Last Day

“There’s a time for departure even when there’s no certain place to go.” 

-Tennessee Williams

OK, so today is the last day here before we set out. We’ve checked off everything on our leave list, nothing left to do but leave. Now we are excited, anxious, nervous, worried, and doubting if we’ve done everything we need to do. I think so, but time will tell.

Ellen and I both are ready to go, but a little melancholy about leaving friends, family, and things we love. I believe it will pass, or we’ll be back a lot sooner than we thought. Perhaps looking a bit sheepish, but for right now, the games afoot, and we are off tomorrow at about noon.

Do you know how much there is to do before leaving on an extended trip? Well, we came up with about 22 items:

1. Go inactive with the bar and professional organizations.
2. Reposition and automate recurring accounts
3. Begin taxes (waiting on W-2s)
4. Deal with banking issues
5. Shots….not fun (it is amazing how expensive this is. Most doctors don’t carry these exotic vaccines. Travel clinics charge a lot, you must make sure the clinic you use is covered by your health insurance.)
6. Cleaned the house to prepare it for Mike, Mary Frances and Arleigh to move in
7. Renew my nursing license
8. Get rid of cable (Winners never quit…..except for cable). Keep the internet connection.
9. Sign up for VPN service
10. Contact our mobile carrier to let them know we are traveling internationally
11. Notify the credit card companies about travel
12. Check on fees & max withdrawals from ATMs
13. Give our HOA notice about travel and who will be moving into our unit
14. Notify neighbors about travels. Give keys to close friends
15. Confirm airline from Gatwick to Athens
16. Review travel insurance coverage (Blue Cross and Visa have us covered)
17. Enroll in US State Department STEP program
18. Sell car, cancel warranty program.
19. Return plates to DMV
20. Cancel car insurance
21. Set up Google Wallet
22. Set up a travel expense journal spreadsheet