Countdown is ON!

I haven't posted lately, just because there hasn't been much going on, and nothing new to report. As of right now I haven't gotten an exact departure date, but have been told it will be sometime between August 8-12. Should make for an interesting birthday for me on August 9!

Tomorrow I leave for my "Midwest Farewell Tour". My friends in Indianapolis are having a going away party for me on Saturday, July 14. Then I will head to Illinois where I will be having a party with family and friends on Saturday, July 21. Then I will come back to Atlanta and have a party here on Saturday, July 28. After all that, it will be packing and preparing to go!

This morning I took time to wrap up some loose ends. In May, I moved out of my 3 bedroom house into the guest bedroom of my Godmother. I sold, donated, or stored nearly all of my belongings. I brought enough clothes here to get me through the summer and adjusted to a normal-sized closet as opposed to my huge walk-in. A couple of weeks ago, I went through my closet here and took a lot of the clothes to storage and kept my "essentials". Today was the big day. I took EVERY LAST PIECE off hangers and either put it in my carry-on sized suitcase that I will be living out of in the Midwest (and when I return to Atlanta), and put all other items into "space saver" bags and into my duffles that will be going to the UAE.

Didn't believe me???

All the clothes that made the "UAE Cut" in space saver bags (except the ones coming with me on the road the next two weeks!)

Space saver bags now in duffles. Duffle on the right: 43 pounds. Duffle on the left: 34 pounds. Neither are completely full. 

I decided to take check three bags instead of the generally allowed two. You get 50 pounds per bag. You can pay $50 overweight fee to take 70 pounds in each, or $137 for an extra 50 pound bag. I decided this would just be less stress. So in addition to the two duffles, I have a hard-sided suitcase for personal items, toiletries, and shoes. I will worry about packing that one closer to my departure date! 

I guess that is all for now!