While at a party last weekend, a guest asked me, after hearing that I’m writing a blog, “What could you possibly write about before leaving to travel the world?”
In the beginning, I was concerned I would run out of ideas, writing every other day. So far, so good. Readership is in the 1000’s, growing rapidly, much to my surprise from all over the world.
As time marched on, it became therapeutic, as in writing a journal. In the near future, it would serve as a means of updating family and friends as we saunter from place to place about the world, living “life” as Tom says, not vacationing. (Vacations are for leaving one’s home to enjoy visiting other surroundings, relieve stress, experience new cultures and adventures to ultimately return home to “the real world”).
We won’t have a “home”. That explains the therapeutic element. Having no home is an emotional adjustment, is not for everyone and was inconceivable to us only a few years ago. Of course, in no way do I mean to imply it is comparable to being “homeless,” a sorrowful fate for many without the love, support and emotional freedom to escape poverty.
In our case, choosing to be without a home defies all traditional convention and social mores. Many are shocked by our willingness to do this, some amused and others annoyed, saying, “They won’t last.” Maybe we won’t. If we don’t, we will write about it here, baring our souls for those interested.
In the next few months, with the help of a highly professional web/blog designer we will enhance this blog. We’ll be creating links for money saving travel information, insurance needs, prescription drug savings tips, travel concerns, travel products we’re using, foods we’re experiencing around the world that fit into our low carb, wheat, starch, grain and sugar free lifestyle, restaurant observations, vacation homes we love, cruise commentaries, airline experiences and more.
Most of all, we will share the photos and stories of the nature we are blessed to behold and the people we are fortunate to meet. Hopefully, we’ll both become better photographers. Currently, we are researching lightweight, easy to use, digital Bluetooth enabled cameras with a few new prospects being released soon. (We’ll keep you updated).
To offset some of the cost of the professional blog designer, we will be incorporating some relevant advertising, as you will currently find on most web sites and blogs.
A few days ago, I ordered business cards with our email and blog addresses, after both of us tired of writing on little pieces of paper (especially with my horrific illegible handwriting). When they arrive, I’ll take a photo and post it here. More to pack!
You may email us at any time, if you prefer not to post online comments. Always feel free to make suggestions to us, as many have thus far in “comments” and in private email, all of which we appreciate and take to heart. Research is one thing, experience is another. We more than welcome your experience. And please, take advantage of our hundreds of hours of research, if you are looking for a bargain or a shortcut.
BTW, if you want to read my story on the blog of Jonathan Bailor, The Smarter Science of Slim, please click here. My story is the second story down, moving from the first spot over the past week. Thanks to all of our readers and, to Jonathan’s readers who have come over here to read our blog.
Off to the health club now for my 10 minute killer cardio workout, after an hour long walk with my neighbor earlier this morning. Then off to the grocery store to stock up for the long weekend.
Friends are coming for Eggs Benedict brunch on Sunday when I’ll be using that cute little 1950’s double boiler as seen in the photo in the last post, maybe for the last time. (The recipe is also posted there).
Bye, double boiler. Hello, world.
Estate sale, pantyhose and Eggs Benedict…What???
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| Ha, ha! A lifetime of panty hose that I pulled out of a dresser drawer! I can’t imagine these would sell at the estate sale! |
Over the past many months in preparation for unloading all of a lifetime possessions, I’ve emptied drawers, closets, and a few cupboards. After all, we are living here, continuing to prepare meals, do mountains of laundry, endlessly entertain and amuse ourselves utilizing copious technological devices.
As time marches near, two months and four days from today, I peruse the items left on the shelves, in the closets, packed into kitchen cabinets and overstuffed drawers and of course, the intimating array of tools and miscellany in our old basement, Tom’s domain.
What’ll we do with all of this “stuff?”
We’ve packed no less than 15 totes of items (the tip of the iceberg) to sell at our upcoming estate sale beginning on Thursday, October 25th, jammed into one of our three guest rooms. Good grief! No overnight guests, please! There’s no room to walk around the bed, let alone lay in it!
Another guest room is jammed with banker’s boxes of six years’ of tax returns, plastic totes filled to the brim with “can’t part with” Christmas decorations, photo albums and memorabilia, to be stored by our adult kids (thanks kids!).
Other than the storage of these six totes, we will have no storage, no “stuff”, nada, nothing when we own other than the luggage in our possession.
Months ago, we arranged with Jim Anderson, owner of Caring Estate Sales to conduct our sale. We’ve met with him twice, spoken to him on the phone a few times, feeling confident about having chosen him.
When we met with him, he specifically stated, “Take everything you want to keep out of the house before October 25th; luggage, totes for the kids to store, food in cupboards, leaving behind everything to be sold, including the clothes in the closets. Leave everything in its place! Don’t pack.”
I packed the 15 totes. Why? I don’t know why. I just did it. It made sense months ago to start going through everything, tossing unwanted unusable items, taking usable items to Goodwill (which I did) while sifting for morsels of memorabilia. Now I must stop.
Speaking to Jim again yesterday, apologizing for asking the same question over and over, acknowledging this would be the last time I’d ask, “Do I really leave “stuff” in the cupboards, closets, drawers? Does Tom need to go through everything in the basement, sorting and tossing?”
His answer, “Yes, leave the stuff in its place and no, Tom doesn’t have to go through anything in the basement. We prefer to do everything ourselves, pricing as we go. You will inspect and approve the items and the pricing before the sale begins.”
I’m flabbergasted! It finally sinks in: leave everything in its place. Stop packing except our luggage and the totes for kids.
What does this leave me to do in regard to “stuff” only, that I haven’t done thus far? (Bear with me, it helps to make a partial list to which I continually add as I really dig in after Labor Day. I’ll copy and paste the list to my “to do” tab in Excel).
- Empty and clean the two refrigerators and huge freezer in the basement, the Subzero in the kitchen, distributing all usable food to our kids and neighbors.
2 Clean out all the food in the storage room in the basement and all food in kitchen cabinets.
3. Remove all wine from the Subzero wine cooler in the kitchen, beer in the basement and distribute them to family and friends.
4. Empty and clean cabinets in bathrooms of all toiletries.
5. Finish cleaning dresser drawers of all personal effects such as underwear and pantyhose as in above photo (who’d buy used pantyhose or underwear, anyway?)
6. Clean Tom’s walk-in closet. He has the equivalent of three large totes of relatively useless papers to go through.
7. Go through all the kitchen drawers in search of memorabilia
8/ Go through all of my approximate 100 cookbooks, scanning favorite recipes, keeping in mind our low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free, wheat and grain-free diet. (Good job to start today!)
Of course, this list does not include trip related tasks: second passports, visas, banking, doctor appointments, final immunizations, prescriptions, insurance, selling our cars, setting up our mailing service in Nevada, changing addresses for all of our insurance, credit cards, banking, etc., on and on.
I’ve had way too much time to think about all this. Realistically, if we waited until the last month, we’d somehow get all of this done.
Now, I have to go dig out my favorite recipe for Hollandaise Sauce from The New Antionette Pope School Cook Book, published in 1973.
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| This is my double boiler which purchased years ago at an estate sale for $2. I gave it to my friend Karen who kindly offered her home when we’ll need a place to stay before the sale begins at our house. |
It is this very recipe that assisted me in winning First Place in an Eggs Benedict Contest entitled, ‘The 1986 Eggs Benedict-Off”. Here’s the recipe for the sauce. Its much easier than it looks.
I must make this recipe one more time before the sale using my absolutely perfect 1950’s glass double boiler that I bought 30 years ago at a garage sale for $2. OK, I will go get the double boiler from the storage room in the basement and take a photo which is below. Bye, double boiler. Hello, world.
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| Page 1 of recipe. Click to enlarge |
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| Page 2 of recipe |
Boots, illness updates and…figuring out our insurance needs…
Oh, the Clark’s boots! I wanted to keep them so badly that I took them to a long established boot and shoe repair company in Wayzata, Minnesota, Bob’s Shoe Repair.
Brian, a young, although highly skilled leather craftsmen at Bob’s was confident he could cut out three inches out of the calf of the boot, put them back together leaving me satisfied with the comfort, look and fit. He succeeded. Thanks Brian!
I picked them up yesterday and couldn’t be happier. The cost for the repairs: $100. Total investment in the boots including repairs: $249. With the promise of a great rating online, I offered the seller of the boots a five star rating, if he’d credit me the $14.95 I paid for shipping. He immediately posted the credit to my PayPal account.
Why did I deserve a credit for the shipping? The online description of the boots indicated a 14″ calf circumference when in fact, it was 16″ resulting in the necessity of the repair. I would have been satisfied with 14″ circumference. (My outrageously skinny calves measures 12.5″). Now, I’m beautifully repaired, I’m content.
The sinus infection I reported on two days ago is improving without seeing the doctor or taking antibiotics. The pulsating headache would have driven me to seek help had it not begun to dissipate later in the day yesterday. Today, I awakened with only a slight headache for the first time in eight days. It’s on its way out.
Thanks, Neti Pot, Aleve, Tylenol PM at night (with acetaminophen and Benedryl), lots of water, less dairy and light activity, coupled with periods of rest, good food and the loving support and comfort from my hubby. Now, I know I will most likely survive a sinus infection without antibiotics.
In the beginning stages of figuring out our insurance needs, I spent a few hours yesterday with our long time highly competent broker/owner of our local State Farm Insurance office, Chad Babcock. Having worked with State Farm for the past 40 years, we have never had a problem.
Before we begin traveling we must address these three major insurance concerns:
1. How will we insure our luggage, computers and equipment without the security of homeowners insurance or a permanent home?
2. Will we be able to buy a policy to avoid the high cost of insurance when renting a car abroad, which may be as high as $30 a day in certain locations?
3. Medicare doesn’t cover seniors traveling out of the US and its territories. What type of policy will cover me, turning 65 in six months, while out of the country?
With Chad’s help and a few phone calls later at home, we came up with the following scenarios:
1. Baggage Insurance: Once we acquire our Nevada residency and address, we will be able to purchase “renter’s insurance” covering the value of our belongings traveling with us, attaching a “rider” for our computers and digital equipment.
2. Car Rental Insurance: Many have the perception that one’s own auto insurance will cover a vehicle and liability while traveling in a foreign country. Not the case! Plus…we won’t be owning a car here in the US, if it did. We’ll bite the bullet on this one We’ll pay the insurance at the time of renting the vehicles throughout the world.
3. Health Insurance: Without Medicare, a senior cannot purchase a supplemental policy which usually covers most of the costs Medicare doesn’t pay. Thus, I will be required to apply for Medicare (Tom will have five years until he is 65), pay the monthly fees out of my monthly Social Security in order to receive the supplement.
Plan A: The cost of the supplement is $185 a month at this time along with the required Medicare payment for a monthly total of approximately $285. The hitch: traveling out of the country allows a total lifetime benefit of $50,000, rather skimpy. Our insurance guy gave us a quote for me for $432 a month for full coverage, with no limits but add the approximate $99 a month for Medicare, we’d be paying $531 a month, a huge chunk. Tom, obviously younger than me by five years, will be covered up to 94% with the policy offered to him by his employer plus the necessary supplement until he turns 65. His total cost (for the next five years), $207 a month. GRAND TOTAL FOR BOTH: $738 (Yikes! I hadn’t budgeted for this amount)!
As of this writing, I had a light bulb moment! Duh??? This is not rocket science!
Let’s look at the realities. Tom with better health than I (as hard as I have fought to win over my genes), rarely visits the doctor. Would the 80/20 (OK out of the country) company provided policy be sufficient for him, saving us $207 a month on the supplement?
Plan B: The only difference is 14% (based on the 80/20 coverage without the supplement, as opposed to 94% coverage with the supplement). Then, we purchase the “big guns” policy for me with a $1000 max-a-year out-of-pocket policy with no limits? GRAND TOTAL FOR BOTH: $531 a month!!
The financial risk for me?? None! The financial risk for Tom? We’d have to pay a maximum of 20%. Sure, I did the math, the savings of $207 a month over let’s imagine five years, is $12,420. If he had a $60,000 medical bill, we’d be even.
For now, until we get our feet wet on this adventure, its worth the risk. In the meantime, this pays for the insurance on the rental cars. (If a traveler has an accident in certain foreign countries and doesn’t have insurance, they can be detained until the bill is paid in full.
Tom just returned home. We discussed the above options A and B and we choose B, freeing up the $207 a month to cover the insurance on the rental vehicles. (We don’t plan to have a rental car more than half of each month to keep costs down, vital all month in some locations and seldom needed at all in others).
Of course, all of this could be a moot point when Obamacare kicks in. Not intending to get into politics on this site, this uncertainty faces all of us income earning citizens. Where will Medicare be in the next few years? None of us know at this time and, probably won’t be able to figure it out in the future.
Hum….
Sick abroad…What wll we do?
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| The dreaded Neti Pot! |
Last Tuesday during the night, I wandered in and out of fitful sleep with my head pounding. I never get a headache!
Dragging myself out of bed, choosing to ignore the heavy feeling in my head, I went about my day knowing something just wasn’t right. This feeling continued all week long alleviated to a degree with various attempts: Tylenol, Motrin, and Aleve.
Saturday morning, awakening with the worse headache yet, now with a stuffy sensation in my nose and head, I realized I had a sinus infection. In the past, a sinus infection resulted in an immediate visit to the doctor or urgent care for an antibiotic prescription.
Every few years in the fall, I’ve developed a sinus infection. Whether it was due to an allergy from ragweed, prevalent at this time of year, precipitating an infection or merely a coincidence, this is a familiar plight. Antibiotics always work within 24-48 hours, resulting in an enormous sense of relief.
Everything is different now. After the past two years of retirement and obsessively learning more about health online, we now both feel adamant that antibiotics should only be taken in a life threatening scenario.
Generally speaking, for me, a sinus infection is not life threatening unless it develops into a more serious respiratory or otherwise infection. It is painful and annoying with pulsating headaches, congestion, sinus pain, trouble bending over and rampant lethargy. It varies for the individual. (No intention to offer medical advice here. Please see your medical provider for care.)
Why not give in and take antibiotics, I thought several times while bent over the kitchen sink, Neti Pot in hand, pouring warm salted water into one nostril and then the other? Yuck! This is not fun!
For us, it’s more than the desire to avoid antibiotics at all costs. We must learn to cope with the inconvenience of minor ailments that we can easily attend to ourselves.
Many times over the years, I wearily visited the doctor, five days into the achy flu, the dry cough, the flaming sore throat, the sore elbow or the swollen knee, convinced that the ailment was only getting worse. Leaving his office, prescriptions in hand, I already felt better and wondered why I hadn’t just “waited it out.” Placebo effect, perhaps?
Yes, it could be. If so, why can’t “waiting it out” while taking advantage of home remedies, proven holistic and alternative remedies, plenty of rest, lots of fluids and a light diet provide the same end result? In some cases it may.
So, here is my first illness since last fall, and I am trying it out. Motivation? To prove to myself, that while along the way in our travels when we are living on the island of Madeira, (for example) for three months, 1200 miles from the coast of Lisbon, Portugal that we can be proactive as opposed to reactive when it comes to our health.
It’s about tolerance, creativity, patience and good sense. Of course, we will seek medical care wherever we may be, if a situation is serious or life threatening. I will post here with the results of this “experiment.”
The Neti Pot is calling me. I put it off this morning when I stumbled out of bed, head spinning, promising myself I’d do it at noon. Well, noon has passed. Here goes!
Results of my gold and silver sale…
As I stood in the kitchen at our high granite counter top (to accommodate my tall stature), sorting the last minuscule piles of a lifetime of gold chains, earrings and bracelets (mostly from the 80’s) along with more recent sterling silver, I chuckled to myself.
Who was I kidding to think that all of this was “real” gold and not some cheap imitation I fell sucker to in my more naive days (when were those?). They looked and felt like real gold. Then again, when was I ever willing to spend $100’s if not $1000’s on myself? Only a few times. There always were other priorities and I was never that interested in jewelry.
Somehow, over the years I managed to acquire a few chains, a few pairs of earrings or a bracelet that “looked” like gold. As trends changed from gaudy layers of gold chains around one’s neck (as Tom calls them, Mr. T’s starter sets) and wrists, I fell prey to the appeal of more reasonably priced sterling silver. As prices on sterling silver climbed over the past several years, stainless steel earrings started looking really good to me, categorically arranged on the wall at Target for $5.99 a pair!
Alas, the gold and silver guy, Bill Boyd, referred by our estate sales guy Jim Anderson, appeared at our door at 10 am this past Thursday, bringing along with him, estate jewelry store owner, Ann Eliason of Ann & Jack’s Vintage Jewelry, in Hopkins MN. Oddly, neither of these lovely folks conduct business online. But, what they lack online they gained in person!
The gold and silver business attracts many vultures as purported experts, are more than willing to give a motivated, customer supposed “top dollar” for their gold and silver. Customers walk out of their stores, $80 in hand thrilled they finally unloaded this useless pile of tangled chains (by the way, it is not necessary to untangle the chains).
Some crafty buyers conduct parties in homes, similar to the old Tupperware parties whereby the guests bring their old gold and silver to sell on the spot. With the host offering up appetizers and wine, a lively party ensues. A few wine glasses later, negotiating is out the window along with $1000’s from these unsuspecting party goers. Not for me.
Over the past several years I procrastinated about selling it not only leery of going to one of those stores in a mall or parties, but not motivated enough to start picking through the over-stuffed jewelry boxes of which I had little interest. I guess I’ve been more lazy about it than anything.
For two solid hours, while we clucked like hens thoroughly enjoying the time together, they meticulously picked through my “stuff” with the jeweler’s glass in their eye talking all the while. Their efficiency was evident and I was at ease, expecting to end the day with little more than a few hundred dollars.
After the rude awakening of what was “real” and what wasn’t Bill asked me for a piece paper and a pen. I scrambled around the house, looking for a piece of paper. Ha! I chuckled again.
I had trouble finding paper. I hardly use paper, computer geek that I am. Ah ha! I grabbed some paper out of the printer, rousting up a pen, handing it to Bill while he weighed the little piles of gold and silver on his special “pennyweight” scale. The word “penny” scared me. Goodness. Will I end up with $10.62?
Scribbling on the piece paper, finally silent as a mouse, after having looked up the gold and silver rates (which I had done before they arrived!) and Bill writes this number on the piece of paper: $2,810!
I tried not to look shocked as he explained how he arrived at this number. Negotiate? No, way! Show me the money!!! He did.
Next week, Ann will get back to me with an offer on my wedding ring. We’re not taking any risks and bringing along any fancy jewelry on our multi year journey that may attract thieves. Sell my ring? Yep! Remember, no attachment to “things.”
We will remain attached to people, to Mother Nature, to life changing experiences, a few creature comforts, food for survival, endless learning and of course, each other. That, my friends, is priceless!
Life is never risk free..
What were our motives for starting a blog about “leaving” seven months before we are actually “leaving?” In my mind the intent has been simple, document the process as a means of lessening the emotional blow.
Almost to the day, a year prior to starting this blog, I wrote my first blog, an accounting of the last days of the life of our precious little dog, WorldWideWillie, written from his perspective, followed by me, after he passed.
Much to my surprise, we had over 500 followers with no marketing, no advertising, no promotion, other than by my own comment to a few friends and a few references in own poorly maintained meager Facebook account.
Somehow, people were reading it across the seas. Perhaps, key words. Perhaps, one person in the US, sent the link across the world to a grieving relative having recently lost their own beloved pet.
What did this accomplish for us? Lots of tears each day as I read aloud to Tom, “what Willie wrote” as he sat at our side, nose touching my leg, tilting his little head each time he heard familiar words of which he knew so many.
But, most of all, it was a vital part of the healing process. I love dogs. I love dogs too much, too deep, the same as with people. In time, through the words, the healing entered our hearts as we began to talk about him without crying (still do sometimes). And, I stopped counting on my fingers how many days, weeks and months had passed since he left us.
And now, this time, this blog, 1000’s, not 100’s of readers, all over the world are sharing this experience with us. Thank you, readers. Thank you so much for coming on this journey with us, even now at this early date, three months away.
Most of you silently observe, some with disdain, some vicariously, some with curiosity and some, like me when reading other’s blogs, hoping to glean a tiny morsel that will somehow change our lives.
This is not just a blog about two crazy retirees traveling the world for what may prove to be many years. It is also about leaving everyone we love, everything we have loved, the familiarity of a comfortable life and all of our worldly possessions, not contained in four over-stuffed suitcases and two carry on bags.
Writing this blog has the same powerful healing effect that we encountered when writing about Willie. Plus, it serves as a powerful reminder of that which we have learned along the way, to reference the multitude of tasks to do now and into the future.
We “heard” through the grapevine that some people think we have no idea of what we are doing and that “we are in for some big surprises.” Yes, we surely are!
Did the senior know what he was doing when he jumped out of an airplane for the first time on his 90th birthday? No. He took the risk for the adventure.
After 100’s of hours of research we both feel we know the risks: death due to injury; crime or illness; illness or injury requiring an expensive (although insured) trip back to US; being a victim of a crime; theft of our belongings (which will also be insured); theft of our deposit or the property not being as expected or represented; unable to obtain a visa or gain entrance into a country; being stuck in airport or on the tarmac for days; cancellation of a cruise at the last minute due to maintenance issues of bomb threat; a cruise ship tipping over; false imprisonment (we won’t knowingly commit a crime!) and more.
What if a warthog cuts us with his sharp tusks? Or we step on a snake resulting in a life threatening bite? Or a creepy worm makes its way into the bottom of our foot to travel to our brain? Yuck!
When we read the newspaper or watch the news each day, all of these risks occur throughout the world and also, here in the US. Seniors fall down a flight of stairs in their own homes, resulting in horrible injury or death. Food poisoning occurs in our local restaurants. Pins are found in a sandwich on a domestic flight. Citizens are shot and killed in their own homes, as an unintended victim of violence.
Good grief! We could spend our lives immobilized by fears, a slave to our own environment. Or, we can venture out performing everyday tasks, enjoying our families, our friends, Mother Nature, our work and our hobbies, all of which are laden with a certain degree of risk.
Life is not without risk. Do we “prepare for the worst and expect the best?”
No. We choose to be as educated as we possibly can about the risks, proceed with caution along the way, avoid risk and pray for a little good luck. And, as life has its ups and downs along the way, as it surely will, we will holster our usual optimism hopefully discovering a logical solution together.
We’ve never done this before. This is not the same as traveling for a month or two, returning “home” to repack, paying the bills, reading the mail and visiting with our family and friends. There will be no “home” to return to.
The message is clear in the old adage, “home is where the heart is”. This will become our motto. After all, we are taking our “home” with us not only in our hearts and minds, but also in each other.
Luggage carts…practical or foolish?…
We deliberated over buying luggage carts. Would they simply add additional weight to haul around the world? Would we be charged extra baggage fees to store them on the plane? Would they serve as a invaluable resource to make the transportation from location to location more manageable?
After spending several hours researching baggage restriction on flights and after analyzing and weighing our load, thus far, we came to the conclusion that we must take the risk and buy the carts. Restrictions on cruises are only a “per bag” limit weight of 70 pounds to avoid injuries to their handlers. There are no restrictions on the number of bags on cruises.
What if we could place each of our two 50 pound suitcases, our 40 pound carry on bags, our computer gear and my handbag on each of our carts? (No money, passports or important papers will be in my handbag. The allowed space for handbags will be utilized for clothing, shoes, etc.) Important items will be tucked away in our carry on bags with an exterior zippered pouch for our easy access to our travel documents. Our wallets will be secured under our clothing.
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| We purchased two of these luggage carts each with a 250 pound capacity at Global Industries |
The potential total weight for each of our luggage carts is anticipated to be approximately 180 pounds, an amount impossible to wheel and carry at one time without a cart. Buying a cart with a capacity of 250 pounds would ensure a more stable structure, enabling each of us to be able to wheel our own carts.
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| Our cart, folded for easy placement under the seat on an airplane |
Researching airline baggage restriction, we found that most airlines will allow any wheeling or carrying devices aboard as long as it will fit under the seat. After investigating the folded up size of the carts we chose and the size of the space under the seats on most aircraft, we determined that the carts will fit.
The thought of easily wheeling our bags to cruise ships, through airports, on trains, ferries and in and out of our vacation homes, provides a great sense of relief. Recently, some family, friends and followers of this blog have asked why we don’t just throw some stuff in a suitcase and take off without all this planning.
In our minds, the answer is clear. Most people, when traveling for a few weeks or months have a home to which they return to at the end of their travels. We won’t. We will continue on. Since we aren’t considering this a “vacation” but rather “living” (as Tom describes it), we need to bring things with us that we need, want and use.
Under no circumstances, do we want the burden of finding a mall, a drugstore, or a post office. Neither of us enjoys going to stores, although I enjoy grocery shopping which we will obviously need to do wherever we go. Whether an outdoor farmer’s market or a tiny little shop on a corner, we will enjoy shopping for local meats and produce.
Neither Tom nor I would enjoy wearing the same items day after day. We tend to wear an item once and then wash it, sloppy that we both are when dining (mostly me)! We make a point of trying to look nice for each other. It’s a part of the attraction we both fell for each other so many years later; fresh smelling, clean, attractive clothes, well groomed, and for me; some makeup, earrings, manicured nails and polished toes (I have always done these myself).
Currently, through instructions online for how to cut a man’s hair, I will strive to cut Tom’s hair to his liking. We don’t want to have to spend time looking for a barber or Tom feeling frustrated with a peculiar cut. A few nights ago, I suggested that he grow a beard and a wear a ponytail. Here again, he wants to be “himself” and wasn’t interested. We’ll figure this out together.
None of our quirky traits will change when we’re traveling the world or when and if we ever settle down. It is part of who we are individually and, as a couple. For us, it is a part of the magic. (We accept that we are giving up so much to gain this experience together; seeing our loved ones, drinking coffee, enjoying familiar foods, my kitchen gadgets, watching US TV, reading the newspaper, our home, our friends and neighbors, the 4th of July, having a dog, access to a health club, and on and on.
Thus, this reality adds greatly to the packing. There’s “stuff” associated with feeling “put together.” We are willing to bear the consequences of our picky choices, by wheeling our carts, paying extra for baggage on the fewer flights we’ll experience and for packing and unpacking the “stuff” each time we reach a destination.
This weekend we’ll load up the carts with the two already pack bags, adding several more items to get the feel of wheeling around 180 pounds. If it doesn’t feel great, I will up the weights at my workouts and build more muscle.
After all, we still have three months and six days until we walk out the door!
Fears of selling on eBay?…Gone!…
As a relatively experienced online shopper, I have kicked myself over the years for not attempting to “sell” anything on eBay. Often running across items I no longer use or like, I have thought “why not put this on eBay and get rid of it.”
Wrongfully, I assumed it would take more time to take the photo, upload it, write the item’s description, find an appropriate box with bubble wrap, prepare the label for shipping subsequently taking it to the post office, to make it worth the few dollars I’d make.
With over three months until our estate sale, I thought, why bother?
Well, this week, I succumbed to the eBay selling frenzy, selling three items this week for a total of $139 less the $12.65 I paid for the free shipping I offered with the “Buy It Now” prices.
The “handling” of entering the three items to eBay’s website, the packaging and postage prep required a total of 18 minutes of my time. With a few calculations I tallied my average earnings at $421.17 per hour!
Here are the items I sold:
SierraSil Joint Formula 14 180 caps NEW – Promotes joint health and mobility,
End time: Jul-13-12 12:05:52 PDT
Sale price: $45.00
Quantity: 2
Quantity sold: 2
Quantity remaining: 0
Coleman LED Quad Lantern — Battery Powered Outdoor Camping/Emergency Lantern
End time: Jul-13-12 20:42:16 PDT
Sale price: $49.00
Quantity: 1
Quantity sold: 1
Quantity remaining: 0
Here’s how they sold so quickly:
- The pricing for the items was determined by checking recent sales of the same items on eBay that were also “used.” I decided to go slightly under these prices and offering “free shipping.”
- Researching the items at the manufacturer’s websites, I copied and pasted the photos and descriptions to ensure I accurately represented the items.
- In a matter of a few minutes, the items were uploaded and active.
- The next morning, I received an email from eBay telling me the “Buy It Now” items had sold and was paid by the buyer of course, for the prices I had asked. (Why didn’t I let the items go via an auction? Simple, I wanted to spend as little time as possible paying attention to an ongoing auction, and I wanted to sell the items for my competitive asking price). In the email from eBay, I was able to follow a link taking me directly to the printing of a mailing label. All that was required of me was to weigh the items on my kitchen scale in the packaging materials and posting it online. EBay subsequently calculated the price of the postage using USPS, my preference. My PayPal account was debited the cost of the postage with no mark-up.
- Printing the label on plain white printer paper, I taped it with shipping tape to the boxes I happened to have on hand, sealed the packages and took them out to my mail. When I listed the items, I had arranged with my mail person to take the prepaid packages thus avoiding a trip to the post office.
- Within three days, I received another email from eBay stating that the total funds of $139 were now available in my
PayPal account.
Jackets..too hot…too cool?
Our mission to find the appropriate jackets for our adventure is yet another challenge. Here in Minnesota, a heavy winter coat is appropriate from November to May.
Tired of wearing coats all winter, I have preferred to bundle up with sweaters the remainder of the year, currently not owning any lightweight jackets suitable for travel. Tom, on the other hand, has a few older lightweight jackets and, although still in reasonable condition are not ideal for our upcoming long term travel.
Buying clothing while still here in Minnesota has been a vital aspect of our preparations for our three plus years on the road. Minnesota has no tax on clothing and shoes, saving us as much as 8%. Also, buying online with deep discounts and/or free shipping has also saved us a bundle.
A perfect example of these savings came as a result of my getting “points” from the company Earndit, only yesterday when I redeemed 1000 points I accrued from wearing the BodyMedia exercise armband for the past 18 months, now to be replaced by my new “wear on body” exercise device, FitBit which also accumulates Earndit points.
Both of these devices have kept track of my activity levels, steps, calories, burned, and quality of sleep. (I discussed this device in a prior post). Recently, I replaced the BodyMedia with the FitBit with the goal of eliminating the $6.95 monthly membership fee required by BodyMedia.
Sure, I spent $75 on eBay to buy the FitBit but, in less than 11 months, it will pay for itself. Also, I must admit that convenience played a role in this decision. The BodyMedia is worn on the upper arm often eliciting annoying inquiries as to its purpose. FitBit is worn inside one’s clothing attached to undergarments, making it entirely invisible.
Yesterday, while we were sitting in our comfy chairs, taking a short respite from the heat outside, I redeemed 1000 of my 2500 points at Earndit for a $100 gift card to RailRiders to be redeemed with a $175 or more purchase.
I purchased the Men’s Insect Shield Pants for $98 and the Women’s Insect Shield Pants for $89 for a total of $187 plus $7.95 shipping for a grand total of $194.95. Using the $100 coupon, I paid $94.95 for an average price per pair of $47.48.
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| Women’s Insect Shield PantsPrice: $89.00 |
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| Men’s Insect Shield Pants, Price: $98.00 |
Thrilled that my daily exercise monitors afforded us each an additional pair of pants, I am now ready to commence my search for jackets now we otherwise have enough clothing for the upcoming eight months in Africa.
Since we plan to bring only one jacket each they must serve us well throughout the world. The requirements for jackets include:
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- Lightweight, comfortable
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- Attractive
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- Waterproof
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- Lots of pockets
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- Hood
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- Removable sleeves, if possible
Sound easy. However, I’ve spent no less than four hours researching online to find only one manufacturer, Scottevest that may fit the bill, except for this fact: the lightweight jackets are not so attractive. Tom wants a jacket that has a safari look and I agree. We love all the pockets in their jackets but, the look, not so much.
Most would say, “who cares about looks when function is the key?” If one is going to be wearing the same clothes, day after day, month after month, year after year, it’s not a bad idea to like it! (Not too dissimilar from our “liking” one another).
Ouch!…Plunge, twist and release…
After two hours of being terrified at the prospect of contracting one of many horrifying diseases throughout the world, I left the Park Nicollet Travel Immunization Clinic with my head swimming. WHAT ARE WE DOING????
If we don’t die from the side effects of the Yellow Fever or Typhoid shots, we might die from one of the many diseases for which there is no immunization or treatment! Why tell me, overly efficient, profoundly knowledgeable, delightfully warm Travel Nurse Marcia, who hugged me when I left, that we could die?
On information overload and losing my competency to make reasonable decisions, I agreed to our taking $10 a day malaria pills (fewer side effects) that we’ll need to take for eight-plus months, $700 rabies shots, $80 for tuberculosis tests, and also, an array of 10 or more other vaccines that will total in the $1000’s. We sure hope the insurance company will pay for these. I hadn’t budgeted $300 a month for malaria pills!
I felt as if I were buying a car from a persuasive, albeit highly competent “salesperson” who was trying to sell me safety features that invoked so much guilt that I couldn’t resist buying. I signed up for everything. Oh, I did hesitate on one thing, flu shots. Why would we need flu shots that are derived from viruses only prevalent in the US? Go figure! What if we went out to dinner with an American couple we meet on a cruise ship who currently has the flu? We signed up for that too!
The dreaded Yellow Fever shot will be on May 1. I am terrified. Four people died from the vaccine alone (OK, four deaths of out one million, not quite a high risk). I said to Travel Nurse Marcia, trying to reassure myself, “Those four people could have died that day anyway, right?” She reassuringly nodded her head. On May 1, please pray for me. Later, for Tom.
Tom has yet to go to his two-hour appointment. I suggested that Travel Nurse Marcia not tell Tom everything she told me for three reasons: 1. He gets bored listening to medical stuff. 2. He’ll pretend to be listening when he isn’t. 3. He’ll refuse the shots and tell her to take a hike.
Oh good grief, I can picture my dear husband, sick with some dreadful disease, ensconced inside a mosquito net, with me at his side, frantically trying to nurse him back to health. Sounds like a scene in a movie! No, thank you. PLEASE my dear handsome, charming, funny, adorable, “best husband in-the-world,” agree to get your shots, take your $5 pills with food and SHUT UP about it!
So, lovely Travel Nurse Marcia left the room after handing me my stack of 100 CDC documents to read, moments later returning with a tray loaded up with four, that’s right four, giant syringes on a sterilized stainless steel tray. She gently set the tray down on the counter, leaving the room again. I stared at the tray, my heart pounding so hard, I could hear it in my head. Minutes later, she returned instructing me to get up on the exam table.
The rest is a blur, rolling up my sleeves, taking a deep breath, feeling the brutal violation of my pale winter skin while each of four syringes plunges deep into the tender flesh of my upper arms. OUCH!!! It felt as if she “plunged, twisted, and released” those horse-sized syringes. Then, it was over, for now at least. I waited for something to happen. Nothing happened.
After sleeping fitfully all night, unable to lay on either side. My arms hurt as anticipated from the warning by Travel Nurse Marcia. After two huge cups of coffee this morning I’m back to my “old” self, dressed in workout clothes, off to the gym and then to the bank to transfer the 25% deposit in 1481 francs (today’s going rate, which is about $300 US dollars) to the owner of the charming “Stone House” in Cajarc, France for one month beginning April 18, 2014 (yes, 2 years from now). Nothing like planning ahead!
BTW, the itinerary will follow later today.