Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
May 23rd 2018, 10:14 pm
#91
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Steerpike - yes the pinball machine has been sold. I just phoned the buyer to confirm and he’s collecting it on Friday. It’ll be a sad day to see it go out the door! Although I am leaving behind 2 good doctors (regular doctor of 29 years and my RA doctor of a few years) I want to make it work in Scotland and not have to rely on coming back to Arizona. I appreciate the suggestion. Thanks!
May 24th 2018, 3:46 am
#92
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Eight weeks to go!! Today we visited a stamp dealer. My DH has decided that he’s not going to take his vast stamp collection back to Scotland. Got all of $75 for 3 of his best albums. He’s thinking he may get about $5 for the remaining 40 albums! Sad week for my DH with the loss of his pinball machine and his stamp albums! A friend came round today and took some of our furniture. She has so much of our stuff (furniture, artwork, books, ornaments) that it’s like our second home! They’ve been our best friends for all 33 years and it’ll be hard leaving them!
May 30th 2018, 3:29 pm
#93
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Seven weeks to go!! Almost finished getting the first crate packed. Plan on getting them picked up next week when second crate is packed. Still waiting for TOR number. Final visit to the stamp dealer yesterday. He bemoans the fact that hardly anyone wants to collect stamps these days. Nine days until we move into temporary accommodation. Booked an Alaskan cruise for June sailing from Anchorage before the craziness of July happens! All good stuff!!
May 30th 2018, 11:44 pm
#94
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
From one Caroline to another (I'm in Arizona as well).. I think you are moving to Scotland. Do you already own a place there? How did you find a place to live? I'm hoping eventually to move to Dumfries/Galloway area..
May 31st 2018, 1:24 am
#95
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Hi Caroline! We don’t own a home in Scotland. We’re staying in AirBnB for the first 2 weeks and that is as far as we’ve got. Best wishes.
May 31st 2018, 10:20 am
#96
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Thank you very much vikingsail. It’s been quite a journey to get to this point. For 9 years I didn’t visit Scotland as it became too hard to leave after a visit. I also took a 3-year break from Facebook as photos of Scotland triggered such emotion in me. I just got on with things in Arizona and didn’t even talk to anyone about it. That is why it has been so good to find this forum - great for practical information but especially wonderful to know I’m not alone in how I have felt.
May 31st 2018, 3:44 pm
#97
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Rogerb123 - welcome to the forum. Do you have any plans to return for good? When I came to Arizona in my 20s I had no idea what kind of emotional journey I would be on with regard to having left my homeland. Still can’t believe I’m about to return and I don’t think I will until the plane lands in Edinburgh. I’m sure most people on the plane will know about my return as I’ll be going round telling them all!! Best wishes.
May 31st 2018, 3:55 pm
#98
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Rogerb123 - welcome to the forum. Do you have any plans to return for good? When I came to Arizona in my 20s I had no idea what kind of emotional journey I would be on with regard to having left my homeland. Still can’t believe I’m about to return and I don’t think I will until the plane lands in Edinburgh. I’m sure most people on the plane will know about my return as I’ll be going round telling them all!! Best wishes.
Jun 1st 2018, 12:37 am
#99
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
I arrived in the US in 1986, when I was in my early 20's. I feel like a squirrel in the middle of the road...I just can't make up my mind to go or stay. My husband died four years ago. Not sure I would be feeling this way if he was still alive. Decisions, decisions. Happy for all that are going back 
Jun 3rd 2018, 4:41 am
#100
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Wow! This moving country business is not for the faint of heart! In 6 days we move out of our condo into temporary accommodation. In a strange twist of fate just as we are leaving Phoenix my DH’s brother is going to be based in Scottsdale and we are moving into his apartment. He hasn’t even moved in himself. He’s getting most of our furniture, appliances and all kinds of other stuff. He’s been without a home for several years as he’s traveled the world with his job and now wants a base.
We are trying to rent a flat in Scotland and there has to be someone to view the property before they will rent it out. On Wednesday my sister-in-law’s mother is going to view the flat. Hope it works out.
We are trying to rent a flat in Scotland and there has to be someone to view the property before they will rent it out. On Wednesday my sister-in-law’s mother is going to view the flat. Hope it works out.
Jun 3rd 2018, 6:58 pm
#101
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
I arrived in the US in 1986, when I was in my early 20's. I feel like a squirrel in the middle of the road...I just can't make up my mind to go or stay. My husband died four years ago. Not sure I would be feeling this way if he was still alive. Decisions, decisions. Happy for all that are going back
Jun 6th 2018, 3:38 pm
#103
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Steerpike - yes the pinball machine has been sold. I just phoned the buyer to confirm and he’s collecting it on Friday. It’ll be a sad day to see it go out the door! Although I am leaving behind 2 good doctors (regular doctor of 29 years and my RA doctor of a few years) I want to make it work in Scotland and not have to rely on coming back to Arizona. I appreciate the suggestion. Thanks!
Regarding your doctors ... remember that you just may want to see a bit of sunshine in the depths of winter in Scotland. I know it gets hot in AZ in summer, but having an excuse to fly in to Phoenix for a week in January may not be the worst thing in the world!
Jun 6th 2018, 6:15 pm
#104
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Steerpike - yes pinball machines are a lot of fun!! One of the neighborhood kids once got the top score and my DH played for a significant amount of time until he had reclaimed the top spot!! We bought it in 2004 for about $5,500 and sold it for $4,700. We sold it to the guy who serviced it - he owns Firebird Pinball firebirdpinball.com. We could have got more for it through EBay but the way we did it was very simple. My DH ordered it online and it was shipped to our house.
Jun 6th 2018, 8:20 pm
#105
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Re: Leaving Arizona after 32 Years
Six weeks to go!! Yesterday UPakWeShip came and collected our 2 crates. So far we’ve been pleased with them. We’re still waiting for a TOR number and they’ll hold the freight for 14 days in storage free of charge while we wait. My sister-in-law’s mother visited the flat, said it was lovely, we said we wanted to rent it and now waiting on the landlord’s decision. I said goodbye to my regular doctor and my hairdresser. All these goodbyes! Feeling quite exhausted with everything going on so am going to sit and do nothing this afternoon apart from indulge in chocolate - the solution for everything!!
