Good morning! I have much laundry to do. Then packing. Big chore day prior to going to New Orleans early in the morning tomorrow. Leaving DH to manage the house and office while I do the out of town stuff. Hee, he's in for a shock. I'll be working 8 hour days. That's called vacation.

I think I'll make a list.

Go, Epic!

Laura, hope you have a good "vacation." Lists are good. I made my weekend list yesterday. I should get going on it. But first, coffee.

Mmmm coffee. I've had a large mug already. And oatmeal. Dieting, again.

In my skimming I read that you achieved apartment. Did you get the one with the pretty woodwork you posted pictures of? When are you moving?

Did you get the one with the pretty woodwork you posted pictures of?

I DID! I'm SO excited. It's just lovely and perfect.

When are you moving?

Looks like August 3. I'll get the keys August 1, install the air conditioners August 2, and the movers will meet at mom and dad's to get much stuff there the morning of August 3. Then we'll head to Cambridge for that stuff and then off to the new place.

I'm just a little excited.

That is very exciting. I could really see you in that place. It will be fun to watch you transform the space in your talented way.

I may be up north about that time. I plan to head to upstate NY either just before or just after the 4th of July and stay until the kids have to go back to school mid August. My place up there is right next door to my mom and step-dad so it is easy to leave the kids and get out and about with DH. My sister and nephew live in town too.

We have business stuff in July in Albany, Buffalo, Hartford, Providence, and Braintree MA (I think near Boston). The Braintree conference is July 27. I hope to be able to see you and other regionalistas this summer.

It will be fun to watch you transform the space in your talented way.

Awwww...thanks!

Braintree is very near Boston. I'd love to see you, but that weekend I'm going to be on vacation in New Hampshire :(. Bummer!

Vacation in New Hampshire is a good thing! I won't know my overall schedule until I get up there. I'm hoping to convince Trudy to hop on a train to Utica with Dallas for a visit.

I have yet to actually spend a night or day in the place I bought in Otter Lake last summer. I can't wait to get in there and make it mine. I strongly suspect that my parents have been doing things in there. Step dad replaced the pump for me. I hope that the well is adequate for my family. The old owner said I might have to dig a better well. We'll see. We might be roughing it for a while. Yay for mom next door.

Vacation in New Hampshire is a good thing!

Yeah. It's our big summer family trip. I'm excited. It's a good way to celebrate my 30th birthday, I think.

I'm hoping to convince Trudy to hop on a train to Utica with Dallas for a visit.

Oh, fun!

I have yet to actually spend a night or day in the place I bought in Otter Lake last summer.

Well, you'll have to do that!

So, tentatively, I think I can give a cautious Yay for the whole GettingMyShitTogether-ness accomplished so far today.

• Bagged up 3 binliners full of clothes to give away.

• Thrown out assorted other things.

• Prepared stuff to give to next door neighbour (wee tables, teaching materials etc) for use of next year's teachers.

• Found accommodation for The Cat Daniel over the summer, where they will make sure all his medical records are ready for Thailand.

• Reserved flights from UK to Cairo (August 15th) and Cairo to Bangkok (August 17th) to pick up cat and head to new job.

• Established how much it will cost to take cat with me.

Still need to close my Egyptian bank account, pay for flights and get Police Reports finalised at British Embassy. And finish sorting through stuff and tidying and so on. Nevertheless - Yay me!

Go Fay!