Who knows when we will see this stuff again.

Everything that isn't going to the boat must be packed.

Packing...I have done this at least a dozen times, but this time is different.  While Mike is up at the lake working on mechanical projects on the boat I am here at the apartment packing up or belongings.  Over the course of my lifetime I seriously have moved at least a dozen times.  Sorting through things, pitching out what is no longer usable, donating what we don’t use, and packing the rest.  I seriously have it down to a science.  But this time it is different.  This time the majority of our belongings are going into storage and who knows how long it will be before we see them again.  

Sort through clothes, what to
pack what to take.

When moving from one home to another most people will have those boxes that contains items that are just temporarily thrown into them just to get them moved.  Well we can’t do that.  I have gone through everything and separated what is going on the boat and what is getting stored.  And when I say everything, I mean everything, from clothes, kitchen supplies, to paperwork and more.  What one has to remember is if it’s not going on the boat, it must be packed securely and it can’t get wet. So we invested in a stack of the plastic containers with lids.  Everything will go in those except for dishes and things that if they did happen to get wet wouldn’t be ruined. 

I have put out enough clothes to get us through till Monday of next week.  That’s when we move on board.  But things like dress clothes will be stored.  Shorts, t-shirts, bathing suits, tennis shoes, sandals and such are what will come along. 

Flour, sugar, rice, pancake mix, almost looks illegal

I have spent a little time everyday working on packing up different parts of the apartment.   This afternoon I was working on the kitchen.  Literally taking the contents out of their containers.  The containers I have on the boat are a different size so things are temporarily moved to zip lock bags for the move on board.  It’s been a bit of a trip down memory lane while packing our belongings. I am looking at things a little differently and wondering when it will be that I see these things again.  I had thought about leaving myself some notes in the boxes so that when I unpack them I will know what was going through my mind at that moment.  But I decided not to, I figure that is what the blog is for.

Everything must be stored in something.  

While I was packing Mike called with some great news.  Our diesel guy, Ryan, had been there to put the refurbished fuel pump back in and they had taken it for a test run and everything had gone well.  He also, with the help of our friend Bob and one of the dock guys Zack, was able to get the Baby J in the water, take it for a spin around the docks and safely get her installed onto the Lady J.  On top of that he was able to get the new VHF Radio installed.  Whooo Hoo now the bridge tenders can hear me when we hail them.  That man is a working machine!!!  But it was so nice to hear the joy in his voice when he called.  I know that he was concerned that the fuel pump wouldn’t get back in time.  Problem solved!  

Still more work to be done both here in Columbus and up at the lake but we are happy with our progress and definitely on schedule.