Not a lot going on around here lately, just keeping ourselves occupied puttering around Brad's Mum's house fixing this and that.
This 'deal' on our house is still progressing... 'They' tell us it's a done deal, I'll believe it when I have $$ in hand.
There are several conditions on the sale which are to be completed by a set date (this coming Friday), usually -- once conditions are met they are signed off and the deal would then be a go. However, in Hell where our house is located they don't have a Conditions Removal thing.... I can't make this shit up. Anyway, we've told them that we need the conditions signed off and they are seeing what they can do to give us something for that.
We are doing some dealings with our bank and in order to complete these dealings prior to closing the sale (Aug 15), the bank wants the Conditions Removal... if we have to wait, so be it but sure would be nice to get stuff sorted sooner than later.
The plan at current is to leave Saskatchewan on July 4th ish... stop in Ontario and check on my Dad and his wife as they've had some health issues lately, then move on to the house to get our personal belongings. The furnishings went with the house so its really just the kitchen, offices, bathrooms, etc. of boxes. We will stop once again at my Dad's on the way back.
When looking into a rental to bring our things across to SK I discovered a couple things. First, Uhaul will not rent a trailer to be towed by a soft top Jeep (no idea why, but whatever). Second, it is MUCH cheaper for us to rent the vehicle in SK and drive it to the East Coast and back than it is to fly there, rent it and return it in SK.
RoadTrip!!! We love to travel, obviously, so we're quite excited to be getting on the road again even if we can't take our MotorHome with us. We've been out of our Motorhome since the middle of April (like 2.5 months!), we actually miss it. You'd think after spending 8 months in a small box you'd be glad to be out of it, and we are, but it has become our home (literally, now that our house has theoretically sold) and we miss it.
The timing is working well for us as Brad's Mum returns this coming Saturday from her holiday. We have a few things on the go at the end of July and so we will need to get out there do our thing and get back here in time for all of that. Fortunately, we have learned a thing or two about places to stay without having to get a hotel room. Not sure if we will be getting a blow up mattress and taking the BBQ yet but we will be able to go much more 'stealth' than we could with the MH which gives us more places to stop for the night, especially in ON and QC. Not sure if we will stealth it across or hotel it as we are not planning anything until the Conditions are Removed.
A couple of years ago we learned that we're not 20 anymore and driving across the country in a 'car' in 3 days is not wise. Your ankles blow up like balloons and it takes a week or so to get them back to normal. Since the trip as a rule is 7 days... we're hoping to do it in 5 or 6 (not counting the stop at my Dad's). That will give us 3 or 4 days at the house and then the return trip of another 5 or 6, so essentially the better part of 3 weeks. With plans at the end of July, it will be imperative to be back in time. So a potential for big ankles.
We intend to cut through the US since we returned 7 days early in the spring and the shortcut through the states will use about 4 days there and back. Anyone know of any reason we shouldn't? Let us know. We're totally new to this whole US days counting thing.
So looking back at your blog I assumed you entered back into Canada on April 10 as you posted in Montana on April 9th. So, so far this year you have been in the US for 100 days (Jan 31, Feb 28, Mar 31, Apr 10). The maximum number of days you can be in the US in a calendar year, as an Alien showing a closer connection to another country is 182 days. If you are in 183 then your income is subject to US tax. Therefore if you are going to travel through the US and use another 4 days, then that would leave you 78 days at the end of the year. So the earliest you could leave in the fall would be October 15. Note that the days are counted when you are physically present at any time of the day. So if on your trip through the US if you left say SK on the Monday afternoon entering North Dakota and arrived in Sault St.Marie Ontario, Thursday morning then it would count as 4 days(even though you were in the US for less than 72 hours). The rules are explained in the IRS form 8840 which you should file every year in April. Both of you need to file it, especially now that you have property in California.
ReplyDeleteYes, thanks for that Peter.
DeleteForgot to mention, I have a friend who drove from Ottawa to Florida almost non stop. When he arrived in Florida, he ended up in the hospital. The doctor told him, if he was going to drive/sit for long periods he should get/wear compression stockings.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe days of travel you do not count is worded:
ReplyDelete"Days you were in the United States for less than 24 hours when you were traveling between two places outside the United States."