Boxes, boxes everywhere

November 5th marked the beginning of the end of our time on Okinawa. That was the day the first of the movers showed up. We had 2 shipments this time. The first was our "unaccompanied baggage" - this is a small shipment that goes on a plane and is meant to be the necessities that will tide you over until your main shipment ("household goods") arrives at your new location. I really didn't think much about that first shipment. We have never had to wait for our stuff before - it has always been there the day we move into our new home. But we separated a few dishes, toys and clothes and watched our speedy ninja movers pack everything up in 10 minutes. Super easy.

We spent the weekend cleaning the house and going to our little branch one last time.

Monday the 8th was the HHG move. Once again the ninja movers came in and before we knew it everything was in boxes. The funnest part was watching them load everything onto the truck.

All our Oki stuff fit into the first 3 crates, plus the smaller one on the end (which was half as deep).

I always love to see how they load my piano. We usually see it lifted onto carts and wheeled to the truck. Not the Okinawans. They get a couple guys and carry it. And they always have stairs/hills to deal with along the way.

Surveying the big hill

Sliding it down

And...lift!

And finally into the crate.

We spent our last few days in Oki in the TLF (temporary lodging/living? facility - a hotel) tying up loose ends. Ed had to outprocess, we sold our van, Ed sold his dive gear, we had goodbyes to say. We had dinner with some wonderful friends at Kitakaisen (oh how we miss that place), and the girls had their last day of school. It was a stressful, crazy time, but everything came together in the end. On Nov. 11th we took 2 taxis to the airport, and I was so proud of myself for only getting a little choked up as we drove out the base gates (of all the places...really?). I couldn't be sad for long though - we were on our way to Hawaii!