We are home!

Welcome back!

Welcome home! 

welcome back, i just got back from edmonton on thursday! bloody freezing there! atleast it was warm for you!

Yaayy, your'e back!  Welcome home!    We've actually had a lot of sun while you've been gone--not as warm though, but all sorts of things are still in bloom--roses, fuschia, and whatnot.

Welcome home!!

Welcome back Carolyn!!!  Glad you had a good trip!

welcome back, i just got back from edmonton on thursday! bloody freezing there! atleast it was warm for you!

Sorry to hijack, but what the heck were you doing in Edmonton?     That's my hometown!  and yes, it's bloody cold there right now -20C!!!

Welcome back, sounds like you enjoyed your trip, it was safe, AND you got shopping done, bonus!

I'm glad you had a good vacation!  We just got back from two happy weeks of Thanksgiving and shopping too.  When I was at REI in Atlanta, I kept an eye and ear out for a poetry quoting blond woman but I didn't see you. 

When I was at REI in Atlanta, I kept an eye and ear out for a poetry quoting blond woman but I didn't see you. 

Hee hee -- we were out in the sticks there...way out west of Atlanta around the Bremen area, if you know greater Atlanta.  Since we were there specifically on Thanksgiving, Black Friday & the Saturday after, we just stayed out at my brother's cabin rather than venturing in to any of the shops to fight crowds.  He has a very big, open plan, log cabin/house on a few acres of woodland out there.  My SIL mentioned the possibility of taking me to REI - lol, but we never got there.

Yes, I think I can visualize where you were.  Sorry you didn't make it to REI - I got some good walking boots there and a couple other deals.  But I know you ordered some stuff online before you went over didn't you?  Much more organized than me.

I was also looking out for you at Gatwick when we landed, as the immigration officer oh-so-slowly looked through my new and old passports.  "Hmm...I didn't remember to bring a dictionary to prove the meaning of indefinite...wonder if Mrs. Robinson is around?"

We heaved a sigh of relief when customs didn't search our luggage - not because we had contraband (we didn't) but because we had so many hand-me-down clothes, Christmas presents, etc. crammed into every corner that I couldn't bear the thought of having to unpack and repack it all!

Was this the trip when you were going to be shipping a lot of your stuff back here? How did that all go?

Yes, this was the trip!  I spent my first 2 days in Tampa going through all my stuff in the storage unit -- only ended up giving two boxes away to charity.  On the third day, the movers came -- I went with Stevens International for the full service deal (they turned up, packed everything professionally -- especially my pottery,china, etc, lifted & toted it around & hauled it away for overseas shipment).  I think it'll be about 7 weeks before it turns up on this side.

I didn't think that UPakWeShip gave me a very competitive quote as compared to others on UKY that have used them, plus I was going to have added expenses for packing materials & transport, etc.  Plus I just didn't want to spend my entire time in Tampa packing & shuttling my stuff all around town!  My back was hurting after just lifting & sorting & hauling the boxes around my storage unit when I went through them.

Although UPakWeShip would have been a little cheaper -- it certainly wasn't worth the extra time & effort it was going to cost me (us).  So we ended up paying about US $1450 (approx £700) & although my stuff was only 12 boxes - 48 cu ft, it weighed A LOT at 715 pounds (mostly books!).  What I paid was Stevens' minimum charge which allowed me up to 100 cu ft & around 700 pounds -- so my stuff was certainly at the weight limit!

I'm glad that's done, but it's a little sad because that (my stuff in storage) was really my final tie to Tampa Bay...as the people I knew best there have all moved away.

But I know you ordered some stuff online before you went over didn't you?  Much more organized than me. 

Yes, I had a load of stuff waiting for me at my brother's house when I got there -- from Cabelas & Lands End.  I finally have real, proper Gore-Tex waterproofs (!!!) -- both jacket & pants, plus a fleece jacket that zips into the Gore-Tex jacket or either can be worn alone.  I got a pair of silk long underwear (I'm always cold over here - especially in our house!), three new cardigans, a new swimming suit, a new fleece bathrobe, and a shirt.  (That's just the stuff I pre-ordered -- I bought more at Wal-Mart & the malls when I was in Kansas & Florida. )

Plus, I had a suitcase full of Triscuits, graham crackers, various candies for people back here, hot sauces, Hatch dried red chillies, Jello puddings, ibuprofen, Neosporin, & god knows what all else.  The only thing that didn't make it through in good condition were two boxes of my Jello puddings -- they didn't survive the random TSA-looting-of-the-luggage routine.  Either they didn't think it was really pudding or they were just a little rough, but two boxes of my pudding had holes poked right into them so that the pudding powder was leaking out (fortunately, I'd put them in a plastic bag).  I was disappointed but it was still much better than when TSA looted my luggage another time & busted up some fragile & sentimental irreplaceable items (back when I was moving some things over here in my luggage).  I tossed the puddings involved because I didn't want to eat it when who knows what had been poked into the pudding box?!?!

Oh!  And I got an ipod Nano too.

Now, if I can just figure out how to use the ding dang thing...   Steve will need to show me but he's been too busy playing with his photos & his new camera (no he didn't get it there, he ordered it from here).

(And I brought back just a little bit of Velveeta.  And a lot of Rotel! )

Welcome back!

Welcome back!

I've got Velveeta with your name on it!