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"The Art of Living Lies in a Fine Mingling of Letting Go and Holding On"
Join (to the right) So You Don't Miss a Posting
"The Art of Living Lies in a Fine Mingling of Letting Go and Holding On"
Yes, but doing so....and preparing for a life in Paradise....is not for sissies or the faint of heart!!!! Sisters, yes - sissies, no. Anyone that has made a major life change like this can attest to the stress and work involved in finishing up your life as you knew it and preparing for a new life in another country. Although we are both retired now we have felt like we've had a full-time job for several months now - the pay has been awful, but the pay-off will be worth it!
How does one let go of so many possessions, so many treasures, so much stuff and so much junk? Have a moving sale, of course. Between our moving sale, Craig's List and consignment stores, most stuff went out the door and many of our treasures went to friends, relatives or neighbors. Basically, what we made on this, our last-ever garage/moving sale, will help support the costs of establishing residency in Costa Rica. Below is our before and after pictures of our moving sale. We survived!
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| This is only one room - there were 5 full rooms of items |
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| It's Over - Closing Day! |
There is definitely an overwhelming feeling of relief that this portion of our workload is over. But there is still much to do to get things completely ready for this move. Endurance, please, endurance! I know the Olympics are coming up this summer and we both feel like we've been in training - is there a category for "International Moving"???? We might be the front-runners - go Roxi and Judy, you can do it!
Letting go of your stuff and things gave us a freedom we didn't expect. Of course, we are holding onto some of our treasures that will remain in storage in Oregon, but for the most part, everything sold. Can you imagine dwindling your life down to 12 boxes (20x20x20) for your new life? That is exactly what we are doing. I expect there will be some serious negotiations going on between Roxi and me and I'll have to cut back on shoes and purses and jewelry and candles and.....you get the picture! You begin to really assess and prioritize what's going to be important to you in your new homeland: swimsuits, shorts, tank tops and sandals....plus a few personal effects and kitchen stuff.
We've begun our COUNTDOWN to departure - 38 Days! So, what have we been up to since my house closed on April 27th? You know Willie Nelson's song, "On the Road Again"? Well, that is what we are doing - hitting the road and traveling throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho to visit family and friends before leaving the country. A cousin named this road trip our "Farewell Tour". Already three trips are under our belt - the hospitality has been great. Actually, if the truth be told, you could also call this "Farewell Tour" our "Champagne Trail". Just about every stop has included a toast to our adventure. Thanks to all of you.
Between road trips and departure date comes final packing for shipping our contents - yes, those 12 boxes - to Costa Rica. It ain't cheap! It will cost approximately $2,300 to ship those contents - it'll be one pallet and will go inside a container and be shipped by cargo. It will take anywhere from 4 weeks to 8 weeks before delivery occurs and then it goes thru customs and will be delivered to us in Atenas. In addition to these 12 boxes, we'll also be packing 4 large suitcases that will go with us on the airplane - basically everything we determine most important to us until those 12 boxes arrive!
We'll have two full weeks in Portland to visit friends and family before departing to Atlanta on June 15 for one last final road trip (although it will be by air). Then, on Tuesday, June 19th, we depart for Costa Rica.
If there is an adventure in your life coming up...."let go and hold on" - you never know what lies ahead for people in transition! Stay tuned...more to come!
Pura Vida,
Judy and Roxi
