Hey There! It's 7:49 AM EST, 36°F, cloudy and gloomy
One more day at home today to pack, and we hit the road early tomorrow morning. I may be posting in the evenings starting tomorrow. As always, we'll take it day by day.
Yesterday was the final "big packing" day. We had to wait just a bit until the weather cleared up. Our cleaner again did not show up. It was snowing, and where she was it was freezing rain, so I guess I can't blame her. But don't you buy and own Jeep Cherokees just for these situations?
I found the bigger bag I was looking for, and transferred my AZ clothes into it. I also did the final cleaning and straightening of the basement. I mopped up the water on the floor of the tiny fridge's freezer, and am leaving both tiny fridge and freezer unplugged. I also cleaned out (finally) my portable fridge that I use on my campsite.
DW and I then packed up the car. It's mostly packed, with just a few item that we use in the hotels left to squeeze in. It's a good packing jpb, but every time I look at it I wonder if we're bringing too much stuff. We probably are.
We cooked a pork shoulder in the crock pot and gave about half of it away to our neighbors and retired colleague up the street. He makes his own pulled pork recipe. I thought this one DW made was too watery, but I think we didn't have enough BBQ sauce to add to the amount of pork we had. We're trying to eat up everything in the refrigerator so as to have less to throw out when we go, and we've done a good job I think. The bottom freezer has a few dinners we can eat when we get home. In April.
I ate too much pork, I fear, so I spent the evening bloated and watched the opening day of the 5th test of the Ashes in Syndey. England batted first, and they are currently putting up a good score with 3-215 or so. Joe Root and Harry Brook each had a half century and a 150 run partnership, so things are going well for England. Bedtime was 11:05 PM.
I begin to wonder if all this preparation and packing is worth the effort. I hope when we get there we will remember what it's like to have sun and warmth. I think at this stage of my life I could be more content to stay home and do light therapy rather than all this packing. I'm pretty worn out (although not so much as last year), and my right hip area is a bit gimpy at the moment. DW and I both have dental cleanings today, and they're the last appointments we have. Last minute packing as well as mounting the Honda are the last things to get done. I think I have a case of those last-minute anxieties you get whenever you travel (what did we forget to pack? to do? Did we lock the door? Forward the mail?) The comforts of home begin to look better against the work it takes to travel. Perhaps next year we'll do a quick three-week rent a car fly-in.
'Til We Meet Again!