I have not yet actually started to pack, but this week I have been actively getting things organized and sorted out. There's a fair amount to arrange to ensure both a smooth trip and a seamless absence: paying bills in advance, registering the trip with the state department, stocking up on supplies, assembling the proper adaptors, etc., for all electronics, sending stuff to the dry cleaners, loading up my Kindle (I really don't want to run out of stuff to read), calling credit card companies so they don't get suspicious about foreign charges and shut me off, and a whole checklist of other similar tasks.
Luckily, while I'm gone, my beloved and trusty assistant, John, will be here overseeing the house and taking care of my beloved and not-so-trusty feline, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Elvira already knows something is up...she's been exceptionally chatty and affectionate lately (she's also obsessed with a cardboard packing box...see above). Whenever I return home from being gone for more than a day, we go through the same routine: first, Elvira gives me the cold shoulder for a while, then she chatters at me in a very scolding tone, then she refuses to be more than 4-5 inches away from me for about 24 hrs. Although Elvira is merely friendly with John when I'm here, when I'm away, she's his BFF. John has informed me that when I finally return from being gone for four whole weeks, Elvira is going to have a small suitcase packed so that she can leave with him.
Funny!
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