This is obviously for people in the Twin Cities area--or family nearby.
Does anyone have a truck or access to one available sometime between 2/25 and 3/2? I'm going to be putting some stuff in storage either to be sent down to me as visitors come to see me or to be there should I decide to come back in a reasonable amount of time. There's a small table, a 24+" long single cardboard file drawer (possibly 2 or 3--they make great storage containers), a rolling file cart that's light but about 18x24x26, a few boxes (possibly more than a few), and probably something else I haven't even thought of yet. I need to spend some time thinking about what I would truly want if I came back.
If I were to do that, I would get on the waiting list for Ebenezer Towers right across the street from where I live right now. What do I have that would work in there that would make my life a little more comfortable from the very beginning of my tenancy. Also, what would I miss so much that I'd need to have it with me to make me feel like it was home? The rest I can get at thrift stores or through Craig's List.
I'm not planning to come back but rather than cutting off my options, I'm giving myself a plan for one possible future.
Friday, February 10, 2012
More About Yarn
I've been going through my yarn (I may already have told you this part) and so far I have more than I can stuff in a 30 gallon bin--way more. The measurements on that are 30x20x20. That's a LOT of yarn.
Some of the yarn was purchased at one of those fancy shops that only carries the very best yarns, some is that same quality but comes from scarves and sweaters I purchased from thrift stores and then tore down and rolled them ever-so neatly. Some of those sell for $10 per 50 gram ball and I may have several ounces of it. There's silk, bamboo, sparkly yarn, ladder, and ribbon. There's a full skein of the yarn they're using to make the ruffly scarves. Many of them still have the labels on them. Some of it is just plain polyester yarn I was using to make market bags.
In other words, I have between $700 and $1000 worth of yarn, probably more (yes, really--that much). I'd like to sell it for $100. Do you know of anyone who might want to get a amazing price on some amazing yarn? It will go on Craig's List next week.
I'd love it if someone who loves yarn will be able to get it. I probably won't let anyone take it for a week or so since I'm unearthing yarn from the most unlikely places.
Oh my, in the time it took me to write this, I may have already found a buyer. This is really going well. I may reach my yard sale income goal before I even open the front door to the public. Wouldn't that be lovely?
Some of the yarn was purchased at one of those fancy shops that only carries the very best yarns, some is that same quality but comes from scarves and sweaters I purchased from thrift stores and then tore down and rolled them ever-so neatly. Some of those sell for $10 per 50 gram ball and I may have several ounces of it. There's silk, bamboo, sparkly yarn, ladder, and ribbon. There's a full skein of the yarn they're using to make the ruffly scarves. Many of them still have the labels on them. Some of it is just plain polyester yarn I was using to make market bags.
In other words, I have between $700 and $1000 worth of yarn, probably more (yes, really--that much). I'd like to sell it for $100. Do you know of anyone who might want to get a amazing price on some amazing yarn? It will go on Craig's List next week.
I'd love it if someone who loves yarn will be able to get it. I probably won't let anyone take it for a week or so since I'm unearthing yarn from the most unlikely places.
Oh my, in the time it took me to write this, I may have already found a buyer. This is really going well. I may reach my yard sale income goal before I even open the front door to the public. Wouldn't that be lovely?
Otavalo Market
There was an email in my inbox this morning that let me to a website I already knew about but this was one of the pages I had missed. I thought you might enjoy seeing some of what is available at the market just a 25 cent bus ride from my apartment. http://www.retire-in-ecuador.com/Otavalo.html. My favorite part of the page was the video at the bottom of the page. It shows many of the goods available there. They spent a little more time on jewelry than I was interested in but I'm sure other people love it. Enjoy.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
The Indoor Yard Sale, Part 2
You may recall that I said the dates for the indoor yard sale were February 18th and 25th. What in the world was I thinking? I suspect the earliest I can do it will be the 25th and I have a plan that may be totally unrealistic but I'm trying it on for size. Tell me what you think.
Saturday 3/3 Sale from 9:00 to 3:00
Sunday 3/4 Whatever is left is given away, also 9:00 to 3:00
After 3:00 The guy from upstairs who wants what's left for his church's rummage sale comes to get that.
Monday 3/5 Haul the trash to wherever trash goes to die and start cleaning for the move out inspection
Tuesday 3/6 Finish the cleaning and have the walk-through with the manager.
Wednesday 3/7 Fly out
It sounds crazy and probably is but it also seems like the most sensible way to do it. I get to stay in this apartment until the very end and it still clears the apartment out.
Am I nuts?
Is there anyone in the Twin Cities area who would like to help with this? Helpers get a preview and reduced prices, especially if you'll be helping with the cleanup.
Saturday 3/3 Sale from 9:00 to 3:00
Sunday 3/4 Whatever is left is given away, also 9:00 to 3:00
After 3:00 The guy from upstairs who wants what's left for his church's rummage sale comes to get that.
Monday 3/5 Haul the trash to wherever trash goes to die and start cleaning for the move out inspection
Tuesday 3/6 Finish the cleaning and have the walk-through with the manager.
Wednesday 3/7 Fly out
It sounds crazy and probably is but it also seems like the most sensible way to do it. I get to stay in this apartment until the very end and it still clears the apartment out.
Am I nuts?
Is there anyone in the Twin Cities area who would like to help with this? Helpers get a preview and reduced prices, especially if you'll be helping with the cleanup.
Excess Baggage
Yesterday was filled with ups and downs. My daughter is much better at finding the best prices on flights than I so she took on that task. She said the least expensive flight was on American Airlines (not my favorite) and that it would cost $40 to $50 more to fly with another airline. Dang it! Oh well. I'm sure it could be a lot worse.
I called American to confirm that there were no baggage embargoes when I'm traveling. I know some countries don't allow excess baggage during certain months, generally centered around traditional vacation times. Before Staci went ahead with that final push of the computer button, I wanted to be sure it was the right time of the year.
The "helpful" customer service representative at American said that there is now an embargo all year. You can have up to 70 pounds per bag but you can only have the standard size allowances and you have to pay extra for the heavier weight (free or standard rates go up to 50 pounds).
That's 140 pounds, and that's assuming I can get 140 pounds into two containers no more than the size of a fairly large suitcase. I started running through my mental list of everything I had been planning to take and cutting it down to a size that might fit those criteria.
When I got home I decided I had to check one more time. It turns out the least expensive flight had changed from American to Delta (hurray!). I looked at the internet info one more time. It assured me that I really could take more baggage when I was traveling so I called Delta. A very charming man assured me that I was correct and American was wrong. Thank goodness! I'm not back to my original 250 pounds, which is still very little when you consider it's not for a vacation--it's what I have to start life in a new place.
I did a happy dance and went back to trying to get my apartment ready for the grand indoor yard sale.
Coming up: The Indoor Yard Sale
I called American to confirm that there were no baggage embargoes when I'm traveling. I know some countries don't allow excess baggage during certain months, generally centered around traditional vacation times. Before Staci went ahead with that final push of the computer button, I wanted to be sure it was the right time of the year.
The "helpful" customer service representative at American said that there is now an embargo all year. You can have up to 70 pounds per bag but you can only have the standard size allowances and you have to pay extra for the heavier weight (free or standard rates go up to 50 pounds).
That's 140 pounds, and that's assuming I can get 140 pounds into two containers no more than the size of a fairly large suitcase. I started running through my mental list of everything I had been planning to take and cutting it down to a size that might fit those criteria.
When I got home I decided I had to check one more time. It turns out the least expensive flight had changed from American to Delta (hurray!). I looked at the internet info one more time. It assured me that I really could take more baggage when I was traveling so I called Delta. A very charming man assured me that I was correct and American was wrong. Thank goodness! I'm not back to my original 250 pounds, which is still very little when you consider it's not for a vacation--it's what I have to start life in a new place.
I did a happy dance and went back to trying to get my apartment ready for the grand indoor yard sale.
Coming up: The Indoor Yard Sale
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Ecuador Earthquake
For those of you who may have heard about the earthquake in Ecuador, it was a long way from Cotacachi. Apparently people in Quito felt the tremors but didn't report anything but a few lightweight items like glasses or bric-a-brac jiggling across surfaces. Cotacachi is 70 miles further from the quake than Quito so I'm guessing they either felt nothing at all to very tiny tremors. All is well.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The Chaos Before the Storm
I used to think this move was going to be so much easier than previous ones. All I have to do is pick out what I'm taking with me and the rest of it goes in the yard sales.
It sounded great in theory. What I've discovered is how many nooks and crannies I have and all the amazing things I have tucked away in them. For instance, I had NO idea how many places I'd stashed yarn.
This past Friday I wrote about all the yarn I had and how I had managed to get it all in one place. Silly me. It seems like every box or basket I open has more yarn in it. As I was cleaning of shelves to put my kitchen stuff on, I came across a bag and a box that each contained yarn, not to mention a couple of bags that were on the floor in front of the shelves left from a previous attempt at taming the disorder.
Tonight I decided to clean out a decorative box/trunk thing I have and when I opened the lid of this rather large piece of furniture if found--you guessed it--more yarn. The good news is that the more yarn I find, the less attached I feel about it. The box of yarn I'm not taking is now half again as much as what I'm taking and I'm not done yet. I still have that trunk to clean out not to mention the box and bag from the other room. At some point I will have to have stop finding yarn, right? Someone is going to love getting all of it, that's for sure.
Now I'm going to focus on the bedroom closet for a little while. I know there's no yarn in there. I checked that out the other day.
It sounded great in theory. What I've discovered is how many nooks and crannies I have and all the amazing things I have tucked away in them. For instance, I had NO idea how many places I'd stashed yarn.
This past Friday I wrote about all the yarn I had and how I had managed to get it all in one place. Silly me. It seems like every box or basket I open has more yarn in it. As I was cleaning of shelves to put my kitchen stuff on, I came across a bag and a box that each contained yarn, not to mention a couple of bags that were on the floor in front of the shelves left from a previous attempt at taming the disorder.
Tonight I decided to clean out a decorative box/trunk thing I have and when I opened the lid of this rather large piece of furniture if found--you guessed it--more yarn. The good news is that the more yarn I find, the less attached I feel about it. The box of yarn I'm not taking is now half again as much as what I'm taking and I'm not done yet. I still have that trunk to clean out not to mention the box and bag from the other room. At some point I will have to have stop finding yarn, right? Someone is going to love getting all of it, that's for sure.
Now I'm going to focus on the bedroom closet for a little while. I know there's no yarn in there. I checked that out the other day.
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