Dumping Ballast
Wow, it's been a long time since I typed the word "ballast"...there's a good old word from my days as a roofer wanna-be!
Anyway, dumping ballast has been on my mind lately as we move towards getting orders and start thinking of the not-so-distant future and another move. To me, it means going through papers, drawers, cupboards and closets to eliminate any extra weight we have. Fun fact: we are only allowed to ship a certain amount of pounds per rank. I don't think Hans and I have ever been in danger of going over our allotted amount, but I still don't care to have excess around.
I also like to start getting rid of things way ahead of time so that we're not throwing bag and trunkloads of stuff at the last moment. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's that last garbage bag from the fridge full of half-eaten food and jars and bottles of stuff that I don't have time to wash out and recycle.
I'm already trying to eat stockpiled food and use up stockpiled stuff like soap and toothpaste...I just hate waste. I've been thinking lately about how excited I get to use up the last of a product. Like 'Take that COLGATE! I got every penny's worth out of your toothpaste, haHA!". Maybe it's just me, but it gives me an inordinate amount of satisfaction to squeeze out that last little drop. Like I'm stickin' it to the man.
We don't have any solid news on the orders yet. Big surprise there...it's never an easy process. It's never "look at the list, pick, get orders, everyone is happy". I feel certain that the whole period of wondering what's going to happen next will be over soon. In a way, it's a bit exciting, the not knowing part...where will it be? What do we have to look forward to next? I have to say, we haven't had any dull moves with the Navy yet. They have sent us around the globe. So I know that wherever we end up, it will be somewhere new and interesting. And back in the States, which I am looking forward to.
Anyway, dumping ballast has been on my mind lately as we move towards getting orders and start thinking of the not-so-distant future and another move. To me, it means going through papers, drawers, cupboards and closets to eliminate any extra weight we have. Fun fact: we are only allowed to ship a certain amount of pounds per rank. I don't think Hans and I have ever been in danger of going over our allotted amount, but I still don't care to have excess around.
I also like to start getting rid of things way ahead of time so that we're not throwing bag and trunkloads of stuff at the last moment. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's that last garbage bag from the fridge full of half-eaten food and jars and bottles of stuff that I don't have time to wash out and recycle.
I'm already trying to eat stockpiled food and use up stockpiled stuff like soap and toothpaste...I just hate waste. I've been thinking lately about how excited I get to use up the last of a product. Like 'Take that COLGATE! I got every penny's worth out of your toothpaste, haHA!". Maybe it's just me, but it gives me an inordinate amount of satisfaction to squeeze out that last little drop. Like I'm stickin' it to the man.
We don't have any solid news on the orders yet. Big surprise there...it's never an easy process. It's never "look at the list, pick, get orders, everyone is happy". I feel certain that the whole period of wondering what's going to happen next will be over soon. In a way, it's a bit exciting, the not knowing part...where will it be? What do we have to look forward to next? I have to say, we haven't had any dull moves with the Navy yet. They have sent us around the globe. So I know that wherever we end up, it will be somewhere new and interesting. And back in the States, which I am looking forward to.
