It seems like a space-taking thing to pack

I have no idea what the shopping is like in Egypt, so I don't know what to tell you. Fay may have an actual based-on-knowledge answer for you?

There are hats that are made of fabric, not stiffer straw or the like, and they can simply fold just like a shirt or any other item of clothing, so it wouldn't take that much space.

You really don't wanna step out to the very-hot blazing sun without a hat. Especially with your fair complexion. [Edit: maybe even pack just a simple baseball cap or something, to take with you, just so you'd have something to cover your head with, until you find a better not-good-for-packing one?]

(Oh, and in all the time Fay was in Egypt, we still didn't get to meet, so you're in excellent company in not-being-able-to-pass-the-border-to-Israel territory.]

They are adults who can entertain themselves. ijs.

I know. I just feel like a bad host, as they are coming to see *me* and I'm gonna be all "sorry, gotta go to work." And I really have to be here for this thing. And god forbid my coworker gets put on a jury, cause then I can't take ANY time off without pissing off a whole host of people.

Everydamnthing I touch.

wait does this mean I should be careful when I pinch your cheeks next?

Emily, just offering, but I also have a fabric hat like Nilly describes, it is black and an SPF fabric.

sara, you told them about your schedule in advance, right? It's not like you made all those plans with them and then by the time they arrive you're suddenly all "nope, gotta work, bye!", right? They knew about it, they made their decision while knowing about it, so you were the best host (well, pre-host) you could be under the circumstances, in my eyes.

msbelle, I'll happily take your entire wardrobe, but I am leaving a week from yesterday. Also, I think you are svelter than I, being a size 10-to-14 and about 5'6. Er, those are my sizes, not yours.

I'm just annoyed. Everything is turning annoying.

are your trainers assuming that you have just come back from a SCUBA expedition?

Well air is mostly nitrogen, it gets absorbed into your blood stream and will form pockets in your joints. The gas escaping through narrow gaps, when you crack your fingers for instance, is what makes that popping sound. That part is accurate. My objection to what the trainers say is this, I can buy the first and maybe the second pop/crack/creak coming from nitrogen escaping, but not every subsequent sound.

Allyson, yesterday when I picked up my comic pulls, I found the other huge Buffy fan in town (she named her cat Joss). I had been plugging your book to the comic shop dude and she mentioned that she had seen the book. I ended up giving her my extra copy right there so she could read it.

My day is getting progressively better. Most of the mess is picked up around the house and at least one of my children has clothes on. I still need to shower, get dressed, feed them lunch, drop Owen off at school, and pick up the old laptop from the shop.

If I don't collapse, I'm going to aqua jog class tonight.

I've had surgery on both my knees and they pop and grind something awful. I have to keep my workouts low impact or there will be great pain and suffering in Guilder. Hence the aqua jogging.

sara, you told them about your schedule in advance, right? It's not like you made all those plans with them and then by the time they arrive you're suddenly all "nope, gotta work, bye!", right? They knew about it, they made their decision while knowing about it, so you were the best host (well, pre-host) you could be under the circumstances, in my eyes.

That's what I was gonna say!

I am having an attack of OMGIhavetoomuchtodo-itis. Life, why so busy?