Countdown to Canada

[NDH]

Havent accomplished a whole lot today and though I need to try to get lots done, dh is away on a business trip for 3 days so I dont expect to get a whole lot done.
I did clean the fireplace - needs another scrubbing later as there is still a lot of rust that didnt come off, though it does look a whole lot better.
Photographed all the kids artwork and set aside a pile of definite keeps.
Reorganized all the suitcases and I have 3 completely empty ones, 2 mostly empty ones that have stuff designated to go in them, and still have other stuff that I know needs to come but havent gotten as far as figuring out how much space they will take up.
Yesterday dh took photos of most of our stuff we're selling and his job while hes away and has nothing else to do in the evenings is to start listing it.

I'm going to try to clear off the shelves this afternoon that he wasnt able to photograph so I can get those up too, and get the kids to start helping me haul more stuff out to the trailer to be thrown away.

Also I determined that we *cant* go over 23kg on any of our bags. Theres an over weight charge of $65USD per kilogram over (to a max weight of 32kg), but each extra bag is only $60USD. So even though more bags is a logistical problem of getting home from the airport, it's a while lot cheaper to bring more than 14 bags weighing 23kg than to bring even one bag that weighs more than 23kg. That knowledge may make me decide against my canning pot and my snap press... we'll see.

Oh and last night I started researching our insurance options. New residents to BC dont get free health care until after their 3rd month of residence (march 1 for us) so will have to pay our own until then. But in a country where private health care doesnt exist (aside from dental, extra/alternative healthcare plans and pharmacology plans that atent covered by the free healthcare) it was unsurprisingly difficult to find what I was looking for. Looks like it will cost us $270+/month for our family for $50,000 coverage. That doesnt seem too bad.

 

[Huggles]

That's not a bad rate for Healthcare at all.
Interesting that even though you are Canadian there's still a waiting period. I suppose it witpe people flying home just for Healthcare purposes.

Very interesting about the overweight charge. That's a crazy amount! Definitely better to rather take more suitcases, even if it makes it harder logistically.
Also, weren't you allowed 14 suitcases but only planning to take 10? So you already have a 4 case overflow option if absolutely necessary that will cost you nothing as opposed to the crazy overweight charge.

 

[NDH]

Hoping to take 10 but it will likely be all 12 that I sourced.


Most provinces dont have a waiting period for returning residents or people moving from another province, but BC and a couple other provinces do. Most likely, as you suggested, to discourage Canadians living in the USA from coming over the border for free health care. Though I'm pretty sure it's usually the other way around (canadians going to the states for medical treatments)

 

[Bevziibubble]

That's good for the health care.

 

[kittiecat]

That’s good that you managed to find some health insurance!

 

[NDH]

I didnt get anything taken out to the trailer, but I did get the 3 cube shelves cleared off, cleaned and listed for sale, and have added little bits and Bobs to the keeping/if room pile and throwing out other random bits of things.

Still so much to do and I alternate between feeling like I have a good handle on things and panicking that there is still so much to do at very frequent intervals lol. It depends which timeline I'm going by whether I freak out or am calm lol. For 19 days to go we're in really good shape but for wanting to start moving to mom and dads this weekend its overwhelming. We do have until *next* weekend to be actually out of here though, and dh will be off for that whole week so we should be able to get a heap done. A lot of the problem with me feeling overwhelmed and behind is that there is so much stuff that I cant deal with yet, though the vast majority of it there is a decision about so really it's not that hard. The recycling bins are full, and I've filled some boxes/baskets with recycling that ate sitting around, and other piles of stuff that I dont have containers to transfer it to. Same with bags of garbage I havent run out to the trailer and tubs of things for the op shop. And all that adds up to making it feel like there's so much more to do than there really is

 

[Bevziibubble]

It must get overwhelming at times. I think you're doing great though

 

[Huggles]

I think you're doing really well.
And you might find that moving to your parents this weekend will actually help with the final bits as the kids will be out the house, as will the stuff you are keeping / taking with you. So more separation between what stays and what goes.
Because if your parents can then keep the kids for a few days while you and dh go back to the farm to finish off the final bits it should clear quickly.

 

[NDH]

Dh has (possibly) sold his car, our cast iron cookware, the electric fence, our hydraulic car jack, our star picket driver, and the smoker.

About $400 depending on agreed on amounts, not including the car which I have no idea what hes hoping to get for it.

 

[Bevziibubble]

Yay!

 

[Huggles]

That's awesome!

 

[Rags]

Brilliant.

 

[NDH]

Had a successful first "garage sale". Mostly DHs coworkers today came for a farewell bbq and ended up buying lots of stuff.
One coworker is taking the chicken coop and chickens and a bunch of our farm stuff (hes setting up a Bush block after a divorce, living in a camper on some essentially raw land). Also sold kids climbing frame, the smoker, the vacuum, a book shelf, some computer stuff, garage shelving, the air purifier, and possibly dhs gaming chair and the garden beds. Probably forgetting stuff. There was lots of interest in the lawn mower but no takers yet.
Everything remaining is being listed online tomorrow. Having a second farewell/ garage sale next saturday too.

 

[kittiecat]

Glad the garage sale went so well!

 

[NDH]

Tallied up the totals from today and it was $1430, which includes the things that were previously spoken for that I estimated to be $400 (does not include the car)
Another $440 worth of things that are being considered but weren't decided on, and my parents have a friend who is quite interested in the lawn mower but hasnt made a decision yet, which h is another $400.

Main big things left to sell are the washer and dryer, the bunk bed and the single bed and the tv. None of which should be a problem to sell online.

 

[Huggles]

That's awesome so much stuff got sold.

 

[Bevziibubble]

You're doing great with the selling

 

[NDH]

We now have a quarantine plan, and a way to get there from the airport, and I have just put tape on the floor the size of our trailer bed (which is smaller than our friends truck bed who is meeting us at the airport to get our luggage) to determine if it will actually hold all our luggage, and we could fit 19 bags in it if necessary. So that's good to know it will all fit, and we can even bring a couple of extra bags if need be. We are thinking that if necessary we can get Saranna to help push a third luggage cart, as it would only be a short distance from baggage claim through customs.

 

[Huggles]

That must be a big relief knowing transport is sorted and bags can be got to their various places.

 

[Bevziibubble]

I'm glad you have a an in place. That must be a relief knowing it's all sorted