we went on our new routine walk this morning. Suddenly I was sweating, dizzy, and needed a bathroom fast. We got a Grab and got back to our Airbnb fast. After some time in the bathroom, drinking some cold water and resting in front of a fan, I was fine. I was amazed by how many people stopped, wanting to help.
Later we went to “the big mall” to try to get some 🙂Skechers Step-Ins for each of us. They have good cushioning and good tread for our walks. They will also be easy to take off and put on again when we leave them outside or just inside the door of a private home.
We went to sign the contract at what will be our condo in about 3 weeks yesterday. I took several pics. I also finally managed to display a pic while trying to do the blog with one finger on my phone!
There are lots and lots of things we need to learn here. It is delightful and exhausting at the same time.
One thing is remembering to take our shoes off before entering a private residence. Mostly we either remember or our son reminds us. My husband came up with a good idea for us. – we are going to try to find Sketchers Step In shoes for both of us. These are the ones you don’t have to touch to get them on or off, and don’t have to bend over. Then the biggest thing will have to do is REMEMBER!
All is good here, except we tire in record time and need lots of rest. Today we went to a used book store store. We went to the mall to open bank accounts, but found the bank wanted us to have permanent visas before they would open an account. The visa people had told our son we needed a bank account in order get the permanent visas. He is going to try to figure out how to get around the problem. Meanwhile, he meets with the realtor for our condo at 3. He will come get me so I can see what will be our place in 3 weeks! YIPPEE!!!😄
I am going to rest a bit before that. We just enjoyed homemade chili with cheese and sour cream from our son’s friend’s wife😋
Feeling lucky to be alive, with our son, and starting a new life in Thailand
We got our phones fixed today at the “small mall”. Which was humongous. We took a Grab (equivalent to Uber) and my son had figured out where the store was to try to make it easy on us. It is like a small, glittering very expensive city. We had to show our passports, sit for pics, etc. We signed up for a data plan paying ahead, kind of like a debit card. I now have an account app on my phone. They will let me know when my balance is low so I can transfer funds to “top it off” when needed.
The best part is that the basic payment per month will be around 250 baht or $18/month. (We have been paying $159.00 a month on our account.
We are pretty trashed, so we are going to rest now and then have dinner at our son’s place tonigh
After 48 hours of travel time door to door, we are safely in the AirBnB in the same building as our son. We feel lucky we missed the earthquake in Bangkok by mere minutes. Our son did a masterful job of making the trip as easy as possible, but my husband needed a wheelchair to get to the last two flights. He chose wrong on travel shoes, and they gave him problems several times, including one fall on an escalator
Business Class is beautiful, and I could get used to the luxury very fast😛
we basically slept from the time we got here at 4 until about 5 this morning. It is Saturday, March 29th, at 6:46am here.
Our son went back out for supplies. My husband crashed and I talked with our son awhile. We will go out later, if my husband is up to it, to get something done to our phones. It will take some walking, but Brian says the mall has a bunch of places we can sit and rest.
We are in the indescribable airport of Doha, Qatar, waiting to board the next flight to Bangkok. I have decided I could easily get used to business class. We are still functioning after a 14 hour flight. Good food, bathroom close by, and stretching out with a pillow and great blanket are amazing. From Doha to Bangkok is another 6 hours, but I think we have business class on that, too 😁
Today will be a whirlwind of activity. We are trying to find a book on the Marines my husband wants to take. We hunted for it yesterday. I scoured the living room this morning about 2:30 when I couldn’t sleep. I will do the same with our office and our bedroom, but hope of finding it is dimming.
I am almost completely packed. I will add last minute things and then will check it for weight.
My husband has piled some things on top of his suitcase . Our son and I will work with him to get him packed.
When he gets up, I will shower and dress for the trip. I will strip our bed and put the Sleep Number purchase information in the middle.
Tim and Lisa will come after lunch to get the TV they bought from us.
I’ll try to take you with us as we go to our new life in Thailand.
We leave tomorrow (Wednesday) from Ft. Smith, AR. We do the quick up and down flight to Dallas/Ft. Worth. We have a 3 hour layover at DFW.
We then board for our longest flight (14 hours) from DFW to Doha, Qatar. We will be in the lap of luxury on this flight, flying Business Class, for the first and last time in our lives. The seats are arranged kind of in 4 seat ‘cubes.’ Our son will be in one facing us and we’ll be side by side across from him. Can you believe that we can actually be comfortable sleeping? Our son is encouraging us to stay hydrated, plus get up at regular intervals to go to the bathroom and stretch our legs all during this time. He has requested diabetic food menus for us, but we’ll watch what my husband orders like hawks, too, just in case.
There is a layover when we arrive in Doha. Then we board a 6-hour flight to Bangkok, Thailand. This is also Business Class. Woo-HOO!
The change from Bangkok, where we go through customs again and the flight we catch to Chiang Mai, our destination, is a short time one. Our son found a service that will meet our flight, get us on an underground train, get us through customs, recheck our bags, and get us to the gate for the flight to Chiang Mai. That was a big concern, since we are old and slow and the window to the last flight was narrow.
We will arrive in Chiang Mai in the afternoon their time on Friday, March 28th. (They are 12 hours ahead of us in the U.S. )
Our son will make one more backup of our data on our computers here, probably tomorrow morning, so I will only do a short blog post then. At that point, I will only be able to post (I hope) from my phone until he gets my computer set up in the AirBnB we’ll stay in for about 3 weeks until paperwork is signed and we can move into our new home.
I will TRY to figure out a way to send pics. I will be taking pics via my phone, but may have to wait to share those with you on the new computer.
I wanted to give you at least a virtual ride-along, though, and will communicate as best I can in the interim.
It’s hard to believe that tomorrow we’ll be on our way to a new life.
We are happy that Amber’s new parents, Tim and Lisa, will come this afternoon for a visit. I’m sad that they live down the road from here and we just met them. They are a wonderful family, surrounding Amber with attention, good care, and lots of love. It will be nice to relax and get to know them better this afternoon. We have promised each other to text and email each other so we can keep up the new friendship (and kind of extended family).
My husband has a last haircut this morning. Michael Remillard of Tangles has taken care of us for years. We may find someone else who will do a decent job on our hair, but we’ve shared a friendship with Michael, and that is not replaceable.
Lots of details left, but we’re closing in on being able to leave tomorrow.
My husband is doing really well with the strict low carb. (Though he had started to eat some pretzels yesterday when I saw him. I snatched the bag out of his hand, admonished him, and threw that and another bag that had been in the pantry a long time into the trash. We then made a low carb snack for him. (He realized that he had just ‘thought’ about eating something, wasn’t really hungry, and felt guilty.) We took a walk around the house and out to the shop. Later on, HE announced he was taking a walk. I ‘graciously’ accompanied him. :0) We went around the house again and out to the shop, and then a bit farther, out to the old garden area. We’ll try to do that again today.
We’re finishing last-minute details. The three of us will work together to get my husband packed, organized about what he’ll wear on the trip, and our backpacks carefully packed tomorrow.
This photo looks much like us yesterday. It started about 9:30 yesterday morning and continued until dinner time last night.
A bit of buying, selling, and giving away, freezer diving, and then just relaxing and visiting with lots of friends. Tears, memories, sharing, hugs, laughter – we had it all with people who have meant the world to us.
The part I clung to was that we can still communicate with text and email, plus the blog when I can get it going full speed again.
I have now shut down my Etsy site. Some sad thoughts, but mainly memories of people I’ve met, the joy of a sale, spending time in my art room, head brimming with ideas I wanted to try, and doing the work to list something on the site.
I look forward to finding out what kind of art people are doing in Thailand. I hope to find a group creating things that will allow me to watch and learn. Hopefully, I will be accepted into a group and make some new friends while maybe starting a new creative outlet for myself.
After a trip to the bank this morning, I’ll go visit another long time friend. We may have some more sales today.
There was one part of our trip that was bothering our son – the change of planes in Bangkok, bound for Chiang Mai. The time is really short. Our son would have simply RUN from one gate to the other if he were by himself. He found a service that will meet our flight in Bangkok, help us through what we have to do there, and carry us to the next gate. We are all relieved.
Leaving Wednesday evening seems a little bit surreal, still, but plans are solidifying by the hour at this point. I will try to at least leave a blurb via my phone starting on Wednesday morning, so you can travel with us, and will get back to full mode as soon as soon as we can arrange it.
Last call for getting things from my Etsy shop. I will close it down tomorrow night, Monday, March 24th. Please order whatever you would like tonight and early tomorrow so we can get orders in the mail Tuesday.
It makes me sad to shut it down, but it just isn’t workable now. It’s the end of an era for me, but I’m looking forward to learning what people are doing in Thailand. I’m looking forward to learning new forms of art, new media, new techniques, as well as hopefully making some new friends. :0)
I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point. There are so many details left to handle, plus I want to visit my friends, get packed, etc.
Today will be a bit like Grand Central Station – though in a good way –
Our friends who adopted Amber will be here to get the drafting table in the art room. Lisa wants to choose more art supplies, and they may decide to get the roll top desk. We’re not sure when they are coming. They’ll text us. My friend Carla, who is helping to rehome Jet, may or may not be with them.
Our long time friends Dave and Laufrain said they wanted to come over for a last visit. They will text when they are on their way.
The daughter of one of the Lunch Bunch originals, who is now a good friend, too, is coming to visit around 1:30.
Re the flights – we are leaving Wednesday evening. Our son has put together the most comfortable combination of flights for us. He spent a long time researching what was available. We only want to change planes in safe places. He is arranging that we are as comfortable as possible on each of the four flights. First flight is short – Ft. Smith to DFW. There we go through security and there is a 4 hour layover. The second flight is 14 hours, but we are going Business Class, which I have never even THOUGHT about using, where we can sleep (with a pillow and blanket and reclining seats or ones that may even lie flat.) Not to mention the food and the fact that you get earphones so you can watch a movie or listen to music (which I plan to do.) The third is Doha, Quatar to Bangkok, about 6 hours, also Business Class ( :0) ), and the 4th is Bangkok to Chiang Mai, another shorter flight. 32 hours in all, but arranged to be as comfortable as our son could arrange, with the shortest layover times. Also, we’ll be leaving in the evening from here, and arriving in the afternoon there, also very good.
When I was cleaning out the roll top desk, I FOUND the Medtronic Pacemaker ID Card I need for the flights. I didn’t remember seeing it before, but my brain hasn’t been working at its best lately. So now I don’t have to worry about the one I ordered online getting here soon enough. The medical alert bracelet is supposed to get here tomorrow. It’s not needed as badly, but I’ll be glad to have it.
So people may be coming at different times – or all at the same time in a pile. We’ll be glad to see each and every one of them, and will do the best we can to direct traffic, conduct needed business, and get and give hugs.
Last night I cleaned out my roll top desk. I’ve had it for 1000 years more or less, and have used it for over 37 years here at this house. To say it was more than full of ‘stuff’ is the understatement of the century.
I sorted out the things that might sell in the auction, and got a big leaf bag. Then I got another one, and a third. I filled all three of them with a gazillion pens, markers, colored pencils, do-dads, papers, and more. I finally finished, after spending a couple of hours. Today I oiled the runners for the roll top, and cleaned everything, because the people coming today may decide they want it.
My biggest chore of the day was playing, “Find the…” a never-ending game around here. I told you recently that it seemed like everything was falling apart around here and we had no choice but to buy new. We ended up ordering a new bed and a new refrigerator. Then “I” fell apart, and we’ve hardly used either of our new things.
We would like to get what we paid for through the auction, if possible. I finally found the paperwork and sales receipt showing that the bed is less than a month old. We will leave that in the middle of the stripped bed when we leave. Even harder to find was the sales receipt for the fridge, but I finally came up with it. My husband had started a new refrigerator folder and then put the folder in the wrong place. I now have the sales receipt on the front of the fridge held on by magnets.
One of our neighbors is here now putting a huge CNC set up from the shop on a trailer. His daughter, who is very accomplished and just landed a cushy promotion, is into welding, art work and more, and so was interested in lots of stuff in the shop. We are waiting for them to take pics of some more stuff she would like so our son can try to find a reasonable price for them.
They will be back later this evening to look at more art stuff for Lisa, and pack up my drafting table. They also may be interested in the roll top desk…
To say things are busy is a vast understatement. They are ‘good busy,’ though, with satisfaction that our stuff is going to people who can really use and enjoy it.
It looks like our leaving is becoming imminent. More on that as I know the details.
Our son is working on choosing the best route with the best flight times for our tickets now. We have our passports. It’s real. I’m not sure which is our flight day yet, but it’s imminent. I know we will be here through the 25th, but that’s as much as I know.
The shut-down date for my Etsy site is March 25th, next Tuesday. This is the last call if you would like to order anything before it’s gone.
We have people coming to get things they have bought today, also, in some cases, to choose more. It’s a joy to see people getting things they really like, though it’s pretty exhausting at the same time.
Our son studied my husband’s last blood work and determined the low carb diet we have been eating was good, but that my husband continued to sabotage his health by defiantly continuing to eat carbs in addition during the day. Since we both got the flu, it has sabotaged his efforts so much he has made himself ill and is having trouble gaining strength. Our son got him to promise to give a strict low carb diet, with NO cheating, a try until we leave so we can have some assurance we can make it through the flights without incident. It’s one thing to maybe require a wheelchair. It’s another if you’re throwing up and delirious. My husband made the promise. Yesterday he felt more alert and energetic than he has felt since he got the flu. We all talked about it and we are all encouraged.
Each day we’re tying up more loose ends. Soon we will be on our way to start a brand new life!
WE GOT OUR PASSPORTS! This is all becoming very real now. Our new lives are about to start! :0)
Our son is figuring out logistics and order of last-minute stuff. I’m trying to stay out of his hair as much as possible to give him a chance to think as he works his way through it all.
We had bought some new jeans for my husband a week ago. Yesterday the suspender buttons he ordered arrived. We tackled putting the buttons on the jeans today. We got it done, but needed two kinds of pliers to handle the fact that one set of new suspenders had leather, extremely stiff ends and it was super hard to get the buttons to go through the holes. I’m sporting a band-aid where I stuck a screwdriver into one of my fingers, but we prevailed.
Our son and I will probably tackle his packing in a day or two. He is showing no particular interested in the process. He’s been having a few tough days recovery-wise, so I really can’t blame him, but it seems a bit weird to choose tees, what he’ll wear on the plane, what to put in his backpack, etc., for him. We’ll manage. If we forget something, our son says we can get it in Thailand.
Carla, Tim, and Lisa are coming at some point today to continue finding things they would like to buy. Its a joy working with them. I’m sorry we didn’t meet Tim and Lisa sooner. Carla said Jet is doing fine. She is keeping her and will rehome her when she finds a good home. Meanwhile, she has a cat and several dogs, so things might get interesting, particularly with the other cat. I hope they can agree in cat terms to give each other space, rather than duke it out.
I found some more photos in my art room, so I’ve removed them from the frames and am taking them with us.
I paid bills this morning and added what I could to my computer spreadsheets on tax deductions, keeping it all up to date. All will change after the move, so it’ll be interesting to change to paperless, long distance paying of bills, going through things that need to be canceled once we get there, and more.
I got socked with a pretty large bill from my medical ordeal today. The last time I was faced with something my insurance wouldn’t cover, I discovered that the nurses on the other end of our medical portal would have acted as advocates and might have been able to do some good. This time I wrote, telling them the charge, recapping what happened briefly, and asking for their help. Fingers crossed that they can at least bring the bill down some, since I didn’t plan for my heart to stop or need a pacemaker.
Yesterday was busy, exhausting, and very good. Amber’s adoptive parents were here, plus my good friend, Carla, buying more stuff. They came twice. They’ll be back again today. It really makes me happy that they are finding things they can use and take joy in.
Carla took Jet (aka Monster Cat) and all her stuff yesterday. That was the first time we had no pets in over 40 years. Even though it seemed really empty, I was so happy and relieved that the animals will be well cared for. This morning I ordered a women’s medical alert bracelet that says, “Pacemaker” that will be delivered on the 25th – HOPEFULLY in time for me to wear it on the trip.
Conde’ Nast Traveler
We are due to get our passports today! Then the real count down begins on getting ready for our trip. Our son will start work on routing our trip and getting tickets. Before, it was still abstract that we’ll be leaving, even though we’re giving away and selling lots of stuff and I’m preparing to shut down my Etsy site. Once the passports arrive and our son lets us know the date we’re leaving, it will all be REAL.
I found a phone app on speaking Thai. I really want to be able to be polite and respectful and try my best on pronunciation. I know our son will help us, but he picks up new languages pretty easily. (He speaks English, Mandarin and Thai). We will need lots of practice and guidance before the new words sink in.
pinkpolkadotcreations.com
HAPPY SPRING!!! I forgot it was the first day of Spring yesterday and so didn’t wish you a happy one. So sorry. Thailand essentially has several different summers each year – including wet summer, dry summer, smoky summer, and so it will be an adjustment to not celebrate spring and fall. I have to admit I won’t miss winter, but will take time to look at beautiful pictures of it each year. :0)
I have my blog on my phone now, though I’m still using my computer here. I found out I can write you a note, but I haven’t figured out how to add any images yet, so I may not be able to do that. I CAN read comments and reply, so I’ll try to send you messages on what is happening until our son has the time to get computers going for us. I hope you will bear with us.
We will have a super busy day today with our friends coming to buy more stuff, deliveries, etc. An amazing time for us, for sure.
I hope that your Friday is a wonderful one, with a great weekend to follow.
We are supposed to get our passports tomorrow. Then our son will work on getting tickets for the best route he can find for getting us to our destination.
The oxygen company people are supposed to be here today to pick up their equipment.
We have the people who adopted Amber, plus our friend, Carla, who will take Jet, coming this afternoon to buy stuff.
We are trying to get my husband to stick to ONLY eating low carb today and walking with me around the house at least a couple of times, trying to build him up for the trip.
One of my friends brought up an issue I hadn’t thought about – flying with my pacemaker. I researched it, and – though there is no ‘airplane mode’ to switch to, as I do on my phone – I shouldn’t cause any problem for the plane. :0) There also shouldn’t be any problem for ME. I WILL need to alert the TSA that I have a pacemaker when I go through security as I will probably set off their detectors. I don’t have a ‘Pacemaker ID card.’ There was information on creating one online. We are working to request one.
I will probably close down my Etsy site mid next week. So please get whatever you would like very soon.
Yesterday was emotional, exhausting, and wonderful.
First off, we found a home for Amber! The family is right down our road, a neighbor across the street from our good friend, Carla. Amber won the lottery on this, having a new family with kids who will shower her with love and attention, two ‘parents’ who are truly wonderful people, and even another dog to play with, a yard, etc. The dogs are already getting along! I cannot express how relieved and happy I am with this, even as I deal with pangs of ‘no-dog-staring-at-us-waiting-to-lick-our-plates’ and no dog to let out and feed this morning. This was a match sent from Heaven.
My friend Carla will take Jet (aka Monster Cat) to care for while she looks to rehome her for us. Carla is a true animal lover and will make sure Jet finds a really good family who will cherish her.
Having the pets cared for was my first concern when we decided to make the move. I was devastated when it turned out that my ‘agreement’ with our vet turned out to only be displaying their pics on their website. I wrote to him, asking him to reconsider, and still haven’t had a reply from him. This all turned out for the best yesterday.
After meeting Lisa, the woman who is part of Amber’s new family, she, Carla and I ended up in my art room. Lisa is an artist, and she showed a whole lot of interest in my supplies. She will text me when she is ready, letting me know the first of I hope will be several areas of interest and we will work something out on pricing. I’m delighted that many of the things I have gathered up there will go to someone who appreciates them and will use them happily.
Carla will also text me about things she would like from the art room and the shop. I was truly surprised when one of the things she wanted was the big slab of wood I have been using on my drafting table under my wood burning. She really likes my experiments and scratches! (This, of course, will be a ‘weird gift.’) :0)
Reminder that myEtsy site will be shut down very soon. Now is the time to order whatever you would like while we still have time to pack it and ship it to you. Depending on how things are moving here, I will shut it down at the end of next week for sure.
I got a notice that we might get my passport as early as this Friday! They will send supporting documents in another mailing. I’m assuming this time frame will be the same for my husband, since the applications went in together in the same envelope.
I’m trying to get my husband to walk around the outside of our house, hopefully building up to several times a day, so we’ll be strong enough to manage the airports on our trip. He says he will cooperate, and fingers are crossed that he keeps that promise.
I hope that you are doing well where you are, and enjoying pleasant, happy – if not ‘stellar’ days.
Murray and JohnMy Harvey and BrianMe hugging Murray
We had a wonderful lunch Sunday. There is never enough time with those you love, but we’re trying to see and hug as many as possible before we leave.
No news yet on rehoming our dog, Amber, and our cat, Jet (aka Monster Cat), but our son is talking to a lady who runs a grooming and boarding business in Greenwood who might be willing to work with us. A friend of mine has some neighbors who might be willing to give Jet a home. Fingers crossed.
The best news – this morning we found out we GOT the condo in Thailand in the same building as our son! Not sure of ANY of the details yet, but I’m having trouble trying to type this as I want to get up and dance. This will be perfect for us!!!!!
I’m headed to my primary doctor this morning for a last appointment after all my drama of the past month. I’m hoping she can look at my ears and figure out what to do about my continuing problem with hearing since all this started. I’ll also have to tell her we’re leaving the country, thanking her profusely for all the good care she has given my husband and me.
Things are definitely coming together now. I’m essentially packed now, just needing to throw a couple of things in my suitcase and backpack. I’ll start helping my husband with his stuff this afternoon, if he’s cooperative.
I will be shutting down my Etsy site very soon. If you would like to look through and see if anything grabs your eye or meets your needs, please do it very soon. HandmadeHavenbyLinda on Etsy.
Wooden painted earrings – stud or post, dangle, clip-ons.
My husband wasn’t feeling well yesterday, so we’re up early so we can get to our clinic when the doors first open so we can see someone even though we don’t have an appointment. I hope they can help him feel better.
Our visit with Murray and John yesterday couldn’t have gone better. We had lots of laughs, good conversation, good food, and lots of hugs. In the parking lot after, I gave them the gifts I brought, and they seemed to be pleased. We will still be able to communicate after the move, so that was comforting all of us.
Today I’ll call and arrange for the company to pick up the oxygen and supplies. I haven’t had to use it for over two weeks now, so feel confident I can put that need behind me.
I’m also hopeful I will hear from the vet today or tomorrow. I really hope that he reconsiders and can take our pets. We’re working on other things outside of that, too. I will be anxious until we figure out something for them.
Enjoy your celebration of St. Patrick’s Day today.
“For each petal on the shamrock This brings a wish your way – Good health, good luck, and happiness For today and every day.“ ~Author Unknown
We are meeting people who mean the world to us for lunch today. Technically, I guess, Murray is our cousin-in-law, but she is a mentor, friend, and “treasured person,” and she is coming with her smart, talented, kind son John, who we have seen from time to time over the years.
To give you a small idea of why Murray is so special – she had cancer and had to spend time in the hospital receiving chemo as part of her treatment. She got up and rolled her ‘tree’ with her chemo bag down the area, decorating it to look like a Christmas tree, visiting with the others receiving treatment, cheering them up. I’ve never known a kinder, more giving person.
They used to live in Thibodaux, Louisiana, but now live in Fayetteville, Arkansas. They are driving down to Greenwood to meet us at our favorite restaurant this morning.
Murray pointed out that the last time she saw our son, he was eight. He is now 46. :0) I’m trying to remember to take some pics of the group today, so I can share them with my SIL, MaryLou, later today.
This will be – again – a bittersweet event. We have never been able to arrange all the meetings we would have loved to have had over the years. Life gets in the way. We’ve managed to keep our bond strong with letters, phone calls, and messages, and we can continue the emails and phone messages after the move. We just won’t be able to SEE each other and hug their necks after today.
I’m so grateful that they could make the time to drive down here today. We’ll make it a lunch to remember. I have some stuff to give them before they leave. I won’t list details here because Murray reads my blog. :0)
I hope that you make as much time as possible to see the people you love. People are what makes life so rich. The love fills you up and simply spills out. We are lucky to have wonderful relatives and friends.
It’s been really busy around here. There are SO many details to handle. We are definitely making progress. A suitcase was delivered this morning. We’re going to basically pack my husband’s things in it today to see if the 2nd suitcase we’re ordering should be the same size or maybe a little bit larger. We have the backpacks our son ordered, so we can decide what needs to go in each, like a change of clothes, freshening up supplies, kleenex, tablets and charger cords, etc.
One really worrisome and upsetting thing happened yesterday. I called the vet to make sure all was good about our calling when we were ready to bring our animals and their supplies to the vet clinic, and be sure that people could help us get everything in from the truck. The rug was yanked out from under me.
The receptionist told me they weren’t set up to take our animals. They were happy to help us try to rehome them by putting their pics up on their website and would call us if there was interest, but that was it. I guess I don’t speak English anymore, because I was devastated.
We now have a post in the rehoming – Greenwood section of Facebook, but we haven’t gotten any responses. I’ve texted all of our friends to see if anyone knows anybody who wants a dog or cat and their supplies. We’ll keep adding other options as we think of them. This is a major concern for us. We haven’t told my husband, figuring he doesn’t need the stress, but we won’t be able to keep the secret for long.
Meanwhile, I’ll try to put this out of my mind as we work on getting my husband basically packed for the move.
Our son and I will go to our local bank today to deposit funds and move them around. We have done reasonably well on selling things in the past few days. We will continue to do that as we can before we leave.
I did get confirmation that people in Philadelphia received our passport applications and payments, so things are in the works. Basically, we can pack and buy tickets when we get them, leaving all remaining here for the auctioneer.
Today I’m hoping to see two friends. One is Linda, my dear friend who now lives in a retirement place locally. I usually see her when I get my luscious monthly massages, but since I got sick, I’ve changed so much my visit to her got lost due to my inability to handle things, drive, etc. I hope to be able to see her today. I have a really snugly throw I want to give her and hug her neck.
I want to take some really good canned meats I found recently, plus a quilt to my friend Nora and visit with her, as well. She has been a friend for years and years, and I would like to spend some time with her today.
I’ll make another pass at deciding what will be packed. I still haven’t decided what I’ll wear for the trip. Our son said to be sure to wear layers, since some places we’ll have layovers may be cold. I’ll figure out what to wear, what to take for a change of clothes in my backback for sure today. Then I’ll start trying on clothes to make SURE all is good – and organized – so it’ll be easy for our son to see if I’m taking too much in one area, or forgetting something else…
As each day passes, it’s a combination of tears and joy. I hate saying goodbye to our life here, but we are simply not able to handle it all anymore. It feels so freeing to be able to walk away from it. I’m excited about ‘moving to another planet’ in effect, with different weather, completely different lifestyle, new people, sights, sounds. Things to learn, new foods to try, new ways to shop and more. I look forward to learning some basic polite Thai words. The list is endless.
One of the best things to look forward to is our son getting a computer up and running for me so that I can continue to write the blog. He has a backup of everything now on both of our computers. My husband may want to ‘build,’ one, so I’m hoping mine can be a laptop, or something relatively quick and simple to set up.
I wish you something that brings you joy wherever you are, that brings a huge smile to your face and fills you with happiness.
Sorry to be so late in writing today. We were out selling stuff, and then our son was making backups of the data on our computers today, so I didn’t have access until this evening.
We sold a bunch of stuff today, sad, yet freeing. The things we were selling weren’t appropriate to be sold at auction, so we gathered up stuff, this morning and then again this afternoon, to sell ourselves. We didn’t get home until almost dinner time.
I also had a good friend come and play, “Freezer Dive,” today. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that I can share some of what we have with people I care about. AND I got a couple of hugs.
Things are starting to come together now. I got a good start on figuring out what I’m going to take with me when we leave. The backpacks our son ordered for us arrived today. They are only really meant for the trip to Thailand. He says they sell really good ones that we’ll get when we get settled. We’ll wear these when we go on our walks, buying fresh food from the Farmer’s Market type stalls and things from the mall. They’re meant for us to use as carry-ons, with a change of clothes, overnight stuff, tablets, etc.
He also ordered one suitcase. We’re going to use it for my husband’s packing, and then figure out whether this is a good size or the 2nd one needs to be a bit larger.
Our big errand is to go to the bank tomorrow. Otherwise, I’m going to make decisions on tops – one to wear on the flights, another as a spare for the backpack, and the others to be my main clothes until further notice once we get there and settle.
I’m going to try everything on to be SURE all are good before they go in the ‘take’ group. Only summer stuff, except for the flight day. Our son says the airports, restaurants, waiting areas, and even the planes sometimes, are cold, though the airplanes may provide a blanket.
This is a big transition for me. I’m the one who buys two of everything – one to use and another as a backup so I don’t run out. This is a good exercise for me in learning to be more minimalist, and take only what I need. (I did admit, though, that I’m taking a small teddy bear to bring ‘home’ with me.) Our son smiled and said that was good. I also said my husband should take his little bitty pillow that he prefers, plus a couple of extra pillow cases, in his luggage, as that will help him sleep better and be a comfort to him.
Just a reminder – HandmadeHavenbyLinda, my Etsy site, will be shut down soon. If you would like anything, please make your decisions as soon as possible so we can be sure to get them mailed to you before we go.
My heart just melted when I saw this cute little guy.
Things are moving right along here. My husband and son are handling some errands while I hold the fort here this morning. This afternoon a friend is picking me up so we can have coffee and visit. I’m really looking forward to that.
I’m starting to make decisions on what I’m going to take with me. Some of it is easy. No cool or cold weather clothes! No boots, coats, sweaters, etc. Only hot weather clothes, except for the actual flight. I’ll start putting things out later today, where I can see everything.
I’m probably going to wait to call for the oxygen guy to come get his supplies and equipment. I haven’t used it in a week, or at night, or even when we walked so far at the hospital yesterday, so I don’t think I need it anymore, but there is no reason to rush thing, either.
Lots and lots of details left to handle, but our son is handling things calmly and carefully, so we’re in excellent hands.
Are you doing anything fun/exciting/challenging? I would love to hear about it.
I had an appointment with the pacemaker installation doctor’s office today. Our son has a problem when driving long distances, and he discovered that we now have Uber! We drove to the communal parking lot in the space where the main road in Greenwood meets the highway, so we parked there and then called Uber. We had a nice ride to the hospital. I was delighted at how well the man drove and how clean the vehicle was.
We found the doctor’s office without problem. After waiting awhile, the end result was that my pacemaker is working perfectly and should be good for 10 years. I’ll take it!
We then had to walk the entire length of the main hospital through a maze to reach a window with a phone on the wall outside of it. I called and explained that I wanted the meds that the ER people had collected and given to them. I showed my ID and soon had my meds in hand. After walking the whole length of the hospital back to the entrance, I was pretty wobbly, but I only had to stop and sit once, which was pretty good. We called for another Uber and were brought back to our truck.
We did our other errands and brought home a cheeseburger which my husband devoured with great enthusiasm. Since I’m trying to be a good girl, I ate a sandwich our son made for us.
I got an email confirmation from the passport people that they were working on our new passports and estimated 2 to 3 weeks.
Our son is working on where we will live. He is also juggling countless other details, plus taking complete care of us.
Things are coming together now. I’m am starting to get serious about deciding what I’ll take in my one suitcase and backpack. I’ll put it all out and then have our son look at things, tell me what I need to change, etc.
We stopped at our local grocery on the way back from my doctor’s appointment. My favorite clerk, Nina, was there. I told her ‘hello,’ and then ‘goodbye,’ and told her our plans. We hugged each other. She was happy for us, but we’ll miss seeing each other.
My friend Carla is going to pick me up and take me for coffee tomorrow afternoon. She wants to be able to visit and find out what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, etc. I’m looking forward to the time with her.
I hope that you are doing well and that you’re enjoying some nice weather.
Things are moving right along here in our efforts to move to Thailand to be with our son.
Several years ago our friend Carla gave us a riding lawn mower that really saved us a lot of work. We enjoyed using it, and the mowing of the lawn didn’t stress him the way the walk-behind mower did. It finally developed problems that couldn’t be fixed, so we bought a new one. It’s a nice one with zero-turn radius, and my husband almost grin when he uses it, though mowing the grass around the house is still a stressful proposition for him.
When we decided to move to Thailand to be with our son, it was a no-brainer who the riding lawn mower should be given to. We know we won’t get top dollar for anything in the auction, and we wanted to complete the circle by gifting it to Carla.
We did this yesterday, with my husband driving the mower first down our gravelly, STEEP driveway, then down the road about 2 miles from our house, where Carla lives. She cried. It was a really wonderful moment to return the joy of the gift she gave to us year ago. The mower will be appreciated and enjoyed. A true gift for all of us.
Today we have the auctioneer coming to the house at 11:00. I’m not sure what will happen, other than our signing contracts with him. I’m hoping we’ll get an idea of the plan on the auctions, time line, etc.
We have some errands to run after, and then I’ll continue going through things, throwing sensitive stuff away each week, trying to start putting things out in preparation for packing my one suitcase (still to be purchased) and my backpack that will be my carry-on. (ordered). (I finally had the energy to put all the laundry our son has done for us back where it lives and bring the laundry baskets back downstairs.)
I figure I’ll call the oxygen people at the end of this week or the first of next week to come get all the oxygen and equipment if I don’t need the oxygen at night anymore.
Thanks for all the birthday wishes yesterday. You made me feel special. :0)
Today is my birthday. I’m 78. I’m especially happy to celebrate today because I almost didn’t get to celebrate this one. Because of the weird circumstance of being admitted to the ER because of shortness of breath and low blood oxygen, I was in the proper place to have good people there when my heart stopped twice on February 6th, plus the cardiology department who gave me a new lease on life with a temporary, then a permanent pacemaker. So, I’m celebrating today with a super-happy, ear-to-ear grin. If I can find a piece of chocolate cake with chocolate icing, you can bet I’m snarfing it down with pleasure! :0)
Kudoboard
Things are moving at a rapid pace around here on trying to get ready to move to Thailand to be with our son.
Our “emu” planters went to live with some good friends yesterday. They will need a coat of paint and some new googly eyes; but my friend loves them and they’ll have a wonderful home at her house.
I’m still busily canceling things like subscriptions, automatic renewals, automatic orders, etc., plus making lists of things to cancel when we are in Thailand.
We have a busy week ahead, sewing up lots of details, meeting with people, doctor appts, and more, but also have visits with friends scheduled and unscheduled as yet to enjoy.
Our son ordered backpacks for my husband and me to use as carry-ons until we get to Thailand. He will also order a suitcase for each of us, since the only ones we have weigh a ton and are older than he is. The new ones only have to live through one set of flights, so we should be able to get something at a reasonable price. We will each pack one suitcase and the backpack. That’s it. All else we let go.
The auctions may or may not happen while we are here. Our passports should be here in about two weeks, so we’ll be leaving soon after that. I’m concentrating on gathering as much energy as I can for the 23 or so hour trip.
I’m hoping that your life is going well, and that today – especially – you have a good reason to smile.
I should be getting a call back on trying to cancel our house security system. I’ve tried twice, finally managed to leave a call back number after waiting for over 10 minutes on hold. Fingers crossed that they do it this time. The call is supposed to come any minute now.
Update – after countless transfers to another department, a man was finally able to cancel our account and give me a confirmation #.
I will finally get my much rescheduled haircut tomorrow morning. I look like a much-used dandelion gone-to-seed and maybe stepped on now, with my hair going every which way, with no plan in sight. This will be my final haircut with our wonderful hair stylist. I will tell him we are moving to Thailand, and invite him to freezer dive after work or on the weekend to give him more of a thank you.
I will soon shut down my Etsy site. It’s sad to do this, leaving a lot of stuff here at the house that will simply be auctioned off, but it’s one of the many things we’re ‘letting go.’ If you would like to take a look and see if you would like to order something soon, the Etsy site is HandmadeHavenbyLinda I’ve had a wonderful time making things for the site. Our spare bedroom has been a fun place to try to learn new skills. I look forward to finding a class or two in Thailand where I can watch what they’re doing and maybe start a whole new chapter!
Our son MAY have a line on a condo for us in the same building where his is. He contacted them yesterday and expressed interest in putting money down on the condo. All my appendages are crossed that we can get this one. It’s light, airy, and has plenty of space. The kitchen area is a little small, but we’ll be taking walks to get fresh stuff, or having it delivered, or even prepared for us.
creativeartworksblog 