Work things just keep piling up. So do SlowTrav things. And I always feel like I MUST get everything done before we leave for a trip.
Steve's girlfriend before me (we are talking 25 years ago) always said to him "I will not go to X fat!!". Then she dieted for months before each trip. I am more like "I will not go to X with messy closets." Then I do major spring cleaning before we leave. Do I think I am going to die on the trip? So my house had better be clean, my books up-to-date (this usually does not get done - too boring), my web site as updated as possible.
But, we do have a number of Tabby Software things to be done because we have a conference one month after we get back. Advertising materials, new release of the software and docs, banner for our booth. Must get working on all that (but today is hot and I feel lazy, so here I am at the blog).
Today I did the first few things in getting ready for the trip:
- We got our IDLs (International Drivers License) from AAA. Only took a few minutes - their office was quiet and they were fast.
- I ordered foreign currency from the bank (Swiss frances - enough to pay our 2 week Gstaad rental - and Euro for Germany and Italy).
- I called Delta to confirm our flights (we leave 20 minutes earlier than originally stated!) and order our vegetarian meals.
Things really are under control - it is just in my nature to panic. Time usually goes by so fast for me, that one minute we have 3 weeks until we leave, then I blink and we are leaving the next day.
We also bought a TIVO. Yes, another electronic device stuffed into our very small, but well equipped, house. We tape things from TV all the time. This is another instance of how time escapes me. If there is something I want to watch on TV, I always set up to tape it because I usually lift my head up from the computer, look around, and realize it is 9pm (and have missed the show). Also our house sitters always seem to mess up my TV taping when we travel - and TIVO seems like it will be hundreds of times better than a VCR. I hate having to keep track of what is on the tape, what we have watched, etc.
All this so we can tape the nightly news, South Park and whatever HBO series we are currently addicted to. :)
I spoke to a fact checker at the New York Times today. They are running an article in the August 24 Practical Traveler column with a mention of SlowTrav!!!!!
