Sunday, March 21, 2010

Cleaning and moving

Nothing beautiful to show you today.

Yesterday I went to my good friend, Marlene's house, to help her clean and pack. Marlene is leaving for Hong Kong next week and she had to pack up her home of 20 years ALL BY HERSELF! (Her husband is already in Hong Kong.)

As if packing weren't enough, there is all the paper work that needs to be done when moving. Change of addresses, telephones, car registration, Alien registration (we're foreigners here right) insurance forms, realtor papers, bank accounts, electricians, plumbers, recycle shop papers, the list is endless... And Marlene doesn't read nor write Japanese any better than I do.

Uh-hum. I sometimes use my blog to send a "nudge" to friends' family members and today I'm addressing this to Marlene's husband.

You need to go out and buy Marlene a piece of pretty jewelry because she has done a mountain of work these past couple months IN JAPANESE and she deserves a rousing hooray from her family. I sure couldn't have done it!!!!

Anyway, Marlene and I spent nearly 12 hours going around the rooms throughout the house and putting things in throw away, give away and put away piles. Unfortunately quite a lot of the give away pile came home with ME and now I get to figure out where to put away. At any rate, between the two of us, a neighbor and another foreigner friend we've got that house looking pretty well cleared up.

(Garbage in the throw away pile)








(My take home pile)

Marlene is still here three more days and she plans to wax floors, wash windows, pack a closet, do errands, go to three more farewell parties and bake cookies for the neighbors. I don't know. I'd probably skip the waxing and washing and baking... Hope she doesn't wear herself ragged.

Relax Marlene! Have a good time in Hong Kong. I actually had a fun day cleaning with you yesterday. Next time let's do my house. Do I have to move?

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