Just 1 more month!!!

Time is seriously flying! We officially have only thirty days until we're out of here! The packing is going well. I managed to get the entire contents of the apartment (that are being permanently stored) into an area that is 9-1/2 feet by 7-1/2 feet. The trick is to stack things up high. The good part is that I'll have a few extra feet of storage if I need it. The majority of the stuff being donated is gone. We have a few boxes left that are being picked up (along with the last of the unkept furniture) in two weeks. Now I'm simply down to two piles: the boxes with contents that will not be needed until we have the boat (aka the 'boat boxes'), and the boxes with contents we will use in Florida between now and the boat (aka the 'Florida boxes'). Every week I find something else we can "do without for now" and box it up.

We have all ensured our vaccines are up to date, and gotten additional typhoid vaccines. Even our cat, Tiger, has his appointment set to get all his vaccines and health travel paperwork. We all have passports ready to go (including the cat - yes - a pet passport). My husband is counting down his rapidly dwindling work days (only 27 to go as of now). We are reaching the point that excitement is beginning to mount as the "getting ready" is winding down.

The Texas heat has broken, and fall has arrived (which for Texas means dreary rain and cloudy). This only makes us look more forward to heading East and then further South. People have begun asking the same questions as before. I direct them to my blog (I get kind of tired of repeating myself all the time). I've even taken the time to make what I call "pre-boat" cards. When we get the boat, we will have "boat" cards made to give to friends as we travel (and collect theirs at the same time). But, since we don't have a boat yet, I've made cards to give to people here, so that they can stay informed as time goes by. Here is what our "pre-boat" card looks like:

Some of you will remember the picture from when we went to the Abaco Islands over Spring Break ;)  We have purchased an inReach so that we can plot our location as we travel. Eventually the Facebook page and blog will have a map showing where we are (for anyone interested). I'll do my best to keep things updated as we move along (provided there's internet)! In the meantime, we took the kids out for their last "trick or treating" in the old neighbor last night. They made out like bandits, and we only have a month to eat all that candy ;p