Hanna Andersson, Columbia employee store, Darn Tough socks, REI, Cotopaxi, Travelpro. Goodwill, Craigslist, junk removal.

Money goes out. Stuff comes in and goes out.

Every project that we complete, we say, “oh! This is so much better! Why didn’t we do this years ago?”

We’re sorting our possessions:

1. Keep with us (2 checked bags and a carryon each… that’s 15 suitcases!)
2. Air freight (800 lb. limit)
3. Shipping crates to go by cargo ship (18,000lb limit, arrives a 3-6 months after we get to… wherever I end up being assigned)
4. Long term storage (“20 years from now, we open a box and pull [item] out. Are we glad we kept it?”)
5. Donate
6. Sell
7. Junk it

We’re readying the house to rent. New rain gutters. New patio. New water main. Yard work. Paint work. Carpet cleaning.

We’re readying the cars to sell, which mostly involves making the kids stop eating in them.

We’ve been double and triple stacking sales… for instance, luggage we normally wouldn’t splurge on was on sale. We signed up for the company’s stupid text messages for another 15% off or whatever. But wait, there’s more! Our AmEx cards *also* had a cash-back deal on the luggage. BAM! Triple sale, baby! Ditto Hanna Andersson for kid clothes, and the Pendleton outlet, where I scored like $900 in business-casual shirts for $230. I don’t really own any of that stuff, my wardrobe consists of scrubs and band tee shirts (and other Pendletons.)

So, we’re pre-spending my hiring bonus (shortage of medical providers in the foreign service = hiring bonus) to pre-buy clothes and shoes, including upsizing for the kids, with an eye for brands that can take a beating. We may have few chances to shop for the next several years, but it’s tricky because we still don’t know whether to pack sandals or snow boots…. hmmm…. maybe we’ll become a zip-off pants family. So versatile!

Wait, SUITS! Gah, I can’t wear zip-offs! I have to wear BUSINESS FORMAL SUITS! Apparently, if you show up to orientation underdressed, they will send you home to change! So, while I was researching various weights and weaves of wool, and silk blends, and colors, and buttons, and just how much one should spend on a suit fit for sitting down with an ambassador (I figure I need at least ONE nice suit), Jen surprised me…

JEN: I ordered you a suit! It’s coming tomorrow.

ME: What?! Uh, thanks! What… what *is* it?

JEN: I saw a video, and the guy splashed a whole cup of juice on himself, and it just ran right off the suit!

ME: oh! Neat! uh…. what color is it? What size? I mean, like, we didn’t measure me or anything, I uh…

JEN: A whole cup of juice, Cameron! You cannot stain this suit! It came with the pants, jacket, shirt, socks, everything, it was SO cheap.

ME: Did, um… did this come from instagram?

JEN: It looked REALLY nice, ok?! You’re gonna love it. A whole CUP OF JUICE!

See, because I keep thinking, “I should really take care of X… nah, I’ll read some more about suits!” And then I report my findings to her, and then she asks if I’ve done X. Well, she solved that problem!

…will report back about the juice proof suit.

Money goes out, money goes out, money goes out.