T- minus 18 hours or so… Yep we are finally down to hours not days!!! As of about 11 or so this morning, we finished with the house. Dragged the garbage to the curb and did the final load of laundry. We had to stop at the bank again… on our way up toward O’Hare… the banks have turned out to be the largest problem. Of course you have to prove who you are 9 ways from Sunday and an affidavit too. But we think that was the last of the stuff.
We have sold my car. I will miss my Jeep, but we have a Hyundai Tucson waiting for us in South Africa. We bought it sight un seen… The guy that bought my Jeep, let us keep it through today, so we didn’t have to rent a car… He will be coming up later to pick it up at the hotel.
The other good news front was that we may have the house rented; which is a huge relief. Yesterday, all the small remaining things all fell into place easily. We had the final walk through the house with the Agent as to the condition we have left it in. All the crap is either heading to Africa by ‘Air or Sea’ or long term storage by ‘Land’, which we won’t be seeing for a long while.
Our packing team was all male. I know I will be having a very fun treasure hunt when the stuff arrives in South Africa… If it fit in a box… it was packed in a box, not necessarily like items with like items and the sewing/quilting supplies…. HA!!!
I am guessing that Axel and Spaz got off alright. (Actually I just checked their flight and they take off soon), I stayed away, so I wouldn’t over excite them and I am going on the assumption that “no news is good news”. They will fly from Chicago O’Hare to Amsterdam and stay overnight there. They will be moved from the flying crate to a kennel, fed and walked before getting a good rest. And then on Friday morning, they will then fly from Amsterdam to Johannesburg South Africa, where they will be met by a kennel and cleared through customs. We will try and get out to see them on Saturday. The kennel has a vet on staff, so they will be checked out physically and bathed if needed.
I am hoping our house will be ready for us soon, as it’s already been more than a week without the pets and I miss having a furry friend, and one week of hotels is already enough, even if it is a suite. Our pile of luggage is formidable… Since the airlines have instituted weight limits, it takes more bags to take less stuff. We each have 2 carry-ons and 3 checked bags… a total of 10 bags .
Once again not pictures… as always more LATER!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
10 days and counting!
Today the ‘packers’ arrive to put all our stuff into boxes. It is maddening to try and keep track of what they are doing… since they are usually in different rooms… They didn’t leave me any stickers to label items with so I will be running around CHECKING boxes!!! Once this stuff goes into storage it is there for the duration. No, asking to get something out of the storage locker. So if it gets packed and stored, it is either wait until we have all our stuff or buy a new one. Do you think if I let my rotary cutters and rulers get packed I can buy an AccuCut?
Yesterday I tried to finish getting some small chores done. Animals have to be approved as healthy by the USDA Veterinarian, which is an hour away, which equals 2 hours driving, plus the appointment time and $$$. Not sure how long it actually takes, but has to be done in person, not by mail. It is not done. I have called this office at least 3 or 4 times, trying to get all the appropriate information, make the appointment, get there and discover that my vet is supposed to fill it in -sign it and for a fee the USDA Vet will ‘rubber stamp’ the info. What a racquet. Add to that all the ‘over’ important people you meet getting there…. I could go on, but so far the USDA has been the darkest spot in this whole transition. So Monday I have to go back to the USDA and get the ‘rubber stamping’ done. If you read about a meltdown in the Chicagoland area, that resulted in arrest, I will need bail money and funds for an attorney.
I have gotten the house refrigerator cleaned and the oven –I have also gotten the garage refrigerator and the microwave oven cleaned. None of them are bad, just a basic cleaning. I did take Axel –the dog and Spaz –the cat to the kennel. They will be leaving from there next week. I am going to try and make a few windows of time so I can go visit them. We have word that we have a house, but it may be 30 days of living in a hotel when we get there. I hate hotel living and hope that it won’t be that long, besides I won’t be able to have Axel and the cat with me… so it will make for some very long and boring days without them for company.
Last weekend we decided to move the motorhome to an indoor storage facility. It will cost a bit more to house it, but hopefully out of the elements and not looking like a big target for vandals and thieves there will be something left when we get back home. We moved it from South of Chicago to North of Oshkosh Wisconsin. A very long and trying day, but at least the weather held for us!
By Friday our house will be empty and we will be driving down to stay one night with my DH’s parents. Then back to the house to finish getting the house in tip top shape to rent. It’s been a while since I was a renter, but things sure have changed!!! Not sure if the housing market has cause most of this… but wow, almost pickier and more demanding than a buyer. Can we have a cat?, the owners have one. (We also own the house and maintain it!) We want the refrigerator that is in there, we don’t like the one in the garage. [Once again, it’s mine !(but I have relented and will be leaving my refrigerator in the kitchen, it will be history by the time we come home)]. Will the washer and dryer stay? (doesn’t anyone own anything except a nice car these days?) Crap what do people want???… we are even supplying yard care, so there is a yard to come home to.
So -for now no pictures. Suffice it to say the house looks like the storms that have plagued Chicagoland this last week, have spent some time inside the house! One or two room of calm, and that is because either they are completely cleaned out or everything that is in them is going to storage or complete chaos ….
More Later!
Yesterday I tried to finish getting some small chores done. Animals have to be approved as healthy by the USDA Veterinarian, which is an hour away, which equals 2 hours driving, plus the appointment time and $$$. Not sure how long it actually takes, but has to be done in person, not by mail. It is not done. I have called this office at least 3 or 4 times, trying to get all the appropriate information, make the appointment, get there and discover that my vet is supposed to fill it in -sign it and for a fee the USDA Vet will ‘rubber stamp’ the info. What a racquet. Add to that all the ‘over’ important people you meet getting there…. I could go on, but so far the USDA has been the darkest spot in this whole transition. So Monday I have to go back to the USDA and get the ‘rubber stamping’ done. If you read about a meltdown in the Chicagoland area, that resulted in arrest, I will need bail money and funds for an attorney.
I have gotten the house refrigerator cleaned and the oven –I have also gotten the garage refrigerator and the microwave oven cleaned. None of them are bad, just a basic cleaning. I did take Axel –the dog and Spaz –the cat to the kennel. They will be leaving from there next week. I am going to try and make a few windows of time so I can go visit them. We have word that we have a house, but it may be 30 days of living in a hotel when we get there. I hate hotel living and hope that it won’t be that long, besides I won’t be able to have Axel and the cat with me… so it will make for some very long and boring days without them for company.
Last weekend we decided to move the motorhome to an indoor storage facility. It will cost a bit more to house it, but hopefully out of the elements and not looking like a big target for vandals and thieves there will be something left when we get back home. We moved it from South of Chicago to North of Oshkosh Wisconsin. A very long and trying day, but at least the weather held for us!
By Friday our house will be empty and we will be driving down to stay one night with my DH’s parents. Then back to the house to finish getting the house in tip top shape to rent. It’s been a while since I was a renter, but things sure have changed!!! Not sure if the housing market has cause most of this… but wow, almost pickier and more demanding than a buyer. Can we have a cat?, the owners have one. (We also own the house and maintain it!) We want the refrigerator that is in there, we don’t like the one in the garage. [Once again, it’s mine !(but I have relented and will be leaving my refrigerator in the kitchen, it will be history by the time we come home)]. Will the washer and dryer stay? (doesn’t anyone own anything except a nice car these days?) Crap what do people want???… we are even supplying yard care, so there is a yard to come home to.
So -for now no pictures. Suffice it to say the house looks like the storms that have plagued Chicagoland this last week, have spent some time inside the house! One or two room of calm, and that is because either they are completely cleaned out or everything that is in them is going to storage or complete chaos ….
More Later!
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