The Perfect Trip

I am traveling soon. Friday I got to Chicago and then Monday from Chicago to the New York/New Jersey/Fairfield County, Connecticut tri-state area. There's a wedding in Chicago that I'm thrilled to attend, and lots of visits set up there and in NY with old friends and family fun. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone, and to being away for a little while. But. Man, oh, man, I hate leaving home. It's absurd.

I suspect it has more to do with the delicate balance of animal life I have here in the house than anything else, but I imagine there will always be something pulling me home. And sure, two of them are ill, one seriously so. And this house is falling apart, and I suspect that there's a protective shield that might travel with me, and doom the house to crumble in on itself.

Once I'm on the plane, I'm pretty much fine. I can turn towards the trip and have a good time. But the run-up to travel is crazy stressful. I'm trying something new this time, though: preparedness. Rather than fight the pending trip by pretending it's not happening, I am possibly more prepared than ever before. I'm even throwing in a personal goal, which is to pack like a grown-up would, with proper shoes, clothes that don't have frayed sleeves and stains, and with an eye on the weather reports. I remain on a quest for the Perfect Carry-On Bag, which is sadly stalled, but I'm determined to find it one day, and I will no doubt apprise you of my progress on that. I will figure out how to look showered and clean for my trip, and I will know where all the chargers are. Baby steps, People. Baby steps.

Still to do, clean for the housesitter, post a blog entry, stock up on kitty food and medication for the time I'm gone, memorize a monologue, put out the old dishwasher for bulky item pick-up tomorrow morning, meet with the plumber about myriad water issues, volunteer, perform monologue, ship a box of stuff ahead, meet with the housesitter, and finalize packing. I should probably get started.

Jenny