Every evening Louise puts her loose change in the bank pictured above, a gift from her son Ted when they were going through a “Pinky and the Brain” phase in 1993. Along with my loose change (I use a classy a wicker basket), we had amassed what we called the “Round the World Fund.” Today, 36 days from departure and after a combined ten years of collecting pocket change, it was time to cash in. We anticipated thousands. What a great way to hit the road!
At the bank, the change-counting machine sounded like rocks in a blender – music to our ears. Alas, the final combined take was $201.16. Buzzkill!
Still, two hundred dollars will get us three nice restaurant dinners, or twenty bottles of cava, or a night in a good hotel somewhere. Maybe train fare to Paris!
So, no, it’s not taking us around the world. Not this time. Now Louise has started filling her globe again…this time with Euros.
The Expat Almanac 
Aww, I really like this … and the bank is too perfect! Is it going on the journey with you? Take a break from packing, have a great weekend, and pamper yourselves … you’re heading for the home stretch. ~Terri
LikeLike
Thanks, Terri. In fact, we ARE about to take a break: two nights at the Oregon Coast next week. There won’t be a single box in sight!
LikeLike
Tom, some years ago we lived in Newport, OR. We had a great hillside apartment right across the river from the Rogue Brewery. It was a very different experience for us. We loved the whale-watching. And in what turned out to be the dumbest move of all time, we moved us and our stuff (U-haul … an adventure in moving) from St. Augustine, FL to OR and back. You probably don’t have to look at the map to see that this diagonal is about as far as one can move in the lower 48.
LikeLike
The bank stays home unfortunately. Pinky and the Brain are upset.
LikeLike