Thursday, November 13, 2014

The Three Boxes of Life

Well. . . we are making steady but continued progress in our major, life changing move to Ecuador.  Items get checked off the checklist, bills - and final household bills get paid, and laundry gets cleaned, groceries bought, and meals eaten. 

We are in a different lodging in Lancaster. . . not in Mojave anymore.  It's in what was the premier spot for getting a room or a good restaurant meal a generation ago, but is now among the two still surviving inns that are still running a quality, and economical, operation.  The rates here are perhaps ~$30 to $40 less than one of the newer hotels by the freeway here, so we are thankful for the price break.  We save on fuel for the cars this way by being closer in to what still holds us here - mail service, credit union, and church - and this place serves a continental breakfast in the way a Holiday Inn Express provides, but without the well advertised name.  So some cost savings in fuel and food, offset by the increased (monthly) room rate.  Not a bad tradeoff for being closer to where we spend the majority of our time. 

It even has a pool and Jacuzzi, which I have been using to among other things tenderize my feet.  Maybe I *can* wear my dress shoes I had some trouble wearing last month, praise God!  I think the pain has lessened from the daily pool soakings.  Gotta wear shoes in Cuenca. . . they are our primary mode of transportation, or so we have planned.  Carolyn Anne has found one of her swimming outfits and is now joining me in the Jacuzzi. . . helping her back and joints, too.  Looks like we like this place.

The checklist of tasks to do before travel in January is shrinking to a very manageable size.  This is doable!  We now have airline tickets from Delta and have all lodging and accommodations in place, thanks in part to our Bed & Breakfast in Quito, Ecuatreasures, who we recommend based on our previous trip to Ecuador last Spring.  

The big task for us now is to sort through what I'll call "The Three Boxes of Life" (borrowed from Richard Nelson Bolles'  What Color is Your Parachute which is a classic employment resource I also recommend).  There's the suitcases we will bring to Cuenca this trip out, the tubbed belongings we won't be taking this time - but we can do it the next trip - and the items that don't fit either category. . . will be looked at in due time, and be recategorized into one of the other two categories. . . or donated away.  That's the simple, strategic reality of our few remaining belongings.  

This is beginning to hit Carolyn Anne as she is perhaps getting to "3-D" examine and realize what we can realistically take, keeping in mind Delta's luggage limit of 10 pieces of checked baggage per passenger.  As of yesterday, we were up to 13 bags to take, with bags at the motel room to add to that number. . . without a full elimination of the items that are in the "gray zone" of not going or stored.  As you may be able to tell, going through our stored belongings and deciding what goes and what stays is harder on my sentimental spouse (not that I don't have sentiment and emotions about our belongings. . . I do, but choose to be strategic and obedient to what I know God's call for us is to be.  And that means to travel light.  Airlines are ruthless that way. . .) .

I knew we were gonna spend at least a few days sorting out what to take and what to store.  Please pray with us on a good, kind, fair, and timely resolution for this one task to be done.  Also, that my wife would focus on us getting ready for our travels more than at present.  It seems she is getting distracted by a friend or two that wants to use her as taxi service (no car to drive).  I have told her for her friend to be referred to a friend of Carolyn Anne's who is willing to do that service in her place. . . after all, we're no longer gonna be able to live here anymore. . . soon!  Two months away.  Time flies, and we have to get 'er done, and focus without these distractions.