Thinking Outside THE BOX - Day 84

Time is quickly approaching for our return.  As I look around I am dreading packing everything back in our car plus what we bought here.  As you remember in day 1 the car was already totally full. Brilliant thought.  Send a box home with the summer clothes!

Buy box, tape and sharpie

Call U.S. Post - Fed Ex -  Purolator  to get quote on approximate cost

Cost is surprisingly high -  plus custom brokerage and taxes

Debate - are willing to pay that much  

Decide -  we will bite the bullet

Pack up box - seal - address

Load 40lbs box in car 

Soon I will be rid of this extra load and have space in the car = less stress

Now off to fill our customs forms and ship that puppy.

Oh so wrong on that.      It appears that for customs, you need to give an exact amount of everything in the box and their individual value…..??????WT@3%???///.….even if it is all used clothing all originating from Canada.

Are you kidding me?  I must have between 50 to 75 pieces, at least.

Result: Pick up box - take it back home.  .

Now the real stress begins.

  

P.S.  The only bright side to the story, is that Brett found a good authentic restaurant next door ;)

Hello Beautiful - Day 83

I have walked by every day sometimes even more than once a day and failed to notice this deep purple beauty.

Until today....

What's Up There? - Day 82

I seem to have become very interested in ceiling here.  Here are some of the different ones…

At the UC Berkeley

At the Hair Salon

Yoga Studio

Urban Outfitters - San Francisco

"Pas Un Chat" - Day 81

Translates to "Not One Cat". A French saying that means "no one around".  This is how I would describe the UC at Berkeley Campus today.

Long week-end Saturday,  where most students have gone home to visit with family,  was a perfectly beautiful day for capturing the campus essence.

My Thoughts Exactly - Day 80

Saw this license plate on one of our walks.....

The Grass Is Always Greener… - Day 79

Or is it?  One thing I always find really important in my surroundings is greenery.

In lush Berkeley there is lots….although not always the way I would prefer.

Here, they seem to really like shrubs.   No, love shrubs.  They are everywhere. 

On the front of almost every house, on each side of the sidewalk  (making it really difficult to walk hand in hand with your guy  or  even get into the car), on the sides of the house,  next to the stairs…...

Since this is following my blog about gratitude, let me say, I see the beauty and maybe even character to the neighbourhood.

Imagine my joy when I spotted a huge clean green expanse of grass!

I ran to it thinking -  oh THIS feels like home!!!

As I take in the rest of the scene it dawns on me that I am running towards a Roman Catholic Church….

Let's Talk Turkey - Day 78

Today, I find myself really touched by the spirit of the festivities all around me and feel moved to post a simple quote in honour of the celebration of gratitude. 

 “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, 

and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, 

and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” — Buddha

Thank you all my friends and family for the richness you bring to my life.

I truly appreciate you and enjoy the times we are together.