Signs that it's time to go home

1. I have finally run out of antiperspirant and shaving gel on the same day. Trust me, never try to go to the local market on a Friday afternoon...it's packed! Trying to locate personal items in the crowded shelves at the corner Spar is a challenge. There are loads of body washes, body cremes, and even roll-on deodorant-antiperspirants, but no familiar brands. And no shave creme at either of the markets! I'll have to keep looking for this item.
2. Echo requests are coming in daily. It's time for an echo tech to be trained, and to establish a modern laboratory with the equipment currently available.
3. My car battery (9 years old) has died and the BMW won't start. I have made an appointment the day after we return for a new battery and 90,000 mile inspection, oil change, and other maintenance issues. I'll then splurge and get the car detailed.
4. We are in the process of selling our primary home in Portland, and may have to vacate in June, 6 weeks after coming back. This task seems enormous, considering the 27 years of contents to deal with!
5. The damage from a windstorm in Harpswell had to be dealt with. Our neighbor, Mark Lieberman, is taking charge of the downed trees, after our daughter and son-in-law, Emily and Leigh (with Duncan's help) took care of electricity, security, and supervision of driveway access to the T-Ledge house.
6. The Philips corp will be repossessing the echo machine they loaned me in 2 weeks, unless the hospital buys it, or Philips donates it to the hospital or UPenn. I hope it will stay, as the machine is easy to use and has many of the features of more modern machines.
7. The local liquor store is out of Tanqueray. I finished their supply over the past 2.5 months (It really wasn't that many bottles).
With all of this swirling in our brains, we feel drawn back home. Three months is a long time to spend away from family and familiar surroundings, no matter how interesting and exciting travel and immersion in foreign culture seems.
In the mean time, this weekend we will visit Pretoria and Johannesburg, RSA. Over Easter we will be in Cape Town and the Franschoek wine district. We'll be home 10 days later. It's time.