It started becoming real at the dentist this past month. I got my teeth cleaned, and as the hygienist was trying to schedule me for my next cleaning in six months, I realized I won’t be here for it. First thought: WooHOo! Second thought: Oh no.
We have hard copy orders for Okinawa, reporting in July. We have (as far as we know) passed all our clearance hurdles. We are starting to ruthlessly sort household goods into Japan, storage, sell, Goodwill, and trash, while we choke on passport fees for six people. (Yes, the military provides a no-fee passport for travel in Japan, but if we want to go anywhere outside Japan while we are overseas, we all need passports.)
The questions from others are coming more quickly now. Maybe you have wanted to ask a few? It’s ok, I would want to know too. Top five questions asked:
Is it safe? (Is anywhere safe?) No, I mean with the radiation. (The power plant that was damaged is over a thousand miles north. In California we lived less than a mile from a power plant and had to sign a school form that our kids could take radiation pills if the need arose.)
Don’t they have typhoons? (Yes. It wouldn’t be a Weems’ duty station without a good evacuation—Twentynine Palms? Flash floods and wildfires. Camp Pendleton? Wildfire evacuation. Virginia? Hurricane Irene evacuation. We’re just trying to check off typhoons. Next duty station we’ll try to find a place with killer bees.)
What are you doing with your dog? (Our 15-year-old granny Labrador is staying in Arizona with my parents. *sob*)
Where will you live? (We are applying for base housing, but we are not opposed to living off base if we have a peace about it once we arrive.)
What do the kids think? (Cora Jo was concerned that we do not speak Japanese. Once we assured her that there will be plenty of English speakers on the base, she joined the others in excitement. Memphis just shrieked for a while—of course she does that when lunch is ready or when she misses a turn playing Sorry!, but I think it was a happy shriek.)
We’ll keep you updated, but feel free to add any other questions as a comment below.
Can you take us with you?
Can you wait til Dec to move?
Can we keep the kids and send you? (ok, just kidding)
Yes. No. Yes, although I think you will visit much sooner to return them if you take that route..lol.
And the good thing is that the Lemonade Rambles will continue while you are in Japan, right?
Oh, I’m sure we’ll take the rambles to a whole new level by going international. Buckle up!
Just wondering when you do your writing? In the wee hours of the morn or late at night? I am a good friend of your Aunt Nancy’s and one time when hiking in the Payson area, my husband had a heart attack and you took care of my young son, Aaron. Of course that was many years ago and God continues to smile on us.
Hi Janis! I tend to write at night once the house is quiet or sometimes on Sunday afternoons when everyone is outside. Thank you so much for reading.