Eight More Weeks!

The time is fast approaching. We’ve worked really hard and concocted a plan that we have been very focused on achieving. It seems as though we have been obsessed with our relocation to Boquete forever! In reality we made our final decision on the location last year in June. I remember how excited I was to have finally made the decision after so much time researching where to go. The decision to move to another country seemed easier to make than the decision of ‘where’ to go. We decided on a path, made our list of tasks that needed to be completed and began to march in that direction. The biggest milestone in our march towards our final goal has been to ready the house to sell. Now that we are anxiously awaiting an offer on the house we find ourselves able to sit back for a minute and take a deep breath. Of course while Ive been at work Scott has been trapped in our little apartment getting all our taxes ready so we can submit it on time. He’s not feeling like he’s necessarily gotten to catch his breath quite yet!

There are still many more things that we will need to accomplish before we can actually get on the plane headed to our new home. All our belongings are in two storage units . This week Scott met with a representative of the overseas shipping company. They needed to see the storage units and just get a look at what we had for the container. Then next step is to get a few estimates from a couple different companies and decide which one will work best for us. There are less expensive companies but this one, Rainer, seems to get the best reviews from other people who have used them. There can be so many glitches when transporting belongings overseas and I would much rather be sure to use the most reputable organization possible to avoid any catastrophes. Given the fact that we are unable to set an exact date of departure until our house is sold, we can’t officially retain a shipping company quite yet.

The other things that we need to do are , to prepare the cats for the journey. They need a trip to the vet to get all the immunizations updated and a certificate of good health signed and then apostle by the Panamanian consulate in Sacramento . Then that document has to be authenticated by the FDA in Sacramento. Additionally, this paperwork has to be dated no longer than ten days before travel. Then we also need to retain the services of a pet relocation company. The one most people seem to use is called Golden Frog. They will be the ones to facilitate the coordination of the Vet meeting us at the airport in Panama City and then making sure we are prepared with all the required documentation needed to import our cats. They also offer extra services like transportation , by van, to our final destination, Boquete. As soon as we nail down an exact date we can organize this as well. We have been shopping for airline tickets as well. If we want to use our points to purchase tickets then we really need to get on that soon, but of course given the fact that we are in ‘limbo’, we wait. Humph! I almost forgot, I get to do a little shopping before we head out! Apparently it’s hard to find certain creature comforts like sheets and towels so I plan to bring a good supply of linens along. I also want to get a few new clothes and a bathing suit which I haven’t bought in about a hundred years. Scott has a couple tools he knows he needs and we promised our friends in Boquete we would put a couple things in our container for them . I don’t think I’ve ever had a better excuse for a shopping trip! whooo hooo!

While we wait on the house to sell I am finalizing all the details of the transfer of my business to my good friend Stephanie who is buying it from me. She will be taking over the salon effective June 1. She and I have both had meetings with the landlord of the building and he is very agreeable about her taking over the lease of the space . I am preparing a written letter of notice to terminate my lease so that he can get her lease drawn up and signed . Stephanie and I have much to discuss about the business and I will be training her and teaching her all about how I run the business part of the salon, retail, taxes, banking,commissions,supplies,maintenance, licenses she needs to apply for,switching over utilities, liability insurance, there is quite a bit that goes on in the background that no one really knows about, in order to make a small business run smoothly. I really want to help her to make sure the transition goes as smoothly as it can. I especially don’t want Natalie and Elisabeth to have their businesses negatively impacted by the change of ownership . They are very pleased that Stephanie taking over the salon, they both know her and like her so I’m glad everyone will be happy, that’s so important to me. I’m sure Stephanie will make changes and will of course need to make her mark. I know that whatever she decides to do, it will be great and everyone will be pleased. She is very artistic and creative so One Eighty Four Plaza South will be in good hands, of this I am certain.

We have Eight more weeks until our departure and as you can see there is much yet to accomplish before we get on that plane headed for Panama. The minute that house is a done deal we will hit the ground running and get all these many remaining details nailed down so we can move forward. One day at a time is our mantra at the moment and I suspect we will continue to use that mantra as we head towards our final destination. “One Day AT A Time!” Yep, from the words of one of my blogging friends in Panama, “Poco a Poco”, Little by little! Poco a Poco the tasks will be completed and before we know it we will be looking around and saying, “Wow! we actually did it?” Time will fly by faster than we realize and this period of time that is feeling so s l o w we will surely look back on and feel as though it flew by !

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