Orders, pack out, done!

I mentioned I would be back to talk about what is like to leave this base.  Well, it's bitter sweet.  It's hard as heck to know you're leaving such a great family behind. I don't mean MY family, I mean the family I chose just by living here and being a part of this great community.  Now, I'm not saying that there were never any negatives, annoying, or down right sad..... ahem, angry moments. We can't all get along.  While this place IS and always will be an unforgettable experience and far from the real world, some things do remain the same  -- people. We are humans interacting with a million personalities and NO, not everyone gets along BUT we are tolerant and smart, we make it work.

OK so I'm moving from GTMO. I'm ready. Mentally and spiritually ready. WHY if I loved it here so much, am I so ready?  Well I have a few reasons -- #1 my college kids.  Moving means I get to be closer to them.  Need I say more?  OK, #2 Being a military family means moving every 2-3 years so we mentally prepare ourselves at least six months prior to the move so that we're... well, ready.  Finally, #3 because I think it's important to go back to the real world once in a while. You might wonder why I separate GTMO from "the real world" and I don't blame you.  It's because here you:

- leave your house doors unlocked
- leave the keys in the car
- go diving, go to work, go home and eat what you caught diving all in one day- cost $0.00
- no need to search for cheaper or better store, there's one store - easy as pie
- trust to our kids to play on the playground, walk the dog, visit a friend and go to the pool  and know they WILL return - truly a village
- get to know the bar tenders after only one visit (because they work different jobs and you'll run into them often)
- don't pay a dime to see a movie - yes we get good movies here
- are more likely to get prizes in your age category during sporting events
- run out of certain food items, i.e. eggs, 2% milk, ice-cream, etc.
- have one gas station, one dry cleaners, one movie theatre, one library, one Marina, it's pretty simple... just one to choose from.

So we have orders, finally.  We called/emailed information to Personal Property and PSD. Contacted the ONE moving company and got our dates for pre inspection, pack out, date of departure, home inspection..etc.. it was overwhelming. I remembered I had to take it one day at  a time not think of this as a bulk thing.  It doesn't all happen at once.  We're done with the inspection, pre inspection and now in the middle of the pack out.  Today they packed the entire house.  Honestly, I'm surprised to see how fast they worked.  Tomorrow the 18 wheeler pulls up--- well actually squeezes it's way around the circle to the front of our house where they will load it up and take it away.  We will live here for at least 6 weeks with what most people call "flintstone" furniture - it's loaner furniture everyone gets when the first arrive and when their household goods are taken away.

I'm exhausted and finally realizing that I a really leaving, so I'm a little sad because there are many great people I will miss... OK different post.  Here's a pictorial of my house during prep and during pack out...

Until next time, good night!