This afternoon I worked with the woman who will coordinate my shipping. So far one shipping company did an on the phone question and answer about what I have to ship and he will give me a quote tomorrow. Another company will send a local estimator out Thursday to make a quote. Hopefully by Friday I will know how much packing I need to do and how much the shipper will do,so I can get on with it.
More clothes into bags for GW. Washing the polo shirts I found again, and then folding and packing them. Starting to think seriously about what I'll mail down ahead of the shipment. I also got my new passport today. It was supposed to be mailed to KY, which would give them until around the 25th to get it to me. It came here, but it came in time for me to get it, so it's all good. Now I can get the APO address assigned to start mailing things to myself.
The time keeps telescoping. I feel like it's going slowly until I start thinking about what all I should be doing. Work is slow. I step out of the way of the office mate and let her handle any on-going issues. It's strange. But, she will have it all to herself soon anyway. Various things are going on that I'm just as happy I'm leaving. Mostly just end of contract issues. Still no word on if the contract for the current job will be renewed when it runs out at the end of September. Glad it is no longer an issue for me.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
More clothes gone
I keep picking up piles of clothes and putting them into bags, and eventually they migrate to the back of the Jeep and then to Goodwill. My dishes are almost all packed up, even though the shippers may end up repacking them. It's easier to have them out of sight so I can see what I have yet to make decisions on. Made my definite, final plans this weekend on what was shipping where, and first thing at work got an email from the contact down in Honduras who basically is steering me towards a furnished apartment. I figure he knows more than I do what I need at this point. So, stuff in TN will stay there for now, other than what I go through and get rid of while I'm there next month. I'm ready to be on the road, emotionally. No where near ready in reality. The apartment looks like a bomb went off inside. I did find my many short sleeved polo shirts tonight. I haven't been wearing them while out here in WA, the weather mostly has me in long sleeves. In this case, I'll be back to wearing them again so it's good that I kept them. The dress code is collared shirts and jeans. I just got a whole slew of not collared tops that I've been wearing for the past 2 years. sigh.
Tomorrow serious packing of the suitcases I'm flying down with and the tough boxes that I'm mailing. That will leave what needs shipped down, and what needs to be gotten rid of. Almost sounds like I have a plan. Don't believe it. I'm making it up as I go.
Tomorrow serious packing of the suitcases I'm flying down with and the tough boxes that I'm mailing. That will leave what needs shipped down, and what needs to be gotten rid of. Almost sounds like I have a plan. Don't believe it. I'm making it up as I go.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
1 closet down
I have put enough in the Goodwill pile that I emptied one closet of hanging clothes. This means that my clothes fit into the two double closets in the master bedroom. Only those people who know me realize just how far this means I've come in my efforts to declutter. In the trailer last year I had the closets in all three bedrooms full, and a freestanding double rack in the middle bedroom stuffed with hanging clothes.
It's a process with me. As much as I aspire to a minimalist existence, it will take me awhile ( a long while!) to get there.
It's a process with me. As much as I aspire to a minimalist existence, it will take me awhile ( a long while!) to get there.
It may have just clicked
The following is copied from a blog I just found:
http://catchbobifyoucan.blogspot.com/2010/08/too-much-of-good-thing.html
-------
Pangloss: "You have to get into the right frame of mind. It's all about attitude. It's about tuning your mind to appreciate what is going on around you. All travel is really inward. If you simply get on the Interstate and go 70 mph all day, you're not travelling. You're just moving."
Candide: "But, but, but.... how can I appreciate what's around me if it's not around me yet?"
Pangloss: "Sigh. You'll never even get to apprentice philosopher at this rate. Being bored isn't a matter of going too slow. It's a matter of not going slow enough."
Candide: "Professor, this isn't slow. This is stopped."
Pangloss: "Ah, now we're getting somewhere. And while we are stopped, you have to ask yourself: 'Is this all there is?'"
Candide: "Not according to the map. There's a lot more about 400 miles to the northwest..."
Pangloss: "Is that all there is?"
Candide: "Well, there's here, and there's there. And there's a whole lot cooler than here...."
Pangloss: "Sigh. I don't know why I bother."
Candide: "No bother at all, prof. Here, have a beer. Want me to drive?"
------
I know nothing about it, whether it's a quote from something that everyone but me recognizes, or if he wrote it himself. However, I relate to Candide.
So, sit back, have a beer (or wine). I'll drive. Cause there's gonna be a whole lot cooler than here (well, not the temperature, but you know what I mean).
http://catchbobifyoucan.blogspot.com/2010/08/too-much-of-good-thing.html
-------
Pangloss: "You have to get into the right frame of mind. It's all about attitude. It's about tuning your mind to appreciate what is going on around you. All travel is really inward. If you simply get on the Interstate and go 70 mph all day, you're not travelling. You're just moving."
Candide: "But, but, but.... how can I appreciate what's around me if it's not around me yet?"
Pangloss: "Sigh. You'll never even get to apprentice philosopher at this rate. Being bored isn't a matter of going too slow. It's a matter of not going slow enough."
Candide: "Professor, this isn't slow. This is stopped."
Pangloss: "Ah, now we're getting somewhere. And while we are stopped, you have to ask yourself: 'Is this all there is?'"
Candide: "Not according to the map. There's a lot more about 400 miles to the northwest..."
Pangloss: "Is that all there is?"
Candide: "Well, there's here, and there's there. And there's a whole lot cooler than here...."
Pangloss: "Sigh. I don't know why I bother."
Candide: "No bother at all, prof. Here, have a beer. Want me to drive?"
------
I know nothing about it, whether it's a quote from something that everyone but me recognizes, or if he wrote it himself. However, I relate to Candide.
So, sit back, have a beer (or wine). I'll drive. Cause there's gonna be a whole lot cooler than here (well, not the temperature, but you know what I mean).
Lull before the storm
I have been doing the deer in the headlights thing for a few days now. Or, a different analogy, rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. I'm still trying to make a decision on what to do about my 'stuff'. Do I ship what I have here in WA down to Honduras, do I ship it to Nashville? I am tired of having a storage unit. I make a decision one way, and a day later reverse it. I'm getting rid of things, or at least making piles to take to Goodwill. Later today I'll make another trip there. I have the fantasy of being down to only a couple of suitcases as my possessions. Then I think I want my nice waterless cookware that I bought in 1989 and still looks relatively new. And my new kitchen table I like so much. And... and soon I'm up to most of my possessions I have here. As for whats in the storage unit in Nashville, there are a few things, but not a lot, that I want to keep with me. So, I'm back to deciding to just take what's here with me. It's not a lot, and would fit in a furnished apartment I think. Or, a house, if I go that route.
I went to Oregon after work on Friday and spent the night with my friend down there. She and I didn't speak for a few decades, and only recently found each other again. So, now I am leaving. She says we will try to come up with a plan to get her down to visit. I hope so.
This time until I leave WA is dragging, and yet going by so fast. It's still not totally real to me. But, the trip out here at times still doesn't seem real, either. So, off to make more dents in the piles of things I have here...
I went to Oregon after work on Friday and spent the night with my friend down there. She and I didn't speak for a few decades, and only recently found each other again. So, now I am leaving. She says we will try to come up with a plan to get her down to visit. I hope so.
This time until I leave WA is dragging, and yet going by so fast. It's still not totally real to me. But, the trip out here at times still doesn't seem real, either. So, off to make more dents in the piles of things I have here...
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Confused
The official things are progressing as far as signing the contract for the new job and submitting the letter of resignation for the current one. However, the details of how to get from here in WA to Honduras, and what of my stuff to et rid of, store, or take with me change from moment to moment. This is not unlike the move out here. I just figure at this point I'll concentrate on getting rid of things and sorting what I know I want to keep. Still having problems breathing when I think about it all.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Breathe
I'm starting to hyperventilate. Just part of the process. This morning I started to pack my kitchen. That sort of overstates it, as it meant that I moved one of my empty 46 gal containers to the dining room and started to put something in it. That something was one of my large stainless cook pots. I figured that the inside would be fair game to pack, and took the lid off. It was such a good idea that I had done the same thing on another move, and the teas and such that I'd packed there were still in it. I put them with the other teas I have, and walked away.
I put the other empty tub in the bedroom and started to put blankets in it. I have decided that blankets are necessary to pad other things, so putting the two in is as far as I got. Of course I simultaneously realized that my blankets, pillows and sheets would completely fill one of the tubs. And that is not nearly 1/12th of my stuff. Breathe... breathe...
On tap for the rest of today: make a circuit of the X-Marts and find more of the large tubs. Find more clothes to get rid of. Repack all of my hiking gear for storage. This hurts, to acknowledge that I admit I won't be using it for a long while. I'm taking my down sleeping bag, one hammock, my tarp. Not a lot else, camping gear wise.
I put the other empty tub in the bedroom and started to put blankets in it. I have decided that blankets are necessary to pad other things, so putting the two in is as far as I got. Of course I simultaneously realized that my blankets, pillows and sheets would completely fill one of the tubs. And that is not nearly 1/12th of my stuff. Breathe... breathe...
On tap for the rest of today: make a circuit of the X-Marts and find more of the large tubs. Find more clothes to get rid of. Repack all of my hiking gear for storage. This hurts, to acknowledge that I admit I won't be using it for a long while. I'm taking my down sleeping bag, one hammock, my tarp. Not a lot else, camping gear wise.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Yeah, I'm posting a lot today
I wanted to post that I got to meet yet another person who's blog I follow. Brian from http://www.rv-boondocking-the-good-life.com/ was on a multiple-week motorcycle ride up to Alaska and back. He and his wife finally got their ranch sold and so are starting to full time in their 5th wheel. He finally got to make the motorcycle trip he promised to make 30-some years ago. I read that he would be heading home through here, and I commented that he could stop by my place if he wanted a place to spend the night. He did. While we were talking as he was bringing in his bedroll and other things he mentioned that he had done his basic training here at Ft. Lewis. I asked if he wanted to go on post and see if he remembered anything. One of the perks off working on post is having access. So, off we went. It was getting dark, and he didn't remember where on post he'd been (geeze, it was only 30-odd years ago!), and I don't know post other than the way to the hangar where I work. I drove the road around the airfield, and we headed for supper. It was nice to have someone to sit and talk to while eating at the casino (I eat 'free' from the points I accumulate while playing the slots). Next morning he was up as early as I was, and left as I went to work.
So far in the years I've been meeting folks I 'know' from the internet I've not had a bad experience. I do tend to select my circumstances based on how long I've seen them on the internet and if other sources I know have met them. With both Ara and Brian, I've followed their blogs for a couple of years. I also have read unrelated blogs I follow where those people had met them. So, I felt comfortable meeting them. Ara is used to meeting folks like that. Brian is still kinda new to the whole internet thing, and has been blown away by how friendly and nice people are who read his blog. I think that a blog tends to draw like-minded people to the person who writes it. Of course, I'm sitting here remembering that I have hardly any readers, a few friends who know me in real life and a very few others...
So far in the years I've been meeting folks I 'know' from the internet I've not had a bad experience. I do tend to select my circumstances based on how long I've seen them on the internet and if other sources I know have met them. With both Ara and Brian, I've followed their blogs for a couple of years. I also have read unrelated blogs I follow where those people had met them. So, I felt comfortable meeting them. Ara is used to meeting folks like that. Brian is still kinda new to the whole internet thing, and has been blown away by how friendly and nice people are who read his blog. I think that a blog tends to draw like-minded people to the person who writes it. Of course, I'm sitting here remembering that I have hardly any readers, a few friends who know me in real life and a very few others...
More
Got the stuff to Goodwill. I have to keep making small trips or the stuff migrates back into the closets. Luckily, GW is only a half mile or so away.
My kitchen stuff is where I'll start packing. Most of my spices are old. So, today I took the last of the hamburger I had frozen and browned it, took a couple of cans of tomato sauce from the case of 6 I had just bought and added to it. Then I dumped most of my spices that could remotely apply into it and simmered it most of the day. Since I had recently gotten a large jar of sun dried tomatoes in spiced olive oil at Costco, I added large spoonfuls of that. I also added a couple of large spoonfuls of the pico de gallo, also recently bought at Costco. I gotta use this stuff up in 2 weeks more or less. First taste has it tasting good. I found a can of black beans, and dumped that in, and I'm waiting for it to simmer some more before having dinner. I'll freeze what's left in single portion bowls, and that's lunch at work.
I went to the car wash and vacuumed out the Jeep. It looks better, but I want to use a better vacuum. Maybe when I stop at Mom's someone will have a good shop vac I can borrow. I cleaned out a box I'd packed back in Nashville almost 2 years ago that was labeled 'laundry stuff'. Sent some of it to GW, tossed some, not sure what to do with some of it (three bottles of Rit black dye...), and put the papers at the bottom off to the side to look at later. Since this is 'later' I just looked, and it's all the documentation and driver disks for my printer. sigh. So, I made a label for a folder, and that is now filed where I can find it. Tried on some clothes, and some fit, some didn't. New pile started for the next trip to GW.
I'm not moving fast enough, I know. I'll pick up the pace as I go. While driving at some point today, I realized that almost unconsciously I can't breathe deeply. It's the same way I felt when going through the mania of moving out here. I don't have Turtle Lady here to keep me sane this time. It's stress and fear and excitement. Luckily this time there is more excitement.
My kitchen stuff is where I'll start packing. Most of my spices are old. So, today I took the last of the hamburger I had frozen and browned it, took a couple of cans of tomato sauce from the case of 6 I had just bought and added to it. Then I dumped most of my spices that could remotely apply into it and simmered it most of the day. Since I had recently gotten a large jar of sun dried tomatoes in spiced olive oil at Costco, I added large spoonfuls of that. I also added a couple of large spoonfuls of the pico de gallo, also recently bought at Costco. I gotta use this stuff up in 2 weeks more or less. First taste has it tasting good. I found a can of black beans, and dumped that in, and I'm waiting for it to simmer some more before having dinner. I'll freeze what's left in single portion bowls, and that's lunch at work.
I went to the car wash and vacuumed out the Jeep. It looks better, but I want to use a better vacuum. Maybe when I stop at Mom's someone will have a good shop vac I can borrow. I cleaned out a box I'd packed back in Nashville almost 2 years ago that was labeled 'laundry stuff'. Sent some of it to GW, tossed some, not sure what to do with some of it (three bottles of Rit black dye...), and put the papers at the bottom off to the side to look at later. Since this is 'later' I just looked, and it's all the documentation and driver disks for my printer. sigh. So, I made a label for a folder, and that is now filed where I can find it. Tried on some clothes, and some fit, some didn't. New pile started for the next trip to GW.
I'm not moving fast enough, I know. I'll pick up the pace as I go. While driving at some point today, I realized that almost unconsciously I can't breathe deeply. It's the same way I felt when going through the mania of moving out here. I don't have Turtle Lady here to keep me sane this time. It's stress and fear and excitement. Luckily this time there is more excitement.
To Do List update
Passport renewal sent off. Yeah, my passport expires in 2 weeks, and in 4 or so I need to be headed out of the country. I'm having it sent to Turtle Lady's place in KY. If it wasn't for the last minute I wouldn't get anything done...
Next up, take another load of stuff to Goodwill, and clean out the Jeep. Then buy a paper so I can start packing up my glassware. It's funny, I had to ask 5 people at work before I found anyone who still takes a daily newspaper. I'm sure that says something. Guess I should also start shopping for a few more of the 40-something Gallon (edit, not 40 of them, they are 40 gallon...) plastic tubs w/wheels that I'm packing everything into. Makes it easier that way. I had figured out a few months ago that 12 of them plus what little furniture I have will fit into a moving pod. I'm letting someone else move my stuff this time. Details will be worked out Monday when I talk to the person in Honduras who handles the company's shipping. Not planning to take much initially, until I have a house rented.
Ok, I'm off.
Next up, take another load of stuff to Goodwill, and clean out the Jeep. Then buy a paper so I can start packing up my glassware. It's funny, I had to ask 5 people at work before I found anyone who still takes a daily newspaper. I'm sure that says something. Guess I should also start shopping for a few more of the 40-something Gallon (edit, not 40 of them, they are 40 gallon...) plastic tubs w/wheels that I'm packing everything into. Makes it easier that way. I had figured out a few months ago that 12 of them plus what little furniture I have will fit into a moving pod. I'm letting someone else move my stuff this time. Details will be worked out Monday when I talk to the person in Honduras who handles the company's shipping. Not planning to take much initially, until I have a house rented.
Ok, I'm off.
Big Announcement
<Tap... Tap...> IS THIS THING on. err. Guess it is. Ok, here goes:
I'm moving to Honduras to take a job. That is pretty much what I know at this point. The folks I've dealt with so far seem very nice. They want me to work for them. I want to go down there and see what it's like in Central America. Hablo un poco de espanol (and I had to look up how to spell that phrase, which means I speak a little Spanish). Make that very little, but I'm studying. I have a website that assures me I can learn any language enough to speak with the locals in 3 months. I'll be working with US X-Pats, so I've been assured they will help me. The company will put me up in a hotel until I can get my living arrangements sorted out, and the relocation amount seems reasonable. While I was originally thinking I'd jsut go with 2 suitcases I may end up moving all my stuff and sorting it there.
No timeline yet, but in 6 weeks I'll be living and working in Honduras. I'm excited. A coworker who lived down there for many years has started telling me where all to go to have fun. I admit that this Central Indiana raised midwesterner feels strange hearing Guatemala and such places referred to as great to go on a weekend getaway.
I"ll post more as things progress.
THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES
I'm moving to Honduras to take a job. That is pretty much what I know at this point. The folks I've dealt with so far seem very nice. They want me to work for them. I want to go down there and see what it's like in Central America. Hablo un poco de espanol (and I had to look up how to spell that phrase, which means I speak a little Spanish). Make that very little, but I'm studying. I have a website that assures me I can learn any language enough to speak with the locals in 3 months. I'll be working with US X-Pats, so I've been assured they will help me. The company will put me up in a hotel until I can get my living arrangements sorted out, and the relocation amount seems reasonable. While I was originally thinking I'd jsut go with 2 suitcases I may end up moving all my stuff and sorting it there.
No timeline yet, but in 6 weeks I'll be living and working in Honduras. I'm excited. A coworker who lived down there for many years has started telling me where all to go to have fun. I admit that this Central Indiana raised midwesterner feels strange hearing Guatemala and such places referred to as great to go on a weekend getaway.
I"ll post more as things progress.
THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES
Monday, August 09, 2010
Evening Walk
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Breakfast
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Treat
My co-worker found this while she was away taking care of her niece. She immediately thought of me, since I eat Rice Krispy Treats almost every morning. Yes, this is 2 lbs of Rice Krispy Treat. I'll cut it into more manageable pieces now that I have a picture of it in all it's glory.
Odds and Ends
My hope today is to post more detail, and pictures, to fill in some of my fly-by posts the past week or so. First off, the link to the blog where the person is going a year without using single-use plastics: http://www.bryantholsenbeck.com/blog/ The current post is pretty informative. Don't know why it didn't occur to me to post the link when I first mentioned it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)