Pack-out, cleaning, departure

So the move went so smoothly I had to pinch myself. The packers finished in six hours, instead of the projected two-day affair and the kids and I got to leave a day early to start our journey westward on Wednesday afternoon to meet up with N. The one hitch was that one of our cats went missing as we were loading up the car and we nearly thought we'd be leaving her behind. Alas, we found her under the house, lured her out with treats, then managed to cram her into the crate (I have some pretty brutal battle wounds to show for it) and we were on our way. The 6-hour drive across the panhandle was a breeze. The kiddos did great and we had such fun stopping for a meal and then later at a rest area to roll in the grass. We were delighted to see Papa and best pal J in Pensacola, when we arrived and it's been like a vacation today. The base here is beautiful and the beach is gorgeous, just as I remembered it from our earliest days here with the Navy. N finishes class tomorrow at noon and we'll head to Louisiana for our first official day on the road. Can't wait! Oh, the kitties are doing great, too! Such well-adjusted travelers they are.

Trip tally so far:
Praises for: Ziploc bags, 85 degrees with a slight breeze, rest areas
Could have done without: Cat scratches, heading directly into the setting sun for about three solid hours of driving.