Getting it together...

The last couple days have been working on the list of little things: going through bathroom products and making sure it as divided into send and toss (making sure nothing was flammable that was going); dividing clothes up and emptying out stashes of clothing here; putting computer paraphernalia together in a computer bag; picking my carry-ons vs checked bag and figuring out which stuff can be mailed later and which stuff I truly need quickly. I need to make a trip to storage this weekend and divide things up and organize a bit better so I can pull things out that I don't need.

Pack and Load is Wed, the 1st and I fly out next Sun am (bright and early).

Goodbye Dinner

Last night was the goodbye dinner courtesy of my 'old' job.  I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people there. It's cheesy but it gave me warm and fuzzies. It's amazing when you have a moment and realize how much affection there is in one place. I tried very hard to keep it together but when the time came to actually give hugs and walk away, the floodgates broke and the water fell... and fell... and fell. So much so that I got a cry-headache.

To those who were there: Thank you very much. It was great to see everyone again and say goodbye.

To those who weren't: I send you virtual hugs and thank you for all the time we spent together.

Yesterday was used as more of a mental health day. I didn't get all that much done towards the move, but I was able to get a couple little things done that are time consuming. This morning I'm making a list of all the things that I need to get done and when I'd like to get them done.  With the pack and load date being set (June 1st) I have a better deadline for some things than others. I s'pose it's time to get my nose to the grindstone.

Apparently Wild Turkeys Can Fly

We just drove between two hills in W Virginia and a wild turkey flew overhead. Not what I was expecting.
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2 weeks

2 weeks from today I get on a plane.

This weekend has been busy. Yesterday was a wedding for a cousin on Dad's side and today was an open-house at my maternal grandmother's house to say Hi and Bye with mom's side of the family. Needless to say, I'm a bit tired and we get in the car to drive back to VA.

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Rapture?

So I'll be spending today with some of my family (cousin's wedding, wonder if the date was an intentional selection) if in fact it is the end of the world. Enjoy your weekend all.

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West Virgina mountains

Endings & Beginnings

Endings: It honestly feels like I'm just on vacation right now. I kept trying to tell myself last night as I was leaving work that I no longer worked there and I'm pretty sure that it still hasn't hit, even with the tearful goodbyes and cleaning off/out my desk. My work mom almost couldn't look at me without crying. I meet up with some people next week for some final goodbyes so maybe I'm just not feeling that it's final yet.

Someone also pointed out over the last couple days that the office administrator wrote in his message to everyone that I was leavin for Alsaka instead of Alaska. It's become a new woed there. At least it makes me grin

Beginnings: There was a woman I posted aboit some time back. She was a former Bethelonion and related to a patient of mine. I had been planning on calling her to try and get together over the next two weeks and enjoy some of the stories, pictures and whatnot she has to share. Imagine to my surprise when she comes into my office yesterday to see me. I'm hoping to meet up with her soon.

And in other news. I'm travelling westward this weekend for a cousin's wedding and to see family before I go. Nothing Alaska related specifically but good to go none-the-less.

And I ordered my new cellphone/plan yesterday. I do have the new number so I'll be distributing that between now and when I leave. I won't be using it until the day I get there but it'll switch pretty abruptly. It is an Android so I'll be wired. And I found out Betbel has data coverage (wifi actually) so i'll truely be wired. YAY.

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JAX is leaving today

Goodbye JAX (my X-terra), See you in July

So this morning I get a call from the Auto Transport Company... I want my truck to be on the next barge to Bethel. That departure date is June 3rd and therefore needs to be in the Seattle port by May 30th. For the truck to get to Seattle by May 30th, it needs to be picked up tomorrow. OK, not a big deal... EXCEPT... My vehicle is currently in Richmond with my brother because we were going to take it with us to KY this weekend. SO... between my brother, my dad and myself, we're going to trade cars tonight (and also take a piece of furniture with the truck (if possible due to rain) and then tomorrow Dad gets 'Daddy of the Year' award because in the morning he'll be taking my mom's car to the dealership for some fluid checks etc. then he'll meet them to take JAX away in the PM.

::SIGH:: This is going to be a busy couple days.

Sly like a Fox

I feel like I'm in countdown mode. Everyday this week something has left the house to go to donation (Thank you Dad for supervising this and delivering as well). My time at work is also sneaking up on me. I feel like I'm playing hide and seek in a labyrinth were you've been told at some point the floor will fall out from under you, so be prepared. How can you prepare for something like that? I have 2 days of work left as of tonight and then a 4 day trip into KY then I have about a week and a half to come back and pack everything up and hide it away.

For the most part everything is practically done. It's just disconcerting living out of suitcases so I've really just been putting the final clean and put away tasks off so I don't feel like such a stranger in my skin. I have to finish packing up my closet with the things that aren't going. Ultimately, it'll probably only take a day of all-day work. I'm thinking most of it will happen on Tuesday.

The goodbyes over the next couple days are going to kill me. Granted I'll still be in communication via various internet sources, but I'll be somewhere else. I know I'm going to cry repeatedly.

3 weeks

4 more days of work and 3 weeks until I fly away. Time is shortening.

Reprieve

OK, so after all the prep for the yard-sale and then the yard-sale, I'll totally admit it. I needed a couple days off, so I actually took about a week off. I know, I know, I'm a lazy bum. Considering how much I've gotten done in the last month, I'm OK with that.

So getting back to the task at hand, a couple questions have come up from people and I want to make sure I didn't leave anything out.

First is that there was a question on my To-Do list item (To-Do list is on the sidebar to the right of the blog entries) relating to returning/cancelling my extended warranty for my car. My questioner asked why I'd want to do that. The answer is that I bought the car at CarMax. You have the option to purchase an extended warranty with them or only take the 90 day warranty they offer with all sales. I went ahead with the 60 months (5 yrs) or 60k miles coverage. Problem being, there's no CarMax in Alaska at all (not that it'd be super-convenient to barge the car out of town if I wanted to get it fixed. I'd read in the Max-Care (warranty program's) brochure that it was transferable and when i called to ask about it they said I could cancel it altogether and get a refund or transfer it to the new owner. So, I'll be cancelling the remainder during that time before I leave.

Second question was if i should keep my auto insurance until I get to AK or do I have to buy separate insurance for the trip. Answer - I will be keeping my current insurance until I get up there and switch everything over. I'll have to change DMV info as well, but I don't want to do that before I have a permanent (semi-permanent) address. 

The next question was a general "what the heck are you going to do now?" that  has come from my Kentucky crew (I know a lot of people in and around KY that are/will be reading the blog updates). Answer to this one is that we're currently finding homes for what was leftover from the yard-sale. Monday and Wednesday are pick-ups for the stuff that didn't make it out to play-it-again sports or the pile that'll go to the SPCA. Luckily someone will be coming to pick things up (but that means I have to inventory it).

I'll be teasing out some of the things I was going to take as well. I got the estimate back from the moving company and it's estimated that I'm over the allotment given to me by the hospital but at the same time, we think they've overestimated the total lbs. (They estimated I had ~2000 lbs of household goods). So I'm planning on teasing through the books/notebooks that I'd planned on bringing and make sure I really need it or set things up to go USPS in some flat rate boxes (USPS Flat-Rate pkg info).

This week is also a week to meet up with some people and say my goodbyes. I've already had a couple and they're not going to get easier but I don't want to leave without proper hugs and even tears. The two people I've already said my farewells to were done with heavy hearts. I'm hoping to get a few smaller things off the To-Do list this week.

Also, one of my KY crew has been very good about sending me thoughts on things to do or to think about while she reads everything. She's been very good about letting me know when I've glossed over things for everyone and what might not make sense. Considering how many variables my brain is juggling is quite welcome.

Alright, on to work and a bit of relaxation.

4 weeks

As of yesterday, I'll be here for 4 more weeks before I take off.

This coming weekend is Greek Fest here and the weekend after that my family travels to KY for my cousin's wedding, where I'll also be able to see a bunch of people on both sides of the family before I leave. It'll be a fast couple weeks.

I also confirmed my flight today. It'll be about 18 hrs of travel and 4 flights with 3 layovers (first 3 will at least be on the same carrier) but I'll get there and I'll start to settle in.

Oh, and this morning was the moving company survey. So I should get that estimate by the end of the week and hopefully be able to work on scheduling a departure date. Things are slowly rolling to a stopping point. I'm hoping I get to the point where I'll have a couple weeks (at least a week) of relaxation before I jump on that jet plane. This journey is almost like running that half-marathon I tried doing a while back. There are moments of 'balls-to-the-wall' and moments of 'slow down and grab some water, you idiot' and then there's the excitement and the anxiousness of 'am I really freaking doing this??? holy crap'. But there are little mile markers along the way and spectators cheering you on. But just like when I 'ran' the race, it's still a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and pushing forward.

Until tomorrow...

It's done

Yes, you read that correctly. The yard sale is over. It was a long and exhausting day for the family but in the end most of the furniture went and about half of the small stuff went. It's all gone. The basement is in much better shape than it was and now we just have to donate the leftovers to the appropriate places. ::sigh::

... so now what do I do?

YARD SALE!!!

I am up today at the butt-crack of dawn- and earlier than I would normally be awake for work- for this YARD SALE!

Honestly, I'm most worried about people just not showing up. We're far enough back off the main drag that we won't get walk-in traffic and you're not allowed to post signs in my city (completely lame rule).  So I've posted Ads in newspaper and on craigslist and announced it on a local radio program that has a program called "Buy, Sell and Trade"... and I'm crossin my fingers for the best.

Wish me luck... or come by to check out the merchandise.

Beginnings of Goodbyes

We realized today that today was one of the last days I'd see one of our docs. After a HUGE hug, it started to hit me that I'm really leaving. I may come back to the lower 48 in a few years or maybe not. Either way, I don't know that I'll be coming back to Norfolk other than for visits.

:*(

Chair... Before & After

Chair, before. Just not my style.

Chair and Ottoman after. YAY!

Ottoman before. Icky Chevron pattern in a yarn-like fabric

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!

Today is exactly one month before I hop on a plane and set a course for Alaska. It's coming up fast and I really almost just can't believe it.

Chair and Ottoman have been picked up (Thanks to Dad), and I'll post pics sometime tonight between runs with the last bit of furniture. It's really hard to believe the yard-sale's in 2 days. It's going to be an interesting few days. Cross your fingers for me people. I'm hoping to get rid of everything so come, and bring friends. Reasonable offers will not be turned down.

K, gonna go rest my wired brain so I can be ready for tonight's insanity.

Chair!!!

My chair and ottoman are done!!! Not sure yet if it'll be picked up tomorrow or Friday but Dad's probably  going to go over and pick it up for me. I'll post the before/after pics once I get them back here.

Also, a good family friend is going to help me out with the use of his truck to move some stuff. There should be very little to bring back over for the yard sale but my brothers still have a couple things in the storage unit and I'm meeting with the moving company Monday morning.

Got through a bunch of clothes/shoes to get things pkged up to be sent over to storage for trip to AK.

And I still need to price things, Ugg... I'll be quite glad when the sale is over and things are gone.

Health Insurance

Another one of the many things on the take-care-of list.

My work-mom (different from a biological mom) and I somehow got on the topic today of  my insurance and trying to make sure it doesn't lapse between jobs. So after a bit of forwarding questions to the right people I found this...

My current health insurance will go until the end of this month (since this is the month I'll be leaving work). After that, I have 60 days to begin COBRA benefits if I want them and I can use them for up to 18months. Now, me new place of employment is supposed to begin coverage on the first day of the month after my start date. Since my start-date is June 8th my new coverage should start July 1.

If all goes well, I shouldn't have to begin COBRA benefits. I should hopefully only have 1 month of no official coverage where I'll keep my old insurance cards and COBRA benefits if I need them.

Also in today's news... dad was super-awesome and made a run to my storage unit today to deposit some things and also to bring back some smaller furniture. There aren't many pieces now that need to come back here. I was able to go through my old jewelry box (that is going in the sale) and found a bunch of old "costume" jewelry and watches to go into the sale. Alright, time for these weary eyes to drift into dream-land. I didn't get a good night's sleep last night.

5 Weeks... (left in Norfolk)

5 weeks left in Norfolk and 3 left at my current job. It's definitely going fast as we knew it would.

Today's been:

• Going through DVD's and CD's making sure CD's are ripped in iTunes and making sure the DVD's get converted over into big wallets for ease of transport etc.
• Doing laundry and trying to separate clothes into keep with me vs sell vs send with storage
• Laundering towels and blankets that will need to be sent in the stuff to move.
• Going through as many nooks and crannies as possible to go through things for sell vs send to AK.
• Washed Kitchen stuff that needed washing and went through spices to take inventory and make a list.

 I'm trying very very hard to get through as much as possible before Sat to sell as much as physically possible and also get everything over to storage that's going to be going with me. I know I'll miss things but I want to get as much as possible settled. I'm alsmost down to my maybe pile.

In the next couple days I'm going to have to pull out the luggage I'm going to take and start packing what's going with me to make sure it's ready.

Also starting a list of things to do in my last 2 weeks when I'll have all day everyday. I'm surprised I haven't truly screwed anything up yet. sigh, one foot in front of the other.