So much to do before we leave town. As usual, I am going to be cutting it extremely close as far as time and finances both go. I need to be ready by Friday so that I can leave late Friday night. We need to try to pack everything we’ll need so that we don’t have to make unnecessary purchases on the road, so packing is going to be intense.

Tonight, I emptied the dishwasher and reloaded it, took out the trash, washed two loads of laundry, dried one (load two is in the dryer now), hauled off the cardboard to the recycle room, fed and watered the cats, and straightened up some of my desk. I want to keep going. The momentum has kicked in and I cold do this all night. However, reporting to work tomorrow AM would then be quite the challenge. Argh.

I will get this all done. (say it with me now… I WILL get this all done.)

It is working, though… See?

I’ve been receiving an insane amount of spam lately.  But instead of the cute email subject lines that everyone else seems to be getting, I get Italian comments to my blog.    Are they really spam?   Yeah, I’m pretty sure.   The links and funky email addresses pretty much give them away.   But as for the text?  Either I need to come to terms with the fact that I have no idea what they’re talking about or I need to enroll in beginning Italian at LBCC.  “I’ll take door number one, Pat.”

Last Saturday found me on the way to Portland.   It was a lovely day so I drove with the sunroof open and the windows down.   By the time I arrived, I was a sniffling mess and my hair was a fright.   Good think I kept a ball cap in the car.    I can cover the bad hair.   I’m not sure what to do for this allergy problem I’ve stirred up, though.  Between the sneezing and the cats playing all night, I’m not sure how much quality sleep I’m actually getting.   It sure doesn’t feel like much.

So Portland was lovely and it made me realize that I need to spend much more time up there…   just me.  I enjoy spending time with Sami, but I think I’m going to plan at least one trip a month up there to do things that I want to do.   Perhaps, I’ll catch a show.   Maybe I’ll hang out in the Japanese Garden.   I’ll certainly fit in a visit to Blue Moon Camera or Pro Photo Supply.   I don’t think I’m asking much.   I do desperately need to unwind once in a while and I cannot seem to do it here.

I’m headed to bed, but I should be packing instead.    We’ve only got three and a half days until we leave for our road trip.   I have laundry to do, household chores to finish (major work!), and I have to come up with some sort of rough budget.  Fuel costs are rising and that can seriously affect our plans.

Some good news: My new (new to me) 17mm lens arrived today.   It belonged to a friend so I know it’s been well taken care of.    So far, I love it.    The Canon 70-200mm f/4 USM L lens arrives on Thursday, just in time to be packed away for our departure on Friday night.   I cannot wait to put that baby to good use.

For now, that will have to wait.   All in good time.   All in good time.

I have had the fortune of working with Leonid Pereplyotchik for several years.  He and my father were close and I have heard some of the story of his life.  It’s a fascinating story- from his days as a young boy in the Ukraine to his life here in the United States as a software engineer.    He has seen some horrific things in his life and has also known the joy and beauty of endless opportunities.   He has the structured mind of a scientist but is approachable and friendly and warm.   He is a good man.

 Leonid has written several books now, but his latest (”Two Sides of a Planet”) has just been released.   I’m awaiting my copy (Dad ordered it for me  last week).   The book is a collection of short stories focusing on the differences and similarities of totalitarian Russia and our society here in the United States. 

The book is available now at Amazon.    I encourage you to check it out.