Today is the day

In about 13 hours we have an appointment at the American Consulate in Amsterdam.
Also, around this time Jack's plane should be leaving Philadelphia and arrive around 8:30 Dutch time.

And I should be sleeping, because at 7 we have to get on the bus to go to Amsterdam to meet Jack at the airport.
But instead I am behind the pc, as usual I should say, and am talking to you guys.
It won't come as news to you when I say I am hyper, I normally am when Jack is coming over, don't like the flight, makes me nervous and I get busy with all kinds of stuff I suddenly decide needs cleaning.
This time I am just nervous about the flight, not about the cleaning, to big of a task this time.
And I will not go to bed before I see the plane left.
Right now I am nervous as hell that more will go wrong, don't they say everything comes in threes?
Well, as far as I can see we had two really bad ones this time.
Paquita needing an operation and than last Friday, the sewers in my street couldn't handle the rain. And the sewer water needed to go somewhere.
Turned out that somewhere was my kitchen sink.
days before Jack arrives, a few weeks before we move and a week before we expect around 35 guests, my living room, kitchen and dining room were flooded with the most thinkable icky water.

Instead of packing boxes to send to the US, I have been cleaning, instead of ordering drinks and food for the party, I was cleaning and on the phone with the insurance company...and the company I rent my house from... and the people in charge of the sewersystem.
The rest of the time I was praying for better weather for the time I have left here.

Talk about bad timing.
But, it took my mind of the interview, bit drastic, but it worked.

Anyway, in 12,5 hours we have an appointment.
Guess I better try to get some sleep.
According to the website, Jack's flight left on time.

I'll be ok, once I have him close and in my arms.

They want to know everything!!!

Even how I look on the inside.
So, last Wednesday my son and I took the train, and the bus, and the tram to Amsterdam.
See? We were there, took this picture at the Museumplein.

For a change, that is the only picture I took. I know, it had been almost 25 years ago I think. And I would have liked to walk around a bit more, but my 14 year old son isn't a fan of cities, not even Amsterdam.

Anyway, we were there for our physical examination and for my chest x-ray.
All in all, it went pretty well, it was mostly waiting a lot and walking a lot.
The good thing about the Internet is that you can find out exactly what tram, train or bus to take, when to be there and how much time and money it costs.
It makes traveling a lot easier, even when you go to a city you don't know.
Still, we managed to get lost a bit, 5 minutes from the place we had to be, but we were really early, so no panic.
We found it. We were even so early that we were sent out again to get my x-ray done first. Which was a 10 minute walk and 30 minutes wait.

For me it was a trip back into time, the doctors office reminded me of the time I was living in Groningen, our doctor was also in the inner city, in an old building with little space. Here it was the same. The place the x-ray was taken was more like a trailer behind a beautiful old building.

The people at the dr. office were really nice and my son got some nice compliments.
They made another hole in my skin again. A blood sample was taken to check for HIV and Syphilis, together with the x-ray and the vaccinations I had for this, I should be good for at least 10 more years I think. Jack doesn't have to worry, I bet I come with some kind of guarantee now.
We did find out that my son will need a series of 3 vaccinations for Hepatitis B once we are in the US. That is the only one the kids here don't get on the regular vaccination plan. And he is lucky that he isn't a girl, or he would have needed another series of 3.

On our way back we saw the American consulate where we have to be in a week.
Tall, black fences and security all over the place.
I am glad Jack will be there with us.
Before we go to the consulate, we will pick him up from Schiphol where he will arrive a few hours before we have to be there.

In a few weeks we will celebrate together

United breaks guitars

Having flown several times now I am surprised that up to now my luggage always was ok.
But after seeing them drop my suitcase on the ground in Harrisburg I make sure nothing really expensive is in there.
And for a good reason it seems.

Love how this guy handles the situation.

It doesn't stop

There is so much to do now that I felt guilty having the flu the last few days.
So what I did was sit down with a few boxes and sort out what can go and what I want to bring with me to the US.
Pretty brainless work I thought, but as it turns out, not something you should do with a non functioning brain.
I may have thrown out more than I realized.

Also getting estimates on shipping what is left. First of all, I don't have much.
Furniture and so on can stay behind, there isn't really anything in this house that I am attached to. Now, my books is another matter, just like my son would like to bring his Lego and his pillow for example.

Anyway, those estimates arrive in my mailbox now and it is like they are speaking another language.
Cb meters and groupages, 20ft containers (yikes, that is way too big), THC costs, insurance and a lot more that takes me 3 or more looks before I get a grip on what they mean .
Maybe I should let that go until I get that flu out of my system.

One thing that is pretty straight forward is surviving this warm weather we are having right now.
Even the girls won't come of the couch during the day. I can get away with dragging them to their pee spot and they are good for another nap on the couch. We all just decided not to move too much, which suits me fine right now.

Our interview date is getting closer and we have decided to throw a farewell party the weekend after that. And this Monday I can call to make an appointment for our medical. It is going to be pretty busy the next few weeks.

For the ones who asked, Paquita is doing fine.
Still tired from the anesthetic but that is normal, certainly with this type of weather.

For our readers on the other side of the big pond.
Happy 4th of July