Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Last Night!!

Well tomorrow i head to Philly in the early hours. This week has been a whirlwind.  Monday had a very long and fun lunch with Wendy, Christa and Tracy, old high school buddies. Tracy had to leave early (someone had to go back to work!), but then the rest of us sat and talked and talked. Was a great time. I then went over to Frys to get my replacement computer and tried to calmly load all my software, with my mother screaming at the tv in the background (Stanford Women's Basketball game). I promised myself I would not be defeated. Well, we don't have wireless internet access here, so after doing a few things I could do, I admitted defeat and did some laundry. Realizing I hadn't repacked my bags in a couple days, I did some of that too.

Truth be told, I am wearing the same clothes because I am afraid to open one of my bags which is perfectly packed and weighing in at 40 lbs.  Can't mess with perfection. But I do mess with the back pack and the carry ons. Put it in the carry on, or check it? How big of a personal item is really personal?  These are the questions that in a couple days will seem totally pointless, like they already do to anyone who is reading this.

Mom and I watched the dvd of my HSRC good bye party.  So now she knows I haven't been goofing off the last 22 years.  Yesterday I took the two hour train/BART trip from Palo Alto to Walnut Creek and spent the evening with my dad and step mom Lorna. Dad is so frail I am pretty sure I won't see him again in this life time. I am trying to keep a brave face, but it is truly sad. Reality is my first if any trip home in the next two years will be for his funeral.  Then again, he could surprise everyone.  He is my daddy though and I have not lost a parent yet, so it will be so hard.  Dad, step mom Lorna and I watched the DVD too, so they at least also know I'm no schlepp.

Today, back in Palo Alto I took the computer to Best Buy for the Geek Squad to save my butt.  Apparently there is alot the computer needs to do and have done to it once you are hooked up to an "internet device"  and it is taking some hours.  But i got to go to nordstrom rack to buy a very boring, yet hopefully socially appropriate, dress to take with me and a smaller wallet for my smaller amounts of money.  Now i am tapping my toes awaiting the UPS man with my zero annual fee credit card that is supposed to arrive no later than....hmmm right bout now 3 p.m.  Oh where or where is my visa card, oh where oh where can it be. The driver better be cute or I will be really annoyed.  Once it gets here, i get to call the various automatic monthly chargers to my card and then rush over to get my computer from BB so I can charge into the nearest Starbucks and down load all the fine software i was told just yesterday but one of the current PC volunteers we all just had to have.  I am so outta my league with all this techie stuff. But I am sure my social work skills are better than some of the others who are techno-perfecto...

When all this gets done, my mom and I are going out for my last California dinner in a while.  Mikes in Palo Alto I think is the plan.  Then a few phone calls out to those closest to me either tonight or underway tomorrow.  In Philly, the pre-service party starts - dinner, getting to know yous and sleep depravation. Yippie.  Then Saturday early a.m. an early bus to JFK for a 15 hour plane ride to Johannesburg. 
Care packages can be sent to
Margaret Kraft, PCV
Peace Corps Botswana
PO Box 00243
Garborone, Botswana

As a side note, when I started thinking about care packages, I was thinking, dried fruits, nuts, candy that doesn't melt (still those are good), but now i am thinking about baby wipes, peptobismol tablets, deodorant and such.  (still also good). Frankly, anything is welcome, more details on that later of course. Right now I just need a Setswana language implant into my brain.  If you have one of those, lets talk! 

I will be out of touch internetically speaking for awhile. So be patient with me and PEACE OUT/IN! 

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Time is FLYING

Well, finally made it to Bay Area on Friday with no glitches.  Thank you Sylvia and Timmy! Had a wonderful dinner with an old (well, she isn't old if I'm not) high school friend Barbara, then Saturday headed up to the City to see some old Santa Cruz/college friends (yeah, also not old) - Cheri, Dafna and Kathy.  I had such a great time being able to connect again with each of them individually and since they all knew each other back in the day, reconnecting them to one another.  Back tonight to Palo Alto at my mom's and my pile of stuff,which I am doggedly attacking to shrink into a reasonable pile of stuff. Problem is, the pile of stuff that my mom might need to send to me is growing in direct proportion.  At least she goes to the post office on a regular basis.  Computer challenge is being resolved. Robert who was so generous with the initial gift is buying me another one and keeping the funky one to get it fixed for his daughter. So tomorrow I will go out and get it purchased and somehow shoved into my baggage too. I will also get to have lunch with two high school friends Wendy and Tracy and then head to my father's and step moms on Tuesday for some time before lock down on Wednesday.   Must be fresh as a daisy for the flight to Philly Thursday a.m.

Leaving the country has never been this complicated.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

On my way to hydesville

Well left this am to head to bay area with my friend sylvia in her chinook. Looked at cal train cameras for Laytonville and willits and decided to spend the day in her home in hydesville instead and head out tomorrow. Crappy weather. Spent day getting names and address info off my blackberry and using her nifty iPad here. But not good for typing treatises so I will be brief. Sad goodbyes to sister, nieces, brother in law and dear Stan this morning as I hugged each as they left the house for school or work and I waited with my still too many bags of stuff for my friend June to ferry me to Sylvia.

All my animals are happily rehomed or in same home with new humans to look after. Thanks to my animal angels: dorelee and Andy; Kathleen,Curtis and Beth, debi and her family, and June and soon Theresa who will share Marco with debi until he moves in for good with his old new best friend Rudy, their cat.

I am still unclear as to whether I have a computer to take with me or not, but I am starting to think if I don't I will find me a Mac air in the bay area. Still unclear about what round three of my packing adventure will reveal as to if it stays or if it goes now. The more I am shedding stuff and aspects of my current existence, the less I feel like arriving in Africa with too much already in tow. But tis a hard thing, traveling lightly.


If this rain stops tomorrow, we may yet leave humboldt. At least I have til the 30th to get to palo alto, but REALLY hope it doesn't take that long. Happy Spring?!!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Less than Two Weeks

OMG, time is racing!  My notepad is on the fritz so I sent it back to my dear friend Robert in the hopes it can be fixed. Otherwise, I have to decide if I can afford to purchase one...and then it may be a Mac....that project will keep me busy the few days I have in the Bay Area. Last weekend we moved my stuff into storage, except the things I thought I needed to live this last week. Apparently I didn't need much of the stuff since I am wearing the same pants and tops, eating out alot with friends, and well, just not using that much.  That should serve as a reminder and warning in regards to my packing for Botswana. Less is more. Less is more. More fun, less stuff!!  Yep.

 Still packing, cleaning, hopefully selling the car this weekend.  Moving in with my sister on Saturday until I leave town next Thursday.  Nevada had a nice birthday party last night thanks to her new foster parents Dorelee and Andy.  I couldn't give her up yet though so will take her there on Saturday.  Princess and Scully are in their new homes and George and Marco are hanging out watching things move in and around and out and over and whatever.

Thinking of all the things I need to eat and say and do before I leave.  Won't get to all of it to be sure.  My botswana bound pile of stuff is staring me down and HAS to be packed this afternoon, so that is why I am elsewhere right now, running those errands....Jury summons for April came and the nice lady deferred me for 27 months. so I am sure when I get back then one will be already waiting for me.  Nice.

Flying to Philly on the 31st then on to Johannesburg on the 2nd.  Can't wait. Yes, I am scared and excited. I thank everyone who has been so supportive of my efforts and not called me crazy to my face.  (Yes, I see it on YOUR faces, but no matter. We all gotta do what we all gotta do!) 

Looking forward to some time in the Bay Area with old friends and my parents. Hope to post again then before I leave because after the 31st, it will be a while.  On of my co-bots10ers, as we are called, just received 12 pints of ice cream from one of her friends.  I have 13 days and think I could do 12 pints in that time.  I know I did 62 pints in 14 days in Ireland once!  but I was younger then and that was Guinness!  We shall see.  Gotta carboload! 

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Thanks to All My Party Guests

Had a wonderful party Friday night. 100+ people came out to  listen to Trifecta, eat lots of sugar, drink, mingle and say their goodbyes to me.  Everyone seemed to be having a good time - that sugar-alcohol-dancing combo is pretty nifty, for awhile.  People were so generous with their donations that I was able to pay for the party costs with left overs to help with all the foreseen and unforeseen challenges of the last few weeks getting ready to leave.  Thank you everyone !

I know that once i slow down and sit on the 5 hour flight from SFO to Philly it will hit me that I am really leaving and that I am leaving a wonderful community and group of friends.  Once I get on the 15 hour flight from JFK to Johannesburg, South Africa a few days after that, with arms numb and sore from the innoculation clinic we get in Philly, it will really be sinking in.  Meanwhile I am enjoying reconnecting with so many old friends, including two college buddies who came from Ashland and LA to say good bye, as well as so many people I have gotten to know over the last 22.5 years here in Humboldt.  I will hold these memories of Humboldt friends, fun, wine and chocolate dear when I am swatting flies and waiting for cooler, wet weather somewhere in Botswana! 

Technology is overrated!

Interesting week it was! Car didn't pass smog due to an old "injury" my car sustained years ago near the gas tank. So I take it in to have it fixed and waited at a coffeeshop for a few hours.  My computer had started to act really strange the night before so I couldn't get on the internet, but I could update my various lists of things to do, so I did. My phone was sucking the battery, so I couldn't make too many calls.  At least my umbrella worked - that technology is much more useful, it turns out.  So, walked back to get my car around 4 p.m. and, well, get this, they hadn't been able to work on it!  A phone call woulda been a nice gesture. But at least they know what is wrong with it for when it goes back in!  Meanwhile, the computer got worser and worser (that is techno-talk for words I don't want to type here where my nieces might see them) and became unwilling to type certain letters, like "t" and "y".  We have alot of those things in english words. trust me.  or "we have alo of hose hings in english words. rust me."  The same day all this is happening, we get our staging email telling us to call the travel agent asap to book our flights to Philly on the 31st.  Well, I figured that 39 other PC volunteers would be rushing to call, and I sat there with a dieing phone in the middle of the coffee house, so I said, Nah. Tomorrow is good for that.  Besides, I was creating a new language with no ts or ys and could not be disturbed, or disurbed. you pick.  And renting a moving van to put things in storage.  Otherwise a lovely day it twas - got to spend 2 hours at the gym, walk around in the rain and discuss the merits of using grape seed oil as a skin lotion with the women at the Co-op.

The next day, I sent the computer back where it came from hoping for a minor miracle or at least a full alphabet.  In the process, I found a usb cord and have no idea what it belongs to, so I sent that along for good measure.  too much technology hurts my brain, I have decided.  I am about to tackle putting more music on m mp3 player. So far I can put stuff on, and know it is there, but can't pull it up in any particular order so just have to  listen to what it says i should. So far, that is mostly Setswana, which isn't music, but probably is the priority. When I have time I will find a 10 year old who can show me how to work the thing.