, and then the Tall Blond arrived. That’s her travelling companion from Germany, whom she had got to know many years ago in South Africa and with whom she often spends her holidays.
When he turned up, Annie Way had a driving experience of 250 km and was able to start and drive away without jumping (mostly), the engine didn’t die down any more (only sometimes), and when turning, she no longer went over the curbstones (quite often). The Tall Blond was incredibly patient and helped Ursula work through her to-do-list. They had a long discussion if she needed two small chairs or one, which could be bigger and more comfortable. The Tall Blond stated, she should buy a comfortable one for herself, which she did.
It turned out that the Tall Blond likes DIY stores. Therefore it didn’t matter that Ursula took him to several DIY companies in and around Linz, where they spent a lot of time. They came back with a hose, a cable drum, colourful boxes for Annie Way’s store room and countless other things, and put everything into the van.
The Tall Blond had the idea that in Norway Ursula and Annie Way would have to go on ferries quite often. Therefore we all went to Wilhering near Linz and waited for the ferry to cross the Danube. Officially for Annie Way to learn it, actually because Ursula was scared. She is often afraid.
After some days the Tall Blond left, and when Ursula looked at Annie Way’s mileage status, it turned out that she had almost 900 km of driving experience. 890, to be exact. Ursula seems to feel quite good meanwhile, when Annie Way drives. But sometimes she forgets to greet me first thing, when she gets into the van. Then I get mad.
In the course of time Annie Way became fuller and fuller. Dishes, pans, food, cutlery, clothes, shoes, towels, medication, tools, bed sheets, toiletries (an unbelievable number of toiletries) were put in, and some were put out again. Sometimes Ursula just changed her mind. There is no reason why she should not. Then she hung up some cards with mottos. Come, let’s jump into the sea of unlimited possibilities! If it scares you, it could be worth trying. Home is not a place, it’s a feeling. Let’s just go too far and see what we can find there. Such sayings.
A neighbour who is a mobile home expert explained everything to her about Annie Way’s inside life, and connected the gas cylinder.
Today we went to Linz. Tomorrow we’ll start our trip. Our drive on the wild side. To Scandinavia.
Folks, cross your fingers for us! I am a lazybones, not weak-kneed, but what Ursula is planning … I don’t know …
It won’t go too bad. At least Leona Loewenfeld has not shown any interest in my yet, and this is good news.
Yours, Sally