Getting off!

Getting off on a trip is ALWAY chaos at our house. This time was no exception. When you know you are going to be gone awhile, there is so much you need to take care of or pack to work on along the way. Poor Henry . . . I kept laying things out for him to carry out to the RV. And, bless his heart, he found places to stow most of it - when I finally made it out there carrying some things myself, I was surprised that it was still fairly neat.

After several abortive attempts to get the barn roof repaired, hearing the weather forecast for the next few days made me rush around and get the horse boarded for at least a week or so until the barn is fixed back up. I'd worry too much about Gambler given the leaky, noisy state of the barn.

I'm carrying papers and software to work on Income Taxes. I brought all my hard drives and many of the DVD backups so that I can update my portfolios for the North American Nature Photographer's Association Summit. Bill paying stuff had to come along (I have a small file box dedicated to that - all can be done on the road even if I don't have the most current bill.)

And then there's clothes. Clothes for the dressy times, shoes to wade in the waves when I take my new sunset photos, clothes for winter. Clothes for exercise.

We finally got off and headed to Georgetown to eat one last meal with Jonathan and Debra. Yes, already I was remembering things that I had thought about but had not packed. If it is small, Debra can mail it to me if I really need it.

Henry and I were both tired and sore, but it is so nice once you are finally OFF. And for us it is better to get off and at least a little way down the road - so we don't find ten dozen things to keep working on before we would leave the next morning.

The adventure begins . . . First stop . . . Amarillo.