Videos and prep for cataloging

Hey!  I figured out how to download my pictures and videos from my phone!  Here are a couple of gems from last month.

Tobias is the tabby colored cat.  Aviva is the grey and white one.  Etsy is the dog.  The cats, despite their cuteness are not presently in my possession.  However, if we play our cards right, they will be with us in Germany.  Until I see the kitties again, I'll just have to settle for these videos.

Tomorrow, I get to face the daunting task of cataloging everything that is getting shipped to Germany.  My sister-in-law, who's probably even better than I am at cataloging, will be helping me out.  Even with the two of us, I still don't expect us to get more than half of the house done.  Other ideas to help this process along will be recording and taking pictures using webcams and laptops and putting non-repeating numerical tags on everything.  Don't get me wrong...I love to organize.  However, this is a little extreme.  I'm thinking I'll be getting rid of a lot more than I planned on.

All the gearing up for the move is starting to get to Etsy.  These past two nights she's been restless.  I think she actually is starting to miss the company of the cats too.  They would try to play with each other, but Etsy's 75lbs to their 7lbs didn't really add up to wonderful times.  Aviva would taunt every now and then, and would jet after Etsy would move.  Tobias was always held in check by Etsy because Tobias is flat out annoying at times and Etsy would simply get in his face, returning the annoyance favor.  Tobias and Aviva play and snuggle together all the time.  It was a well rounded group of playmates.  We plan on a reunion soon.

I'll contact my friends in Germany soon.  If I need to get anything before the move, now's the time.  It's funny how my friends in Germany and Austria all know me from the University of Minnesota, but have never met each other.  Christian is in Austria, so he has an excuse.  Jan and Iris, however live only an hour or so apart. Funny how the web of friends connects.  I wonder if that works the same for me.  I'm so glad that I'll have some local references over there.  I know they won't be able to hold our hands per se, but at least if I'm in a desperate situation I might have someone to go to.

So much to do.  The moving papers have to be done ASAP because the move can happen no sooner than 3 weeks after the paperwork is approved.  Also, the move generally takes months to complete.  They pack everything in a day or two, but the transportation is what takes time.  I wonder if they send it by boat.  We could realistically be in Germany for weeks before our stuff arrives.

After the moving papers, I gotta get our taxes figured out, I have to sort out an endocrinologist in Germany for myself as I am Type I Diabetic (military Tri-Care insurance will make the transition easier), I have to get Etsy's travel paperwork taken care of, I have to learn German, and I have to figure out if I'm doing more school or working in Deutschland.  One thing at a time.  Because of this move, our taxes should look crazy next year with all the donations and moving expenses involved.

Ok.  Bed time for now.  I'm sure I'll have plenty to post about tomorrow.  I would love to hear from anyone else who has eaten Pummelo before!