WordPress allows only a certain amount of storage space for each blog. After blogging and posting pictures for 5 years I have filled up my allotted space.
Please continue to follow my journey at my new blog:
http://fromhellotobonjour.wordpress.com
Thank you for following Swimming4fun.
Those are a few of the “F” words utilized in the past 35 days. We survived two sets of movers and packers, which included one fully unprepared set of folks who were not equipped to properly transport two motorcycles. We took a car to the company moving it to France, while feeling very apprehensive because they couldn’t tell us where the car was going and when it would arrive. We managed to squeeze in several (but not enough) last minute gatherings with friends in the northern Virginia area. We loaded, unloaded, rearranged, and reloaded plants, luggage, and gifts into the truck (TOO much stuff, not enough room!!). We spent a week in Indiana assisting with home renovations, eating way too much food (this seemed to be a common theme on the entire trip), feeling a baby bump as much as the expectant mother would let me within committing me to an insane asylum, and getting in a little sightseeing.
We were then off to the sunny state of California. We spent time in Carmel, Big Sur, Monterey, American Canyon, Upper Lake, Folsom, Red Bluff, Chico, and Weaverville. We made stops at Mission San Carlos Borroméo del río Carmelo, Cannery Row, Carmel-by-the-Sea, visiting a friend I have known since I was 12, a family reunion after a 10 year absence from these wonderful events, Folsom Powerhouse, Folsom Prison (just as guests, not as residents), Whiskeytown Lake, and Bidwell Mansion. Cousins fed us well and spoiled us. Cousins made us laugh until we cried. Cousins filled our bellies with awesome food and wine. Some kept us up late, others woke us up early. We tolerated temperatures from the 50’s up to the triple digits. And for the second time in five years, we celebrated the 4th of July with family just before departing off on a new adventure.
Carmel Mission
Folsom Prison
Red Bluff
Independence Day
Tomorrow is a new day, and with it brings the first step of our new journey. I think back to our time on Maui and hope that we can take our experience from that time and use it as we learn a new culture and a new language in France.
This isn’t “au revoir”. It is just jusqu’à ce que nous nous reverrons…until we meet again.
This is how we have been living since Wednesday night.
“bedroom” otherwise known as the dining area
living room…like those fancy patio chairs?
dining area
Thankfully our camping gear is still in the garage so I have some pans to cook with. The second set of movers arrive Monday to pack up and take away everything else still in the house/yard and we will move into temporary housing for the remainder of the week. The life of an Air Force wife…always and adventure!!
It’s that time again. Movers, packers, forwarding mail, turning off the utilities, saying goodbye (through tears) to friends. This move is similar to our move to Maui in that we have one set of packers and movers for everything going overseas and another set will be here next week for everything going into non-temporary storage. Why non-temporary storage? First off, we don’t know how big our apartment will be, so we are taking the minimum amount of furniture. That also leaves us space in case we want to purchase any European furniture to bring back. We also have furniture passed down through the family that we don’t want to see get damaged and the longer the move the greater the chance for damage. Second, we won’t have a garage. If you have ever set foot in our garage, you know how much stuff we keep in the garage. We also have tubs of keepsakes items (baby clothes, baby blankets, ribbons and medals from a swimmers career) and a whole lot of other things that we never open but won’t get rid of and there is no reason to drag them across the ocean just to take up space. Thus, two sets of packers and two sets of movers to load it all up and take it to wherever its destination is.
This is what the house looks like today after yesterdays packers.
The couch will get wrapped and loaded up today. Anything not wrapped in brown paper or not in a box goes into non-temporary storage.
Table and chairs are going too. TV, buffet and some wall decorations are not.
Antique dresser–staying in America. Bicycles–going to Europe. Yes, those wrapped packages do say “bath tissue”.
We received a 12 page document telling us all about moving to France–car insurance, home telephones, cell telephones, shopping, apartments, parking spaces, medical and dental care, and a variety of other things. One line item indicated that the bath tissue in France leaves a little to be desired so if we had room in our household goods, bring our own. Bring our own we are doing. I also stocked up on some things that might be expensive, things we might not be able to find, or things that we like certain brands–razor refills, toothpaste, soap, baking items, food items, zip-lock baggies of all sizes, and feminine products. We will be 2.5 hours from the nearest military shopping facilities, and those may be minimal at best. The next closest will be 4 hours away.
If you come to visit us, rest assured our bath tissue will be of the highest quality. It will also be stacked and used as night stands and footboards on either side of our spare bed!!
someplace in Delaware
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
Taken with my pocket camera on full zoom at the Nationals vs Dodgers baseball game
from the neighbor’s yard
snippets and shots 