We are now situated at Karen’s home for the next nine days. Everything for our stay here is unpacked and put away. We’re welcomed by Karen and her two sons with open arms. We haven’t been overnight guest in a friend’s home in almost 20 years. Its an odd feeling. We’d better get used to being in a home “other than our own” based on the upcoming travels.
This move was more work than any move I can ever recall. Under normal circumstances, when moving, one opens a drawer, examines its contents and in a somewhat systematic manner proceeds to fill a box with the drawer’s desired contents and the rest is thrown away. Simple.
Later, the box is moved to the new location, either near or afar, opened to reveal its contents while finding an appropriate spot in the new home. Simple. That’s called “moving.”
Nope, not us! We aren’t “moving”. We’re leaving. Big difference. Here’s how ‘leaving” goes:
- Open a drawer, examine its contents
- Remove all the contents from the drawer
- Consider the resale value of each item
- Remove all items of sentimental value
- Place items of sentimental value in one of four separate boxes (one for each of our children’s families)
- Determine if anything in the drawer is appropriate to travel the world with consideration for usefulness, weight and least of all, it’s desirability.
- With all items out of the drawer, wash the interior of the drawer.
- Place the items to be kept in containers for future packing
- Return all remaining items to drawer in a neat and concise manner
- Close the drawer
- Scream! Go to the next drawer, closet, cabinet, storage bin, plastic bag, refrigerator, freezer, chest, trunk and repeat the same process, over and over again.
- Clothes, medications and supplements, special foods, technology, cords and chargers, toiletries, cosmetics and my special pillow to last us for the nine days here.
- All of the above plus comfortable clothes, jackets, cooler, beverages and snacks for the four day road trip which begins in nine days plus…the roof top carrier for the car, yet to be installed.
- All of the non-perishable food and supplies purchased at Costco on Saturday for Tom’s upcoming party on Saturday for anywhere from 100-200 guests. I’ll be picking up the food and cake for the party mid-day on Saturday.
- Documents, tax receipts, medical records and forms, insurance forms and additional paperwork to attend to in Arizona.
- For the two month stay in Scottsdale, Arizona and Henderson, Nevada; everything listed here plus food to purchase while there.
- For our upcoming world travels; six suitcases, two carry on bags, a duffel bag of med and supplements, two wheeling carts, two laptop bags, and a purse and a over-sized murse (man purse which Tom hates!).