Yesssssss!!!!

Well, I have found a way to post on this site, so this evening I will update about life in Shanghai.

The moving men come in at 8:45 tomorrow morning and I think I am ready. The array of boxes is frightening, but I am pretty sure I have stuck to my 6 cubic meter estimate and I can say I am proud of myself for basically sorting it all out myself (although I would never again do a solo international move this way). I am so glad the movers will be lifting them and not me (I have already lugged them all into place once!) I was going to do the cleaning myself, but friends convinced me that is madness, so two lovely people are helping me with that tomorrow afternoon. I shall sleep very well tomorrow night!

On another note, my orchid that Clare gave me is beginning to bloom and Jonathan is taking it home tonight. Clare gave me this orchid 12 years ago when my Grandma died, and every year it blooms in September and October. This year it has come out early and I take that as a great omen!

I went in to King's today to say goodbye to everybody. I need to drop a couple of things off yet between now and Thursday but I will just go in and out quietly. More soon!

xx, Shanghai Suz

Countdown is here - less than a week to go. As you can see, the pile has grown somewhat. And this is only the pile that is being shipped (with ore to go)! There is another, equally large pile in the living room that will go into storage. I am utterly and completely sick of packing and I would never pack an international move again myself (another note to self)! Three cheers for packers and movers.

I have had lots of lunches and dinners out, so the carefully-kept items in the pantry are all getting tossed today. Jonathan and I are out at Matthew's for dinner tonight and I figure that if I have a meal or two and haven't been invited somewhere, Big Macs are just a block away. Hopefully they accept Yuan....

The Salvation Army is arriving today for their booty. I could not sell two pieces of furniture from my bedroom and have weeded through belt, bags and more clothes. They were more than happy to high-tail it out here, unlike St. Vincent de Paul who could not seem to organize themselves. The car is on auction online. I have already had 3 offers . . . cash . . . but many thousands under its value. The auction closes Wednesday night so if it hasn't gone by then, J will have to finish the transactions on that. Otherwise I think everything is cleaned up and sorted out.

Maybe my posts will be more interesting in a week . . . . . if I can access from Shanghai. Watch this space!

xx shanghaisuz

Thanks for the helpful advice. I think chopsticks may take me over my luggage weight allowance so I may have to purchase them there.

Well, 12 days to go. I had a wonderful holiday at the beach for 4 days with Matthew - and that is the sum total of my holidays for this summer / winter. The rest has been sorting and packing. A very boring life, really.

I have become the Trade Me queen (that is like Ebay). I have nearly sold all the furniture that I wanted to get rid of, and a few other little bonus extras that I would have just packed up had they not sold. I have been sleeping on foam mattresses on the floor with a sleeping bag for 2 weeks! I will appreciate a bed in my new home - no matter how hard! (Chinese beds are rock hard!)

I have a couple of leads for selling the car. I just tell them it has one little old lady owner..... :-) I am off to a dealer today and they were just about salivating on the end of the phone, so I am hopeful. I am also practising my negotiation skills in preparation for life in Shanghai!

xx,

Shanghai Suz