Getting Ready to Depart the D

I have less than 40 hours left in Detroit. New Orleans was a lot of fun (and warm!) but now I am in serious departure mode. My buddies at work today threw me a "safe travels but you're not leaving" potluck lunch with some sinfully wonderful food and then I took off in a sprint to pick Java up at the vet and then get her (OK, me) mentally ready to be picked up at 3:00 by the Pet Transport company. She looked so puzzled as they shut the van door. Hope she's OK.

Stan came over today and we went over alarm codes and details. I feel so lucky to have him watching our house. I don't think any of the weirdness of an old house will phase him one bit.

As soon as I finish dinner, I am going to start organizing my clothes. I get to take three suitcases and man are they going to be full. Luckily, anything that doesn't fit in my bag I will take over to my Mom's and take it when I come home in March. All the remaining rubble in the house is going up to the third floor for storage until we return.

Better get back to it!

Off to the Big Easy!

OK, I only have seven days left in the USA. So what am I doing? I am headed to New Orleans for the National Automobile Dealers Association meeting for four days. Makes sense? This is typically one of the biggest pow wows for Automotive News and it is one of the main reasons I hung around this long without Dan and the kids. However, with the auto industry implosion, we are expecting lean, lean, lean attendance. But, the weather is supposed to be 70 so I am hoping to at least sneak a run in amidst booth duty and the many events we host.

I have spent the last three days locked in the Marriott RenCen for another event, the World Congress. Poor Java. She hasn't seen me for more than a quick minute this week and now she's at the vet for four days. I will pick her up from the "doggie spa" Wednesday morning and the company is coming to take her to Brazil Thursday at 7 a.m. She is going to wonder just what is going on. She is going to stop in New York and visit the USDA for certification and then make the long flight. (The dogs fly in the pet cabin right under the pilots so it is warm.) They anticipate delivering her back to us in Sao Paulo Monday morning. So strange!

It is really starting to hit me that I am moving. If I start getting weird, I can always go in search of beads and big Hurricane drinks in the French Quarter to calm me down.

Good Friends

Last night was the "Mama Jama" (pronounced so the two words rhyme). A fun crew of my girlfriends decided a while back that we should have a pajama party while Ro and the kids were away. Last night was my last Saturday in the house (I am in New Orleans for work next Saturday) so it was TIME!!!

What fun. We drank cosmopolitans, ate good food, danced a bit, played Mystery Date and watched Sex and the City. Everybody wore their goofiest pajamas and really just chilled out. The six inches of snow we got yesterday helped the chilling part.

Jean, Lisa, Pat, Lynne, Patrice, Amber, Helen and Carol...you guys are crazy and so, so sweet. Thanks for the great send-off. I wonder what kind of pajama parties they have in Brazil??!!

We Have Furniture

Hannah sent this photo of our living room in the Sao Paulo apartment. It looks so different (and so much better) with furniture. Now all we need to do is add some art to the walls and we're in business. I am so glad the sea shipment finally arrived this week.

The Closet Wall

In my pursuit of finishing up the house so I can depart in 15 days, I am trying to totally complete two rooms a night this week. Tonight, I tackled the last of the rubble the kids left in their rooms.

Since the kids have been old enough to stand, we've gathered in Jackson's closet for a special ceremony on both Hannah and Jackson's birthdays. Ro has them stand against the wall with a book on their head and we measure how tall they've gotten. I love this wall.

Ro Has Changed

I think Brazil and the stress of missing luggage, delayed shipments and way too many tax forms must be getting to my husband. Jackson sent this photo from his phone. I wonder what '80s band Dan has playing on his new IPod?

The Party is Over!

The Sao Paulo Trio left today to head back to the warmth of Brazil. It was tough to drop them off at the airport this afternoon but man, we sure had an awesome time over the past three weeks. We saw so many friends and family and ate and drank so, so much! Dan worked his tail off and finished tiling and painting the butler's pantry and took care of a million things around the house. The kids visited their high schools, got their hair cut, became Wii afficinados and shopped a ton. Jackson and Ro even found time to get to the Ultimate Fishing Show.

I thought I would post just a few shots from my camera of the fun over the holidays.

My turn to depart in just three weeks....

Packing (Again!)

It is hard to believe that Dan and the kids will be leaving on Friday. We've had such a crazy busy time the past few weeks. Jackson and I did the New Year's Eve four-mile run on Belle Isle and we had a great time at Lynn and Karl's house to ring in 2009. It was terrific to see all the Milford gang again.

Hannah and I went and saw Wicked last night with my Mom and Dad and enjoyed a great Italian dinner at Angelina's Bistro. That is my favorite musical by far. We had seen it in Chicago two years ago with Hannah's girlfriends but it was nice to see it again in the D. Hannah and I have the soundtrack on our IPods and we know all the words.

Ro and Jackson took the opportunity for guy bonding at the batting cage and at the go cart track last night. They even went to Taco Bell. I like the girl version way better!

We're starting to get really serious about packing up the house. We shipped a lot of stuff to Sao Paulo in the Fall but now we're clearing out the cupboards, etc. so Stan and Barbara have their own storage room when they stay in the house. We've found lots of fun photos, news clippings and cards from the years. Hannah and Jackson cracked up at a photo album from my bachelorette party (Lori got you a stripper, Mom?) and we smiled at how little the kids were in the photos from the Japan years. We found my brother Dan's baseball mitt and freshman player of the year baseball. He died in 1998. There was also a lot of chewed up paper in the bottom drawers. Guess we had a mouse or two we didn't know about.

After three trips to Home Depot for more bins, I think we've packed away most of the big stuff. The kids have to do their rooms before they leave. They keep avoiding it so I've told them they may have to pull an all-nighter Thursday but they are not leaving the US until it is done. We're storing the bins on the third floor. I'll pack up the last of the remaining rubble before I leave at the end of the month.

I think I have someone to take over my car lease. I posted the Enclave on leasetrader.com and a teacher from Novi replied. We're in the process of filling out all the paperwork with GMAC now but it all looks good. Guess I'll have to rent a car for the last few weeks which is no big deal.

Our wonderful neighbors are treating us to yet another fabulous home-cooked meal tonight. Lynne and Dan (and all our friends) have been so good to us.