Monday

Well that's it, then. Everything that remains in the house has to be hauled stateside or to the garbage pile. The last packed and padded shipment of air freight was out of the house a little after four this afternoon. When we were finally done gathering all of the stuff for this phase of the pack-out (at about six-thirty this morning), it looked like an awful lot more than the four hundred fifty pounds we're allotted. But when the mover showed up today (a little after eleven), he dutifully packed it all up and some cohorts helped him load it onto a truck. Now it's not the end of the world if we have more than the allowed amount of poundage, but it is expensive. I suspect someone will call us at some point and let us know what the weight was, and what we owe; but for now we have no idea. I do know that the house is at long last empty, that I'd been up for thirty-one hours by seven pm, and that I am crossing my fingers hoping that I can capture some internet signal from down the road to post this tonight. I haven't been able to check my email since about four o'clock this morning. Tomorrow should be a day of rest, but it is actually a day of inspection: the powers that be will be coming 'round to make sure none of the rental furniture was accidentally shipped with the stuff we own. Also, I guess I'd better get started on the requisite really thorough cleaning, since starting tomorrow, I only have five days to get this place the way it is supposed to be left when we head out on Sunday morning. That or maybe I will sleep until Wednesday. [Cavin]