7 days, Read that, seven days!

Not till we leave, ha ha.   Cat quarantine in Beijing has been changed to seven days, down from thirty.
I am sure the fuzzybutts will like that:) I have finally heard from the folks in charge of moving the cats.  Of course that plays a bit of havoc with our timing but we will adjust.  The other night Mike and I made up our travel/move timeline then yesterday afternoon I get the news that quarantine has been shortened.  We may have to board them a few days if Mike doesn't have the house yet.  We don't think the Hotel will want pets, but, you never know.  The service provides brand new cat carriers and will ship them to me this week.  Gives fuzzybutts time to get to know them, haha, I doubt they will ever like them.
We have a lot of things to get in before we move.  Our trip to China in a couple weeks. Our trip to New Mexico in April.  Mike goes back to China for about two weeks in April.   A flute recital on May 12th, Olivia's last one with her friends.  Our trip to New York to celebrate Mike's parents 50th Anniversary. All his siblings are planning on being there, we are having a party somewhere in Lake George.  Mike moving to China mid June and being out of the house by the end of June.  Olivia and I going to Indiana in early July (please Lark) living out of suitcase's till late July when we finally go to China too and what ever else crops up since compiling this list.
Got my haircut yesterday, slightly different than recent cuts, really like it. Anyone know a good hairdresser in Beijing??
Had my first Chinese lesson today.  I don't know what Xuemei/Linda thought about it but I felt like I got somewhere.  She explained a lot of things that I was not grasping. It was also good to have someone correct my pronunciation.  I have been using this online site I found but without the feedback I know I just was not getting everything right.
Zàijiàn

 

Time, never enough

Nǐ hǎo
It seems like it is a long way off before we set off on our adventure across the sea, but really, we have to be out of the house in about 16 weeks!!!!  Eeeeekkkkk!  We aren't actually going to China then but just out of the house to become nomads, Olivia and I anyway..Mike and the fuzzies will probably go over near the beginning of July.
On Friday 'Matt' came over to do our survey.  For those who have not moved with a moving company, he is the guy who looks at all your .....stuff...and tells you if it will fit in the container.
When I walked into the sewing room with Matt I said "Everything in here." His eyebrows went up about a foot.  The kitchen was 'almost everything'.  Those are the two main things I do, cook and sew. 
When I asked him if it would fit, he said "It will be very full."
Mmmm, that got me to thinking about what I said would go or stay, so....
I went into the attic today to assess what, in there, of my sewing/fabric stuff is going with me.  Not much actually and I consolidated the things I am taking into smaller containers.  Well, that is good, a square foot of spare space regained!  The sewing room is very scary.  For those who have been there, you understand.  For those who have not, just trust me on this one.  My sister and Olivia's Art teacher will be the beneficiaries of this need to purge.  I have carted several things to the teacher already and have two more boxes ready to go.  My sister gets not only sewing stuff, (Hope you never have to move Lark.) but when we go through the closets she gets some of that too:) 
I have been reading these relocation magazines Mike brought home last fall.  I am called the "Trailing Spouse" in all the articles relating to family.  Such a lovely tag to add to Daughter, Wife, Mother, Sister, Friend....Trailing Spouse.  Sounds a bit like a serious condition!!  They say the move is hardest on us because of our lack of contacts or interaction with other people.  Employee has fellow workers and Kids have classmates, I will have our driver and the grocery store clerks, oh boy!  Some of the words I am planning on learning before I go are, thread, fabric, sewing and where?
zàijiàn!

We know a bit more

The things we have to do to make this move seem limitless.  We have had to get medical exams and reports from said exams and shots and........Even the fuzzies will have to have exams and shots and they won't even be going outside!  Ours are now complete, thank goodness, except the shots.  We even have to provide a copy of our marriage certificate.......Know where yours is?  We thought ours was in the BOX.  Not!  Mike kept going from place to place looking for it and everytime he went through the living room he would say something like "I don't think we are married." or "There's no proof, so I'm off the hook."....you get the picture.  So, yesterday after going through all the possible places I could think it might be I ended up calling our old hometown and going about the process of getting us a copy.  Can't do this type of thing over the phone...think identity theft.....so I had to get a bank check (no personals accepted) (that process in itself is a whole other story), copy my drivers license, print the form from their website and get it notarized.  And don't think just anyone can get a copy, nooo, only the husband or wife on the certificate can get this.  Wouldn't have been able to send my mom to get it!!  Like a little old lady (sorry mom) would be into identity theft!
Talked to the guy in charge of our 'container' on Tuesday.  Who knew you are only allowed 400 personal books when you move to China?  We don't plan on taking tons but, come on, what about someone going to teach?  He says there are lots of other rules as to what you can take and will send me the lists soon.  I will highlight the interesting ones and let you know.  We are leaving a lot of stuff here so aren't worried about fitting it all in.  The container is 13 feet shorter than a moving van and not as tall or wide.  No yard work tools, no electronics.....don't work over there, no food from the cupboard (GE says NO), leaving a lot of furniture........Mike says the house we get will likely be bigger than the one we have here so it will probably look a bit sparse, we can always go to IKEA, fun, fun.
I am thinking of changing the name of my blog.  My friend Jodi calls it Eggleston's Excellent Chinese Adventure.  Seems more exciting.  The cats aren't really very talkative anyway, I do all the talking.  I talked to two friends yesterday, one is Chinese and one is Taiwanese.  They both said they will help me with learning my Chinese.  GE provides Mike and I with 100 hours of lessons, 20 here and 80 over there.  I just think this old brain will do better with more help than that so until next time,
zàijiàn!