Let the packing begin!
Since V and I are both done with work, we’ve been busy cleaning and packing.
It’s amazing how much crap (and I mean that in a nice way) two people can accumulate in almost two years. We’ve given away four industrial-sized bags of clothing and shoes to Marcello, the security guard that works on our block. He was more than happy to take it all. What he’s going to do with size 40 (he looks like 32, tops) Levi’s is beyond me. That’s not my business. I’m glad he took them. Honestly, I don’t see how we would be able to take it all home.
While we’ve been purging old clothes, we’re binging on baby clothes. Dresses, onesies, pajamas, tops and bibs are already piling up. Vanessa has a baby shower Saturday, meaning more baby swag is coming our way. People tell me collecting baby clothes can be an exercise in futility because baby can enter the world already be too big for her britches. This means plies of baby clothes are destine to never have their tags cut, forced into life in a drawer somewhere until garage sale season where they may have another chance. Thankfully, baby clothes are small and light. I don’t think getting them home will be much of a problem.
We plan to do more packing and possibly more purging this weekend.
Yesterday was our doctor day. Vanessa had her last pre-natal appointment in Peru, an appointment with the endocrinologist and I had an appointment with the cardiologist. We’re happy to report everything went well. Baby is fine. V is fine. My heart is good. Actually, I’ve lost almost 40 pounds since I started (18 kg to be exact) seeing the doctor. He says I could likely go off the low-grade high blood pressure pills I’ve been using if I drop another 15 kg. It’s amazing what eating fresh food and sleeping at night can do for you. I’m encouraged that we are moving back in spring/summer. That means many walks and hopefully bike rides for me. Those extra lbs. could disappear. Of course, I’ve got to eat well and stay away from America’s over-sized portions.
Today I’m off to the English Factory™ to get my last paycheck. Then its off to the bank to close my account and get my CTS money. CTS is like a Peruvian unemployment benefit. Companies create the CTS account in your name and deposit U.S. Dollars in it every time you get paid. When you leave a job you are entitled to this money, but you can’t access it until you get a letter from your employer stating you are no longer working. I figure there must be about $1000 there. It will be nice to have some traveling money. How long it will last, nobody knows.
One other note, somebody hacked into my Yahoo e-mail account and sent spam to everyone in my contact list. I’m told the link leads to a website with a Russian address touting cheap Viagra. If you get the message from me, DELETE IT. I’ve changed my password. Hopefully that will prevent this from happening again. Sorry.
Hey, if for some reason you find you do not have enough baby clothes when you get back to the states, come visit me. I’m told it’s not good to dress baby boys in pink, flowery dresses, so I’ve got a ton of stuff I’ll no longer be needing.
G, so happy to hear about your health! Keep on keeping on when you get back to the FM Area. I hear there is a great nursery called “It’s About Thyme” where you can get loads of delicious seedlings and fully grown plants for a great price (they even have heirloom tomatoes).
Happy packing.