We have Lift Off!

Cool mornings and evenings are most welcome after the heat of the day, right now. After a few days of rain we welcomed the sunshine with glee, especially as we finished off our packing. As I said last post...What does one do on a boat when it is raining? We couldn't go to the Storage Unit as the rain would have driven straight in the roller door.

Two days ago we opened both our suitcases up and managed to sort through the summer and winter clothing we are taking with us to both NZ and then home to France. Fall/Winter for NZ, but friends there tell me the weather is warm and lovely right now. Let's hope it stays that way until we are finished with our business there, and we dont have to break out the winter clothes.

We have all kinds of odds and sods...mostly odds, packed this time. Things we will need in NZ to complete our inventory of packed goods, and to successfully ship them out. The documentation needed for these shipments has been a bit daunting, to be honest, and I have fretted over it somewhat. Our Florida shippers are a bit lacking in the communications department, and I have felt annoyed that I have had to ask for information constantly. A timeline might have been useful, and I have told them so. Now I will have to ask for tracking information if they dont supply that tomorrow. We wont have the luxury of communicating with them on Monday...we are outta here!

There is the odd reminder of why we like this part of the world...Apart from the water everywhere in this city, there are the lovely sunsets after a glorious day, friends dropping by the boat for a chat, seeing familiar faces in the supermarket and being recognized at Panera...the latter perhaps not so good, lol.  We favor Panera for 'fast' food, over other brands, and have their loyalty card to prove it.:) They aren't particularly fast, but they do produce a good hot latte and we enjoy the soup and sour dough rolls.

 We have had a long list of must-do's of course and they are eventually being done. The small fridge on the fly deck needed replacing, not because it didnt work, but because it has rusted underneath during the five years it has been there. It served us well for keeping the wine and water cold, and occasionally the salad fixings too. We have a new one sitting inside the boat that wont be installed upstairs until absolutely necessary. Fortunately they are light enough for Waz to single hand them up/down the stairs.

Our friends Kris and Dan have been fabulous - meals at their house, taking our left over stuff off our hands, finding buyers for some of it and gifting others to those who need it most.

Kris started a community garden in the park opposite their house when they moved there a year ago, and they have some wonderful veg growing there now. I dont think I have ever seen a Pink Strawberry blossom before. Have you?

She is going to have a lot of tomatoes this year and I am reminded that we have missed the main growing season in France, this summer, but I will have some time to contemplate what Fall and Winter veg I am going to plant.

Today, Thursday, is the day we have been waiting for. The packing guys arrived at the storage facility at 9am, and they set about writing up an inventory. We have provided an inventory of our own, but they apparently had to do theirs too. This meant he was still at it when the container arrived at 10.15am. The container is 4 1/2 feet off the ground, and these two men manhandled all our stuff up that height and into the container. Waz helped as much as he was allowed to but they objected to him doing anything. We kind of helped sort things and put them where the fella packing could see them, and make some judgement calls about placements.
As luck would have it, and with us breathing a sigh of relief, we, or rather they, fitted everything in with room to spare...about 1/3 of the 20 ft container, actually. We were sure we would be throwing some things out, with a loaded container, lol.

 It did tell us that we will probably need a 40ft container for all our stuff in NZ.

This is the end result...everything was packed...two sofas, chairs, dismantled tables and chairs etc, behind that bed mattress. We just hope it doesnt all come crashing down in transit. We will be VERY careful how we open those doors when they arrive in France, if customs havent been there before us.

The Truck driver (container) gave us a Seal to install. We were also given the option of putting a padlock on the door, but were told that the ports may take that off if customs US want to get into it.
We thought it best to just put the seal on the door.  That's the Yellow thing.

This was all over by 12.30pm, and we were on our way home...well, via Publix supermarket where we picked up a sandwich and salad and some fixings for the next couple of days aboard, and came home famished. Our bagel breakfast didnt last that long today. Who knew you could use so many calories just anxiously watching all the goodies being packed on the container! Phew!

Kris and Dan stopped by the boat on their way home. We were in the middle of lunch, but happy to see them, as we may not get to say Au Revoir, on Sunday. They are taking their little run-about up the St John's River for the weekend. They are having so much fun in her!

The boat looks empty, finally. Our two large suitcases take up considerable space in the salon, and we dance around small piles that have yet to make their way into the same cases.

We had the Air-con gassed this afternoon, so that is another job done and dusted.

While we have enjoyed being back in some ways, we know we have made the right decision in purchasing our home in France.
We wont miss the train crossing the bridge up the river a ways, at ungodly hours. Because of all the rail crossings in these parts, it toots it's horn all the way down highway 17, a couple of blocks from here. Because the land is flat, we hear everything! We wont miss being cheek- by- jowel with our marina neighbors, as much as we like them all. It will be nice to live where the neighbors cant check on our every movement.

Driving in a big city with 14/16 lanes across the highway, at times ,wont be missed. We also wont miss the arrogant drivers who appear fast out of nowhere, criss-crossing lanes, and frightening the bejeezes out of everyone. I must be getting old!!! I'm a confident and careful driver, and like to get from point A to point B in one pieces. Driving defensively is taken to the Nth degree at times on these roads.

Our car buyers will be picked up on Saturday, and after that we will be on foot everywhere. No need for a car any more. Happy it is going to another home with Kiwis.


We have a few more days of cleaning out the fridge  - both the food (to eat) and to clean/defrost, and last minute laundry etc before making our way to the airport hotel of choice for our last night here, and flying out before lunch time the next day.

We have three flights to get to NZ. Not the best way to get there, but the only ones available when I booked. Relax, breathe, go with the flow!

Looking forward to seeing our family in NZ, and getting that part of our process sorted as well.

Ciao for now, and we will see you on the other side!