N is excited, positive and optimistic about the move. How can I tell?

 

A wall of stuff . . .

 

They also told us we could leave stuff in the drawers.

 

8 boxes in the kitchen

 

Then around the corner . . .12 more!

 

Securing the washing machine so the drum wouldn't bang around. These styrene blocks cost me $100. It took the man about 8 minutes all together.

 

The packing guys said we had an 'average amount' of stuff! These are boxes in the closet, waiting for the movers to come tomorrow . . .

 

4,3,2,1

The garage sale was fine. We got rid of quite a lot - there were 3 families involved altogether, and we advertised with great signs around the neighborhood and in the Penny Saver, Craig's List, Yard Sales.com. Friday am there were people here before we even had set any thing out! In 3 days, and 2 sales, I made just enough to pay for gas for our road trip to Seattle, I hope. The best part of the sales have been the great, warm wishes of friends who were able to drop by to say good luck, we'll miss you, - Kim C. and Monica O. were able to come.
Suraj K., Andrea M. and Erica S. have also made special trips out to see me and the boys and say good bye. Their wishes of God Speed mean the world to me. Also at church, I bid as embarrassingly emotional farewell to the congregation. St. Ambrose, Claremont, CA; wonderful music, interesting, applicable and understandable sermons and a dignified, respectful, tolerant congregation.
So, the packers came today. They worked 6 hours non-stop and finished up packing the interior of the house. Tanya, Shianne and I have been packing up the garage for a few weeks now! and still there is stuff to sort! But really, I am at the point where I'm saying "Pack it. We'll just deal with it on the other end"
and the plan when we get to where we are going - reduce!reduce! so as a family we can all healthier. You know - like wasn't there a TV show 'Is your house making you fat?" Something like that, with Peter Walsh? Isn't it Peter W something, the guy from Australia, who does the reduce clutter shows? G keeps saying, let's go for the space, not the stuff. Well, after packing up this 3 bedroom, 1 car garage house - I am so ready for it!
The movers come tomorrow. We have to take the cat to the vet for his health certificate, then dispose of whatever else is left over - like a very clean, thin mattress that we were using on the top bunk of the bunk beds. And the adjustable, portable basketball hoop - no takers on Craig's List . . . so happy G will be home tomorrow through Sunday! A week of late nights has caught up with me! To bed!

 

At the Polar Bear Plunge area, we saw these cute arctic seals!

 

The Splash Animal Show was an art show - artists painting large canvases of endangered animals with their hands and brushes, sometimes painting the canvas upside down. It is always so interesting to watch an artist at work!

 

N and N in front of the enormous elephant topiary at the entrance to the zoo.

Trying to relax . . .

Thinking that we should 'try to relax', you know, get away from the situation so that we can come back to it newly energized, the family took a little trip to the zoo. The San Diego Zoo. Everyone should go - it was just fantastic! Was it relaxing? Not so much, but it was distracting! I'm going to try again to post some photos - wish me luck!
Well - you can see the photos above - I'm still trying to figure out how to incorporate them right into what I'm writing, when I send them over from Picassa . . .

Our calendar - G goes back to Calgary on Wednesday the 21st, the yard sale is on Friday/Saturday the 23rd/24th, the packers are supposed to be coming next Wednesday the 28th, then the movers on Thursday the 29th, I'll be cleaning house on Friday the 30th and hopefully shipping the cat to Gary that same day as well. Then the boys and I drive up the coast to San Fran., then onto Portland, then finally up to WA. We'll be there a while - I'll either sell the car or give it to Kars for Kids and then we fly to Calgary, to join G and Snowy at our new home! It helps for me to write it all out this way - wow, it really is crunch time. Yikes.

The garage contents

 

Still trying to get the hang of this blogging thing, some days are easier than others! This picture and the one below were supposed to be in the other entry . . . I'll get it, just a little more time . . .

So what have I been doing? With the help of Super Tanya! my trusty personal assistant! and Super Shyanne (sp?) {Super T's personal assistant} we have cleaned out the garage and now we are packing up, and putting everything that we want to take with us to Canada, back in! I know, I know . . . what is the point of movers if you are going to do it all yourself? Well - they can take apart the bunk beds, but I want to pack my own panty hose, thank you very much.

I'm still kind of sorting for the garage sale as well - which I hope you can all make on July 23and 24! Everything at rock bottom prices!

Also there are 2 little boys who still have play dates and swimming lessons and summer camp - and there is all that cooking that has to happen - and that means shopping - and G has to pack up his office as well and somehow our 23 days have shrunk to 16!!!! Good Heavens - I have go and sort out my cook books now!!

 

We have a house!

Hello, dear friends and family!
G is home and he totally ROCKS!!! WOOO HOOO!!!! Thank you G!! After a lot of leg work and internet searching, we have a house. Check it out! Go to www.rentfaster.ca/, then choose Calgary, then in the search box put in the number 42832. Hopefully it should take you right there! The lovely 'coral' and white split level. The house was listed on both Craig's List and this other sight . . . funny that it is still listed and doesn't have the big 'RENTED' bar across it . . .
Now we have an address and G will be calling the moving company tomorrow to set up our pick up date, probably July 30th or so, and finishing all the final details with them.
So - what have I been doing? Lounging of course - you know me!

Where we stand now

So, where do we stand now?
We are trying to hire movers. The company will pay for the move, but we have to figure out how we're going to do it -
Garage sale #1 went slow and steady - we still have lots to sell. Since our first moving estimate came out at approximately $14,000.00 (YIKES!!!) we are now getting ready for Garage Sale #2 on July 23, 24. Come on by!!
I'm still going through boxes that were never unpacked from the first move, and finding all kinds of trash and treasures, like 3 books on Feng Shui! I'm trying to look at everything objectively and decide hmmmm, do I really want to spend any kind of time/energy on this?
G was home but went back to Calgary and is checking on housing when he isn't working. Poor guy, he still has a long lasting viral infection that he's had about a month. Can you imagine - a sore throat for a month . . .horrible.
The current plan is to stay here till the end of the month, and then the boys and I will drive up the coast to my parents home for a little vacation, with stops in San Francisco and Oregon on the way. G should be in Calgary to welcome the moving truck and unpack, and then the boys and I will fly from Seattle to join him sometime in August.
Well - I'm trying to maintain, but this is tricky, planning an international move while still taking care of the kids and housekeeping. Any advice? We are kind of on a 23 day countdown here . . . .