VELCRO®, Ziploc® Bags and Post-it® Notes

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

For some reason, this topic popped into my head - how did we get along without these everyday products? Well, we did, and I remember a time before they existed. Do you?

I was the data processing manager (does that title even exist now?) for a small company just outside Orlando, FL when Post-it® Notes came out. They were so useful that I bought my own to use in my department. What did we do before then? You used paper clips and hoped the note didn't slip off, or you stapled it to the original (if allowed). Now sticky notes come in all sizes, colors, shapes and are used in many different ways than the original. I used to have a collection of funny notes, funny shapes and different colors - I loved (and still do love) them.

VELCRO®? I have love-hate relationship with VELCRO®. Sometimes it doesn't work well enough, other times it works too well. But it is handy...well, except for that burr side. You know, the one that sticks to everything except what you want it to stick to, just like the sand burrs in Florida! And shoes? Kidlets and the elderly, right? Okay, maybe not, but that's what I think of (I won't mention the great sandals I have that use it...)

Hello, my name is Donna and I am a Ziploc® Bag addict. I love them - all sizes, all weights, all fastener types. Before Stu and I got together, I had them all. Freezer and storage weight, traditional squeeze zipper as well as the slide zipper, gallon/quart/mini capacities. Now we only have freezer weight but I still get both fastener styles, to Stu's constant aggravation (hey, the slide zipper isn't as airtight or liquid containing as the traditional). I use them for everything! We even have the XL size for traveling by motorcycle (and now storage). Great products, no matter the use.

So what are you favorite small inventions that you would hate to live without (and remember when you had to)?

Have you tried the new Kindle Fire? Here is a hard to resist price!

   

Changes in Latitude (thank you to Jimmy Buffett)

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Globe clip art
These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes,
Nothing remains quite the same.
Through all of the islands and all of the highlands,
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane.

When we moved from the northern hemisphere to the southern, from the USA to Ecuador, we definitely changed both our latitude and attitude.

But the only constant in life is....change.

We never intended to stay in Ecuador permanently and after analysis, we have met our financial goals. We still have things we want to do in the US, while we have the health to do so. Plus we want to do more travel and it's easier and often cheaper to do it from the US.

So, long story short...we will return to Cuenca in the middle of November as planned. But we will be selling everything and returning to the US and our RV lifestyle at the end of the year.

We will miss the many, many friends we have made but we will be past our two year anniversary and our visas will still be valid (as long as we return every 18 months or less OR unless the rules are changed). This was not an easy decision to make but we feel it is the right one for us at this time in our lives.

So as of January 2016, we will be RVing full-time again, based out of Clermont, FL for the winter. Current plans are to enjoy our winter there and at the end of March we will take the rig back to our property. From there we will fly/drive to Tampa to begin our European vacation. We are taking a repositioning cruise from Tampa to Barcelona.

  • Tampa, FL
  • Key West, FL
  • Funchal, Madiera, Portugal
  • Malaga, Spain
  • Barcelona, Spain
We spend a few days in Barcelona and surrounding before taking a 10 day Mediterranean cruise.
  • Barcelona, Spain
  • Marseilles (Provence), France
  • Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy
  • Rome (Civitvecchia), Italy
  • Naples (Capri/Pompeii), Italy
  • Crete (Heraklion), Greece
  • Rhodes, Greece
  • Athens, Greece

Neither of us has ever been to Europe so we are really excited about this trip. We will return to our property in TN for the summer and do our typical fall visit to the northeast.

Life is good!
   

Back in the U.S.A. (and a thank you to Chuck Berry)

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Yup, we're back!!! Been too busy to blog and will continue to be busy for a bit until we arrive in Maryland next week. We've:

  • Had a family outing in Florida
  • Met a couple traveling to Cuenca the following day
  • Met another considering retiring to Ecuador
  • Met with my BFF of many years - we hadn't seen each other since 2001
  • Drove to TN
  • Spent 2+ days getting rid of mouse sign and more mildew than you can imagine (still fighting it)
  • Getting tires lined up for the Freightliner (tomorrow's chore)
  • Getting a recall done on the Harley Tri-Glide
  • Enjoying my birthday
  • Unpacking all the goodies that had been shipped to my brother in FL
  • Tomorrow is also laundry day - going to the laundromat since our dryer still is kaput (have 6 large baskets full of stuff...eeek!)
  • Went on an all day group motorcycle ride to benefit the Tennessee Firefighter Memorial (below is a slideshow of a few photos from our SmugMug album).

We will check back in once we are settled in Maryland. Ciao!

Sharing is Caring...