It's packing day eve (ie the night before the movers come...). 2 days of packing and our life will be ready for Germany apparently.
So, a brief update...
The house has been sorted between 3 shipments (long term storage, air shipment and sea shipment). It seemed an easy prospect. The air shipment was 1000lbs that should arrive within 10 days. The sea shipment, 12000lbs to arrive in 10-12 weeks. I thought you could live without anything for 10 to 12 weeks, until I realized that it translated to 3 months minimum. It seems a lot longer that way! So after much agonizing, things are sorted and we're ready for the movers to arrive.
Stormy's saga continues, but he's packed and ready to move.
His last trip to the vet sent him home with controlled drugs for the flight (which we might both need to take!), antibiotics for an unidentified infection, and a shaved belly from the ultrasound (it's a very slimming look for him - although he refuses to lie down on the hard wood floors!). His liver looks clean but there is inflammation in his kidney's, hence the antibiotics. All in all, though, a clean bill of health to get on the plane and through customs.
Also, for anyone moving a pet from So Cal to another country, I highly recommend using the USDA office in Hawthorne, CA for document endorsement. I arrived at 8:20am with no appointment, his rabies cert, international health cert, form 998 and $35 and left with the American government's endorsement for us to get the hell out of here! Very easy and stress free!
So now on the eve of the great pack, I'm watching Top Chef, trying to finish the last of our wine (you can't take it with you after all!) and ready to go.
Cross your fingers that the pack will go well. I'll keep you posted!
Stormy
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Stormy E. Cat Esq.'s journey across the world
I would be remiss if I didn't spend some time musing over the joy of traveling from Canada to the USA to Germany with a small yet sometimes angry black cat.
To begin, 5 years ago when we moved from Ottawa, Canada to San Diego CA, I thought it was a hassle. I couldn't have been more wrong! A trip to the vet (where Stormy made his dislike for all things medical blatantly known) produced a 1 page health cert and a script for Acevet (an absolute must!). Stormy was then unceremoniously tossed into a soft sided carrier and stored lovingly under the seat in front of me for a trip to CA through Chicago. All in all, everyone survived.
Now (5 years later mind you, ie 5 years older) it all seems so much more complicated. According to the pet relocation company, we require a German translated form 998 signed by the vet and then endorsed by the USDA within 10 days of travel. Also, he needs to have in international microchip and updated rabies vacc and a form 7001 international health cert which the vet will have. Simple enough right? Maybe? First, apparently his microchip is not the right kind. Second, the USDA main office is in Northern Cal. The form can be mailed to them, but isn't there a scary risk that I won't get it back in time? Third, the vet doesn't have and has never heard of form 7001.
A trip to the vet provided a new microchip, an updated rabies vacc. and also revealed Stormy has lost 1.5 lbs (a lot for a 14lb cat!) Blood work shows elevated liver enzymes and now he's gone off his dry food altogether. Needless to say panic has set in. I'm partly convinced he's dying, and partly convinced he's just picked up on my sense of panic related to the move.
After purchasing 4 different dried foods and 10 different cans of wet food, we've finally found something that he will eat. Major step forward! The vet has him scheduled for an ultrasound (do they have to shave his belly for that?) and he's on antibiotics (a treat for everyone involved since he seems to be able to hide the pills and spit them out hours later. Trickier than a patient in a psyche ward I say!).
If all goes well, he will get the ultrasound and certs completed on the same day (5 days before we are scheduled to leave). I can then run the paperwork up to USDA. And as for the form 7001? According to the USDA man who answered the export line, it's not required. Good thing since my vet doesn't have a copy but has a different international cert. Chaos.
So, hopefully Stormy is just being stubborn and all will be well. Otherwise, we'll be living in an empty house while Mark is off in Germany!
Right, off to get ready since today is our going away party at the house! We have great sense of timing don't we!
To begin, 5 years ago when we moved from Ottawa, Canada to San Diego CA, I thought it was a hassle. I couldn't have been more wrong! A trip to the vet (where Stormy made his dislike for all things medical blatantly known) produced a 1 page health cert and a script for Acevet (an absolute must!). Stormy was then unceremoniously tossed into a soft sided carrier and stored lovingly under the seat in front of me for a trip to CA through Chicago. All in all, everyone survived.
Now (5 years later mind you, ie 5 years older) it all seems so much more complicated. According to the pet relocation company, we require a German translated form 998 signed by the vet and then endorsed by the USDA within 10 days of travel. Also, he needs to have in international microchip and updated rabies vacc and a form 7001 international health cert which the vet will have. Simple enough right? Maybe? First, apparently his microchip is not the right kind. Second, the USDA main office is in Northern Cal. The form can be mailed to them, but isn't there a scary risk that I won't get it back in time? Third, the vet doesn't have and has never heard of form 7001.
A trip to the vet provided a new microchip, an updated rabies vacc. and also revealed Stormy has lost 1.5 lbs (a lot for a 14lb cat!) Blood work shows elevated liver enzymes and now he's gone off his dry food altogether. Needless to say panic has set in. I'm partly convinced he's dying, and partly convinced he's just picked up on my sense of panic related to the move.
After purchasing 4 different dried foods and 10 different cans of wet food, we've finally found something that he will eat. Major step forward! The vet has him scheduled for an ultrasound (do they have to shave his belly for that?) and he's on antibiotics (a treat for everyone involved since he seems to be able to hide the pills and spit them out hours later. Trickier than a patient in a psyche ward I say!).
If all goes well, he will get the ultrasound and certs completed on the same day (5 days before we are scheduled to leave). I can then run the paperwork up to USDA. And as for the form 7001? According to the USDA man who answered the export line, it's not required. Good thing since my vet doesn't have a copy but has a different international cert. Chaos.
So, hopefully Stormy is just being stubborn and all will be well. Otherwise, we'll be living in an empty house while Mark is off in Germany!
Right, off to get ready since today is our going away party at the house! We have great sense of timing don't we!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Animal Style
Luckily many "to do's" off my list today! First lunch at In-n-Out Burger (best burger joint ever!) Mark was lucky enough to join me and snapped this pic of me finishing my cheese burger, animal style. I will certainly miss the 3 item menu and the fresh fries!
Second thing off my list was a trip to the Wild Animal Park! Where are the pics you ask? Well, stupidly I left the camera on last night while downloading and killed the battery, so no pics, but memories forever! I love that place and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting San Diego.
Finally, tonight is dinner at Benihana. I know, I will be incredibly fat by the time I reach Darmstadt, given the need to eat at every greasy place in SD, but it's all worth it. (just for the chicken fried rice!).
The date for the move has finally been set - flight leaves July 4th! Stormy has his ticket purchased too, and if all goes well, will be upgraded to business class (he hates flying in the back with the common folk).
Not sure what's next on the list of to do's but I'm sure I'll come up with something before tomorrow!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Day 1 - The Beginning
The date is finally set and it looks like the fateful move abroad is really happening - in 3 weeks! Despite the fact that I should be busy planning and executing a long list of move related to do's, the only list I have successfully generated is the list of things to do and places to eat in San Diego before leaving these US's of A all together! So far the food list is easy (and mostly fast food - Red Lobster, Benihana, Chipotle - all those things you never thought you'd miss until they're gone). But the things to do, a whole other story.
Luckily, Disneyland has been scratched off the list, but all that remains are biggies like the Zoo, Wild Animal park, one last surf in carlsbad, shopping at the outlet malls. Any suggestions? (hopefully cheap ones - I am officially unemployed after all!).
The first to make this list is tomorrow's trip to the wild animal park. Hopefully it will include some pics that will be posted post haste (assuming i can figure out how?!)
I've got to get it all in before the new adventure begins!
Luckily, Disneyland has been scratched off the list, but all that remains are biggies like the Zoo, Wild Animal park, one last surf in carlsbad, shopping at the outlet malls. Any suggestions? (hopefully cheap ones - I am officially unemployed after all!).
The first to make this list is tomorrow's trip to the wild animal park. Hopefully it will include some pics that will be posted post haste (assuming i can figure out how?!)
I've got to get it all in before the new adventure begins!
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