Preparations, lists and butterflies

Hard to believe but our departure date is moving up quickly and we are starting to make the preparations needed to get ourselves on the road.

We are going to start making a couple of lists so that we don't overlook anything along the way.  One list for all the things that we need to do to Sherman and getting paperwork ready.  The other list is for the things that we need to buy in Canada and the States, that we can't get or are hard to find in Mexico.

Our first list will include things like getting Sherman's E-test done.  In Ontario this has to be done every two years on vechicles older than five years unless they are older than 1988.  Our e-test isn't required until next year when Sherman's license is due which is in February but we won't be here so this is why this has to be done before we leave.  Also Kevin's driver's license has to be renewed as it is up in February too.  We have to purchase our Mexican RV insurance, although that can be done online so we could wait until we are in the states for that.  Copies of all our important paperwork need to be copied several times, so if anything happens we can always have copies of the needed paperwork, ie passports, vehicle ownership, insurance.  That is just a few of the things, more will get added as we think of them.

Our second list includes things that we like here in Canada and have a hard time finding elsewhere.  Maple syrup, Tetley tea, instant coffee (we find this hard to find in the States at a decent price, everyone there likes perked coffee better), Body Shop facial products, Kraft natural or unsweetened peanut butter, Heinz canned beans, Clover Leaf canned salmon, and I am sure I am missing a few things still, they'll get added as we go.  We like these brand names and either find them cheaper here or just easier to find here, so we try to buy what we think we will get through until we get back.  Once down in the States then we buy the other stuff that is cheaper there and hard to find in Mexico, Campbell's soups, various noodles, rice noodles, descent papertowel (the stuff in Mexico doesn't do it for us!).  I know there are still lots of other things like new hiking shoes for both Kevin and myself, a BBQ, and rear tires for Sherman.

Work is coming along with Sherman, I still have to finish the valances, I just need to find some time.  I want to get curtains and bedding all washed up before leaving.  Kevin still has a few more things to do on Sherman.  Still haven't got the carpeting done!  We just can't seem to get ahead or well there is always "mañana"!

I thought some pictures were needed, we haven't had any for so long.  These are of some moths and butterflies that we have seen over the summer here that I thought were quite pretty.

A neat looking moth with wings closed (Small-eyed Sphinx, I think!)

Same one with the wings open

An eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly (I think, once again)

This one was big, you can see the size compared to the sucker it's a Polyphemus Moth, one of the largest of the Giant Silkworm Moths