day 33 helpful tips.

One of the loose ends remaining to be tied is ... what to do about mail? I mean I already have mail going somewhere I don't reside and then I'm moving in 33 days and who do I know who can pick up my mail and then what to do with it all?

Well, you folks may already be on the money with this one, but for those who aren't I did a little research and came up with Earth Class mail, a mail handling servicer located right here in Beaverton, Oregon! They offer real street addresses (Seattle, Beaverton) and a number of PO Box addresses scattered across the U.S.

This company receives your envelopes and sends you online images of the outside of the envelope ... you select which you want destroyed (shredded) or opened and further scanned, page by page, for your review and resolution. You can also have them forward you the physical mail to an address anywhere in the world. They will retain an archive of your mail, per your request.

They are bonded and insured. They hire employees with government security clearance (including many retired veterans). In fact, they don’t allow any recording devices into the mail handling area, not even pencils. You pay a flat fee based on your volume (starts at $9.95/month), and they also offer business service. You have to submit a notarized request of service which proves it is YOU requesting your mail change. So it would be pretty difficult for someone to defraud by way of this service. They have a first month free offer, which I have enrolled in and will report back to you with my evaluation of their service.

If it works, it sounds perfect. I have a similar, independent bill payment service (Paytrust) which I've used for years with success.

Here are some independent assessments of the service I located via Google. By independent, I mean they weren't obtained from the company's testimonial page: Review #1, Review #2 and Review #3.

honey, I shrunk the list!

My U.S. to do's are disappearing. Still have some, but there is light at the end of the tunnel! My secret wish is that I will end up with a few weeks to play on the coast and maybe get a head start on my France list!

I spoke with the French Consulate yesterday. My visa is approved and will be Fed Ex'd shortly. Merci, Mlle. Fantig Servantie! Major Check!

The USDA has returned all of the poochy paperwork, signed and sealed. Thank you Ruth Case. Check!

Furniture shipped and en route to France and to Oakland. A million thanks, Rainier and Mlle. Mancha! Check!

Finally rented a car for the first week in France, bridging the gap until I collect the little number I bought for there. Thank you Expedia for an excellent deal. Check!

Booked my hotel room in Thiviérs for my first week in France ... it is where I stayed last year while househunting so must have some level of good fortune, plus I discovered they welcome the furry ones. Cheers, Nicola! Check!

Sure I still have lots of loose ends (store my remaining remnants and rent my house out, deal with breaking my car lease are the 2 biggest at present); but comparatively speaking.... major progress!

52 days and counting.

une jardinière.

This is one of the ways I want to spend my days in Brantôme. Becoming a gardener. I have a great space to work with. One of the things that inspired me during one of my early visits to France was a visit to the gardens of Villandry. Villandry is a Chateau from the 1500s, located in the Loire Valley. The original gardens were destroyed in the 19th century. It took a Spaniard, Dr. Joachim Carvallo and his American wife, Ann Coleman, to save Villandry's gardens. He bought the property in 1906, and restored the gardens to their original beauty.

When I visited, I learned that the gardens produce massive amounts of fruits and vegetables, harvested every year. My favorite part of the property was the mid-level garden, where you'll find the garden of love, the music garden, the veg garden and my favorite of favorites ... the herb garden. All of the gardens are breathtaking.

Its interesting to me that I am drawn to both French and English gardens because, in my mind, they are so vastly different. When I think of French gardens, I think of formality. Of control and neatness and rigid designs. Espalier. Topiaries. When I think of English gardens, I think of masses of wild flowers, climbing roses and cutting gardens. Now I know that the English have formal gardens and French do flowers ... these are just my uneducated impressions. I hope to spend time learning more. And experimenting with combinations of both designs.

My home in Brantôme has a smaller courtyard on the first lot and a larger open space on the second lot. I'd like to do a more formal area in the courtyard with crushed granite or rock of some sort. Experimenting with some of the geometric aspects preferred by the French. Topiary. Fountain. Seating.

And in the larger space, a more relaxed setting. An area of edibles (fruits, veg) and herbs. Espalier. I have tried my hand at pear. My espaliered pear tree I have pictured bears 2 varieties of pears. I've just learned that fig is suitable for espalier! My french dreams have always included a fig tree. I have an expanse of wall in the bigger lot that I am anxious to try. And there are grapes as well, not a vineyard but surrounding a small sun room. Pond perhaps.

At some point in the future, we envision a pool on the big lot. But we'll see. I'm looking forward to getting there and getting going. And writing about it.

miracle on 65th street.

Well, okay. 65th Avenue. But that doesn't have the same ring to it.

My energizer bunny daughter, Johnelle, the woman who flew up to Portland and saved the day ... well there's just not enough laudatory words with which to adore her.

The move kicked my ass this week-end. On the other hand, my daughter KICKED ASS this week-end. For the past 3 nights, we have crawled into bed with aching knees and feet we begged to have removed. surgically. or hatchet. too tired to care. all I can say is thank god for leftover toothache drugs. I live to limp another day.

However. And this is a huge however.

ROBOJOJO (as she will now forever be known) fought the Killer Zombie Things (KZTs), felling them with her mighty sword. and muscles.

Reference before picture of the garage from hell. Understand that she lifted furniture, televisions and moving boxes, loading a 14' truck with little assistance from her broken down mom. Know that she sorted and patiently advised on which KZTs might deserve a stay of execution. Observe the 2 day yard sale in 90+ degree heat, overseeing a steady flow of newly unearthed items from the morass of half unpacked boxes. Realize that after reboxing, organizing, labelling and taping, with one last broomsweep of all in sight ... she hopped into said 14' truck with a huge smile (and cute outfit!) and has proceeded to make the 800 mile drive today, delivering furniture to our store in the bay area.

If I die tomorrow (and I BETTER not, after all this freakin' work!) I die knowing I've left a wonderful contribution ... an amazing woman with a kind and giving spirit, who inspires all she encounters.

wherein I take on the killer zombie things. outcome uncertain.

So I wake up one day and I realize I've had enough. Had it up to here with the metro map I've made of my life and realize I'd rather have something simpler. Never mind that I don't have it all figured out. Like an endless stream of income. So I can drink wine the rest of my days and mesmerize you with my blog musings. For free. But that's a future post. Tentatively entitled "How Fear Mongers Stole 15 Years of My Life". *sigh*

So I decide to to simplify. Get off the corporate train and try something different. A complete 180. Being the not-yet-reformed corporate driver and control freak that I am, I create a project plan. With milestones and everything. How comforting, that list with its categories and dependencies, its tasks and subtasks. So familiar.

There's this one category I've been working on. Trouble is, seems like no matter how hard I work, the tasks are never totally complete. Unfortunately, there are a few of those type of categories. But the one that I'm mired in right now is "thing diminishment". I came up with that all by myself. *satisfied smile*.

This category ties in to that whole crap thing I was musing about before. I decided that the title "crap clean-up" had such negative connotations that I'd try something new.

Keeping in mind that I recently completed a major milestone, "Ship to France". One would think that would contribute greatly to the whole concept of "thing diminishment". But honestly. Three whole containers later (because it wouldn't all fit in the originally planned 2 containers) and I swear I still have a house full. Its like one of those crazy horror movies, where the "things" multiply faster than you can kill them. Attack of the killer zombie "things".

Tomorrow my daughter arrives. Her mission (she was gullible enough to accept it ~gasp~) is to assist me in pricing and selling as many of these things as possible for our giant hellatious killer zombie thing sale scheduled to occur in my front yard, side yard, and garage this coming Saturday and Sunday.

There's enough of these things that, in spite of the sale, I've rented a 14' truck which she will use to haul another load down to the bay area for eventual sale in our boutique.

And guess what?! There will still be mooo-oooo-oorrre! Yep, folks that's right. Remainder killer zombie things that will need to be transported under locked guard and imprisoned in a storage unit at an unnamed location. Why? Because I carry the ugly killer zombie thing gene in my DNA. It has me under its control. I'm convinced. I am the secret muse of the Killer Zombie Things. They have me under their spell. I can't stop talking about them. They are seemingly everywhere.

They may have been diminished by me for now. Soon, they will begin their period of waiting. In the storage room. In hibernation. Biding their time. *queue creepy killer zombie thing music*

I need some magic.

The movers arrived bright and early. They came on in, looked around, and said no way is this just 2 of those lift vans! Upon looking at them (said lift vans) in the truck....I concurred. What WAS the estimator thinking?

Much mad phone ringing later, I am now up to 3 and still pushing it, however the good news is I got them to reduce the price per foot quite a bit.

It was all too stressful. so I left, went to the closest McMenamin's and ordered up an Imbrie coffee. Brandy, coffee liqueur, steamed chocolate milk, flamed 151 rum, cinnnamon, nutmeg, fresh whipped cream. If that don't do me up, nothin' will!

I'm going to sit here, sip, write, and chill for a couple of hours. Maybe by the time I return the moving fairies will have abracadabra'd my stuff so it all fits perfectly .... did I mention how stressed I am? *orders 2nd witch's brew*

chick's tool box ... this is how I roll ...

Final throes of packing, can't forget my tool box. After all, I've got renovating to do! I don't necessarily know what the things below do but I have them, they are new AND they just happen to fit nicely into this spare dryer sheet box!

don't rain on my parade.

Every day I discover a few more blogs (or many more blogs, dependent on the time I have) that reveal people who are living abroad. Of many different nationalities.

Some are obviously new to the experience and present that enthusiasm and awe for what they have undertaken. Some are months in to the experience, revealing realities and unexpected practicalities. Some are now settled into a very pleasurable way of life, still learning always growing. Some express thanks that they gave it a shot, but have realized it isn't for them.

A small minority seem consistently downbeat, wherever they are in the process, finding much to complain about and little to revel in. The complaints range to the lack of their home country's food items on the market shelves, complaints about the French style of doing business, their region's weather, the missing conveniences of their home country, the language, etcetera etcetera etcetera. They don't seem to have reached any decisions or awareness, other than expressing miserableness (I like it better that way, misery just didn't cut it) at every turn.

It is one thing to use one's blog as the platform to voice one's opinions on their individual experience. But the worrisome thing I've noticed about this small minority is that there is a tendency to bring that negativity into other's blogs via their comments. Making sure to register their downbeat observations with a sense of smug satisfaction. Kind of like, "yep, it DOES suck doesn't it, toldja so ... we are so OUT of here and you will be too if you know what's good for you!" Of course, it is natural to become discouraged in a foreign land, but when it gets beyond a certain point, one has to ask ... "Just why was it again that you are still here?"

I am so thankful for the few extremely supportive connections I have made in the short time I've been writing. For myself, I am opting for a pragmatic approach. I've been travelling, not just to France but all over, for over 15 years. The first thing I learned about being in a new country is to leave my American expectations and comparisons behind. And anyway, nowadays it isn't like the good ole US of A or the UK has much to crow about from a world perspective. *ducks*

I hope to use my blog voice to entertain, to share realities in a balanced manner, to demonstrate growth, to encourage towards life's potential and possibilities .... oh and of course, make folks laugh. just my nature. I hope that if my readers see me slipping off into consistent antagonism or unrealistic reactions ... you'll give me a Moonstruck slap and yell "Snap out of it!!!"

the shippers are coming, the shippers are coming!

I have a move date ... May 8, 2008. Rhymes auspiciously.

I'd like to thank movingscam.com for helping me avoid what, at least from all outward appearances, could have been a disastrous ripoff. With moving quotes ranging from $12,000US to $3,800US, one can definitely see where mistrust would form. If you are considering a move, international or domestic, do yourself a favor and check out this site. They have organized a ton of information, including customer feedback ... good and bad, on a variety of movers.

After taking time to do more research, and reading countless customer stories of a variety of moving companies ... I have settled upon Rainier Overseas Movers.

What I have learned is there are a number of internet movers looking to make quick bucks by holding your precious belongings hostage until you fork over more moolah. Many of these scammers are based in Florida, where state laws make it very challenging to sue. As an example, you can only sue them IN Florida.

The site movingscam.com was packed with lots of information, including a feedback forum. They had five recommended international movers, of which Rainier was one. Rainier is based in Seattle (being near the company is a plus). In addition, following their online estimate based on the inventory list I submitted they sent an on-site estimator to view my goods. The fact that they are associated with Bekins, who will perform the packing/loading is also a good thing in my opinion.

These are essentials recommended to ensure you have an accurate, honest estimate. Their fee was smack in the middle of the 5 estimates I received and includes packing, loading, shipping and unloading ... door-to-door. Not the lowest charge but also not the highest and includes handling much of the international logistics involved. $13.95 a cubic foot, all inclusive.

So, at this point I am excited and encouraged. Of course, my belongings haven't arrived in Brantôme yet. They are expected mid-July. I am hoping against hope that my next blog post on this topic is celebratory and a full on recommendation of my shipping experience and company.

not very high, in her estimation.

I received good news and bad news this morning. The moving and shipping estimator arrived early for her appointment. Flawlessly groomed from head to toe and very gracious to boot. She entered my own little corner of hell with a permanently applied smile that she obviously had trained herself to maintain, no matter what the horrors encountered.

I accompanied her from room to room, apologizing every third step for the chaos. The detritus. The current doggieness of my abode. My home is littered with half filled boxes, piles of wrapping tucked into corners, stacks of half-sorted items. Because of the clutter, I haven't washed the floors or carpets in weeks. Only sweeping and vacuuming have occurred, and the floors are less than appetizing. Two dogs worth of unappetizing. sigh.

To top it off, we ascended the stairs and discovered a little poochy-present that awaited in the upstairs bedroom. You puppy owners know what I mean. Mortification personified.

The good news is that my original inventory list came in spot-on to the visual review. The move will not be very high, in her estimation.

The bad news is my housekeeping skills and resulting opinion of me, are also ... not very high in her estimation.

I love you. I love you not. I bring you. I bring you not.

I've allotted myself 2 of these lovely lift-van moving crates to complete the initial outfitting of my house in France. Ideally, from a cost perspective I'd only use one ... but I'm not certain that is possible. (That reminds me...need to post a brief blurb on how I arrived upon lift-vans and final mover selection. Soon, soon.)

So, here I am now trying to select the optimal combination of function and form to fit into these 2 containers. Those who know me know my love of my art pieces ... a variety of wall art, sculptures, busts, etc. Combine those with my love of books and glassware and it becomes very, very difficult! Once I've selected the form aspect, then one needs something to hold those items. That is where furniture comes in. I am having a hard time estimating what will fit, etc.

So I'm currently placing mostly everything in my dining area, a space I think roughly represents a similar amount of space. I'm putting things in, taking them out, trying to allow for wrapping material. I'm going for one container of furniture, one container of boxes.

The estimator arrives next Thursday. I'm wondering if she'll say "You've got to be joking ... " or "that will never fill 2 containers!". Not hard to guess, I suppose.

doggone it.

Travelling with pooches. After my brief encounter with the pet relocation firm which would cost about as much the new kitchen appliances I have my heart set on in France ... I decided to do it myself. Here's what's happened so far.

About one hour on the phone with United and Lufthansa. Making reservations for my dogs. I had to provide their weight, and the exact measurements of their puppy abode. Major airlines have a separate compartment which is pressurized and temperature controlled for carrying such things as living baggage. And that is what my fellas will be. Checked baggage. Apparently this space is limited, thus the need for precise dimensions. Each dog will be about $250, round trip.

Next step. After 4 messages, I make contact with the USDA. My contact seemed irked that she had answered the phone this time. I manage to pry, one by one, precious details re: what must be done.

Futurama caninus. Each dog will be implanted with an EU conforming microchip (15 digit, mind you). These babies have to be special ordered. No word yet on the cost, but hopefully my veterinarian is on the job.

Next, an animal import document, bilingual, completed by a veterinarian. And then submitted to the USDA for certification.

Equipped with this form, rabies certification, microchips implanted ... my precious cargo just might be allowed into la belle France.

For those of you wondering about the return entry, the United States requires an up-to-date rabies vaccination and a non-expired certificate of health. This is a health document completed within 30 days or less from re-entry to the country.

sacrebleu.

from chaos, order will emerge.

Before shipping, comes packing. Before packing, comes sorting. Before sorting, comes unpacking. In between all of this, there will be gin. This qualifies for Gin in my apron pocket. Trust me, much lifting, pushing, squatting and sweating are involved. honest! I mean look at the picture. How else?!

I moved to Oregon in 2004. I moved from a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house into a 600 square foot loft. And quickly. So when I moved, I packed two groupings... loft and storage. Subsequently I moved to a 2 bedroomed home in the 'burbs (big mistake, different story). My loft belongings were moved into my new home and my storage belongings were moved into my garage. And there, save for 1 or 2 boxes unpacked ... the whole lot has sat until now.

Now, part of my journey requires unpacking the garage (well wrapped and packed by professional movers ... which means forests of wrapping material). Once a box is unpacked, it must be sorted. So far I have a few groupings ... sell, donate, trash, storage ... and ... ta-DAH ... France. What you see in the picture is the start of this process.

The good news is that after 3 days of sorting, I have 7 large garbage bags of trash. 3 Large boxes of sell. 8-10 boxes of storage. And half of a box France.

Oh and another thing about that picture. It is slightly less than 1/4 of my entire garage. sigh.

I guess it has to get worse before it gets better, right? *shameless plug for reassurance that this CAN be done*

the saga of shipping.

One aspect of moving abroad is how to get your belongings where you are going. Now, I'm not talking about those who are packing a suitcase and hopping a plane to a furnished pad. This is for those who have a place to hang their hat and need something to hang it on.

To go fancy free and start from scratch there? Or to bring along familiar furnishings and cherished treasures to ease the transition? Considering the miserable state of the U.S. dollar, I've determined the cost of shipping is the better option when compared to what a similar amount of money could actually purchase in euros.

So, I've been on a quest for a shipper. Now let me tell you, it has been a daunting journey. There are a number of pitfalls I didn't anticipate and so ... I'm still looking, and getting more nervous with each turn in the road.

I started with a referral. Being in the wholesale trade, I met a fellow retailer who ships regularly from Europe AND who has owned a home in France. Brilliant, I thought. Here's an experienced person who will help me avoid problems. Not quite. He gave me a very good referral to a friendly shipper. First exchange goes like this: Dear Samson (creative fake name), I'm moving to France and so and so referred me to you as an excellent shipper. His response ... oh dear lady, yes I DO ship, but I only ship TO America from Italy. I'm so sorry. But, please ... send me your details and I will see if I have a colleague who might ship the other way!

I'm looking for door-to-door service, maybe even with a bit of fragile packing thrown in.

Thinking I better have a back-up plan, I decide to take advantage of the wonderful expanse of the internet! I mean, what can't you find on Google, right? I immediately locate a site that boasts it makes quotations a piece of cake. Just input your basics and presto! bango! five quotes back to you in the blink of an eye.

First one out was Schumacher Cargo out of NY. A gem of a man, Martyn, calls me straight away and walks me through all the details. Patiently answers all of my many questions. Asks me the size of container I need, 20bx or 40bx. Wha'a? Hunh? (That little bit was for Marcus!). I say 20 after confirming that is a 20'. Off he goes to confer with his estimators.

Meanwhile, Samson and I have been furiously exchanging emails. Samson likes to ask one question per email, see. I ask him the dimensions of a 20bx (figured I'd doublecheck). His reply is returned, in millimetres.

Martyn calls back in a day (yes very prompt. very diligent). His quote is over $11,000 USD. Shock and awe, shock and awe. See, in my initial research with other ex-pats who have done similar moves, I had been expecting in the range of $3,000-$4,000. I'm doing a very basic move, not a full household. Just enough to get started. After I pick myself up off the floor and read the fine print, I discover that Martyn's quote is for 1,000 square feet in volume. That is one hell of a lot of stuff.

I ask Martyn to redo the estimate. He decides I should fill out an inventory checklist (I'm wondering why we didn't begin there?) Martyn reviews it with me, estimating I have at least 600 square feet in volume. If I do less than a container, their fee is $16 a square foot. So the estimate is basically the same.

A third provider jumps in the mix. Global Ocean Freight, located in Florida. This firm starts with the shipping inventory. I email it and we review over the phone. Noam calculates my goods at 380 square feet in volume. His initial estimate is less than $4000 and if I want to stretch it an additional 200 square feet, it will come in at $5400. Wow.

Feeling smug, I ask him to send me the details and I hope we can work together. Not being a total guppy, I also decide to see if I can research this company ... find any complaints. This is where the fun begins.

I locate a site entitled movingscam.com. Horror story after horror story unfolds. They have a blacklist as long as both of my arms. Apparently, many of these non-local movers like to get their hands on your stuff. And hold it hostage till you fork over more money. Hmmmm. And yes. There were a couple of complaints about Global Ocean Services. Thankfully, they were not on the blacklist. This site also has a list of recommended international movers. A list of five.

So now I've contacted all five of them in order to see where their prices land up. I haven't tossed Global completely out of the running. I mean, any service company can achieve complaints over a period of time. You can't please ALL the people. But apparently this is a particularly fertile pasture for scams in internetland.

Oh, and Samson? He came back with an $8,000 estimate. No loading or unloading included, let alone packing! So, he's probably out of the running altogether.

It will be interesting to see how this one ends. Stay tuned.

they gave me a letter of good conduct!

Yes, it is true. I must present, amongst a large stack of various and sundry documentation, a letter of good conduct to the French authorities in order to obtain my visa. Something to verify they aren't allowing a known criminal into their fair land.

I took myself to the local police department and submitted my request. They don't just hand one over mind you, they INVESTIGATE. Today, I received the call. Appear at the records desk between 9am and 5pm to collect your Letter of Good Conduct.

Mind you, this is for the one town I live in currently. Phew! (Obviously they hadn't heard about the gin in my apron pocket). ((Good thing they don't know YOU lot! ha.))

Louis and Bruno and Travel, Oh My!

Meet my expensive boy toys, Louis (all in white) and Bruno. Louis is coming up on 8 years old, Bruno is two. They are my companions, entertainment, and devoted worshippers!

So, of course, off to France they will go. If you are interested in travelling with your pets, stay tuned with me as I ferret out all of the mindnumbing details ... of which there are many. I'll be presenting what I learn which will basically focus on France and the UK.

The first thing I am asked is "Will you have to quarantine them?" and the answer is no. I have learned that THEY may get their first tattoo before I do! or a microchip inserted somewhere in their bodies (which under our current administration may be right around the corner for me as well ...). Also, France is comprised of endless geographical boundaries all of which have their own sets of rules and regulations. So it isn't just as simple as "I'm travelling to France, what do I do?" but "I am travelling to Brantôme, France, in the Southwest, the Perigord Vert in the north of the Dordogne ... you know, the Aquitaine region." And then complete the associated paperwork in quadruplicate and mail it off, expectantly. and patiently.

Given this, my first idea was to hire a pet relocator. Yes, they absolutely have such things! I had to get referred to the one I inquired with (no riff-raff wanted I suppose) and then humbly submitted my inquiry for the cost of 2 healthy pooches, one 13 pounds and one 6. I received an ever-so-courteous response, assuring me they would happily escort my 2 fellas for the princely sum of $3,300. Gasp! Why I could secure 2 berths in the first class section with me for that amount. Not that I don't love me some Louis and Bruno. But I think not.

So, instead I will be forced to regale you with stories of the adventurous journey of Louis and Bruno, one as carry-on and one as checked baggage. This should be fun...

my new home in France.

ma camionnette.

Anyone notice that French vehicles look like they've been zapped with the "Honey I Shrunk The Kids" gun? I know it is crazy but I bought this little white number on the left, sight unseen (well in person) ... can't you just see me in there with Louis, Bruno and my various/sundry French finds?

(The Big, Red Firemen's Van was tempting, imagine the stories it could tell!)