**We're Almost There, no really!**

The last snow storm, on Thursday, could have easily been the blame for the delay in our departure but in reality it was the lack of completion on the seemingly unending list of todo's that we created in large format. The key words being "we created." It seems that from some place in my past and now lodged in my belief system "you come to a point when you just say enough is enough and you are then ready to leave. We have not gotten there and evidently we are not going to. We have just stuck it out and managed the list(s) into submission or depletion. In this case though we have dealt with the mental aggravation (Bill's) of multiple postponements and just kept forging forward to complete on all of those things we deemed important.

Last week we did go through the list and highlight what we felt was crucially important to us by highlighting them in Red and decided if we got these done then we would be perfectly fine with leaving and letting go of the other otherwise trivial things on the list. Funny thing that happened is that when you put them in the list they also get somehow retained in your brain as just as important as the rest. Substantiating my new found theory that the brain does not recognize either the color red or my feeble attempt at prioritizing.

Thus we have completed approximately 80 - 90% of everything that was on the list in spite of our reduction effort and my squabbling about its inherent length and number of items contained therein.

We will be leaving Tuesday morning about 9 AM. Like no kidding!
NASA has declared that the weather will be in perfect condition for our launch and will continue to our first touch down spot of Annapolis, MD later that evening. We will remain there a couple of days then head out to North Carolina to Bill's parents for the Christmas Holiday.

A little trip aside:
On our anniversary date, Megan and I meandered up to The Vanilla Bean in Pomfret, enjoyed a great supper (snuck in a couple of deserts) and listened to the wonderfully calming, beautifully presented, stress releasing musical stirrings of the Atwater-Donnelly Trio. http://www.atwater-donnelly.com/atwater-donnellytrio.htm
They played a bunch of seasonal tunes and mainly served up their blend of Traditional American folk tunes from various regions of our country including some old time Kentucky Hills Blue Grass and Blues. Of the many instruments they articulately expressed themselves with that night, it was the banjo, once again that caught my interest. After we left that evening, I told Megan that I was going to find one to learn on during our trip. I hadn't really mentioned it to anyone else until this past Thursday when I asked my my good friend and Buddhist conversational partner, Scott, ( Thanks so much for your assistance in diminishing the list items, too) if he knew where I could get one that I could learn on and not spend too much on. He told me that he has one that he hasn't had the time to play much lately and that I could take it with me on the year sojourn. Banjo, here I come!

We have packed a good deal of the stuff into the Coach already but the final issue will be assembled and installed Sunday and Monday. It has all been sorted and awaits entry to its meticulously assigned space, somewhere in the top side or in the basement. The very final selection of stuff to take is my tool collection. We intend to do some assistance work with our families, friends and others (in the way of house repair) when necessary or when I need to feel of value for my talents. Of the many to choose from, I will take the tools that seem valuable and of multi leveled importance (like the battery screw gun/drill and the saws all). Come to think of it that should just about do it.
We will pull out Tuesday around 9 AM. Did I mention that already???
OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH YYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!