Toodaloo Tulsa! We're Relocating to Roanoke!
Toodaloo Tulsa! We're Relocating to Roanoke!
by a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads – Art & Other Odd Adventures
I know it’s been a while, but there are some significant changes to report.
For starters, we are about a thousand miles from where we were the last time we talked. Tulsa didn’t work out for us, and we’ve landed in Roanoke, Virginia instead. It’s been a journey in every sense of the word.
When we moved to Tulsa in the fall of 2020, it wasn’t our first choice. Fish was aiming for a regional or divisional role, and Tulsa seemed like a sensible stepping stone. Unfortunately, the experience began badly, with the infamous “smelly apartment” and never really recovered. I appreciated the art scene and met people I genuinely liked, but I never felt settled. The wind, in particular, was relentless. Since The Accident, I’ve dealt with lingering neurological issues, and living somewhere constantly battered by wind made daily life harder than I expected. Slowly, I found myself retreating indoors just to escape it.
Fish wasn’t happy either. We’re both hikers, and he loves trout fishing. Tulsa offered little of either, and without meaningful ways to spend our time outdoors, we both began to feel restless. Compounding that, the move didn’t help Fish’s career; it actively hurt it, especially once it became clear that nothing he did would ever satisfy his boss.
When an opportunity opened up in Roanoke, we took it.
The move itself was an adventure. We had a moving company scheduled—until mechanical failures and unreachable corporate customer service forced a last-minute pivot. We loaded everything into a U-Haul ourselves and drove across the country. Along the way, we stayed in a couple of charming VRBOs, including one that used to be a church, and our animals were absolute champions. I’m still impressed by how well they handled the entire ordeal.
After several days of unloading and recovering, Fish and I finally made it onto the trails. While the jury is still out on whether I physically feel better here, the absence of constant wind alone feels like mercy. And something quieter, deeper, seems to have settled now that I’m surrounded by trees.
I’m excited about the history here, too. You know how much I love American history, and living in one of the earliest colonial regions feels like an open invitation. There is so much to explore, and I can’t wait to tell you what I uncover along the way.
xoxo a.d. elliott
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
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