My week in Charlotte March 11 – 18, 2025

We had our appointments with Portugal Immigration (AIMA) on Monday March 10th, 2025. It took about an hour and we had everything they asked us for thanks to a FB group that I read religiously. I had a flight to Charlotte the next day (March 11, Emily’s birthday (my goddaughter)) from Lisbon to Charlotte at ~11am. So I took a train from Faro to Lisbon and spent the night at a hotel near the airport where we have stayed before. Actually, it was from Lisbon to Philadelphia and Phillie to Charlotte. No direct flights from Charlotte to Portugal or vice versa. On the Phillie to Charlotte flight I was moved to First Class, I’m sure it was because they saw my birthday was the next day (hahaha).

I made the reservation months ago so I could attend my niece’s wedding on March 16. Yes, I am an only child. But my “sister” Wendy’s Dad married my Mom in 1980. We didn’t grow up together, but we consider each other sisters and her daughter and son have always called me “Aunt Robbi” (which I love. VLB’s kids do, too).

I had quite a list of things I needed to take care of while stateside. I arrived in Charlotte around 7pm, picked up a rental car which took forever and they did not have the type of car I requested. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2GmGSNvaM). I got what I what I got and headed to my dear friend Hope’s house.

The morning of my birthday was completely consumed with phone issues. If you haven’t read my Cautionary Tale… I took a phone with me to Portugal in December. I got a Portuguese phone number after we arrive and all was co-existing on my Samsung phone. (FYI, Apple stuff is not compatible with me). On February 5th, I accidentally left said phone in an Uber (along with 2 debit cards, a credit card and my NC drivers license). This has been one of the more horrible experiences of my life. My US service was with AT&T. It turned out that the new phone I purchased would not work with AT&T and the MEO phone store would not even trade the phone I bought from them for one that would work. I probably don’t have to tell you what I thought of that.

Near our former house in Charlotte is a small strip mall that has AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile stores. On my birthday morning I started at the AT&T store. I explained to the sole employee in the store what happened. She thought she could make it work. She tried for a while, and concluded that it would not (big surprise).

I went over to the Verizon store. Because of Scott’s phone saga, I was well acquainted with the awesome guy there, Hayden. He was not optimistic, but fiddled around and determined that this phone would indeed work with Verizon. He needed my AT&T account number and a “transfer pin”. AT&T LOVES their transfer pin and I’m convinced that the real purpose is to make it so hard to get, that you will give up and stay with them. So, when I went back over to the AT&T store, the sole employee and I learn (she called customer service) that you are supposed to generate a transfer pin from your phone. I DON’T HAVE THE DAMN PHONE AND I NEVER WILL. They wanted to tell me it couldn’t be done. Then the phone rep told the store rep to assign my number to one of their demo phones, generate the transfer pin and then change the demo phone back. I’m not kidding. So she did that.

I went BACK over to Verizon (right beside Domino’s pizza, yes, I got myself a pizza and they made exactly how I like for a change). Eventually, I had the phone I came in with, working with both the US number and the Portugues number, like the lost one did. Phshew!

Next stop – Two Buck Saloon. Scott frequented this bar with his patented trike. The people there loved it (biker bar afterall) and he was very popular there. The dogs and I went there a few times when our house was on the market and we needed to vacate. I don’t know the details of this, but in Portugal, Scott bought and had me take over a shirt that was for the local Faro soccer team for one of his buddies there. The buddy goes by the name Heavy. Heavy was there and I gave him the shirt and WhatsApped Scott so they could talk. As it turned out Heavy had forgotten about this promise of Scott’s, but he was tickled pink about it! Said it made his day. Yay Scott!

Heavy and his new shirt.

I can’t remember now what I did next. Eventually I made my way back to Hope’s and then to Barrington’s to have dinner with Janice and Tonda. Tonda and I share March 12 as our birthdays! We had excellent food and drink there and celebrated in style. These women are among the top of the list of important people in my life.

On the 13th I tackled needing a money order. So that we don’t have to pay customs duty on what we shipped to Portugal, I needed a money order (or cash – no way) to submit with our application for a “Baggage Certificate”. The company we used for shipping our stuff needed this in order to RECEIVE our stuff into Portugal with no import fees. The money order and application (and a prepaid envelope to ship the certificate in) had to be sent to the Portuguese Consulate in Washington, DC. I would have already done this except that Portugal doesn’t DO money orders. They will not take a personal check, which I could easily have done. I HAD TO GO TO FOUR PLACES BEFORE I COULD ACTUALLY PURCHASE A MONEY ORDER in Charlotte. When we applied for our Visa in DC, we also had to have a money order and we got it at a nearby CVS. I went to CVS. Oh, our machine isn’t working. Go over there to the Walmart. I’m sure they can issue one. Went to said Walmart (I NEVER deliberately go to Walmart). Oh, our machine is down. That 7-11 over there. I’m sure theirs is working. I go to the 7-11. Oh, we can’t, our machine isn’t working . (ARE YOU F-ING kidding me). I express doubts and the woman says or the Post Office…. Yes. The post office can process a money order. And they did.

Armed with the money order and the required paperwork, I head to DHL, which had been recommended as the only reliable service for this. It turns out that there are, like 2 maybe 3 DHL locations in Charlotte. The one I found looks like it is going to just be a place where you can drop off things that are ready to go. My heart sank. Fortunately, you can actually go inside and there is a person working there. She was AWESOME. She quickly grasped what I needed and got it all together.  Off went the first envelop to DC.

Next up – 2024 tax preparation and submission. I had made an appointment with the CPA who has done our taxes for years and is also a personal friend. I was a little late arriving, but it all got done. So happy that instead of the last couple of years of owing, we are getting refunds, fed and state. This proved to myself that I am still capable of learning. LOL.

March 14th was delightful. I had lunch at Pisces in midtown. They have “crispy spicy tofu” that is SOOOO GOOD! Friends Zoe, Julie and Anne met me there. Hope, Beth and Beth were feeling poorly and couldn’t make it. ☹

After that I went to my doctor’s office and got a new Measles vaccine (also mumps and and chicken pox, which I had as a kid) and an RSV vaccine.

Friday night I met Leslie and Lou (others couldn’t make it) at Roosters for dinner. Then I went back to Leslie’s to watch the Tar Heels in the ACC tournament. I spent the night there. Our Heels were SO CLOSE. Of course they then pummeled San Diego St – 95 to 68 in the start of the NCAA Tournament.

I met our friend and financial advisor, Marcus, for lunch at Noble Smoke. Charlotte’s best macaroni and cheese. I can’t believe I went to 2 Jim Noble establishments since I dislike him rather intensely, Oh well.

I think from there I went to Harris Teeter for Duke’s Mayo. Hmm. Maybe not that day. One of my psudo nephews came to town for the tournament and brought me some things that Valerie kept for me. Oh well. At some point I purchased some things from the Teeter and CVS to bring back.

Sunday I went to our beloved church, Caldwell Presbyterian. Scott and I can watch each Sunday online, but they can’t interact with us. It was wonderful to be in this fantastic community of like-minded folks. Many of them have been doing so much to fight against the tyranny of the government we are dealing with.

Then I went to the venue where my niece got married and did what I could to help. The ceremony began at 3:30. Joy was SO BEAUTIFUL, She was one of my bridesmaids when I married Scott. What a change from that young girl. I’m so proud of her (and her brother, Jake). My sister, Wendy and her mother, Linda (a pseudo-Mom to me) were also so very beautiful. It was a fantastic occasion that I’m so happy I didn’t miss.

Monday I attempted to tackle the mail issue and our credit card replacement issue. I don’t even want to talk about this.

Somewhere in here I left out going to SouthPark Mall to try to find something to wear to the wedding. I ended up only getting shoes. The only ones I had with me were tennis shoes.

At the moment I can’t remember the rest of Monday.

Tuesday my sister, Wendy came over to Hope’s. Then we went to Pinky’s for lunch and Hope met us there. I left for the airport and turning in the rental car and began the journey back to my new home.

That night, Wednesday, Scott and I attended one of our meet-ups. There were people from Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Ecuador, Portugal and Hungary. So fun!

TODAY we received our Residency Cards. We are now legal residents in Portugal and can go wherever we want!

Stay tuned, our real adventures here will start SOON!