Catching Up

As usual, I am behind on keeping my readers up-to-date on my continuing preparations. Last weekend I finally had the second of three yard sales. This one was not the biggest — that will come in August — but it went well despite the cold, overcast day. I sold nearly everything. Still amazes me what people will buy if you put a cheap enough price on it. After all the remainders were packed up for storage until the next sale or immediate transport to the thrift store, I counted the proceeds — about $250. Not bad for a lot of mostly junk. Later I listed on Craig's List a couple of the larger/better items that were still in the remainder pile. So far I've sold the old '70s Harmon-Kardon amp ($35) and the never-installed hanging lamp from IKEA (another $20). Meanwhile I listed the iSight camera (among other things) on amazon.com. It sold right away for $119, as did a software how-to book for another $12. All this is to finance the new, professional quality digital camera I want to take to Morocco with me. I'm about half-way now, and still have more stuff listed for sale. Progress on this fund-raising, stuff-divesting project will slow down for awhile I imagine, but I'm not in a hurry. I still have about 10 weeks (!) time left. Yikes! How quickly it flies!

I still have not heard anything more from the people who were putting together the news story about the Peace Corps. I've been told it MIGHT air this week, but that they would let me know when it was scheduled.

I am really behind on my Arabic self-study. It's not just the time. It's difficult to do something like this on one's own. But I have a goal, and am determined to at least get through the alphabet before I get to Philadelphia. This weekend I am flying to Minnesota for a family reunion and will take my book with me. While I plan to sleep through as much of my redeye flight as possible on the outbound leg of my trip, perhaps I will have some study time on the way back.