My Last American Day

At least for a few years. 😀 Friday was hectic. On Thursday, the packers came by and boxed everything up. It was a new experience to sit and watch everyone else do the work. Friday they came early. Herr called the bank to get the lien release faxed (each call requires us to go through the automated system, then sit on hold for a minimum of ten minutes). The three people had everything inventoried and in crates by 11:30. Herr and I started the cleaning process as rooms cleared out, so we were done cleaning by noon. Bea stopped by to pick up miscellaneous items that couldn’t be packed.

Calling the bank again to get them to fax the lien release, we finally decided to drop off our keys and the cable modem. That took twenty minutes standing around (although I like that Time Warner has a waiting room with Internet and television, how appropriate), we go to close out Herr’s bank account. I get dropped off to pull out money while he goes to get the release.

My pay check doesn’t show up in the bank, so I run over to the library. Seems that the last check is always mailed instead of DDed, so I’m a bit concerned as we don’t live in the States anymore. Luckily, HR was able to pull it from mail delivery before pick up. Two checks! Yay!! 😀 That was such a relief. I had enough money to pay for a temporary apartment, but not food! Now I do. 😀 Very very lucky. Got the cash from the bank, and Herr informs me we still don’t have the fax.

After more waiting, I call up the bank. I decide we need to have them fax it directly to the state department. We start for Topeka where the title is while I’m negotiating with the bank. Get a call that it was sent to the wrong number. Have to call the bank back. We’re in Topeka by the time I am off the phone. At the state department, we find no lines and the release had already arrived. Woohoo!! Five phone calls and three fax numbers later, of course. She hands over the title, quick stop to the post office to try to fix the change of address (not resolved), and then we meet up with Herr’s grandmother for a farewell meal before driving the hour back.

Around 7:30 we were able to meet up with the new owner of the vehicle to hand over the title and get the rest of the payment. Things finally panned out. We get to Herr’s brother and sister-in-law’s who graciously lent us a vehicle to do all this as well as let us stay the night. The last thing we did? Watched Michael Moore’s Sicko. I hadn’t heard of it, but now I can’t believe how terrible America’s health “care” system is. Having a pharmacist in the room, I asked her thoughts. She said a lot of what he said is true, but there’s extremes and some storytelling to make it more dramatic. Still sad about the entire system.

Get to bed after midnight. Herr’s stomach is terribly upset, so we didn’t sleep much at all. Finally just got up little before 6 a.m. Herr got sick and may have the 24-hour flu. We’re at the airport now; me on the ubiquitous Web, and he on the floor trying to sleep in hopes of it going away.

Aye, it was a strange and full last few hours in the States.