Things are still crazy around here with packout looming in a week, plus Cody's graduation, Alonzo's 10th birthday, and the last big cub scout event of the year all in a week and a half, all on the same day mind you! YIKES! The good news is yesterday Dave had the day off, but the kids had to go to school. Memorial Day is an American holiday, not German so, no day off for the kids. Well, Cody had the day off, but he went to Europa Park with JROTC to ride roller-coasters all day, so he was out of the picture too. We had a good day. Got lots done and still managed to make it to Koi Samoi for some Thai. Crispy duck in red Thai curry, Yummmm. Really going to miss that place.
We went to Ikea for some last minute shopping. We bought some cute plastic plates, bowls, and cups so no more paper plates at birthday parties. I don't know about Malawi but those could be hard to come by in Jakarta. Also, new bed linens for the boys in nice bright colors. Of course we picked up a few other things and browsed the kitchen displays because some day we are going to build ourselves a little vacation get away and I am always on the lookout for ideas. I love how sleek and modern their kitchens are. We managed to drop off boxes and boxes of donations at the resale shop on base and fit in some quick shopping there. We even finished up the seed order for the garden. Fingers crossed that everything grows because seed has gotten a LOT more expensive since the last time I ordered from Burpee.
Most importantly we finalized our consumables shopping! A consumables shipment is a special shipment alloted when you are assigned to some place where food supplies are limited in quality or selection. The foreign service doesn't pay for the groceries but they will pay shipping up to a certain amount. It is up to the employee to figure out what they can't live without and go buy everything. We have been budgeting for this since we found out we were going to Malawi but it still hurts to drop all that money at once. It is all ordered and will be ready for pickup this weekend. Doing the consumables while prepping for pack out is an added stress now, but will make it much nicer this summer when the bulk of the shopping is done. Most places we wouldn't have the luxury of arranging our consumables while still at post, but in Frankfurt we are lucky to have access to the commissary on base with all the American products, so we took advantage. I am so relieved that it is done and I only have a small bit of shopping to do this summer. That means more time to hang out and have fun!
10 comments:
I LOVE having holidays where hubby is home and the kids are not. Usually we try to go have lunch somewhere together... and do something fun.
Yay for you for buying so many of your consumables at your commissary. You were SMART, SMART, SMART to take advantage of that! I'm so jealous... it will TOTALLY give you so much more time this summer to enjoy your vacation!
You are part of the reason I am shopping now I remember when you were in the states to have the baby and you were shopping like mad and vacuum sealing flour. I still have some things to shop for at home, like whole wheat flour and spices. That will go in our UAB from the states to post. The list is pretty short though. One day's shopping should do it. YAY!
i'm tired just reading this...hang in there and good luck w everything!!! I just LOVE reading about everyone's packout!
Oh, girl, you are my HERO. Doing everything you're doing PLUS a consumables shipment?!?!
::bowing to your Housewifery Goddess skillz::
BTW, begging for consumables pile pictures!
So far the consumables shipment looks pitiful just a handful of things that I don't think we need a case of. Things like 2 jars of red wine vinegar, 4 giant jars of grape jelly-David will ONLY eat GRAPE jelly, 6 cans of cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, 3 boxes of tapioca, 2 giant jars of vanilla. That sort of stuff. The rest of the shipment looks like a spreadsheet. That's the stuff we are ordering by the case. We pick that up this weekend but really it will look like a big pile of boxes. It is the important stuff. A case of rotel, several cases of laundry soap and downy, cases of Big Red soda, coconut milk for Indonesian curries, log cabin for pancakes, olive oil, ect...I will still have to buy some things in the states, but that is a different post.
SOOOOO looking forward to july!!! am ready to give all of our crap to goodwill and have a cleared out house. i get this way every once in a while and reading your blog makes me just want to purge (my goods that is, not my food). ;o)
Wow, you have lots going on. It sounds like you are taking it all in stride though.
Good luck with your pack out.
I loved those American (but not Icelandic) holidays. Oh, and you would love Icelandic kitchens...totally Ikea...
I just love the sleek likes of european kitchens. No stupid molding on the cabinet doors to trap grease and dust. Do the people that design these American kitchens actually cook? I don't want "details" or fancy "molding" on my cabinet doors. That just makes it harder to clean. And yes I totally love holidays when my husband is off and the kids are in school. Those are the best!
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