Misadventures of a Midlife Married Couple

April 25

Well, it is official.  This week I got my contract signed and returned.  I submitted my resignation for my current position.  We have renters arranged for the house.  We have a buyer lined up for the truck.  I got confirmation that my flight to my conference and into Fairbanks has been booked.  The only thing to do now is start the physical process of moving and let me tell you that’s going to be a show for all.  

Have you priced shipping… oh ANYTHING… to Alaska?  Yea, I hadn’t either.  Suffice it to say… it will cost LESS for the majority of what we thought we would ship to just be replaced and have Amazon Prime ship it.  I have read every blog, Marty has watched every video, we have both scrolled through every advice post we can for tips, Dave has provided great resources to research and I have spent hours comparison shopping shipping rates on everything from bedsheets (our bed is probably going to be a Queen which we don’t own linens for anyway) to broomsticks…( literally, because I don’t want to not have cleaning supplies) and everything in between.

Our fur babies are going, we are 99 percent sure.  However, I am still trying to find out if I am going to be able to get them ON the plane (in climate controlled cargo obviously) in OKC, some airlines have restrictions on outside temps, and let me say getting the highest high and the lowest low to meet in the middle when flying from OK to AK is NOT a small task, it also is not possible in July.  I’m still trying to find someone who can tell me if the cargo area at Will Rogers is temperature controlled.  Also, our baby girl is nine, that’s pretty much Doberman senior citizen and there will be no vet where we will be, there will be no vet in the closest hub.  The nearest vet is at least 2 plane rides away.   I was planning to just keep running meds available from Chewy BUT they don’t ship to AK. What I will probably do is have my Mom go pick up the meds from the vet and ship them from OK to AK if we run low/out.  But the question remains, will I be able to get them ON the plane in July to begin with?  

The differing opinions on our move have started to make themselves known.  It amazes me that some people think we have not researched this.  (if you know me at all you know I research)  We have been told how expensive gas is, uhhhh ok?  We won’t have a car so?? The price of housing (the district provides it), the cost of food (duh, we know fresh produce and meat are going to double, dry goods we can Prime).  Others have been hugely supportive.  Is this a big move, YES.  Yes it is.  However it  provides an opportunity to experience something that really not that many people (on a big scale) get the chance to experience.  A move to not just a new area but an opportunity to immerse ourselves in an entirely new culture.  We are more than aware that it won’t be easy.  But we are also more than aware that we aren’t alone either.  In addition this move provides a huge financial incentive.  I won’t lie about that.  Oklahoma ranks 49th (again) in teacher pay and the hostility of our current legislators towards education in general is amazing.  Trust me when I say that I could rage for hours on this subject… but I won’t..  Anyway… THIS IS HAPPENING, and it’s starting to feel real!